YELLOW BRICK ROAD MUSIC

Here Comes a Bluebird for Elementary Music

Here Comes a Bluebird (and its many variations) is a song and game that was always a hit in my classroom. It’s a fantastic song for working on the pentatonic scale with voices and instruments. The quarter rest makes it good for working on rhythms too.

How to Play the Game

This song is a variation on Bluebird Through My Window, so the game is the same:

  • Students stand in a circle with hands joined with one student, the bluebird, in the center.
  • Students raise their arms to form arches/windows, which the bluebird moves through.
  • On the words “Take a little partner”, the bluebird chooses a student to move through the arches with them.
  • The bluebird rejoins the circle and the person that was chosen becomes the new bluebird.

Sequencing New Songs/Games

My sequence for teaching new songs/games tended to look like this:

  • Teach the game while I sing the song by myself.
  • After several repetitions, invite students to sing with me as they play the game.
  • Once students can play the game without assistance, they take over the singing.

Like anything with teaching, it wasn’t always a smooth transition. Sometimes I underestimated how many repetitions they needed to learn a song or how long it would take to teach the logistics of the game. Regardless, once students gained mastery over the song and game mechanics, it was their turn to take on the responsibility of singing and keeping the game going.

Having students take the lead on singing served several purposes. First, it gave me a chance to rest my voice and reserve my energy. Second, I could observe how well they knew the song and notice if there were sections in which they struggled. Based on those observations, I could decide how many class periods they might need for the rest of the activities I had planned. Third, they needed to know they could do things on their own. If I’m always doing everything for them, they might assume that they’re incapable, which isn’t true.

Adding Orff Instruments

Once students had gained mastery over singing the song and had worked out their physical energy with a game, I felt comfortable adding instruments to the mix. Knowing the melody and rhythms of the song meant that they could focus more on technique and could more easily identify their own mistakes with pitch or rhythms.

I often split my class into two groups, having each group play a different section. Here’s how I would do that with this song:

  • Group 1 plays measures 1-2 & 5-6.
  • Group 2 plays measures 3-4 & 7-8.
  • The groups switch parts after mastering their sections.
  • Then, both groups play the entire song together.
  • Finally, they play and sing simultaneously (if they weren’t already).

This notation comes from my Color-Coded Notation Series, which you can read more about HERE. Sequencing instrumental pieces this way gives students a chance to learn bite-sized chunks without getting bored or frustrated. They play two measures, then rest two, play two, and rest two. There’s a huge difference between mastering two measures of a song at a time versus haltingly playing through the entire song from start to finish, even when that song is only eight measures long. Also, this is a rehearsal technique that they’re probably already familiar with from their music programs and/or will be introduced to if they ever join a performing arts group such as band or choir.

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