For Pre-K through 2nd grade

Lesson 3 – This Land is Your Land Objective Students will sing together and understand the basic history of an American patriotic folk song, This Land is Your Land. Students will explore the origins of this folk song and the purpose and function of patriotic songs.

Suggested Materials • Music and lyrics for This Land is Your Land (provided) • Optional: Recording of This Land is Your Land (audio links can be found at youtube.com/user/BfloPhilharmonic)

New York State Arts Standards 1 – Creating, Performing, and Participating in the Arts 3 – Responding to and Analyzing Works of Art 4 – Understanding the Cultural Contributions of the Arts

New York State Social Studies Standards 1 – History of the United States and New York 5 – Civics, Citizenship, and Government

Common Core Learning Standards for ELA & Literacy Reading, CCR 1, 2 and 6 Writing, CCR 9 Speaking & Listening, CCR 1, 2, and 3 Language, CCR 3

Procedure 1) Play or sing the chorus of the American folk song, This Land is Your Land written by songwriter Woody Guthrie. Is this a familiar song to them? 2) This song is considered a patriotic song. Discuss with students what the function of a patriotic song could be. When do we sing patriotic songs? Why do you think we sing them? 3) Share some information about Woody Guthrie, the man who wrote this song: Woody Guthrie was born in Okemah, Oklahoma in 1912. As a child he enjoyed playing outside, listening to music and writing poems. He loved listening to his mother singing folk songs and church hymns. He was fascinated by the idea of delivering a message through songs. He would put on performances on his front porch for all of his neighbors. As he got older he continued to write poems and he set them to music to create songs with a message. One of his most famous songs is This Land is Your Land which he wrote in 1940. The song became popular and was put into school books and sung by children in school. The song tells about the promise of America. It creates an image of a country with endless opportunities and beautiful sights and sounds.

EDUCATION EDUCATION

Lesson 3 – This Land is Your Land (continued)

4) Teach the song to the students so that they can sing the chorus together. Have a discussion with some of these prompts: a. What do you think Woody Guthrie thought about the United States? b. What words or phrases from the song make you think that? c. What do you think he means when he says, “This land is your land, this land is my land?” 5) Practice singing with students so that they will be comfortable singing along with the BPO at the concert! We will sing the refrain and the first verse. EDUCATION