Gogue Center Performance Study Guide: "Somos Amigos: Songs on Common Ground"

PERFORMANCE STUDY GUIDE

GRADES K—5

Somos Amigos: Songs on Common Ground with Sonia De Los Santos & The Okee Dokee Brothers

The Jay and Susie Gogue Performing Arts Center at Auburn University engages audiences across the university, the state of Alabama and beyond with curated arts experiences that inspire, enlighten and unite.

Our annual K–12 School Performance Series provides opportunities for schoolchildren to enjoy exclusive performances by some of the most talented and accomplished artists from around the world. Prior to each K-12 school performance, teachers receive a learning guide containing details about the performance, artist and company, supplemental information about the art form and its history, and grade-appropriate activities designed to spark conversation and exploration in the classroom.

To learn more about education and community engagement initiatives at the Gogue Center, visit goguecenter.auburn.edu/education

produced and provided by The Jay and Susie Gogue Performing Arts Center at Auburn University

910 South College Street Auburn, Alabama 36849

developed in cooperation with Sonia De Los Santos

The Okee Dokee Brothers

Made possible in part by a grant from the Alabama State Council on the Arts

k–12 school performance series contact Andrea Jarmon, D.M.A.

Education Coordinator telephone: 334.844.7371

email: gpac_education@auburn.edu

Songs featured in this performance study guide can be found on the Gogue Center's Spotify channel.

Somos Amigos: Songs on Common Ground

with Sonia De Los Santos & The Okee Dokee Brothers

PERFORMANCE STUDY GUIDE

GRADES K—5

Who to know at the show

who is sonia de los santos?

Sonia De Los Santos grew up in Monterrey, Mexico and has been singing her whole life. She moved to New York City more than 10 years ago. Since 2007 she has been touring the world singing in English and Spanish while playing guitar, mandolin and jarana with the Grammy Award-winning group, Dan Zanes and Friends. She recently released her first family music album titled Mi Viaje: De Nuevo León to the New York Island where she tell stories about her experiences growing up in Mexico, moving to another country, learning about other cultures, and, in the process, feeling closer to her own heritage. She and the band are so excited to play these songs for you while exploring the many different countries, rhythms and sounds of the Americas!

my journey

"Mi Viaje” means “my journey.” Sonia’s journey began in her home state of Nuevo León in Mexico and went all the way to New York City! This incredible journey is filled with many adventures that are personal and yet universal. There are stories about birds, making chocolate, finding new friends that speak other languages, sunny skies, liberty, freedom and tolerance. Each one of us has a different journey and Sonia hopes to inspire you by learning about hers! Do you know where you and your family come from? What about the places you’d like to visit?

Photograph: Hyphen Photography, Inc.

who are the okee dokee brothers?

Their real names are Joe and Justin and they are not really brothers! However, they have known each other since they were three years old. They grew up together in Denver, Colorado, and were always exploring the outdoors. Whether it was rafting down the neighborhood creek, taking long bike rides into the country, or discovering hiking trails through the Rocky Mountains, they loved having adventures. Now, as The Okee Dokee Brothers, they are sharing their love of the outdoors through the music that they make.

what's an adventure album?

So far, The Okee Dokee Brothers have released three adventure albums: Can You Canoe?: A Mississippi River Adventure, Through the Woods: An Appalachian Adventure and Saddle Up: A Western Adventure. An adventure album is a collection of songs that are directly inspired by a particular place or experience. There is an old saying that goes something like “write about what you know.” They decided that the best way to write a collection of songs about an adventure is to actually have that adventure in real life! Of course, you don’t have to canoe down a river or ride through the mountains to find inspiration for your own adventures. You can start by simply exploring the world around you; the world that you know. Go to a park or take a walk through your neighborhood—an adventure can be anywhere. What ways do you interact with nature?

Photograph: Nate Ryan

What to know about the show

Did you know that there are many different styles of music? We call these styles genres. A genre is a style, especially in the arts, that involves a particular set of characteristics. All of the music you will hear in Somos Amigos: Songs on Common Ground shares similar characteristics, but there are differences too. Can you hear the similarities and the differences?

music in the show

Folk music is traditionally known as the music of the working classes, usually passed down from generation to generation. Originally, folk songs were not written down, but were shared by word of mouth. This means that the creators of many folk songs are unknown. It also means the songs have evolved over time, changing with each person who sings them in his or her own style.

let’s listen

“It's a Mighty World”

Odetta Holmes

Old-time music is a style of music that was developed to accompany the folk dances of the Appalachian Mountains. It has mixed roots in African and European traditional music. Fiddle is usually the lead instrument, and you’ll probably hear a banjo any time you’re listening to old-time music.

let’s listen

“Ha Ha This-A-Way”

Lead Belly

The music known as bluegrass is actually relatively new. It appeared in the 1940s when Bill Monroe started a band called the Bluegrass Boys. They combined elements of old-time music, folk, country and blues to create a style of music that is still popular today. Bluegrass is traditionally played with acoustic instruments like the guitar, fiddle, the fivestring banjo, the upright bass and the mandolin.

let’s listen

“Blue Moon of Kentucky”

