Today’s Teaching Strategy: All a ROUND
(Movement and Spoken Rounds)
Elementary (Gr. 4-5)
© 2026 Darla S. Hanley
This teaching strategy is all about rounds performed with movements and speech. It goes with “Morning Dance” by Spyro Gyra (1979) because of its tempo, groove, and saxophone feature!
Pedagogical Foundations
Performing in parts, in turn, and resting are all part of music making. Students need to learn how to sing (and maintain) their own part while other musical sounds are being made. They also need to know when to come in (lol).
Prior to singing music in 2- 3- or 4+ parts, students can perform simple unison songs, play singing games, and sing in a call-and-response manner—we all know this… but exactly when and how do we introduce parts? Well, the when is up to you and your students (I know that’s a bit of a flip answer, but I mean it sincerely). Students are ready to sing in parts once they are comfortable performing as a group—in unison. This is the teacher’s call based on the students in the room. Too early, and students may be unsuccessful and become frustrated or hesitant to try again. Wait too long and students may balk and say “that’s not how we do it!” (lol).
How to engage students to sing in parts is a different story! Like most skills and abilities in music, building up to singing independent parts is all about scaffolding. We start small and simple, lead students to sing informally as part of games and other activities, have them echo and imitate, and read music notation. We use things like:
Unison/Simple Songs
Singing Games
Call-and-Response
Ostinati
Drones
Partner Songs
Rounds
2-Part
3-Part
etc.
With this sequence, students experience pitch matching, balance, and blend within the context of unison singing before moving to parts, etc. Here they sing together with peers, but importantly, also need to be periodically asked to sing in solo so they can hear their own singing voice apart from the group sound. They need to listen to themself, feel good about the sounds they make, and fine-tune what they are doing along the way in order to grow as an artist and develop confidence as a singer. Solo singing also gives the teacher the opportunity to hear individual students and assess their ability and progress.
Here’s a quick primer to define some of the terms above:
Call-and-Response: A musical form where a leader performs a phrase (the call) and everyone immediately responds with an answer phrase (the response).
Drone: Divide the class into 2 groups. One group sings the familiar song, the other simultaneously sings a sustained note (like the tonic or dominant) on a neutral syllable (e.g., “ah”) to create harmony.
Ostinato: A repeated melodic or rhythmic pattern that can be performed as an accompaniment to a familiar song.
Partner Song: 2 familiar songs that work harmonically when sung together.
Round: The simplest form of a musical canon where a song is performed in 2+ groups with staggered entrances that create harmony. Each group repeats the song in a loop until a cue is given to end it all (e.g., “Row, Row, Row Your Boat”).
Singing Game: Musical games that include a song sung repeatedly to prompt movement; actions like choosing a partner; instrument play; etc. These games are often performed in a circle formation and foster leadership, collaboration, and teamwork.
In each of these examples students are finding (and developing) their singing voices, independently contributing to group music making, and when it happens, holding musical parts. They are also making and hearing harmony. How great is that!
Call to Action
Create a round! This call to action seems vague, but I’m asking this way for a reason. Consider the content you are currently teaching students and find something they can perform as a round to make it fresh and new—OR create an original round. I’m sure you have multiple options!
Today’s teaching strategy includes the opportunity for students to chant and move with staggered entrances—as rounds! 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.
Today we are going to perform rounds!
What is a round in music? (A musical canon where a song is performed in 2+ groups with staggered entrances that create harmony. Each group repeats the song in a loop until a cue is given to end it all)
What rounds do you know? (“Row, Row, Row Your Boat”, “Ah, Poor Bird”).
ProTIP: It’s always good to ask questions to tap into prior learning and give students the opportunity to use their music vocabulary.
Guide students to stand and form rows with all students facing in the same direction (e.g., facing the front of the room):
X X X X
X X X X
X X X X
Ask students to listen to “The Carousel” as the teacher chants it OR project this text for students to read.
Lead students to perform “The Carousel” as a spoken word round by having students in Row 1 begin, have Row 2 enter when Row 1 starts the “My dancing horse” phrase, Row 3 enters when Row 2 speaks the “My dancing horse” phrase, etc.
ProTIP: Labeling rows as“Row 1”, “Row 2”, “Row 3” etc. ahead of chanting as a round prepares students to start, wait, and speak in turn.
Now we will perform a round another way—this time with movement! First, we need to learn the sequence of dance steps.
Teach the following 4 dance steps in order:
In Place: March, March, March, March (R, L, R, L, R, L, R, L)
Walk Forward: Walk, Walk, Walk, Dig Toe (R, L, R, L)
Jazz Square: (R, L, R, L)
Walk Backward: Walk, Walk, Walk, Dig Toe (R, L, R, L)
Play the recording of “Morning Dance” by Spyro Gyra and direct students to perform the sequence of dance steps with the track.
ProTIP: Begin moving after the introduction (starting at 0.37 when the saxophone enters).
ProTIP: Practice performing this movement sequence several times before adding the round component.
Now we are going to perform our movements as a round! Row 1 will begin. When Row 1 walks forward, Row 2 begins marching. When Row 2 walks forward, Row 3 begins marching.
Play the recording and direct students to perform the movement round with the track!
The Carousel
© 2026 Darla S. Hanley
The carousel goes round and round
I rode one at the fair
My dancing horse went up and down
So happy I was there!
Materials/Set Up
Space for Movement
🎵 Spyro Gyra "Morning Dance” (1979) Link to Track on Spotify
EXTEND the Learning:
Lead students to make a list of things they might see at a carnival or fair and write them on the board.