The Power of Music

 Last week I had a great experience, and it was a great reminder of the Power of Music.

 I went out to the San Francisco area to visit my amazing daughter (and her amazing husband), and we went on the San Francisco Love Tour.

Yes, that's my daughter and I standing by our tour bus. It was quite the adventure riding in this delightfully painted "hippie van" Volkswagen Bus! We rode around the city of San Francisco, learning about the culture, and reminiscing about the hippies of the 60s and the Summer of Love,

Yes, that's the back of my head riding "shotgun!"

While we were in the "hippie van" we listened to music of the 60s.  

Now this blog post will change from a story about my tour to a reminder of the power of music and its connection with memory with learners.

The classic San Francisco pose, but next to a "hippie van."

I hate to give away my age, but all that music I heard in that hippie van was music I grew up with. Most of it I hadn't heard in close to 50 years, yet I remembered pretty much every single word!

 

Jimi Hendrix, Janis Joplin, and a member of the Grateful Dead in the famous Haight Ashbury section of San Francisco

This was a great reminder of the power of music and its connection to memory! Here are a few examples of how I've used that power in the classroom to help the kiddos remember important information. I've taken simple songs (in the public domain, of course, to avoid copyright laws!) I've changed the words to something I want them to remember, and voila! We have a learning experience! It's fun to sing these songs during morning meeting, or between lessons. If you build a collection of learning songs, make a book for the children to read during reading time. (If you work with little ones, you'll be hearing them sing, even if it's "silent reading!")

I use this one around Earth Day.

Reduce, Reuse, and Recycle Song 

I use this one around Day 100.

100 Days Smarter Song

 This one can be used any time of year!

Seven Continents Song for Learning About Our World

When I worked with older children, they made up their own songs as part of research projects. I had to caution them to use simple tunes rather than the popular songs they wanted to use, but they appreciated the simple tunes once they got going. 

Here's a great list of children's songs in the Public Domain to choose from! Best Known Public Domain Children's Songs.

How do you use music in the classroom?

Music, the Brain, Memory, and the Seven Continents

Did you ever find yourself singing along to the radio to a song you've never really liked, yet somehow you know all the words? Or perhaps you caught yourself singing along to a commercial on TV? Doesn't that kind of point out the connection between music and the brain? Yep, without even trying, you've memorized the words to hundreds of songs, right? 

 

 

I use that often in the classroom. If there's something I want the children to know by heart, I'll whip up a little song for them. I typically pick a tune that is familiar to all, squeeze in some words in a similar rhythm, and there you go! Sometimes I'll even make it rhyme, but that's not all that important. Nor is it important for the words to fit perfectly in the rhythm.

Here's a social studies song to the tune of This Old Man (also known as The Barney Song.) 

The Continents Song

North America, South America, 

Europe, Asia, Africa,

Australia and Antarctica.

There are seven continents. 

North America, South America, 

Europe, Asia, Africa,

Australia and Antarctica.

Now we all can cha, cha, cha!

 

I'll admit, the kids made up the second verse. 

I figured, if my second graders can name the 7 continents, they deserve to dance! 

Years later, kids come back to me and sing the song to me!

Want printable copies? See this freebie:

Seven Continents Song for Learning About Our World

 

 Music helps the memory.
Music is magical.