Davis Fine Arts: Round and Round the Christmas Tree

As promised, below is video of Round and Round the Christmas Tree. This was taught to a second grade class at Knowlton.

First though, a little bit about the way I teach...

Whole to Part Teaching

If you were to put a puzzle together, which method would make more sense?

1: Look at the picture on the outside of the box and use it as a reference as you work on individual pieces and sections of the puzzle.

2: assemble the puzzle without seeing the overall picture first.

I'm guessing most of us, (unless we're feeling like we want an extra challenge) would prefer to put a puzzle together already knowing what the picture will look like at the end. The picture on the box provides a framework or a reference for us as we work on small sections, or pieces, and put them together.

In teaching a song, children will be more successful in the long run if they have a picture of the whole before they work on the parts of the song. It's best to sing the song as a whole first, and then if sections of the song need reviewed those can be focused on individually, then put back in context with the song as a whole. When I teach songs to children, especially folk-type songs, I sing the song as a whole and add movement or ask questions to help the students create meaning as they learn the song. Students will join in singing when they are ready. They might sing small bits and pieces and listen to other parts as they learn. We learn songs off of the radio this way, we learn to speak this way, it follows that we can teach songs to children this way as well.

Challenge the Brain, Engage the Learner

Children learn when their brains are appropriately challenged. A large part of taking challenges is feeling safe. If children are too afraid to fail, they won't feel safe enough to try. If the challenge is too easy, or not really a challenge, children will disengage as well. Support children by asking questions to direct their learning and thinking. Use your questions and feedback to create understanding and give meaning to students learning. Provide specific, positive feedback for both behavioral and academic objectives. Trust can be built through specific feedback, and inviting children to participate when they feel ready.

Part 1: Singing the song, movement in place

(This part is optional and flexible. The song can be sung here more or less times depending on the level of trust, confidence, familiarity with this type of teaching and learning, and developmental levels of the students you are teaching. Students do not have to know the song perfectly to do part two, they will learn as they go as long as you encourage singing and ask questions that engage students in the music or the words.)

Key parts of the process from the video above:

Movement is key in helping children learn. They focus better and retain more when they move. The more we can create movement that gives meaning to the song, the better. I chose to have the children keep the beat. Because I planned to have the children later move in space as change those movements with the phrases of the song, I chose to change the placement of the beat with each phrase.
Also later, the first two phrases will be marched in one direction, with students side by side. The second two phrases the children will spin or do-si-do. The spinning of the hands mirrors the movement that will happen later.
Represent the rest/freeze on the pause. The children may or may not know, but they are learning to keep track of rests with the freezes. So often children (and adults) speed through the rests. It's important for children to learn that rest takes up space in music as silence. I teach that a quarter note, or ta, is a beat of sound, and a quarter rest is a beat of silence. The other reason this is important to emphasize also relates the the dance the students will do later. In the dance, children will change direction on the rests. I sometimes will have the children clap on the rests, or put their fingers to their mouth, make a funny face...there are lots of ways that could be adapted to your preferences and style.
*in-tune singing - when the students weren't matching pitch as well as I felt they were capable of, I quickly did some vocal play, accessing the high voice, had them match one pitch, and jumped right back into the song.

A few other movement in place ideas for movement in place:

Conduct the phrases: Draw a rainbow shape in the air with each phrase.
Move hands or body up and down in relation to the pitches of the melody.
Demonstrate meter: only do a movement on the strong beats/down beats, or do a different movement for the strong beats than the weak beats. (Ex: pat, clap, clap, clap)

Part two: Movement in space

Key parts of the teaching process for movement in space:

Model with one partner first. Don't tell children what to do each step of the way. Instead, let students discover, and use the music as your guide to discovery.
After modeling, and throughout, ask questions and give prompts such as, how did you know to change directions? What did you hear in the music that helped you know to change directions? This time, listen for which words you hear when we spin? Which words do you hear when we march in a straight line?
Have two or three groups of partners model next. This is a great way to assess student understanding, and to be able to know what questions to ask to guide student thinking before having the entire class try. This also gives students who aren't as confident more time to process before they are required to "perform." They are still participating and engaged by watching, especially if you are requiring them to figure it out rather than giving them step by step directions.
If your small group of students modeled correctly, add more students to the mix. Have each student standing grab a new partner. Eventually the whole class will join in. If they modeled incorrectly, use it as a chance to create repetition and add meaning to learning. Ask a question specific to the part that needs correction, than have students watch for the answer as you model.
Give students time to process and build trust. Ask for students to raise their hands if they want to be chosen as a partner. Tell students if they don't feel ready yet they can continue to take a watching turn until they feel ready to try.
The first time I taught this to a class, I partnered with the students every time instead of watching them. I thought I knew what they were doing, because every time I looked over at them they looked spot on. After watching the video, I realized I needed to not partner with a student after the initial modeling, unless it is necessary for instructional purposes. Being able to watch more closely helped me to give the students better feedback for success.

How could this song be used to create deeper musical understanding in consecutive lessons?

In a follow-up lesson, you could discuss or label the inherent concepts and skills that were experienced in the first lesson:

moving to the beat
feeling the rest
recognizing and moving to phrases
singing a melody in tune

Write the rhythm on the board and ask the students to guess the song..
Write the rhythm and melody on the board and ask the students to guess the song.
add pitched or unpitched instruments (harmony can be added here, or just melody played. To add harmony, use these pitches for each measure:

G G G D
G G G G - this one could also split the third measure of the phrase with
two pitches G G G/D G
G G G G
G G G G

Add dynamics and expression, especially in conjunction with the phrases.
change the movement in space

Students march alone, then grab a partner at the do-si-do
Students stand in one circle and change directions as they march with each phrase
Students stand in two circles (one inside the other) and move opposite directions for the first two phrases, than do-si-do with the partner opposite them on the last two phrases.

Students can follow song or listening maps, or create their own. I included a few different maps below for reference or use. Email me if you'd prefer the pdf of these.