Music teachers may be overlooking a stimulating resource. Jana R. Fallin looks at the possibilities of bringing children's literature into the music classroom.
Today's selection of children's books is a treasure waiting to be discovered by the music educator. Beautifully illustrated books of every conceivable topic line the shelves of most elementary school libraries. This category of literature, with great appeal for children and adults, is often overlooked by the music teacher.
Children's literature can complement lessons from other disciplines, but within the music curriculum it can encourage creativity, reinforce music skills and knowledge, enhance listening, and expand multicultural awareness. We can let the books inspire us like they did when we were children: the imagery of the books sparked hours of fun as we pretended to be characters in the stories. Now, as teachers, we can use the same imagery to stimulate both ourselves and the children we teach.
Elementary teachers use integrated curriculum, whole language, and interdisciplinary learning in their classes. Often these approaches to learning are not extended to the arts, perhaps because arts educators do not view them as directly applicable. Yet, using children's literature in the music curriculum opens extensive possibili-ties for connecting learning.
Children's books bring about exciting developments in lessons. A lesson on creativity may expand into a lesson on listening. Another lesson geared to teaching multicultural awareness may develop into a session on compositions. The way the learning evolves and grows is part of the fun of using children's literature in music class.
The sounds suggested in children's books can come alive in the music class. The sounds can accompany the story, turn into music, and evenbecome compositions themselves as the children develop musically. For example, Brown Bear, Brown Bear What Do You See? and Polar Bear, Polar Bear What Do You Hear? by Bill Martin, Jr., are excellent books for having young children add sounds associated with words in the text (see the resources sidebar for information on these books and others discussed in this article or recommended in general). These books clearly use repetition and contrast to enable children to choose appropriate sounds. The children see the picture of an animal such as a lion and add a body sound or instrumental sound, creating a sound composition as they go through the book. The class can research songs and musical works about bears as extensions of the sound composition lesson.
After reading a book such as Where the Wild Things Are by Maurice Sendak, ask the children to think of places in the story for adding sounds. This story of Max, an adventurous boy sent to his room by his mother, suggests interesting sotrods. After sharing the children's ideas, read the book again with class members making the sounds in appropriate places. Suggest next that the body sound can transfer to percussion instruments and have the children select instruments to make the sounds. The tone block may become the sound of Max running, while glissandi on the xylophone may represent the sound of the ocean.
This instrument selection process in itself is a learning experience. Rather than selecting the instrument that makes the sound most like the character or event in the story, children pick their favorite instrument. Using this criterion, a child might pick a ratchet to make a sound for a snowflake. To guide the students in selecting appropriate instruments is a lesson in itself, often one that requires persuasive teaching.
After choosing instruments, read the story again, this time with children adding the instrument sounds. Finally, tell the story using only sounds. Tape the sound story and listen to the composition as a class. Ask the questions "What did we do correctly?" and "Where could we make our composition better?" The evaluation process is a valuable part of this learning experience.
Creating sound compositions is another use of children's books. These compositions can range from the very simple, as in Brown Bear, Brown Bear, What Do You See? to more extended compositions. The Jolly Postman, by Janet and Allan Ahlberg, can lead to a delightful rondo. The book is written as a series of letters delivered by the postman to famous storybook characters. One class using this approach had the postman as the A Section. The postman's section had a recurring osti-nato pattern that reminded the listenerof a rickety bicycle wheel. The contrasting sections forming the rondo included the letter to the wicked witch as the B section, the letter from Jack to the giant as the C section, and Cinderella's letter as the D section.
The witch's letter was portrayed with cackly sounds made by a combination of metal and wooden percussion instruments. The giant's letter was composed with heavy walking sounds, as if made by the ponderous foot of the big fellow. Cinderella's letter had a magical, tinkly quality created by using metal bar and percussion sounds. The resulting rondo told the story, but in a different way.
The mood created in children's books can be captured in music by students working in cooperative learning groups. Having specific directions helps in the process. For example, (
Creating a sound story or composition is an ideal introduction to meaningful listening lessons. Once the chil-dren have told a story in sound, they listen with heightened interest and attentiveness to another composer using similar approaches to composing. Children actively listen to Smetana's The Moldau or Dukas's Sorcerer's Apprentice after they function as composers themselves. Listening lessons hold new meaning because the children can relate to the music as both listeners and composers.
Reading The Star-Spangled Banner, by Peter Spier, The Dawn's Early Light, by Steven Kroll, or America the Beautiful, by Katherine Lee Bates with illustrations by Nell Waldman, can give the children a clearer understanding of the text. Then, when they hear the national anthem or a patriotic hymn, a much more meaningful listening experience results.
