School Spirit

Term Three has just begun as of today, and that means a new theme or general topic we’ll be starting as well. As it’s an even numbered year, we’re back to teaching Energy as our theme for the term again. Electricity, solar and wind power, energy conservation – stuff like that. Also, I’ve got the fun task of putting together a few weeks or work based on Toys.

Yep, that’s right. Toys.

Toys use energy, too, remember. Most of them nowadays rely on batteries and electrical energy to run, of course, but that’s not necessarily always the case. We’ll fiddle around with some Lego Technic kits and stuff, check out static electricity by rubbing balloons in our hair, might possibly make some kites, and make balloon powered cars and rockets. Lots of fun stuff there. Potential energy, kinetic energy… lots of fun.

If I get time, I might even put a few of the activities up here from time to time as well – let you see what the kids can get up to.

For now though, this song fits in appropriately with our current Toys theme, although maybe not so much the Energy theme. Too bad there, though. It’s a great little song and more often than not the kids enjoy it too. Every now and then one of them pipes up to say their dad may have sung it to them too when they were ‘little kids’. It’s written by Tom Paxton, but here’s Peter, Paul and Mary singing it. Mind you… they have a bit of fun with the ending!

THE MARVELLOUS TOY

When I was just a wee little lad, full of health and joy,
My father homeward came one night and gave to me a toy.
A wonder to behold it was, with many colours bright
And the moment I laid eyes on it, it became my heart’s delight!

Chorus
It went ‘zip’ when it moved and ‘bop’ when it stopped
And ‘whirr’ when it stood still.
I never knew just what it was and I guess I never will.

The first time that I picked it up, I had a big surprise.
For right on its bottom were two big buttons that looked like big green eyes.
I first pressed one and then the other, and then I twisted its lid
And when I put it down again, this is what it did,

Chorus

It first marched left and then marched right and then marched under a chair
And when I looked where it had gone it wasn’t even there!
I started to cry and my daddy laughed for he knew that I would find
When I turned around, my marvellous toy, chugging from behind.

Chorus

The years have gone by quickly, it seems, I have my own little boy
And yesterday I gave to him my marvellous little toy.
His eyes nearly popped right out of his head as he gave a squeal of glee.
Neither one of us knows just what it is, but he loves it just like me.

It still goes ‘zip’ when it moves and ‘bop’ when it stops
And ‘whirr’ when it stands still.
Neither one of us knows just what it is, and I guess we never will.

Chords here are in D, but you can transpose them wherever you wish, I suppose. I fiddle with a capo on third fret and play in C instead.

D / A / D / A / G / D / E / A /
D / A / D / G / G / D / A D / A

Chorus:
D / A / D / G / G / D / A / D

This would be one of my all time favourite children’s songs. Truth be told, it would have to be one of my all time favourite songs full stop! It’s a great little piece lamenting the lost innocence of growing up and leaving childhood imagination and adventures behind. Most people have probably heard or sung this song sometime as they’ve grown up over the years since it was first written, but I make sure that every kid that passes through my grade has the pleasure of hearing this song now too. As we’d just finished reading the novel ‘Rowan of Rin‘ which featured a Dragon at the top of the Mountain, this fit in rather nicely. To the side you’ll be able to listen and hear the original group, Peter Paul and Mary, performing their song, and once more, the words are included below.

At least, the words I learned and pass on to the kids. Again, the chords I use are listed below as well.

Puff the Magic Dragon

Puff the Magic Dragon lived by the sea,
And frolicked in the Autumn mist in a land called Honah Lee.
Little Jackie Paper loved that rascal Puff
And bought him string and sealing wax and other fancy stuff.

Chorus
Puff the Magic Dragon lived by the sea
And frolicked in the Autumn mist in a land called Honah Lee.
Puff the Magic Dragon lived by the sea
And frolicked in the Autumn mist in a land called Honah Lee.

Together they would travel on a boat with billowed sail.
Jackie kept a lookout perched on Puff’s gigantic tail.
Noble kings and princes would bow whenever they came.
Pirate ships would lower their flags when Puff roared out his name.

Chorus

A dragon lives forever, but not so little boys.
Painted wings and giants’ rings make way for other toys.
One grey night it happened, Jackie Paper came no more
And Puff, that might dragon, he ceased his fearless roar.
His neck was bent in sorrow, green scales fell like rain.
Puff no longer went to play along the cherry lane.
Without his lifelong friend, Puff could not be brave
So Puff that might dragon sadly slipped into his cave.

Chorus

The chord progression is the same in the verse and chorus. I play it with the capo on the second or third fret.

G / Bm / C / G / C D / G Em / A7 / D /
G / Bm / C / G / C D / G Em / A7 D / G D7 /

Related Posts: Review – Rowan of Rin, The Unicorn Song.

Technorati tags: Puff the magic dragon, Kids songs, dragons.

Seven hearts the journey make,
Seven ways the hearts will break.

So begins the witch, Sheba’s, prophecy concerning the great adventure to take place during the journey to the top of the Mountain, and young Rowan’s role in it all. With the mountain stream that supplies the isolated village of Rin with life-giving water failing to flow, six sturdy villagers are chosen to make the dangerous journey to the summit of the Mountain to set the stream flowing again, and Rowan is to be the unwanted seventh member.

