Transition Tuesday: Canoe Song and Land of the Silver Birch


Hi everyone!

This is going to be a quick Transition Tuesday that many of you probably know.  I apologize, I've had two grade level concert dress rehearsals today (the concerts (yes concerts- there are two!) are actually Thursday but I've planned for my brother's Winter Drum Line and Winter Color Guard to perform for my school and that's the only day they can do it.  I normally have dress rehearsals the same day, but ce la vie!  I'm really excited about the assemblies on Thursday, they're actually doing three performances since the drums and guard perform on the gym floor and my students have to sit on the steps in the gym and the cafeteria).

I like using the "Canoe Song" for low la with third grade but since they don't know syncopation yet I teach it as a prep and early practice song (so that they are only reading the solfége and not the rhythm).  I teach low la after right after ti-tika, which means that my students also know "Land of the Silver Birch".  This is a transition from the "Land of the Silver Birch" into "Canoe Song".

With third grade we would be using "Land of the Silver Birch" in an area of higher concentration and we would have done some type of reading with it.



Most likely they would have isolated and practiced the ti-tikas that are in the final phrase.

This final phrase is going to be my transition tool.  To reinforce other staff notation I'll add a repeat sign at the end so that they know they need to repeat it and as they do I start humming or singing on "loo" the "Canoe Song".  (Side note, as they near the end of the phrase I point to the repeat sign so that they know they are to repeat the phrase again).  Depending on the class, and if they already know the song (and the level of musicianship of the class) I might sing the "Canoe Song" on text instead of "loo".  The longer you've had your kids and the more familiar they are to way you teach and do things affects the way you can do this transition.



If it's a new song I'd have them sing the ostinato again while I sing the new song. But this pretty much leads you into the "Canoe Song" and now all you have to do is apply what you might do with it. :)

I hope you all are having an amazing week!  Send me good vibes on Thursday night for my double header of concerts!

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