Veteran's Day Programming ideas needed

[REB]

Hi, everyone! I teach music to K-6 grades. I am in need of ideas for Veteran's Day. Any music teacher know good songs that you use with your students, that I might not have tried yet? I did one last year, called "American Tears", and I pretty much ran that song in the ground, the students performed it so much. Also, I had the students sing another musick8 song, "The Lights of Freedom". Any other ideas, that maybe I haven't tried yet?

ALSO...has anyone performed "Heart Of America" (musick8 song), with your students, and if so, did you use movement with it?

Thanks
REB

 

[cH]

"Heart of America"

My 3rds performed it on their concert the year it came out, and they loved it. They thought it was the Dixie Chicks singing! I know we did some movement with it, but I haven't found it yet. We've also done "My Flag" (probably in vol. 12). Slow and serious, but beautiful! I believe they (3rd and/or 4th) added sign language.

 

[REB]

Thanks for the information on this...

Hi! thanks so much!!! I have since then found out that I am now only responsible for two songs for Veteran's Day, as the principal wants for the grade levels to each do "their own thing", and they all want me to continue to teach the kids what they had been learning already, so I'm not sure which direction I'll end up going.

Have you done "Possibilities", or "This is America"(the musical)??

I'm trying to decide what grade to do "Possibilities" with for the spring musical.

REB

 

[cH]

"Possibilities"/"This is America"

Although I do sometimes use a few of the MK8 review songs, I never do a whole Review. The songs "This is America" and "Possibilities" are ones I've never used. Since I have only K-3 and do only a spring program, I have a lot of freedom of choice.

We started using Character Counts in our building last year, so I made use of quite of few of the appropriate songs from various issues. I have all 16 volumes, so I regularly search back through as I look for new songs and ideas. We used "Upstanding Citizen" last year, and it was one of our all-time favorites!

 

[REB]

Thanks, cH!!!!

Hey! I'll have to check that one out..."Upstanding Citizen"...that's an awesome title. (We also do Character Counts in the regular classes, and then I was given some coupons to hand out to students, who exhibit exemplary behavior, so they can be entered in a drawing.)

Thanks again!!!!

REB

 

[cH]

"An Upstanding Citizen"

If you're interested in seeing movements for that, it's all written out in the MK8 Idea Bank. Look for "An Upstanding Citizen Choreography." It's a partner-song type piece, and the choreography is also done in contrasting parts. Although the choreog. was aimed at 3rds, it would probably work well for older students too.