Bright Morning Stars are Rising is a folk song that originated from the state of Kentucky. It happens to be one of my favorite southern folk songs and I'm so thrilled to share it with you this morning!
Now We Listen:
What to listen for:
There are two matching phrases in this song. That means that the two phrases are exactly the same in their words, rhythm, and melody.
The first time you listen:
Listen one time to Bright Morning Stars are Rising. You'll hear a rather long introduction with no singing, then the melody will come in. Here's my question for you:
How many times do you hear the phrase "bright morning stars are rising"?
Now that you've listened, I'm sure you heard that "bright morning stars are rising" happens three times. Good!
Listen Again:
Two of those three phrases are exact matches in the words, melody, and rhythm.
Can you find which ones?
This time when you listen, use this printable to trace the melody with a pen, pencil, or paint. When the melody of the song goes up, the line goes up. When the melody goes down, your line goes down. When you find the two matching melody shapes, you've found the matching phrases!
All done?
Phrases 1 and 3 are exactly the same. Good job!
Why Find Matching Phrases:
This activity may seem simple, but it is actually the beginning of a very complex set of listening skills. Right now your child is practicing how to identify same / different phrases - short melodic ideas - but later these small segments will grow larger and larger in upcoming activities. This stretches your child's musical memory and decoding skills. It's a great activity to try whether your child is 4 years old or 14!
Keep listening,
- Victoria
P.S. Answer Sheet:
No peeking!
Here is the activity sheet from above with the correct melody lines.
