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 youHave 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 cornerWalked in the storeBought me some candyAin’t got it no moreAin’t got it no more

Went to the beachPlayed on the shoreBuilt me a sandhouse

Ain’t got it no moreAin’t got it no more

Went to the kitchenLay down on the floorMade me a poemStill got itStill got it

Integrating Music with Literature, Grammar, Writing and Drama

• 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)