Bill Monroe

Technically, The Okee Dokee Brothers do not play purely folk, old-time or bluegrass music. Their songs are a mix of these styles, as well as other influences. A modern classification for their music would be roots or Americana music. Just as American musicians have done for centuries, they use the many types of music that have come before them to find their own path and craft their own sound.

let’s listen

“I Remember Everything”

John Prine

Son jarocho (SOHN hah-ROH-choh) is a regional folk musical style that comes from Veracruz, a state in the Gulf Coast region of Mexico. Here, three different cultures—Spanish, indigenous and African— came together more than 500 years ago. The verses of these songs, called “sones,” are often improvised and they include humorous verses and subjects such as nature, love and community life and reflect life in colonial Mexico. There are many beautiful songs that belong to this style. One that you might know and recognize is “La Bamba.” It was one of the first “sones” that made it across the U.S. border and became one of the most well-known songs from Mexico worldwide.

let’s listen

“La Bamba”

Grupo Mono Blanco

Many artists have recorded “La Bamba” over the years. This version is one of Sonia's favorites!

Odetta Holmes, “Queen of American Folk Music” (December 31, 1930–December 2, 2008)

Musical instruments can be divided into four families: strings, brass, woodwind and percussion. In Somos Amigos: Songs on Common Ground, you will hear instruments from all of the families.

Mexican guitar with eight strings and is the main instrument of the son jarocho style. Jaranas come in different shapes and sizes. The one Sonia plays is a “jarana primera.” It was custom made and Sonia has been playing it for nine years.

instrument originating in Spain. It usually has six strings, a flat sounding board and a round sound hole in the center, which gives the guitar a fuller and louder sound. It also has a flat back and a fretted fingerboard. The one Sonia plays is called the Gibson Hummingbird, and on its pick board, it has a beautiful drawing of a hummingbird surrounded by flowers. The guitar is also one of the main instruments in the roots and Americana music played by The Okee Dokee Brothers.

comes from Africa and was brought to North America on slave ships. It is similar in design to instruments still found in Africa today. In its simplest form, it is basically a drum with strings stretched across the top and a handle attached. The banjo is most often used in country, folk, Irish and bluegrass music. It can have four, five or six strings.

The string family is a group of instruments that produces sound from vibrating strings. Musicians play string instruments by plucking the strings, striking the strings, or bowing the strings. Some string instruments can be played in all of these ways, while others can only be played in one. Some examples of string instruments include the autoharp, cello, dulcimer, electric bass, harp, harpsichord, hurdygurdy, lute, lyre, mandolin, piano, sitar, ukulele and viola.

The violin is the smallest member of the orchestral string family, but it is also used in jazz and in folk music. Sometimes when it is played outside of the orchestra, it is called the fiddle. Fiddlers from Scotland, Ireland and England have had a strong influence on American folk music. It has four strings and it can be played with a bow or plucked.

The leona is a guitar-shaped stringed instrument from the state of Veracruz, Mexico. It can be fretted or unfretted, has four strings and is a low-pitched instrument in the son jarocho string family. The body of the leona is traditionally carved from a single piece of wood (most often Spanish cedar) which is hollowed out, with a separate soundboard and fingerboard applied. Leona means lioness in English.

fun fact: The leona you will see and hear during the show was made by the man who is playing it. His name is Sinuhé.

The upright bass is the largest and lowest member of the string family. Like the violin, it can be played with a bow or by plucking, but it can also be played by slapping the strings. You can find the upright bass in classical, jazz and different styles of folk music.

The accordion is an instrument with keys like a piano, but small enough to be held. It makes sounds using air pushed and pulled through reeds using a bellows. The accordion can also have buttons instead of keys. It is mainly used for playing popular and traditional folk music.

The trumpet is a member of the brass family. It has the highest register of the brass instruments and is used in many different musical styles. You can find the trumpet in the orchestra, concert bands, marching bands and jazz ensembles. The trumpet is also used in popular music.

The trombone is another member of the brass family. It has a slide that changes the length of the instrument to change the pitch. The word trombone comes from Italian. “Tromba” means trumpet and “-one” means large, so trombone means large trumpet.

The woodwind family of instruments all produce sound by splitting the air blown into then on a sharp edge, like a reed. The woodwinds can be split into two groups, flutes and reeds. Did you know that even though they are called woodwinds, they can be made from any material, not just wood? Some other woodwinds instruments that you may know are the bagpipes, bassoon, clarinet, flute, harmonica, oboe, piccolo and saxophone.

The brass family of instruments are instruments that produce sound through the sympathetic vibration of air into a tubular mouthpiece in sympathy with the vibration of the player’s lips. The brass family is divided into two groups: valved and slide. Though most brass instruments are made of brass, some are not. It is how the sound is made that categorizes an instrument as brass. Some other brass instruments are the cornett, euphonium, horn, sousaphone and tuba.

The cajón (ka-HONE) is basically a wooden box with a sound hole on the side which works just like the sound hole in a guitar. Cajón means box or drawer in Spanish. The player sits on top and taps or slaps the front of the instrument with their hands. The cajón was originally used by Africans enslaved in Perú.

