HONORING AND REMEMBERING: Today was an official school holiday, and we did take 'er easy to a degree, but what better day to learn about Veterans Day than ON Veterans Day?
We talked a bit about what the word "veteran" means, particularly in the military sense. I showed the kids a photo slideshow honoring veterans set to "America the Beautiful (sung by Lee Greenwood).
I thought it would also be a good day to talk about what 'patriotic' means and after we discussed the term, I played some patriotic tunes for the kids, starting with "Stars and Stripes Forever" by John Philip Sousa . That got 'em moving; at one point Annabelle was putting on a human fireworks display!
We talked a bit about what the word "veteran" means, particularly in the military sense. I showed the kids a photo slideshow honoring veterans set to "America the Beautiful (sung by Lee Greenwood).
I thought it would also be a good day to talk about what 'patriotic' means and after we discussed the term, I played some patriotic tunes for the kids, starting with "Stars and Stripes Forever" by John Philip Sousa . That got 'em moving; at one point Annabelle was putting on a human fireworks display!
I followed up with "When Johnny Comes Marching Home." For whatever reason, I loved that tune when I was a kid. Today, I found a fascinating history of the song on the Library of Congress Web site. It was written by Patrick Sarsfield Gilmore, who immigrated from Ireland in 1848. He lead several bands in the Boston area and in 1861, at the beginning of the Civil War, Patrick Gilmore's Band enlisted as a group in the Union Army.
We also listened, of course, to the "Star Spangled Banner" (Whitney Houston version, a favorite), and closed it out with "Seventy Six Trombones" from The Music Man (that got 'em marching again!)
OUT OF THE BLUE, TO THE ZOO: In other news, Rick surprised us all by calling today and offering to take the kids to Woodland Park Zoo, so they had a great field trip today, too! Bonus!
Eagle graphic from: http://www.flickr.com/photos/walkadog/3551616050/
When Johnny Comes Marching Home: I once heard a very dark Irish version of that tune. No celebration at all. Sing slowly "Ya haven't an arm, ya haven't a leg; you're an eyeless, boneless, chickenless egg; and you'll have to be put with a bowl to beg. Johnny I hardly knew ya." It always comes to my mind when I see veterans' parades
ReplyDeleteIf you check out the Library of Congress link above, they talk about the Irish version - that almost certainly influenced Gilmore. Perhaps most interestingly, they note that rather than a rallying cry, it could be interpreted as a protest song of sorts:
ReplyDeleteWhere are your legs that used to run, huroo, huroo,
Where are your legs that used to run, huroo, huroo,
Where are your legs that used to run when first you went for to carry a gun?
Alas, your dancing days are done, och, Johnny, I hardly knew ye.