English Folk Music in Classroom 200

The English Folk Dance and Song Society has supported a substantial number of English folk music resources within the new Classroom 200 resource.

This free online resource is designed for school teachers working with learners up to the age of 14 across the world, brought to you by the Associated Board of the Royal Schools of Music.

Featuring 200 recordings of inspiring music in a range of styles, plus accompanying lesson plans, Classroom 200 is all about bringing music to life in the classroom.

Our folk contribution amounts to no fewer than 14 items within these 200 resources:

• Adieu, Sweet Lovely Nancy – learn a folk song by ear and understand its story. For ages 7–8, linked to our Essex Folk Song Discovery resource
• An Acre of Land – learn a folk song by ear and improve listening skills. For ages 5–6, linked to our KS1 Cross Curricular Teaching Ideas resource
• Bold Riley – students will learn about the form and structure of a folk song, improve their listening and learning by ear skills, use their own creative ideas to part of an arrangement, option of using musical skills to create chords, harmonies and possibly compose their own lyrics or song. For ages 12–13, linked to our A Sailor’s Life resource
• Bonny Pit Laddie – learn a folk song by ear through call and response, improve listening skills, learn about the history of coal mining. For ages 10–11, linked to our Coal Mining with Folk Arts and Poetry resource
• Daddy Fox – learn a folk song by ear using call and response, improve listening skills, create actions and sing in small groups. For ages 10–11, linked to our Songs of Rural Life resource 
• Hopping Down in Kent – learn a folk song by ear using call and response, improve listening skills, learning about the history of hop picking. For ages 9–10, linked to our Hopping Down in Kent resource
• Leave her Johnny, Leave her! – learn about sea shanties, learn a song by ear, write our own verses to a song. For ages 9–10, linked to our National Maritime Museum Sailor’s Life resource
• Santiana – students will learn about sea shanties, learn a traditional one by ear, write their own verses and make a performance of one. For ages 11–12, linked to our Using Folk Songs in Secondary Schools resource
• Tarry Trousers – students will improve their listening skills and learning by ear skills, they will learn about the Dorian mode and compose their own tune in this key. For ages 12–13, linked to our Essex Folk Song Discovery resource
• The Codbanging Song – learn a folk song by ear using call and response, improve listening skills, create actions and sing in small groups, a chance to compose new words as an extension. For ages 10–11, linked to our Essex Folk Song Discovery resource
• The Herring Song – learn a folk song by ear, improve listening skills and compose new lines for a song. For ages 6–7, linked to our Essex Folk Song Discovery resource
• Wassail Song – learn about the winter tradition of wassailing and learn a traditional song by ear that was part of the custom. For ages 8–9, linked to our Songs from the James Madison Carpenter Collection resource
• What will we do if we have no money? – students will improve their listening and learning by ear skills, learn about the oral tradition of folk music, strengthen their music understanding of elements such as key, time signature, tempo and creating a chord structure. For ages 13–14, linked to our Singing Histories: London resource 
• Wild and Wicked Youth – students will improve their listening and learning by ear skills, learn a traditional song, improve their songwriting skills. For ages 11–12, linked to our Using Folk Song in Secondary Schools resource

Classroom 200 also features many other resources based on or inspired by folk traditions from the rest of the UK and around the world, including Bhabiye Akh Larr Gayee (India/Bhangra),  Ei Di’r Deryn Du (Wales), Fado (Portugal), Copland’s Hoe Down (America), Brahms’ Hungarian Dance no.5, Bartók’s Joc Cu Bâtă (Romania), Ladino Song (Klezmer/Judeo-Spanish), Grainger’s Londonderry Air (Northern Ireland), Mairi’s Wedding (Scotland), Munni Badnaam Hui (Bhojuri/Bollywood), Rocky Road to Dublin (Ireland), Stravinsky’s Russian Dance from Petrushka, Sari Galin (Iran), Zoku (Japan).

What musical discoveries will you make today?

Classroom 200 helps teachers with:

• Exploring a world of inspirational music – there are 200 pieces to get stuck into.
• Encouraging creativity in the classroom, supported by a diverse range of musical styles.
• Planning is made easy with ready-made lesson plans, resources and activities
• Linking activities in the classroom directly with the Model Music Curriculum, the Curriculum for Wales, the Curriculum for Excellence, and the National Curriculum in Northern Ireland

You can sign up to Classroom 200 for free at classroom200.org