Hopi Basket Dance Grade 3

3rd graders learned about Native American music this week since they will be doing a Native American unit soon in their classrooms.
Students learned a Hopi Basket Dance, which is a dance to celebrate the harvest used by the Navajo Native Americans.

Here is Ms. Lantz's class performing the Hopi Basket Dance with paper plates as their baskets.

Students also learned a song called Gitsigakomim, from the Blackfoot Nation. Gitsigakomim means "I love you" or "I honor you." And Na-a means mother. After learning the song students were able to substitute "Na-a" for the name of someone or something that they would like to honor.

Gitsigakomim Na-a

Gitsigakomim Na-a

Gitsigakomim Na-a

Gitsigakomim

Way ya, way ya

way ya, hey ya

way ya, hey ya

Gitsigakomim, Gitsigakomim

Land of the Silver Birch- Native American Song

3rd graders learned about Native American music last week to correlate with learning about Native Americans in their classrooms. They learned a Native American folk song called "Land of the Silver Birch". The lyrics are:

"Land of the Silver Birch. Home of the beaver.

Where still the mighty moose wanders at will.

Blue lake and rocky shore, I will return once more.

Boom-di-dee boom boom, boom di-dee boom boom,

Boom-di-dee boom boom, boom."

Students played the xylophones, drums, and bells. Bells and xylophones used a "Beat, rest" rhythm while the drums played on the steady beat. After each time singing the song students rotated to a new instrument.

Instrument set-up around the music circle.

I got the Orff arrangement from here. :-)