Present an All-School Earth Day Program!

The following is an easy-to-prepare Earth Day program you can use with materials from Share the Music.

The Concept
Each grade performs one song, and all grades join in on songs for the finale.

Preparation
With the exception of the finale, music preparation is divided among the classes, eliminating the need for extensive combined rehearsals.

It is recommended that you use recordings when appropriate. Using recordings allows students to become familiar with a consistent tempo and performance routine (the introduction, when the students begin to sing, interludes, endings, and so on). The recordings are beautiful and, when played through an auditorium sound system, provide an excellent accompaniment track for your program. Live piano accompaniment for some songs is sometimes preferred. The choice is yours.

Some of the recordings include songs that also have a Performance Mix—a stereo version of the instrumental accompaniment only. You will probably want to use these Performance Mix versions for your program when they are available. When they are not, simply turn off the voice track using the balance control.

Staging Suggestions
How you stage a program like this one depends on the structural set up in your school's auditorium or gymnasium. You might have each grade stand in the front on risers for its one song and then have all the grades simply stand in place for the finale songs, with the last grade remaining on the risers after its featured song.

All the students may simply stand, turn, and face the audience for the finale songs. Throughout the program, you will of course need to move to a place where all the singers can see you.

If a large audience is expected, you may wish to consider an outdoor concert.

Staging and cross-curricular suggestions follow each song title. Many of the suggestions are based on ideas already included in the Teacher's Edition of the Share the Music textbooks. See the bottom of the pages and the "Across the Curriculum" pages after every core lesson.

Involving Classroom Teachers
Try to involve classroom teachers as much as possible in this project in order to take full advantage of cross-curricular connections. For example, classroom teachers can help each group write and announce the introduction for its song. Teachers will also see many other opportunities for linking the program to their Earth Day plans. Most teachers are required to do something for Earth Day, so you may find that they appreciate the opportunity the performance provides to generate unique ideas.

You may want to consider printing the suggestion pages that follow and distributing them to teachers as an easy way to inform them of the program, its staging, and possible curriculum connections.

Making It Your Own
You may not want to use all of the selections or have all grades perform. You may choose to involve just one or two grades, combine grades, or—as outlined here—involve the whole school. Feel free to choose whatever materials and ideas suit your needs. You may want to explore the wealth of possibilities discussed in the Master Index of Themes.

Whatever you choose, we hope to make you aware of the Earth Day-related materials in Share the Music and to give you a few ideas for presenting them in an Earth Day setting.

Programs are never easy, but this format is the simplest one we can think of to give all students a chance to participate and feel emotionally—and musically—involved in a school-wide celebration of Earth Day.

Go to The Program