Music and dancing can contribute to children’s learning of different changes in the history and the cultural particularities of diverse nationalities. For example, to teach students about the struggles of African Americans to become free from slavery, I would use a folk song, “Song of the Free,” rendering the challenges slaves had to encounter when searching for freedom abroad. Singing this song, children will place themselves in the circumstances and understand the motives of behavior and the struggles of everyday life African Americans were forced to face.
When teaching the influence of the railroad on the economy of the USA, I would incorporate dancing with a song “I’ve been working on the Railroad,” which would underline the importance of trains in American history, its impact on the unification of the different parts of the country. In such a way, children will learn information about nation-building with the help of music.
To introduce the information about Ghana people to young children, I would propose singing and dancing to the song “Kye, Kye, Kule” to show the similarities with American culture (with the song “Head and shoulders”). When learning about Mexican culture, it would be useful to listen to and sing the song “Este Torito.” It will be good for little children who will have a chance to get to know about the rhythm of the Mexican language and Mexican culture in general. As for the Navajo Nation, a song under the title “Jo Ashila” would be a great example of their cultural background. Finally, to learn about Vietnamese people, the song “Con cò bé bé” will show the children the uniqueness of the country’s culture.