The snare drum contains metal wires stretched tightly across the bottom of the drum. They make a sharp rattling sound as they vibrate against the bottom of the drumhead. The snare drum was originally a military instrument used to signal to the soldiers. Today it is heard in many forms of music including marching band, classical, rock and jazz.

The drum set is a set of drums and other percussion instruments set up on stands. It is played by a single player with drumsticks held in each hand while their feet operate pedals that control the hi-hat cymbal and the bass drum. The drum set is most often found in jazz and popular music like rock.

A percussion instrument is an instrument that is played by being struck or scraped by a beater, scaped or rubbed by hand, or struck against another similar instrument. Beaters are typically drumsticks, mallets or brushes. Percussion instruments can be pitched or unpitched. Did you know that the percussion family is believed to include the oldest musical instruments? Some additional percussion instruments are the bass drum, blocks, castanets, chimes, claves, congas, cowbell, cymbals, glockenspiel, handbells, maraca, marimba, tambourine, timpani, triangle, vibraphone and xylophone.

A lot of traditional folk music occurred in parts of the country where manufactured instruments were scarce and hard to obtain. People made simple and effective percussion instruments from what they had in their homes.

The spoons, often heard in bluegrass songs, are literally two spoons held in one hand and clacked together, either against the knee or the other hand. The bones, another version of this instrument, were originally two rib bones that were clicked together in one hand. Most modern “bones” today are made of smooth wood, but some are still made from actual cow bones.

Another homemade percussion instrument is the washboard ribbed piece of metal in a wooden frame used for scrubbing laundry. You play the washboard by putting thimbles (a sewing tool, sort of like a finger helmet, to prevent being poked by the needle) on your index fingers and thumb, then running those fingers up and down the washboard’s ribs.

instruments. Many cultures have traditional styles of percussive dance. This means that people use their feet to stomp or tap rhythms. Some examples are flamenco (Spain), step dance (Ireland), tap dance (United States), gumboot dance (South Africa), kathak (India), malambo (Argentina), and many Indigenous American dances. Clogging (also called flatfooting) is considered the oldest form of street dancing and an ancestor to tap dance. In Appalachia, clogging is both a style of dance and an instrument. Old-time music was originally played to accompany cloggers, and now it is not unusual to see a clogger as a member of the band.

William Sidney Mount, The Bone Player, 1856, oil on canvas, 36 B/i x 29 B/i" (91.76 x 73.98 cm), Museum of Fine Arts, Boston.

How the show connects to ...

Did you know that music and the arts can connect us to many academic subjects? In Somos Amigos: Songs on Common Ground with Sonia De Los Santos and The Okee Dokee Brothers you will learn about geography of North America, natural history, biology, environmental science, math, history, Spanish and Latin American culture. What other connections can you find?

the mississippi river

The Mississippi River is the fourth longest river in the world. In fact, it is 2,552 miles long! The river runs through, or borders, ten states: Minnesota, Wisconsin, Iowa, Illinois, Missouri, Kentucky, Tennessee, Arkansas, Mississippi and Louisiana. The river starts at Lake Itasca in Minnesota and flows south into the Gulf of Mexico. Did you know it takes a drop of water around 90 days to travel the entire river? Even though it’s made of water, the Mississippi often functions like a highway. Large boats, known as barges, transport goods from place to place. And since so many other rivers flow into the Mississippi (these are called tributaries), the barges can travel a very long distance.

can you canoe?

The Okee Dokee Brothers first adventure album, Can You Canoe?, was written on a 30-day canoe trip down the Mississippi River. Since they only had 30 days, they decided to canoe only the Upper Mississippi River, which stretches from Lake Itasca to Saint Louis, Missouri. Canoeing the Upper Mississippi meant they traveled through Minnesota, along Wisconsin, Iowa, Illinois and Missouri. Their canoes were very small compared to those large barges, so they stayed well out of their way. Canoeing is quite a workout! Not only are you using paddles to propel the canoe forward in the water, but the paddles also steer the craft left and right. That can be trickier than it sounds when the river’s current is strong. They kept all of their gear in the canoes, too, so everything was packed in waterproof bags, just in case they tipped. Have you ever seen the Mississippi River? Have you ever been canoeing?

Mississippi River at Thebes, Illinois

the appalachian trail

Like the Mississippi River, the Appalachian Trail is very long. It stretches through 14 different states and is about 2,180 miles from start to finish. It begins in Georgia and travels through North Carolina, Tennessee, Virginia, West Virginia, Maryland, Pennsylvania, New Jersey, New York, Connecticut, Massachusetts, Vermont, New Hampshire and Maine. The total elevation gain from Georgia to Maine is the same as climbing Mount Everest 16 times! Walking the full trail usually takes anywhere from five to seven months. Of course, the Appalachian Trail is also very accessible for hikers who do not want to hike the full trail. In fact, it is so easy to hike just sections of the trail that two to three million people hike a portion of it each year. The trail was created in 1937. Can you figure out how old the trail is? Well, 2023 minus 1937 equals 86. The trail is 86 years old. If you multiply that times two million, that is a lot of visitors! In addition to the millions of people who visit the trail, thousands of dedicated volunteers care for it. They help keep the trail as beautiful as they found it, so that it can continue to be enjoyed for generations to come.

through the woods

For their second adventure album, Through the Woods, The Okee Dokee Brothers turned their attention to the Appalachian Mountains. They wanted to hike and explore the wilderness and cultures along the Appalachian Trail. They hiked for thirty days along parts of the trail in Tennessee, Virginia and North Carolina. They carried everything they needed in their backpacks: tents, clothes, food and cooking gear. Because the Appalachian Trail meanders through 14 different states, the natural surroundings vary greatly. Sometimes the weather was hot and humid, while other times the weather was very cold and rainy. All these environmental changes meant that they had to pack more gear. Hiking all day with a heavy backpack is hard work!

