The Elders Are Watching Text by David Bouchard and Art

by Roy Vickers
Level: Grade 4-6
Focus:
 Instrumental accompaniment
 Notation
 Listening

Curricular Outcomes:

 Grade 4 – M9; H9; L24; S23; R&W23, R&W25, R&W26, R&W27

 Grade 5 – R17, R18; H12; R&W32, R&W34
 Grade 6 – M13; E17; S28; R&W37, R&W40

Materials Needed:
 Glockenspiels
 Soprano and/or Alto Xylophones
 Bass Xylophones

Process:
1. Introduce the book by reading it all the way through.
2. Teach song by rote while students keep the beat by patting on their
legs in preparation for the bass xylophone part.
3. As a class, notate the melody by giving the starting note and giving
the students time at the barred instruments to figure out the melody
phrase by phrase.
4. Teach instrumental parts with body percussion.
a. Pat beat on legs.
b. Tell the students to find low E and low B and play a steady
beat while they sing the melody.
c. Teach glockenspiel part by snapping in two different places to
demonstrate the movement of the notes.
d. Tell the students to find low E and low B and move up to low B
and high E. Play while bass xylophones play beat.
e. Teach soprano/alto xylophone part by patting on legs. The
movement of the notes should be reflected in the placement
of the pats on your legs. After some practice, use note names
as you and the students pat on your legs.
f. Tell students to start on low B and transfer patting while the
glockenspiels and bass xylophones play their part.
5. Practice playing all parts together while singing.
6. Consider adding different words from the book as additional verses
Music:
7 2

V.

look 'tward the sun. The eld - ers are watch - ing.
The Elders Are Watching
Text by David Bouchard Gl.
*Used with permission

Arr. Megan Fong AX/SX

care of the world.) (It is our job to take care of the world.)
Voice
BX
They told me to tell you the time has come. They

Glockenspiel

Soprano/Alto Xylophone

(It is our job to take care of the world.)

Bass Xylophone

V.

want you to know how they feel. So list - en care - ful - ly,

Gl.

AX/SX

(It is our job to take care of the world.) (It is our job to take

BX