Tuesday, July 25, 2006

Getting Ready

In preparation for my first full year of teaching music to preschoolers I have been planning lessons and researching songs that tell stories as well have good rhythm and movement. I have been researching and planning a curriculum based on research that I have read that says music set to quality literature opens a whole new world in the preschoolers brain and leads to success in other arenas of cognitive and developmental growth. In other words, teaching music to preschoolers can be a stepping stone to helping math and reading skills later in the school-age years...Plus they like it and so do I.

All this to say, I am organizing the curriculum for the year. I looked up the music for some old folk songs, since there are so many of those that tell great stories. One that I looked up was Clementine.

Having only grown up singing the first and maybe second verse I didn't realize there was a whole story. It goes as follows: (my personal favorite verses are 6 and 10 )

In a cavern, in a canyon,Excavating for a mine,
Dwelt a miner, forty-niner,
And his daughter Clementine.
-
Refrain:
Oh my darling, oh my darling,
Oh my darling Clementine
You are lost and gone forever,
Dreadful sorry, Clementine.
-
2. Light she was, and like a fairy,
And her shoes were number nine,
Herring boxes without topses,
Sandals were for Clementine.
-
3. Walking lightly as a fairy,
Though her shoes were number nine,
Sometimes tripping, lightly skipping,
Lovely girl, my Clementine.
-
4. Drove she ducklings to the water
Ev'ry morning just at nine,
Hit her foot against a splinter,
Fell into the foaming brine.
-
5. Ruby lips above the water,
Blowing bubbles soft and fine,
But alas, I was no swimmer,
Neither was my Clementine.
-
6. In a churchyard near the canyon,
Where the myrtle doth entwine,
There grow rosies and some posies,
Fertilized by Clementine.
-
7. Then, the miner, forty-niner,
Soon began to fret and pine,
Thought he oughter join his daughter,
So he's now with Clementine.
-
8. I'm so lonely, lost without her,
Wish I'd had a fishing line,
Which I might have cast about her,
Might have saved my Clementine.
-
9. In my dreams she still doth haunt me,
Robed in garments soaked with brine,
Then she rises from the waters,
And I kiss my Clementine.
-
10. Listen fellers, heed the warning
Of this tragic tale of mine,
Artificial respiration
Could have saved my Clementine.
-
11. How I missed her,
how I missed her,
How I missed my Clementine,
Til I kissed her little sister,
And forgot my Clementine.
-
I think I will leave this one out of the curriculum this year. I thinking it might be too much story for 3 to 5 year olds! Although, the tune is catchy...How many of you had to sing it while you read?

4 comments:

Lara said...

Saw this a couple of hours ago and dang you I've been singin it all evening!

Anonymous said...

Why didn't you tell me about this new job when you were here? I could have given you music or something!! Let me know if you want some more material. :-)

Unknown said...

LIZ!!!

SO glad you are reading!

Yes, I am teaching sweet babies music. There was so little time when I was there...but if you have any music you think would be good I will be back there in October....during our birthdays...we will have to have lunch to celebrate together!

Lara said...

What about....
This is the song that doesn't end...yes it goes on and on my friend...somebody started singing it not knowing what it was and they'll continue singing it forever just because...this is the song that doesn't end....

Now GET THAT OUT OF YOUR HEAD!