The Okee Dokee Brothers did not see any black bears on their journey, but they did encounter a herd of wild ponies. Ponies look like small horses who are in desperate need of a haircut! They also encountered some of the millions of hikers, luckily not all at the same time! Most people who hike the trail wind up acquiring a trail nickname. These are usually descriptive and humorous nicknames, like “Slow and Steady,” “Tumbleweed” and “Pack Rat.” The Okee Dokee Brothers gave themselves nicknames too: Joe was “Flatfoot,” because of his clogging skills, and Justin was “Cricket.” What do you think your trail nickname would be?

appalachian animals

Many species of mammals live along the Appalachian Trail. One of the largest is the black bear. Black bears will eat almost anything. They mostly eat grass, roots, berries, fish and insects, but can easily develop a taste for human food and garbage left by campers, so if you decide to hike the Appalachian Trail, make sure you clean up after yourself!

the continental divide

The Continental Divide of the Americas is known as the Great Divide. It extends from the Bering Strait in Alaska to the Strait of Magellan in South America. However, the map on this page only shows the section that runs through the United States from Canada to Mexico. The line you see on the map connects all the highest peaks along the Rocky Mountain range. It is an important line because all of the water that falls on the east side flows to the Gulf of Mexico and the Atlantic Ocean, and all that falls on the west side flows to the Pacific Ocean.

There are many continental divides in the world. Some are not well known or easy to see. The Great Divide is very prominent because the Rocky Mountains are so high in elevation, reaching heights of up to 14,440 ft. At that height the temperature is so cold that you can find snow in the middle of July!

saddle up

For their third adventure album, Saddle Up, The Okee Dokee Brothers took a 30-day horsepacking trip in the Rocky Mountains. They focused on the area of the mountains known as the Continental Divide. With the help of horses, they were able to ride deep into the wilderness of the West. The horses carried them through rushing streams and up and down mountains. A few horses, called packhorses, did not carry any people. Instead, they carried all the food and equipment in giant bags called panniers (PAN-yers). Horses are very strong and can safely carry up to 20 percent of their bodyweight, which equals about 240 pounds on average.

One of the biggest horses in the world, Big Jake, weighs 2,600 pounds and could safely carry 520 pounds! How can you figure out how much weight a horse can carry? If a horse weighed 1,500 pounds, how much weight could it carry? 300 pounds!

Horses are very interesting animals. They drink at least 25 gallons of water every day and can sleep standing up. The average heart of a horse weighs 10 pounds. They have the largest eyes of any land mammal, and because their eyes are on the sides of their heads, they can see nearly 360 degrees. There are many different words for horses, but each word means something specific. Here are a few horse words you may have heard, but maybe did not know what they meant. A stallion is a male horse. A mare is a female horse. A colt is a young male horse. A filly is a young female horse. A foal is a baby horse (under 1 year old). Ponies are small horses, not baby horses. Have you ever ridden a horse?

the north woods

The North Woods are the boreal forest of North America, covering about half of Canada and parts of Minnesota, Wisconsin, Michigan, New York, Vermont, New Hampshire and Maine. A boreal forest is a biome characterized by coniferous forests consisting mostly of pines, spruces and larches. The Boundary Waters is a region of wilderness within the North Woods that straddles the border of Canada and the United States between Ontario and Minnesota, in an area just west of Lake Superior. In the winter, the North Woods are very cold. It can snow a lot and even lakes can freeze. Have you ever seen a frozen lake? How cold does it have to be for a lake to freeze?

winterland

For their fourth album, Winterland, The Okee Dokee Brothers decided to do some winter camping in the North Woods at The Boundary Waters. Have you ever been camping? Can you imagine sleeping in a tent when there is snow on the ground and it is 20 degrees below zero outside? They had to borrow a special canvas tent with a stove inside, as well as some really hefty sleeping bags to stay warm.

While in the North Woods, Joe and Justin tried out all kinds of winter activities in order to gain inspiration for their songs. They snowshoed over deep drifts of snow, cross-country skied through the icy woods, went sledding down a steep snowy hill, went ice-fishing on a frozen lake, and even got to go dog-sledding! A team of six sled dogs were able to pull their sled, with the two of them and all of their camping gear, for miles a day. These huskies were strong and energetic, and every morning they woke the Brothers up by howling for their breakfast. The dogs loved sleeping in the cold and they especially loved to have their bellies rubbed after a long day of running in the snow! Have you ever seen a husky dog? What kinds of dogs have you seen?

