Submitted by Gretchen Taylor, Illinois

Idea posted August 19, 2002

Here are my specific month-at-a-glance plans for Sept/Oct for my 7th & 8th grade classes.

7th: Focus on Battle songs and songs of the Armed Forces.
Songs/Activities:

America

America The Beautiful (with sign language)

SQUILT: American Salute, Martin Gould

  • I'll be following the list of suggested activities from the Bowmar level 3 book

    • Yankee Doodle (giving background, history, and all verses)

    Yankee Doodle stick passing game (modified with more difficulty)

    Battle Hymn Of The Republic

    4 Corners Game: Branches of the Armed forces

  • Army, Navy, Air Force, Marines (accompanied by a military march selection)

    • The Caisson Song

  • both to be sung and played on Boomwhackers®

    • Anchor's Aweigh

    Sailing, Sailing (or other sea chanty from battle times)

SQUILT: US Air Force Song (instrumental)

  • we will be making paper airplanes and flying them to the music, then singing the song

    • Wheel Of Fortune game using the phrase "From the Halls of Montezuma..."

    Marine's Hymn

    (Handout of Armed Forces insignia)

SQUILT: Liberty Fanfare

  • will be creating listening maps

    • Along with these activities, we will also be singing You Are Our Heroes (from Music K-8, Vol. 12, No. 4, also available as a Singles Reproducible Kit) for 9/11. Also, during our recorder classes, we'll be playing When Johnny Comes Marching Home (from Music K-8, Vol. 12, No. 4).

    8th: Focus on our National Anthem and those of our English-speaking allies.
    Songs/Activities:

    America

    America The Beautiful (with sign language)

SQUILT: National Emblem by E.E. Bagley

  • will be responding to various questions from their listening journal helper page, discussing March form, etc.

    • The Cup Game (modified to show the form of the Nat. Emblem march form)

    The Star-Spangled Banner

  • handout with brief history of song
  • also deriving the rhythm from SSB to work on some rhythm patterns
  • creating fireworks effects on all the half notes of the song

    • God Save The King (Great Britain's National Anthem)

  • discussing text & learning song
  • deriving rhythm

    • SSB Reader's Theatre

    O Canada

  • discussing text and learning song
  • deriving rhythm

    • My Flag (from Music K-8, Vol. 12, No. 5)

  • discussing the importance of flags, comparing those of US, Great Britain, and Canada

SQUILT: Stars & Stripes by Sousa

  • will be creating listening maps

    • (Stars & Stripes handout from Plank Road Publishing's Sing For The Red, White And Blue)

    Stars & Stripes (song)

    Australia's National Anthem

  • discuss text & learning song

Along with the 7ths, the 8ths will also be preparing You Are Our Heroes for 9/11.

That's it for these two groups.