I See the Moon Folk Song with Simple Handchime Accompaniment Using the Orff-Schulwerk Method by Paul Weller Handchimes are an easy addition to ANY music classroom by using the same ostinatos, borduns, and accompaniment patterns that you already use for your barred instruments (i.e. xylophones). This is a beautiful song that incorporates many elements of musical literacy, allows for extensions to many grade levels and is an integral part of my curriculum. For example, for 2nd grade I use this to discover and reinforce half notes and the pitch patterns of do-re-mi and sol-mi; for 3rd grade I use this song to discover and reinforce low la; and for 4th grade I use this song to identify the minor mode. However, the reader should feel free to use it at whatever level they wish and for whatever concepts they wish to demonstrate. I have included both secular and sacred texts in the lyrics.
Lesson Objectives • • • •
la pentatonic (minor mode) Half notes Chord bordun, tone clusters Melodic direction & Phrase Length
Song Analysis • • • • • •
Pitch Set: l, drm s Mode/Scale: la pentatonic (minor) Rhythm: half note Pitch patterns: do-re-mi; sol-mi; la,-do Levels: (rhythm) Grade 2 (melody) Grade 3 Source: Jacque Schrader
Teaching Process • • • • • •
Using your own method (by rote or by reading), teach the melody of the song. Prepare the handchime tone clusters part with snaps on the words “moon” and “God.” Transfer to handchimes (Students play any 2-chime notes in the pentatonic scale you are using). Speak text “moon shin-ing, moon shin-ing” and pat legs as an ostinato while singing the song. Transfer ostinato to handchimes. Put all the parts together.
Ways to further extend this song
• Create a dance to accompany the song. • Use a poem such as “The Night” by Myra Cohn Livingston as a b-section to the song (You can find this poem in the book Piping Down the Valleys Wild by Nancy Larrick). • Have the students improvise on barred instruments in la pentatonic using the text from “Starlight, Starbright” as the improvisational rhythm. • Use song with the book Goodnight Moon by Brown/Hurd or Moongame by Frank Asch. • Play the melody of the song on chimes (it’s easy to have one student on each quarter note and one on the paired 8th notes by themselves) or metallophones.