One of the reasons The Okee Dokee Brothers wanted to write an album about winter was to inspire people to really embrace the cold—instead of always just complaining about it. There are already many holiday songs about winter out there, but they wanted to write songs about getting yourself outside when it’s freezing cold to see the beauty of the ice and snow. Do you like the snow? What do you like about it?

winter warm up

Science continues to tell us that our winters are warming due to climate change. Winter is such an important part of Northern culture and the ecosystem of our country. With their album Winterland, The Okee Dokee Brothers wanted to spread the word about this crisis and provide inspiration to protect our winters. Having an emotional connection to nature helps us find the strength to preserve it. How can you help to fight climate change?

Lake Louise Alberta, Canada

mexico

Mexico is a country in North America. It borders the United States to the north; the Pacific Ocean to the south and west; Guatemala, Belize and the Caribbean Sea to the southeast, and the Gulf of Mexico to the east. It is the world’s 13thlargest country and the 10th-most populated, that means it has a lot of people! Most of the people in Mexico speak Spanish. Like the United States, Mexico is separated into states. There are 31 states. (Remember the folk music style son jarocho? It comes from the Mexican state of Veracruz.) The capital of Mexico is easy to remember—it's called Mexico City.

How many states are there in the United States? Do you know the capital of the United States?

As in the U.S., there were indigenous people in Mexico before the Europeans arrived. Some of those people were called Mayans and Aztecs. Have you ever heard of either of these groups? Actually, there were people in Mexico over 10,000 years ago! Did you know that the farming of corn, tomatoes and beans began in Mexico? You can thank the indigenous people of Mexico for that! What are some of the indigenous groups that you have studied?

The Spanish conquest of Mexico began in 1519, when Hernán Cortés landed on the gulf coast and founded the Spanish city of Veracruz. In 1521, the Spanish established the capital of Mexico City and began a 300-year-long colonization. Do you know another country that was once a colony, too? While it was a colony, Mexico was known as Nueva España or New Spain. Mexico fought a war of independence from 1808 to 1821, when they signed the Declaration of Independence of the Mexican Empire.

What other country in North America has a Declaration of Independence? Do you remember when it was signed?

did you know ...

All of the land shown on this globe (right) is considered “America.” That's right—even though the United States of America is commonly called “America,” the word technically refers to this entire land mass, which includes Canada, the United States, Mexico, Central America, the Caribbean islands and all of South America.

What to do before the show

Before you go to see the show, here are some fun activities to do together to help you prepare.

learn more about the instruments

Remember the son jarocho? It is a regional folk musical style from Veracruz. The song “La Golondrina” was written in that style. Son jaracho uses a very particular family of instruments. It starts with the jaranas to provide a harmonic and percussive bass with double strings. Then it adds the requinto jarocho, another small guitar-like instrument plucked with a long pick traditionally made from cow-horn; the arpa jarocha (harp); the leona, an acoustic bass guitar; and other percussion instruments, like the pandero and the quijada (an instrument made of a donkey or horse jawbone). Some groups add the marimbol, a plucked key box bass, and the cajón.

let’s listen

“La Golondrina Song”

Sonia De Los Santos

The first instrument you hear is a requinto from the same family as the jarana and is the one in charge of introducing the melody of the song. Other than the jarana, the leona and the violin, can you guess which other instruments are being played? Who’s playing the percussion in the ensemble? Which of these instruments are common in other music? What instruments are different?

let’s listen

“The Jamboree Song”

The Okee Dokee Brothers

Now, have you ever wondered about the difference between a violin and a fiddle? Here’s a secret: a violin and a fiddle are the same instrument! The difference is how that instrument gets played. The term “violin” refers to a classier, more formal style of play like in the orchestra. The term “fiddle” refers to a folksier style, the type you might hear at a barn dance or a bluegrass concert!

Did you hear the fiddle? What other instruments did you hear?

let’s listen

“Fiddlestick Joe”

The Okee Dokee Brothers

Fiddlesticks are like playing the drums on the fiddle! A person playing the fiddlesticks uses delicate sticks to tap out a rhythm on the strings of a fiddle. It makes a very unique sound.

Can you hear the fiddlesticks being played? Did you hear the fiddle? What other instruments did you hear?

I wrote this song thinking about the afternoons I spent as a child sitting on my grandmother’s porch. We would watch these birds called golondrinas (or swallows) as they would make their nests and stay for a while, and then fly away only to make their nests again in new places. Some people like to call them migrant birds—their pilgrimage sounds very familiar to me.”

Sonia De Los Santos

learn the zapateado

Now that you’ve heard some songs, can you tell if dance is used as a musical instrument in any of them? The answer is: yes.

“La Golondrina” has a dancer whose feet are on top of a tarima producing a percussive accompaniment to the instrumental parts of the song. A tarima is a raised wooden platform. When the singers are singing, the dancer typically does a softer dance, so it does not cover the voices, but when they stop singing, the dancers take the spotlight! Was there a percussive dancer in any other song? Yes, “Jamboree!”

Here is how you can dance to “La Golondrina” and many other songs in the son jarocho style. The rhythm is commonly taught as “café con pan” (coffee with bread). The sound that “café con pan” makes when you say it will help you learn the way to move your feet with the music. Since the word “café” has two syllables you need to stomp your foot twice. “Con” and “pan” have only one syllable, so when you say those words, you stomp your foot only once. We will start with the left foot doing LL/R/L and quickly changing to start with the right one, doing RR/L/R and on, and on, and on. Use the chart below to guide your feet!

