Read and Sing Folksongs Monday, August 17, 2015

Read & Sing Folksongs

by Emily Crocker

Recommended by Rachel Steele, School Music Specialist

Play-party games, folk dances, sea chanties;  this new collection has got it all!  Composer and educator Emily Crocker has put together 12 arrangements for use in the elementary classroom, with options for use in performance or informance.  The book includes multi-day lesson plans for each selection, with objectives based on the new National Standards.  Activities are focused on both melodic and rhythmic literacy as well as performing on classroom instruments and movement activities.   In addition, students are given age-appropriate opportunities for singing in harmony.  Suggestions for extension activities and assessment are also included.

The reproducible collection comes with an Enhanced Performance/Accompaniment CD that includes PDF’s of the singer pages.  These can be projected via a classroom computer or photocopied to hand out to students.  Folksongs include: Alabama Gal, The Boatman, Cape Cod Girls, Charlie Over the Ocean, The Colorado Trail, Icka Backa Soda Cracker, May Day Carol, Rise Up Shepherd and Follow, Sailing On the Ocean, Shake Them ‘Simmons Down, Skin and Bones, and Sourwood Mountain.  This resource is recommended for grades 3-6.

For other recommendations regarding elementary music materials, please give us a call at 1-800-42-MUSIC or visit our website.

Rachel Steele has been working in the choral department at Stanton’s since 2013.  She previously taught middle school and high school band and choir for 13 years, and holds a bachelor’s and a master’s degree in music education from The Ohio State University.  Currently a member of the Heisey Wind Ensemble and a musician at Epiphany Lutheran Church (Pickerington, OH,) Rachel also enjoys reading, sewing, baking and the Pittsburgh Steelers!