Run From The Farmer: Free Music Lesson Plan (Syncopation)

Music Lesson Plan

Step 1
Introduce the term "syncopation." For younger students, it’s usually enough to describe it as a "jazzy rhythm." When they get older, you can dive deeper, but for now, let's keep it simple!

Step 2
Write the syncopated rhythm on the board. Tell the class, "I’m going to clap this rhythm first, and then I want you to clap it back to me." Check for accuracy and repeat until everyone has it.

Step 3
Teach the song as a chant first. Work through it phrase by phrase until they are feeling confident.

Oh it's one gobble, two gobbles, three gobbles, four.
We will run from the farmer for there's no time to snore.

'Round and round we go, all round the coop.
Run from the farmer, do the loop-di-de-loop.

Step 4
Tell your students, "This jazzy rhythm happens several times in this song. I’m going to perform the song for you, and your job is to count how many times you hear the rhythm I've written on the board." Perform the song and then check their answers.

Step 5
Next, tell them, "I’ll play the song again, but this time, I want you to clap the rhythm. You don’t need to sing yet—just focus on clapping at the right time."

Step 6
Let's put it together. Ask the students to sing the song while clapping the syncopated rhythm.

Step 7
Teach the Orff orchestration. Divide the class in half. One half plays the G chord (G-B), and the other half plays the C chord (C-E). While the score calls for glockenspiel, xylophones or hand-held chimes work great too!

Step 8
Teach the dance. Ask your students to find a partner for the dance and stand anywhere in the room. Each time the rhythm occurs, clap it. Periodically quiz the students as you teach the dance, asking them to define "syncopation" or clap the rhythm written on the board.

One Gobble, two gobbles, three gobbles, four,
Partners face each other and perform this four-beat pattern:
Pat Knees - Clap Hands - Hands on Partner's Hands - Clap Hands

We will run from the farmer for there's no time to snore.
Partners grasp hands and move forward to the right and back, then forward to the left and back.

'Round and 'round we go, all round the coop,
Partners lock arms and run in a clockwise motion.

Run from the farmer do the loop-di-de-loop.
Partners grasp hands and raise them to an arch. Both partners pivot in place, moving under the arch and back to their original position.

Step 9
Divide the class into "dancers" and "mallet instrument players." Perform the full song and then swap roles so everyone gets a turn at both!

If you're feeling brave, try speeding up the tempo on the last time through the song for some extra Thanksgiving kookiness!