Rowan of Rin, winner of the 1994 Children’s Book Council of Australia Book of the Year – Younger Readers, is a delightful, classical adventure story for young readers, or those still young at heart. Written with a keen eye for the more traditional fantasy adventure stories of the past by Australian children’s author Emily Rodda, children travel with Rowan to face the legendary Dragon at the top of the Mountain, hoping to set the stream running again to save his beloved bukshah, the cattle-like beasts he cares for in the fields. As one by one his six brave and courageous companions fall to the dangers of the Mountain, Rowan faces his fears and terrors to fulfill the prophecy the witch, Sheba, foretold.

Written for young readers from about the age of 8 years up, Rowan of Rin is a fantastic children’s novel to introduce children to fantasy topics, as well as the age-old theme of the smallest proving to be the strongest hero of all. While Sheba foretells that the ‘bravest heart shall carry on’, Rowan, who fears everything, discovers the strength within himself to prove that the smallest of us can prove to be the strongest. Filled with fun and intriguing riddles for the adventurers to solve along the way, as well as various dangers to test and break the heart of each member of the party, Rowan of Rin brings this genre of storytelling into the imaginations of children in a manner filled with heart.

While the first few chapters of the story move slowly as the plot develops, once the journey up the Mountain gets under way, the children I’ve read this great story to all find themselves hanging on every paragraph as it leads to it’s climactic conclusion, the terrible encounter with the Dragon of the Mountain. Before long each chapter closes with the kids begging for just one more, which is just what you want from a story such as this.

The latest edition of the story features all five Rowan stories combined into one hard-cover tome entitled ‘The Journey’. The remaining four adventures are titled ‘Rowan and the Travellers’, ‘Rowan and the Keeper of the Crystal‘, ‘Rowan and the Zebak’ and ‘Rowan and the Bukshah’.

Personally, I have read this novel to every grade I have ever taught, and with four sequels now to continue Rowan’s adventures, the series gives the kids plenty of extra reading to satisfy the curiosity of those who wish to continue the adventure for themselves. While it doesn’t move along as quickly or with as much blatant humour as modern children’s novels tend to do, this little story is a fantastic throwback to what traditional fantasy stories were always supposed to be, and is well worth introducing to any kid with an imagination.

Another review of Rowan of Rin – Twisted Kingdom.

Technorati tags: Rowan of Rin, Emily Rodda, books, book reviews.

As a grade, we’re currently reading Rowan of Rin, a great kids’ novel by a great Australian kids’ author, Emily Rodda. If you’re not aware of it, the story revolves around Rowan and six members of his village facing the terrors of the Mountain as they journey to the summit to find why the water for the river has stopped flowing. At the top, legend has it lives a great Dragon. It’s a fantastic, classic adventure style story with the central theme of facing your fears and how the smallest can achieve great things. The kids have gotten right into it as the story has unfolded, and if their interest stays up, we’ll try to read the other four stories in the collection as well by the end of the year. You can get them all in one big, hard cover volume now too, which is great, except for your arms during long periods of reading in front of the grade.

Anyway, this lead us to talking about other mythical creatures, and unicorns popped up. We were also looking at floods for another theme at the same time, which lead one child to bring in the story of the Great Flood. Noah and the Ark, that sort of stuff. Well… the stars aligned and brought about the perfect opportunity to introduce this great little song about unicorns which they heard for the first time this afternoon.

If you’re musically inclined, I’ve included the chords I use to play it on the guitar, and you can listen to the song below as well. The last verse is not in the original song, but seems to have been included fairly widely since. Enjoy!

The Unicorn Song

A long time ago, when the Earth was green
There was more kinds of animals than you’ve ever seen
They’d run around free while the Earth was being born
And the loveliest of all was the unicorn

There were green alligators and long-necked geese
Some humpty backed camels and some chimpanzees
Some cats and rats and elephants, but sure as you’re born
The loveliest of all was the unicorn

Now God sees some sinning and it gave Him pain
And He says, “Stand back, I’m going to make it rain”
He says, “Hey brother Noah, I’ll tell you what to do
Build me a floating zoo, and take some of those…

Green alligators and long-necked geese
Some humpty backed camels and some chimpanzees
Some cats and rats and elephants, but sure as you’re born
Don’t you forget My unicorns

Old Noah was there to answer the call
He finished up making the ark just as the rain started to fall
He marched on the animals two by two
And he called out as they came through, “Hey Lord,”

I’ve got green alligators and long-necked geese
Some humpty backed camels and some chimpanzees
Some cats and rats and elephants, but Lord, I’m so forlorn
I just can’t find no unicorns”

And Noah looked out through the driving rain
Them unicorns were hiding, playing silly games
Kicking and splashing while the rain was falling
Oh, them silly unicorns

There was green alligators and long-necked geese
Some humpty backed camels and some chimpanzees
Noah cried, “Close the door because the rain is falling
And we just can’t wait for no unicorns”

The ark started moving, it drifted with the tide
The unicorns looked up from the rocks and they cried
And the waters came down and sort of floated them away
That’s why you never see unicorns to this very day

You’ll see green alligators and long-necked geese
Some humpty backed camels and some chimpanzees
Some cats and rats and elephants, but sure as you’re born
You’re never gonna see no unicorns

[New Lyrics]
Now you might think this is the ending to the song,
But I’ll have to tell you friends that in fact you’re wrong
You see, Unicorns are magical, so when the rain started pouring,
They grew themselves some wings and they took to soaring.

You’ll see green alligators and long-necked geese
Some humpty backed camels and some chimpanzees
But if you’re looking for the unicorns, don’t be forlorn,
The second star to the right and straight on until morning.

The chord progression is fairly simple – D / A7 / A7 / D / D D7 / G / D / A7 D – and it’s the same for the verse and the chorus.