Swanlake, adapted by Rachel Isado-ra, tells the story of the ballet. If the students read about this book in class, listening to selections of Tchaikovsky's music from the ballet will be a much richer experience for them. The Nutcracker has been published by Peter Spier as a storybook and Advent calendar that can serve as a clever introduction to the ballet. The calendar holds twenty tiny books telling the story. Children could read the story before listening to the music.
Prokofiev's Peter and the Wolf has been designed and illustrated as a book by Warren Chappell. The pictures, with musical themes included, make the story come alive for students. Supplying the visual to accompany the aural experience provides a more successful listening event for many children.
A wonderful book for expanding awareness of the African American culture is The Talking Eggs, by Robert D. San Souci with pictures by Jerry Pinkney. This fascinating folk tale of the rural South tells the story of Blanche, a Black child with a "spirit of do-right." This book could become the libretto for an opera performed by the elementary music class. The perFormance could be sung by improvisation in only one class period, or it could be composed and presented in "real opera" format for the school or parents. Set design, costuming, lighting, and staging would be hands-on learning. The performers could be children in the class or puppets created by class members. A memorable operatic event taking a variety of forms could be the result--all from reading one book in class.
Several books are available for sharing the Native American culture. Hiawatha, by Henry Wadsworth Longfellow with pictures by Susan Jeffers, is an artfully illustrated section from the original poem. The Legend of the Indian Paintbrush, retold and illustrated by Tomie De Paola, can serve as a wonderful introduction to a listening experience with Native American music.
At the Crossroads, another Isadora book, is an energetic tale of South African children waiting for their dads to come home from working in the mines. At one point in the story, the children make up a lively musical piece using some instruments they have. The book, while describing another culture, could also be a starting point for a composition.
Several books about Latino/His-panic culture could be used in the music curriculum. New Shoes for Sil-via, by Johanna Hurwitz, includes some Spanish words and would be a lead-in to the rhythmic chant "New Shoes." The Tamarind Puppy and Other Poems, by Charlotte Pomerantz,is a wonderful collection that incorporates Spanish text with English text in a creative manner.
With certain books, simply reading the story out loud lets the children experience the rhythms of the words. Chicka Chicka Boom Boom, by Bill Martin, Jr., and John Archambault, is a perfect book for helping children feel rhythm, as the title suggests. These captivating words, centered around the ABCs, almost demand body movement from the listener. Several phrases repeat throughout the book. The same movement could be performed each time the repeated words are read, reinforcing the concept of same/different in music.
Several books by Peter Spier contain only pictures and can be used to introduce and augment learning about specific facets of sound and music. His books are quite detailed and could be used in small group settings or with individual learning experiences. Crash.' Bang! Boom! can be a motivating addition to units on sounds and sound production. His Noah's Ark is an attractive picture book that can introduce the many folk songs about the story of Noah and the animals. Further study of music about animals might include listening to Saint-Saens's Carnival of the Animals.
Famous songs have inspired manyauthors of children's books. Go Tell Aunt Rhody, illustrated by Alibi, is good book to read while learning about folk songs. When playing this tune on the recorder, bring out the book to give children a visual along with the music. Several books are available about Old MacDonald, and The Wheels on the Bus has been published as a pop-up book by Paul Zelin-ski. Simply having these books on display in the music room can stimulate interest in some children.
Cumulative books abound in children's literature, and through them children can practice score reading and following a conductor while playing percussion instruments. The Noisy Counting Book, by Susan Schade and Jon Buller, is the story of a boy fishing at a pond who encounters many noisy insects and animals, all described cumulatively. Children can select percussion instruments, playing each time the insect or animal appears in the story. By taking the sound accompaniment concept a step further and designing a score for the instrument players, students can also practice music-reading skills. A student director conducting the piece completes the ensemble experience. The score need not be a traditional score for this to be a valuable exercise.
Ben's Trumpet, by Isadora, is an imaginative story of a boy growing up in the 1930s. It introduces the instruments of a jazz ensemble. Reading the book also offers a historical perspective on life in a different era.
We miss golden opportunities in elementary music classes by not utilizing children's books. They facilitate powerful learning. Used in the music classroom, they can stimulate creative thinking by transferring words to sounds and by capturing feelings through sounds. Musical learning about form and repetition and instrument recognition can also take place. Children can learn about other cultures and become better listeners as well.
If you have not perused the children's section at a bookstore lately, a rich array of books is waiting for you. The music class and children's literature can be an effective combination for the music teacher, opening the way for outstanding interdisciplinary learning.
