Submitted by Jill Young, North Carolina

Idea posted September 6, 2007

I use "Themes To Remember," and it is fabulous. I see nothing wrong at all with the cutesy words; I think they are invaluable. I don't use everything (who could?) but my kids really get into what I do use. I make absolutely sure they understand that

1. the composer didn't write the words, Mrs. Pearsons did and
2. it is NOT the whole piece, just one of the main melodies that they are learning.

So what if they associate words with the music? I still use some of the ones we made up in college for music listening. Instant recognition when I hear certain pieces!

My students can recognize several pieces and can identify the music period, composer, and title. They OWN this music now, and tell me all of the time how they heard one of the pieces in their everyday life - and can identify it! They beg to listen to the whole thing in class!

I spend about five minutes per class (sometimes more, sometimes less) each week in grades 3-6.

Basically, say we are doing the Baroque period:

  • We discuss it day one, I give them about four facts I want them to remember.
  • We review that the next class, and I put a transparency with the words of the first piece on the overhead. We listen, we try.
  • The next class, we

    • 1. review the points about the Baroque period and composer I want them to remember, and

    2. sing through the goofy words of the piece we started last time, and

    3. possibly begin a new piece.

  • We continue on in this pattern to the end of the 6-8 weeks, by which point we are reviewing four pieces/composers and the facts about the Baroque period, also having listened without the words and possibly doing some movement to at least one.
  • The last activity is listening to bits of the real thing, no words, and identifying. They are so proud of themselves!
  • Then, we start the next music period.

I use the same pieces each year (added one or two here and there), so by 6th grade they really have it ingrained in their brains.