Darla Hanley's Music Room
Creative Teaching for Students of Today (& Tomorrow) PK-8
Today’s Teaching Strategy: Butterfly, Yeah See Us Go!
(Sol, La, Mi, Do Song/High Low)
Lower Elementary (PreK-K)
© 2026 Darla S. Hanley
This teaching strategy is all about singing, having a great time with dramatic play, and exploring the musical concepts of high and low. It goes with an original song titled “Let’s All Be a Butterfly” (music notation below).
Note: There are 2 tracks used in the “EXTEND the Learning” section of this teaching strategy: “Butterfly” by Willie Nelson (2017) and a cover of Willie Nelson’s “Butterfly” by Gabrielle Stravelli (2019)… because it’s a great song with the perfect title (lol)!
Pedagogical Foundations
Personal interpretations are personal. These are individual, distinctive, and unique (often 1-off) expressions that contribute to learning as we try things within a safe educational space. They are about doing things “my way” (i.e., each student’s way) and give incredible insights to us as teachers when we see and hear what students say and do. For our youngest students, personal interpretations are where they live (lol). They are engaging with the world around them, exploring, and doing.
This means it’s up to the teacher to structure learning experiences that provide students with space to find their voice, build their confidence in completing whatever XYZ task, and forming their personal style. These learning experiences happen organically AND are strategically baked into the lessons.
In the elementary music classroom personal interpretations present in so many ways. Here are 6 examples:
Playing a solo on a classroom or band/orchestra instrument;
Singing a familiar song with a student-selected classroom instrument accompaniment;
Scat singing;
Creating body percussion patterns;
Identifying found sounds in the room to play (e.g., pencils tapped together or used like drumsticks tapping on a desk or trashcan, shaking a box of crayons); and
Moving and dancing!
In each of the above examples, we need to approach the moment as one where there is NO single right answer.
Okay, I know someone is reading here and thinking, um, yes there really are right answers. I know (lol). But we should all be thrilled when a student plays in solo. Sure, we want technique, expression… and the “correct” notes (lol), but sometimes it’s really more about playing their way—by themself.
In my view, we should also be thrilled when students take the lead and express their vision for which instruments to use to create an accompaniment, which syllables to choose when scat singing, which body percussion to perform… you get the idea.
Finally, I see movement and musical expression as being connected—and all about personal interpretation. Oftentimes it’s the movement part that gives a sort of secret permission to sing or play with greater dynamic contrasts, jump in with more enthusiasm, and ultimately be present in learning with higher engagement.
Today’s teaching strategy (“Butterfly, Yeah See Us Go ”) includes an original song to sing with opportunity for dramatic play/movement, and an informal introduction (or reinforcement) to the concepts of high and low. It’s all about having students use their singing voices while having a wonderful time flying around the room (lol)! I hope you give it a try with your students. But first, let me remind you who I am:
Hi! I’m Darla, an experienced PK-12 music educator, college professor, and former Berklee College of Music Dean looking to connect with teachers, parents/caregivers, and others seeking to advance creative music making for today’s students—and their teachers. In Darla Hanley’s Music Room you will find teaching strategies, advice and teaching tips, playlists, and more.
Have students standing in the open space within the classroom that supports locomotor movement.
Today we are going to pretend to be butterflies flying up high and then landing on the ground—down low. Listen to my song and let’s be butterflies! Do what I do!
Sing “Let’s All Be a Butterfly” while walking around the room with butterfly wings flapping and soaring for students to see and copy.
ProTIP: Model butterfly wing gestures that include “floating” and “soaring” from the song lyrics—along with beautiful flapping of wings. (Be a gorgeous butterfly! Remember, students mirror our examples…and engagement (lol).)
Stop in place for the measure of rest and stretch butterfly wings to the sun—way up high—in the final measure on the word “high” and crouch to the floor—when butterflies land and sing the word “low”.
ProTIP: Vary how the butterflies fly around the room (e.g., changing direction, wide open arms flapping v. elbows tight to sides with hands flapping for variety) but be SURE to keep all flying movements tall and high (lol). This will allow for a dramatic change (that illustrate opposites/contrast) to low in the final measure (using both singing voices and movements).
ProTIP: Remind students to sing with you when they can rather than take the time to teach this song to them by rote. They’ll get it!
Materials/Set Up
Space for Movement Exploration
Scarves
🎵 Willie Nelson "Butterfly” Link to Track on Spotify
🎵 Gabrielle Stravelli “Butterfly” Link to Track on Spotify
Let’s All Be a Butterfly
© 2026 Darla S. Hanley
EXTEND the Learning:
Add scarves (1 or 2 per student) and perform the song using the scarves as wings!
Play the recording of “Butterfly” by Willie Nelson and/or the recording of this song by Gabrielle Stravelli and invite students to pretend to be butterflies with the track.
Game:
Use the track(s) to create a stop-and-go game for students to fly and land (sound = fly up high; no sound = land down low).
ProTIP: There is a featured flute in the Gabrielle Stravelli version of “Butterfly”, which presents an opportunity for students to hear an instrument with a high timbre. Also, listen for the creative butterfly flutter at the end (lol).
Learning Targets
Sing, Move
Learning Outcomes
Respond with singing and movement
Create personal interpretations
Perform a Sol-La-Mi-Do song with movement
Assessment
Informal Observation/Formative Assessment
Thanks for checking this out. If you use this teaching strategy, be sure to leave a comment to let me know how it resonates with your students!