Here’s a video that shows a dancer doing this pattern slowly, then at a faster pace. Notice how she first teaches the rhythm by clapping? Try to follow her steps.

Once you have the “café con pan” rhythm under your belt, watch this video to see how to incorporate your arms into the dance. This will typically happen during the chorus of the song when the bird starts flying!

This video shows a dancer doing this pattern slowly, then at a faster pace. Notice how she first teaches the rhythm by clapping? Try to follow her steps.

Photograph: Manuel Illich

acoustic instruments vs. electric instruments

There are many differences between acoustic and electric instruments, but here are the basics. An acoustic instrument sounds rich and musical without being plugged into an amplifier. An electric instrument will make a dull sound if it is not amplified.

let's

learn a partner dance

“Tan Feliz” is about sharing music with our friends and a partner, and a dance would make a really fun way to enjoy the song. So, find a partner and learn this dance! Feel free to dance with your partner throughout the whole song, but during the chorus the motions below will help you!

Dance Instructions:

Stand in front of your partner facing each other.

Listen to “Tan Feliz” and see if you hear any differences in the instruments being played compared to “La Golondrina.” Do you recognize any new instruments? There is a brass instrument at the beginning of the song, can you guess which one it is? What about guitars and drums?

Sonia De Los Santos let's

Although the instruments are plugged into speakers to make their sounds louder, all the instruments you will see and hear at the show are acoustic because our style of music is traditionally played acoustically. The original bluegrass and folk musicians did not play on electric guitars or fiddles either!

Extend your arms to the front so that you are barely touching each other’s fingertips (this will leave enough space for both of you to dance).

When you hear the chorus of the song, follow the instructions below:

1. Te tengo a ti Extend your right arm pointing to your partner.

2. Tú me tienes a mí Point to yourself.

3. Tenemos todo Open your arms wide to point everywhere around you.

4. ¿Qué más podemos pedir?

Hands out to the sides as if you are asking, “What else?”

5. Tenemos tiempo

Point to your imaginary watch in your left hand.

6. Que compartir Hold hands with your partner.

7. Y es que no hay nadie que me haga tan feliz Dance around each other holding hands!

Do you know how many languages are being sung in “Tan Feliz?" That’s right—two! Spanish and English.

Do you know if there is a rule for singing songs only in one language? The answer is: no.

You can sing in as many languages as you want. In fact, one fun way of learning other languages is by singing. Ask your friends who speak different languages to sing part of any song in their language. Then you can take turns trading verses and singing together while you learn from each other! That is exactly what happened in this song!

Can you think of any other songs that are sung in more than one language?

one song, many voices

The song “Haul Away Joe” is an example of a sea shanty, a song sung by groups of sailors as they worked aboard a ship. Even though they are no longer used as work songs, sea shanties live on as one of the main ingredients in the melting pot of American folk music.

Every musician who performs these traditional songs brings to them his or her own style and culture; for this reason, the same song can sound completely different, depending on who is performing it.

Listen to these different versions of the song

“Haul Away Joe.”

let’s listen

“Haul Away Joe”

The Okee Dokee Brothers

let’s listen

“Haul Away Joe”

Lead Belly (American blues)

let’s listen

“Haul Away Joe”

The Clancy Brothers (Irish folk music)

How are the music and lyrics different in each one? How are they the same? Which one uses call and response? Which version do you think would be the best for working? Which version makes you want to dance?

one song, many languages

“This Land Is Your Land” is one of Woody Guthrie’s most famous songs. It is so well known that some people consider it an alternative national anthem for the United States of America. He wrote it in 1940 using an existing melody, a Carter Family tune called “When the World’s on Fire,” in response to Irving Berlin’s “God Bless America.” Have a listen to Guthrie's original version.

let’s listen

“This Land Is Your Land”

Woodie Guthrie

“Esta Es Tu Tierra” is Sonia’s Spanish version of “This Land Is Your Land” with lyrics that she wrote. It has the same number of verses as the original version, but they are in another language! Many other versions have been made by artists all over the world and it has been sung in many different languages over the years. Click the link below to hear Sonia's Spanish version.

let’s listen

“Esta Es Tu Tierra”

Sonia De Los Santos

who is woody guthrie?

Woody Guthrie was born in 1912 in a small town in Oklahoma called Okemah. He is a singer-songwriter and musician whose musical legacy includes hundreds of political, traditional and children’s songs. Many of his songs are about his experiences during the Great Depression when he traveled with displaced farmers from Oklahoma to California and learned their traditional folk and blues songs, earning him the nickname the “Dust Bowl Troubadour.”

learn the chorus of the song in english and spanish

As we have learned, this song was originally written in English, but now you can learn the Spanish version too. Once you know it, feel free to share this version with your family and friends and ask them if they know the chorus of this song in any other language. Maybe they can teach you!

