Figure 3. “Bow Belinda” song notation Create a Variation of the Song “Skip to My Lou”


This activity can be used to focus on layering and allow the students to be creative within a set of rules so they do not feel overwhelmed. My 2nd and 3rd graders can be successful with an activity such as this, but it can be adapted and made more difficult for upper grades. Using a tune such as “Skip to My Lou” (see Figure 4), students become familiar with several aspects of the song (e.g., other verses, chord roots, creating rhythm ostinatos). Then I divide the students into small groups. I have them create four different verses. (When they become comfortable with this type of activity, they can make their own decision how many verses to sing.) They decide what to do with each verse. They can sing any verse that they know, create their own verse, sing chord roots, create a rhythm ostinato, or add a xylophone or drum part. They can choose to either do one of these options at a time, perform multiple things at once, or a combination, switching with each verse (e.g., singing chord roots at the same time as the melody, or some students chant a rhythm ostinato at the same time as other students singing chord roots at the same time as others singing a verse of the song). Students write down their composition, and then after practicing it, demonstrate it for the class. They can also perform their versions of the song during a performance. Here is an example of what a group may decide to do:


Verse 1: Whole group sings melody of Skip to My Lou Verse 2: half of group sings chord roots, half chants rhythm ostinato Verse 3: half of group sings melody of Skip to My Lou, half sings chord roots Verse 4: Part of group sings melody, part of group plays a rhythm ostinato on drums, part of group plays chord roots on xylophone


Figure 4. “Skip to My Lou” song notation 25


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