The Family Folk Song Project

Author Cathy Ward gives instructions on how to carry out a general music activity where every child learns a folk song from a family member and then teaches it to the rest of the class. Students and families will experience the joy of sharing music together and musical traditions will be passed on to future generations.

The book includes a letter to parents in both English and Spanish. Examples of folk songs that Ward has collected through this family folk song project are also included along with ideas on using this activity to teach musical concepts.

Contents:

• Introduction
• How to Complete the Project
• Songs Collected from Elementary Students in Somerville, MA:  
  • A Dona Aranha (Brazilian folk song)
  • Al corro de la patata (Latin American folk song)
  • Boi da cara preta (Brazilian lullaby)
  • Bom dia (Brazilian folk song)
  • Borboletinha (Brazilian folk song)
  • Caballito Blanco (Mexican folk song)
  • Hanschen Klein (German folk song)
  • Hava Nagila (Israeli folk song)
  • Here Is the Church (traditional finger play)
  • Hoppe Hoppe Reiter (German folk song)
  • I Had a Mule (traditional folk song)
  • Itsy Bitsy Spider (traditional finger play)
  • Izabella (traditional jump rope rhyme)
  • Kemence (Hungarian folk song)
  • Kockaleze dirou (Czech folk song)
  • Leg Over Leg (traditional bouncing game)
  • Liang zhi lao hu (Chinese song)
  • London Bridge (English folk song)
  • Los Patitos (Latin American folk song)
  • Los Pollitos (Latin American folk song)
  • Los Pollitos Dicen (Colombian folk song)
  • Na Cabana da Floresta (Brazilian folk song)
  • Parabens (Brazilian birthday song)
  • Patty Cake (Traditional hand clapping rhyme)
  • Row Your Boat (traditional round)
  • Ruru mi nina (Latin American lullaby)
  • Sampung mga bata (Philippines children's song)
  • San too gee (Korean folk song)
  • Shosholoza (South African folk song)
  • Suss Fel Nap (Hungarian folk song)
  • The Skunk Song (American folk song)
  • The Thundersong (Zulu folk song)
  • Tura Lura Lura (Irish lullaby)
  • Twinkle, Twinkle (English nursery rhyme)
  • Yi Shan Yi Shan Liang Jin Jin (Chinese folk song)
  • Sample Letter References