Lesson #6: Zemer Atik Israeli Folk Dance

December 12th: Musical Traditions

Today I tried a new strategy to increase the student participation during our class discussion. I brought my white board to class which showed my lesson plan outlined in seven simple steps. I put it at the front of the classroom for everyone to see. Every student had a small piece of paper with a number on it. Each of the numbers corresponded with the numbers on my lesson plan where they would specifically be contributing to the class discussion. 

Lesson Plan:

1. Movie Clip

2. What is a tradition? Name some examples.

3. What might a musical tradition be? Name some examples from your family/culture.

4. Story time

5. Egyptian/Israeli musical traditions

6. Our turn to learn!

7. Finish sistrums

Step #s 1-3:

First we watched the opening clip from "The Fiddler on the Roof." I told all the #2 students to listen for what Tevye had to say about traditions. Tevye explains that traditions keep us in balance, they help us know our standing to God, and sometimes we don't even know where our traditions came from! The #2 students talked about what traditions are and what family traditions they have. Most of them mentioned Christmas traditions, but one student pointed out that traditions can also be things that we do everyday, regardless of what holiday season it is. The #3 students then named some musical traditions we have: Christmas caroling, lullabyes, singing "Happy Birthday," listening to music in the car, and so forth. 

Fiddler on the Roof-- "Tradition"

Step #4:

I then shared a story my grandma had told me of when she and my grandpa spent time serving at an Indian reservation at the bottom of the Grand Canyon. A group of visiting youth came to do a service project at the Indian reservation and then held a dance that evening for all the youth (including the Indians) to attend. Many of the Indian youth did attend, but they did not dance. They stood on the sidelines and laughed while the other youth did their typical kid of dance--standing in a circles and jumping up and down to the beat. The Indian youth were accustomed to dancing that including moving from side to side. Jumping up and down just looked ridiculous to them! 

Step #5:

After telling this story, I explained how different cultures have different kinds of musical traditions that other cultures are not as familiar with. Neither is wrong, they are just different. I then asked the #5 students to describe some typical musical traditions at funerals and also wedding receptions. Then I related this to how at Egyptian funerals they do a dance with music to send off the deceased soul to the upperworld. This is an important, symbolic part of Egyptian funerals. Next I reminded the students of when we watched the clip from "The Prince of Egypt" a couple weeks ago. The slaves in that movie were Hebrews, which is also a name for Israelites. Israelites had a tradition of doing a dance at a couple's wedding--where all the wedding guests stood in a big circle around the married couple and danced as a way to praise God and to wish the couple a happy marriage. 

Step #6:

Then the class migrated to another room where we learned such an Israeli folk dance called Zemer Atik. After learning the steps, we performed the dance with the music. The dance includes some rhythmic feet movement, some clapping, walking in and out of the circle, and snapping the fingers. The dance has an A and a B section.The students and I had a lot of fun!

Here's a YouTube link to the song we used to dance to:

Zemer Atik

Step #7:

After learning the dance, the students had the opportunity to finish their Egyptian instruments--the sistrums! The students each received a bag of ten buttons that they could choose from and string onto their sistrum. Pictures are below!

Music Standards Met:

6.M.CR.2

6.M.CO.2

6.M.CO.3

6.M.P.7

6.M.P.10