Darla Hanley's Music Room
Creative Teaching for Students of Today (& Tomorrow) PK-8
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.
Today’s Teaching Strategy
Upper Elementary (3-5)
This teaching strategy is called “My Backyard Crew”. The track for this street game, “Grazing in the Grass” is available on multiple streaming audio platforms. (Like many of my teaching strategies, you should feel free to find other audio tracks to anchor the learning experience using music that works in your setting or new tracks to “mix it up.” For this one, I also like to use “Pick Up the Pieces” by the Average White Band.)
Invite students to form partners.
Teach the movements for this street game as you speak the “My Backyard Crew” chant:
Right elbow taps partner’s Left elbow 2x*
Right elbow taps partner’s Left elbow 2x*
Patsch, patsch, clap, clap
2-Hands High-Five tapping partner’s hands 3x
*(Think about this as a “fist bump” only with elbows.)
Play the recording and ask students to perform the street game with the track.
Ask partners to rename the first two streets (i.e., Main and Elm) using street names in their community.
Play the recording and direct students to perform with new street names.
EXTEND the Learning:
Ask students to create original body percussion movements to perform with their new street names.
Write the new street names on the board and “take a vote” to select fan favorites for everyone to perform.
Invite students to create new street names based on music categories/themes (e.g., composer’s names, musical instruments, artists).
Have students change partners.
Perform the street game in a two-circle formation with students facing each other. Rotate to the right to a count of 8 to meet a new partner and repeat the game.
🎵 Hugh Masekela “Grazing in the Grass” Link to Track on Spotify
My Backyard Crew
Main Street
Elm Street
Quincy Avenue
Take a walk
Yeah, with my crew
York Street
Front Street
Centre Boulevard
Wind our way
To your backyard
© 2025 Darla S. Hanley
Learning Targets
Listen, Move
Learning Outcomes
Respond using movement to show beat awareness and tempo.
Create original texts for chant (with corresponding original body percussion).
Perform with a partner.
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!