Ahlberg, Janet and Allan. The Jolly Postman. Great Britain: William Heinemann, 1986
Bates, Katharine Lee. America the Beautiful. Illustrations by Nell Waldman. New York: Atheneum, 1991.
Baylor, Byrd. Coyote Cry New York: Lothrop, Lee & Shepard Co., 1972.
(underbar). I'm in Charge of Celebrations. New York: Charles Scribner's Sons, 1986.
(underbar). Hawk, I'm Your Brother. New York: Charles Scribner's Sons, 1976.
(underbar). The Way to Start a Day. New York: Charles Scribner's Sons, 1977.
Baylor, Byrd, and Peter Parnail. Your Own Best Secret Place. New York: Charles Scribner's Sons, 1979.
Bryan, Ashley. All Night, All Day: A Child's First Book of African-American Spirituals. New York: Atheneum, 1991.
(underbar). Turtle Knows Your Name. New York: Atheneum, 1989.
Carlinsky, Dan, and Ed Goodgold. The Armchair Conductor. New York: Dell Trade Paperback, 1991.
Chappell, Warren, designer and illustrator. Peter and the Wolf New York: Schocken Books, 1981.
De Paola, Tomie. The Legend of the Indian Paintbrush. New York: Aladdin Books, 1988.
Dragonwagon, Crescent. Home Place. New York: Macmillan, 1990.
Go Tell Aunt Rhody. Illustrated by Alibi. New York: Macmillan, 1974.
Hurwitz, Johanna. New Shoes for Silvia. New York: Morrow Junior Books, 1993.
Isadora, Rachel. At the Crossroads. New York: Greenwillow Books, 1979.
(underbar). Ben's Trumpet. New York: Greenwillow Books, 1979.
(underbar). Swanlake. New York: G. P- Putnam's Sons, 1991.
Johnson, James Weldon, and J. Roamond Johnson. Lift Every Voice and Sing: Words and Music. New York: Hawthorn Books, 1970. Johnston, Tony. Yonder. New York: Scholastic, Inc., 1988.
Kroll, Steven. By the Dawn's Early Light. New York: Scholastic, Inc., 1994.
Langstaff, John. What a Morning! The Christmas Story in Black Spirituals. New York: Macmillan, 1987
Longfellow, Henry Wadsworth. Hiawatha. Pictures by Susan Jeffers. New York: Scholastic, Inc., 1992.
Martin, Bill, Jr. Brown Bear, Brown Bear, What Do You See? New York: Henry Holt and Co., 1967, 1983.
(underbar). Polar Bear, Polar Bear, What Do You Hear?New York: Henry Holt and Co., 1991.
Martin, Bill, Jr., and John Archambault. Chicka Chicka Boom Boom. New York: Simon and Schuster Books for Young Readers, 1989. McKissack, Patricia C. Mirandy and Brother Wind. New York: Alfred A. Knopf, 1988.
The Nutcracker Ballet. Retold by Melissa Hayden. Kansas City, MO: Andrews and McMeel, 1992.
Pomerantz, Charlotte. The Tamarind Puppy and Other Poems. New York: Mulberry Books, 1980.
San Souci, Robert D. The Talking Eggs. New York: Dial Books for Young Readers, 1989.
Schade, Susan, and Jon Buller. The Noisy Counting Book. New York: Random House, 1987.
Sendak, Maurice. Where the Wild Things Are. New York: Harper Trophy, 1963, 1984.
Slave Songs. Compiled by Jerry Silverman. New York: Chelsea House Publishers, 1994.
Spier, Peter. Crash! Bang! Boom.' New York: Doubleday & Co., 1990.
(underbar). Noah's Ark. Garden City, NY: Doubleday & Co., 1972.
(underbar). The Nutcracker Story Book Set and Advent Calendar: New York: Workman Publishing, 1993.
(underbar). The Star-Spangled Banner. New York: Doubleday & Co.. 1973.
(underbar). Street Rhymes around the World. Edited by Jane Yolen. Honesdale, PA: Boyds Mills Press, 1992.
Uncle Nacho's Hat. Adapted by Harriet Rohmer. Emeryville, CA: Children's Book Press, 1989.
Zelenski, Paul. The Wheels on the Bus. New York: Dutton Child Books, 1990.
PHOTO: Children's literature in the music class serves as a catalyst to creativity.
PHOTO: Many children's stories can be retold using sounds.
BY JANA R. FALLIN
Jana R. Fallin is division chair of music education at Kansas State University in Manhattan, Kansas.
