Sunday Singalong: Remembering 9/11

On September 11, 2001, I was getting ready for my first class of the day when I heard the news on the Today Show, just as it was happening. I watched as the second plane hit the Word Trade Center, and then I went to class. The rest of that day is a blur; all I remember is sitting in the basement of the student center with what seemed like the entire student body, watching hours of news footage and feeling completely numb. I was a college freshman, one thousand miles from home.

You’ll probably read and hear dozens of stories like this today — I already have, just scrolling through my Facebook news feed. Ten years may have passed, but I think for all of us, the tragedy of 9/11 is still as fresh and raw as if it happened just yesterday.

Today is about remembering those who died, those who risked their lives to save others, and those who have fought to protect us. Today is about calling your parents, hugging your child, and being thankful for every single one of life’s blessings.

Never forget.

Happy Birthday, Martin Luther King, Jr.

Happy Birthday, Martin Luther King Jr.

Today is more than just a day off from school and work.  It’s an opportunity to honor a great man (as I mention in my January song) who did big things, and to observe how far our country has come as a result.

I wish I could say that I have a song for this occasion to share with you, but I don’t (maybe next year).  However, I will send you over to Songs For Teaching, where there are quite a few tunes dedicated to MLK Jr.   Here are just a few worth noting:

How do you teach your students (or children) about Martin Luther King, Jr. and his important work?  Do you do anything special to commemorate this day in your classroom?  If so, I want to hear about it.

The Ice Age Song



If you’ve seen Ice Age, then you probably recognize these creatures as the main characters.  My song is unrelated to the film, but I loved this picture – and the animals just happen to be the right species!  “The Ice Age Song” is my attempt at consolidating general knowledge about this prehistoric era in a way that children can understand.

Now, this is not a topic I’d cover as a matter of course.  But my sorority’s local alumnae association is hosting a kids camp-in with an Ice Age theme at the Illinois State Museum later this month, and guess who is providing the musical entertainment?  I did actually do a search for songs on this subject, but unfortunately came up empty-handed.  So I got to work writing my own, and this is what I came up with:

Millions of years ago,
The earth was covered in ice and snow,
No oak tree grew, no grass on the ground.
Only glaciers all around.
The air was cold, the land was bare,
In the Ice Age everywhere.

Wooly mammoths, and cave bears too,
And wooly rhinos, just to name a few.
Were animals who lived back when,
But have become extinct since then.
There were also reindeer with their great big hooves,
And horses, bison and wolves.

CHORUS

35,000 years before now,
The Ice Age people lived somehow.
They hunted with tools they made from rock and bone,
In caves and shelters they found a home.
Fire kept them warm and scared the animals away,
They were able to live this way.

CHORUS

The Ice Age was a time of discovery
For those who came before you and me.
Eventually the ice began to melt away,
And the Earth evolved into what it is today.
Now glaciers and fossils and drawings show,
That the Ice Age existed long ago.

CHORUS

I kept the information pretty basic and straightforward, bearing in mind that my audience will be made up of late-elementary school students.  My program comes at the end of the evening, though, so by then, they’ll probably already know all of this and then some.  In fact, maybe the kids could help me write “The Ice Age Song: Part 2”.  Hmm…now that’s not a bad idea!

Who is Green in Color and 150 Feet Tall?


Why, Lovely Lady Liberty, of course!  When one of my consult clients requested a custom song about the Statue of Liberty for her daughter, I jumped at the chance.  Having just returned from New York City, I felt inspired by this famous landmark and couldn’t wait to pen a song about the it.  My plan was to create something that was both fun and informational, and to be honest, writing this song proved to be quite a challenge.  There were so many facts to include, yet so few opportunities for rhymes!  But I think it turned out pretty well…what about you?

In 1886, on an autumn day,
People traveled from all the way
In France, to the U.S. to show
Their friendship, they gave what we all know (as)

The Statue of Liberty
This lovely lady came to be
A famous sight, recognized by all,
Green in color, and standing tall.
Green in color, and standing tall.

150 feet high she stands,
On a pedestal, looking over all the lands.
She holds a torch, a tabula, too,
And wears a stola, and sandals, and a crown, it’s true.

CHORUS

She lives on a island in New York, off the coast,
When people visit, she’s a gracious host.
They can go inside, way up to her crown,
And enjoy the view, looking all around.

CHORUS

She’s a universal symbol, for our country,
Of freedom and democracy.
A National Monument, admirable,
She represents the U.S. as a whole.

CHORUS

What other national landmarks and monuments would make great song topics?  Now that I’ve tackled the Statue of Liberty, I think I’m ready for another challenge.  Amanda Ellis of More With Music guessed that today’s song would be about Abraham Lincoln, and I think she’s on to something…after all, I do live in the Land of Lincoln!

Boys and Girls: We’re All Equal

Did you know that March is Women’s History Month? Well I didn’t, until a teacher brought it to my attention at the end of February. I did a little research, and discovered that Women’s History Month traces its roots back to the first International Women’s Day, which was celebrated in 1911. In 1981, Congress passed a resolution making Women’s History Week a national holiday.

So that is the background for today’s tune, “Boys and Girls”. I wanted to write a song that conveyed the general message of Women’s History Month yet could still be understood by my students. “Boys and Girls” teaches that we all have equal rights, and that we can do many of the same things.

If you’re a boy, or you’re a girl,
Then you should know that we’re all equal.
There are certain things about us that are different, it’s true,
But our rights are the same, for both me and you.

Girls can wear pants, boys can too.
Boys can wear hats, girls can too.
Girls can wear sandals, boys can too.
Boys can wear sneakers, girls can too.
There are certain things about us that are different, it’s true,
But our rights are the same, both me and you.

Girls can be teachers, boys can too.
Boys can be pilots, girls can too.
Girls can be doctors, boys can too.
Boys can be nurses, girls can too.
There are certain things about us that are different, it’s true,
But our rights are the same, both me and you.

Girls can go to school, boys can too.
Boys can go to work, girls can too.
Girls can cast a vote, boys can too.
Boys can cook dinner, girls can too.
There are certain things about us that are different, it’s true,
But our rights are the same, both me and you.

If you’re a boy, or you’re a girl,
Then you should know that we’re all equal.
There are certain things about us that are different, it’s true,
But our rights are the same, for both me and you.

Maybe next year I’ll write a song that goes a little bit more in depth with this topic. Another song to check out is Sufferin’ Til Suffrage (a School House Rock favorite). Enjoy, and happy Women’s History Month!