Transcript Music and Childrens Literature by Ruth Gurgelx

Children’s Literature in the
Elementary Music Classroom
Ruth Gurgel, Ph.D.
Kansas State University
Using children’s literature
can…
• Offers access to perspectives of people
from other cultures and time periods
• Provides a format for improvisation
• Provides a format for composition
• Enables experience with elements of
music such as rhythm and meter
• It is fun for kids and teachers
Offers access to perspectives
of people from other cultures
and time periods
• Example: Thula Klizeo by Joseph Shabalala
• Book: My Painted House, My Friendly
Chicken, and Me by Maya Angelou
Provides a format for
improvisation
• Vocal Improvisation: I Want My Hat
Back by Jon Klassen
• Instrumental Improvisation: Abiyoyo by
Pete Seeger/ Michael Hays
• Improvisation with Movement: Very
Busy Spider by Eric Carle
Have you seen my hat?
Have you seen my hat?
Have you, have you, have you, have you
Have you seen my hat?
MMRRM, MMRRM, MMMMRRRR,
MMRRD
DDMRD, DDMRD, DDDDDDDD,
MMRRD
Provides a format for
composition
• Herman and Margarite by Jay
O’Callahan
• Hand, Hand, Fingers, Thumb by Al
Perkins
Enables experience with
elements of music such as
rhythm and meter
• Steady Beat: John Henry by Julius
Lester
• Rhythm: Things by Eloise Greenfield
Things by Eloise Greenfield
Went to the corner
Walked in the store
Bought me some candy
Ain’t got it no more
Ain’t got it no more
Went to the beach
Played on the shore
Built me a sandhouse
Ain’t got it no more
Ain’t got it no more
Went to the kitchen
Lay down on the floor
Made me a poem
Still got it
Still got it
Integrating Music with Literature,
Grammar, Writing and Drama
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Choose background music to match mood of picture books
Sound carpets to go with stories (ala Abiyoyo)
Create songs to summarize a story
Create a sound track for a novel or picture book
Create a rap about a character
Sound effects for a drama, musical motifs for characters
Music to Read By
• What You Know First by Patricia MacLachlan or Just Plain Fancy by
Patricia Polacco read with Bobbing Joe from Music of the American
Colonies
• The Blizzard’s Robe by Robert Sabuda or North Country Night by
Daniel San Souci read with Silent Night by Seth Bauer
• I See a Song by Eric Carle read with Caribbean Blue by Enya
• Uptown by Bryan Collier read with In a Hurry by Christian McBride
• Jump Back, Honey by Paul Laurence Dunbar (slow poems) and Honey,
I Love (slow poems) or Smoky Night by Eve Bunting read with Blue in
Green by Miles Davis
• Tuesday by David Weisner or Kate Heads West by Paul Brisson read
with March for Clarinet by Matthew Switzer
• Dandelions by Eve Bunting or John Henry by Julius Lester read with
Sweet Land of Liberty by Gwyneth Walker
Music to Read By
• Jump Back, Honey by Paul Laurence Dunbar (slow poems)
and Honey, I Love (slow poems) read with Can’t Dance by
Joshua Redman
• Rough Face Girl by Rafe Martin/David Shannon or The
Legend of the Indian Paintbrush by Tomie DePaola read with
Winter Ceremony from Sacred Spirit: Chants and Dances of
the Native Americans
• Abuela by Arthur Dorros or Going Home by Eve Bunting read
with Jesus Maria by Leo Kottke
• Tiger Woman by Lawrence Yep, or Yoko’s Paper Cranes by
Rosemary Wells read with The Moon Mirrored In a Pool
• Spaghetti Park by Anne DiSalvo read with Bella Bimba
(Italian Folk Song)