These are the original lyrics that Woody Guthrie wrote in English:

This land is your land, this land is my land

From California to the New York island

From the redwood forests to the Gulf Stream waters This land was made for you and me

And these are the lyrics Sonia wrote for the song in Spanish:

Esta es tu tierra, esta es mi tierra Desde California hasta Nueva York Desde las montañas a todos los mares Esta tierra es para ti y para mí

Woody Guthrie (July 14, 1912–October 3, 1967)

draw a map of the united states

Can you draw the United States map by memory? Give it a try in the box on the following page. Also, mark the state where you live and all of the ones you have visited or want to visit in the future. You can color the map and add any elements you like from each state. This could include famous buildings,

share your students' colorful creations

We'd love to see the masterpieces your talented students create. Send us a photo of their maps. Be sure to include each student's name, age, grade and school with your submission. You can send all images to the Gogue Center via email gpac_education@auburn.edu

What to do during the show

When you go to see the show, here are some things that you can do to help you learn a little more.

listen for:

• Which instruments are being played?

• Can you identify the verses?

• Can you identify the choruses?

• How many languages do you hear during the show?

• Can you understand everything you hear during the show?

watch for:

• Who sings which songs?

• Who’s playing which instrument?

• Does anyone play more than one instrument?

• Can you tell who speaks more than one language?

Photograph: Laura Alpizar

What to do after the show

After you to see the show, these activities will help you reflect and digest what you have learned. instrument improvisation

What instruments did you see?

Which instrument was your favorite? Why?

Which song did you like the most? Why?

Did any of the songs make you feel like you were on an adventure? Which ones?

Are you curious about visiting any of the countries that were mentioned?

If you were a bird and could fly anywhere, where would you go?

Are you curious about learning another language?

Can you remember the chorus to any of the songs at the show?

Did you learn any of the hand motions or dances?

Do you have friends who speak another language? Which language? Can you ask them to teach you a few words?

If you wrote an adventure song, what would it be about? Where would you go? What are some of the people, places and things you might see?

What gear would you bring with you on an adventure? How would you choose? Would it all fit in your backpack? Would you be able to carry it?

In what ways do you explore nature?

Do you have a friend who likes to take adventures?

What kinds of things do you like to do together? Have you ever gone on an adventure with your friend? What was it like?

What are some of the songs that have been passed down from your culture? Where did you hear them?

Does your family still sing these songs?

The people who first played folk, bluegrass and old-time music often used musical instruments they crafted themselves out of ordinary objects they found around them— kitchen utensils, machine parts, paper bags, scraps of wood, metal cans, bottles and even animal bones.

Look around your environment: the classroom, playground, home, etc. What kinds of objects do you see that could be used to make music? What ordinary objects do you have at home that could be used as musical instruments?

With your class, brainstorm all the ways you could make sounds with an object, for example: blowing, plucking, tapping, hitting (with hands or a stick), shaking, scraping or banging together.

What were some of the ways you made music with the objects? Did anyone come up with surprising ideas? Did you get any new ideas from your classmates?

Try this game: Sit in a circle. The first participant takes an object and improvises a way to play it. The movement should be brief—just a couple of seconds. The object gets passed to the next person, who repeats that movement, then performs his or her own idea. The next person repeats the two preceding movements (in order), and then adds on, etc. How long can you keep it going?

write a song

Writing a song doesn’t have to be too complicated. You can start with a simple idea for a theme. It can be a song about nature, something you like, somebody you like to spend time with, your favorite time of year, favorite animal or even food! It is always good to write songs by yourself, but it is even more fun to get help from a friend or relative! If there is someone around you, ask them to help you and do it together! When you are done and have something to share, do not forget to sing it to your family and friends.

tip: If you have a friend who speaks another language, come up with a version of your song that uses that language too.

bonus: Can you incorporate one of the instruments from the instrument improvisation activity?

let us sing along

We want to hear your students' songs. Send us a photo of their lyrics. Or, better yet, send us a video of them singing their song. Be sure to include each student's name, age, grade and school with your submission. You can send all songs to the Gogue Center via email at gpac_education@auburn.edu

wildlife along the way

The Mississippi River is home to more than 400 species of wildlife, including many endangered and threatened species. Forty percent of the United States migratory birds stop along the Mississippi Flyway on their routes south in the fall and north in the spring.

The Appalachian Trail has a very different ecosystem than the Mississippi. There are also a wide range of wildlife species, though it is hard to see them because they generally hide from humans. Many rare and endangered species of birds, mammals, reptiles, crustaceans and amphibians live along the trail.

The Great Divide and its surrounding region has many environments: dry deserts, high mountain peaks, vast plains and dense forests. The unique terrains and climates of the West are home to equally unique animals such as rattlesnakes, bison, mountain goats and pronghorns.

Choose either the Mississippi River, Appalachian Trail or the Great Divide. Create a class book about the wildlife that can be found in each region. Begin by dividing into teams of two or three people. Have the teams count off by four. Assign each team to research the plants or animals from the category below that corresponds to their number:

Using the research, each group should write and illustrate a brief report. Include information like diet, habitat, lifecycle, predator/prey relationships, etc. Put all the reports together to create an Adventure Journal for your class.

1. Fish

2. Birds

3. Mammals

4. Plants

enjoy one of sonia's favorite treats

There's nothing better on a cold winter day than a cup of delicious hot chocolate. (Who are we kidding? We all know hot chocolate tastes great any time of year!)

