Ask students if they remember the time and place of the singing game music (from lesson 1).
Discuss the Appalachian Mountains and the singing games. Have students explain what kind of songs the singing games were.
Sing and play Johnny O'Brown.
Although entertainment equipment was scarce, children one hundred years ago had as much fun as children do now,even though the chores and the work never ended! Some of the songs people sang were just "accompaniment" to living their lives. Since there were no radios or stereos, people's singing was important to everyone as accompaniment of a personal type. Discuss accompaniment.
Sing the "Chick-a-hanka" part of Chick-a-hanka song and tell students it is a sort of accompaniment to the song.
Lead class in singing "Chick-a-Hanka" by having students sing the "accompaniment" as teacher sings the main melody. What kind of work does this song represent?
Work songs can sound like the work or – they can be used to pass time while picking corn, walking a long way, or chores around the house, such as dish-washing. Sometimes the songs even mentioned some of the work that had to be done, such as milking cows, churning butter, plowing land. Other times these were sung during "work-swappings."
Sing When I first came to this Land.
The additive form of the song (adding a part on each verse) keeps singers busy and the rhyme makes it fun.
Have students clap some of the rhythmic patterns found in the phrases of the song. Place the patterns from the song on the board.