Here's a recipe for Mexican Hot Chocolate from Sonia’s childhood:

ingredients:

4 cups of milk

1 tablet of Mexican chocolate

Cinnamon (optional)

Sugar (optional)

With an adult present, heat four cups of milk and one tablet of chocolate in a medium saucepan over mediumhigh heat. Stir the chocolate and milk constantly until the mixture is frothy and starts to boil. As soon as the mixture begins to boil, remove the saucepan from the heat. Add sugar and cinnamon to taste. Serve immediately.

Makes four servings.

tip: Stir your hot chocolate with a wooden spoon and froth with a “molinillo," a traditional wooden whisk used throughout Latin America.

Vocabulary

You have learned so many new words. Here is a small list that may be helpful while you learn.

Acoustic instrument

An instrument that sounds rich and musical without amplification

Adventure album

A collection of music written about and inspired by an outdoor adventure

Americana music

This is a genre of American music with origins in early folk and country music. This genre usually features acoustic instruments and can include country, Appalachian, gospel, roots-rock, folk, bluegrass, R&B and blues.

Amplification

The act of making something louder

Bluegrass music

A style of music that combines elements of old-time music, folk, country and the blues

Bones

This is a form of percussion played with the hands. Originally actual bones, these instruments are now usually made of wood.

Canoe

A narrow boat with pointed ends—often made from a material like aluminum, wood or fiberglass— propelled by a paddle

Chorus

The part of a song that is repeated several times and delivers the main message of the song

Clogging

A style of dancing using your feet to make the beat for music

Echo

A sound that “bounces” from a surface back to the listener

Electric instrument

An instrument that must be amplified to make sound

Fiddlesticks

Delicate sticks that are used to tap out a rhythm on the strings of a fiddle

Folk music

Traditional music genre usually passed down from generation to generation

Gear

The tools, items and equipment that a person might take on their adventure—possible gear includes a tent, a camera, snacks or extra clothes.

Golondrina (goh-lohn-DREE-nah)

The Spanish word for a swallow

Harmony

Slight variations to the melody, added to make a richer sound

Hike

A long walk, usually through nature

Horsepacking

A horse, mule, donkey or pony used to carry goods on its back, usually in sidebags or panniers

Inspiration

The reason to create art, whether that is writing a song, drawing, painting or building something

Jarana (hah-RAH-nah)

A traditional Mexican guitar with eight strings

Leona (leh-OH-nah)

A Mexican acoustic bass from the same family as the jarana

Lyrics

The words to a song

Melody

The main musical part of a song

Old-time music

A style of music inspired by the music of the Appalachian Mountains

Paddle

A pole with a broad, flat fin at one end—the object used by a canoe’s passengers to propel the craft

Panniers

Basket or bag carried in pairs slung over the back of a horse

Roots music

A type of American folk music that incorporates blues, country, folk, R&B and rock influences.

Son Jarocha (SOHN har-ROH-chah)

A regional folk musical style from Veracruz, Mexico

Songwriting

The act of composing lyrics and/or music

Spoons

A form of percussion—two spoons clacked together

Tarima (tah-REE-mah)

A raised wooden platform for percussive dance

Verses

The story parts of a song, typically non-repeating

Yodel

A style of singing where the voice shifts quickly from low to high

Online resources for further exploration

If you would like to continue to learn and explore, here are some resources that might be helpful.

websites

Sonia De Los Santos

 soniadelossantosmusic.com

The Okee Dokee Brothers

 okeedokee.org

NASA’s Climate Kids website

 climatekids.nasa.gov

blogs

Our Mississippi River Adventure Blog

 mississippialbum.blogspot.com

Our Appalachian Trail Adventure Blog

 appalachianalbum.blogspot.com

Our Great Divide Adventure Blog

 westernalbum.blogspot.com

youtube

Sonia De Los Santos

 youtube.com/@SoniaDeLosSantos

The Okee Dokee Brothers

 youtube.com/user/OkeeDokeeBros

music videos

“Can You Canoe?”

 bit.ly/1gqebrB

“Camping Tent”

 bit.ly/1iAyQIU

“Haul Away Joe”

 bit.ly/OUJVuq

“Thousand Star Hotel”

 bit.ly/OUKhkw

“Walking with Spring”

 bit.ly/1juZeYq

“Through the Woods”

 bit.ly/Rl0VuZ

“Evergreen”

 bit.ly/1hvdzh5

“Jamboree”

 bit.ly/1iiXnn1

“Jackalope”

 bit.ly/1YeS7VW

“Saddle Up”

 bit.ly/1Xcx1sv

“Blankets of Snow”

 bit.ly/2GESVRw

“Howl”

interviews

The Mississippi River (with Kenny Salwey)

 bit.ly/1kTK78x

Mountain music (with David Holt)

 bit.ly/1nhqdHL

Bluegrass music (with the Wright Family)

 bit.ly/1kTJtYu

Navajo culture (with Radmilla Cody)

 bit.ly/1sEowJK

 bit.ly/33193Gy

Photograph: Nate Ryan

Made possible in part by a grant from the Alabama State Council on the Arts