Winter

Moon
Song
By Martha Brooks
Illustrated by Leticia Ruifernandez
 Summary Winter Moon Song is a telling of the folktale of the
rabbit-in-the-moon. This version of the story comes from a Lakota
Elder in Cross Lake, Manitoba.

A young rabbit asks his mother how the shape of a rabbit came to
be on the moon. She tells him the story of Great Mother Creator
Rabbit, who came down to Earth to see how her creatures lived.
Finding herself cold and hungry, she built a fire, placing a stewpot
on top. Another rabbit took it upon himself to jump in, but before
he could perish Great Mother Rabbit tossed him up into the moon.
This is why all the rabbits now gather to hear the choir sing 'Winter
Moon Song.' But when all the rabbits gather to hear it, the little
rabbit is disappointed: it had been beautiful, but did not seem
magical. In the wintry air, the little rabbit looks up at the rabbit in
the moon and is suddenly inspired to sing the song once more. He
32 Pages is joined by others. In singing the song anew, they realize the joy in
Recommended Reading Level: being one great rabbit family
Preschool to Grade 2
 Curriculum Objectives - Grade 6 Music
Harmony
●➤ 11. Voices with different pitch ranges
can be combined to create harmony
13. There is an ending point to a
phrase (cadence)
Reading and Writing
18. Recognize the dotted half note, the
concept of the dot and the fermata.
● 31. Develop ability to read parts while
singing; e.g., soprano, alto.
● 36. Interpret the following symbols of
dynamics and tempo: f, p, ff, pp, mf, , ,
● 39. Understand the function of key
signatures
➤ indicates continued use and
development
● Indicates required skill
Expression
●➤ 5. The human voice has different tonal
qualities.
●➤ 6. Music reflects our feelings about
holidays, seasons, our country and
cultural heritage.
●➤ 14. Musical instruments have
distinctive tonal qualities and may be
grouped according to families.
● 16. The human voice, which has the
potential of being used as an
expressive instrument, has different
timbral qualities.
17. The lyrics (text) and meaning of a
song may be enhanced by the vocal
interpretation as well as by its
instrumental accompaniment.
Singing
●➤6. Experience singing alone and in a group.
●➤ 7. Sing accurately in unison.
●➤ 8. Respond appropriately and with
confidence to a conductor’s signals
●➤16. Sing with various instrumental
accompaniments
●➤23. Develop musical interpretation:
awareness of the meaning of a song through
its words (text).
➤25. Identify the human voice categories:
soprano, contralto, tenor, bass.
●➤26. Extend vocal development to include
phrasing, enunciation and expression.
● 29. Extend vocal development to include
stressing in tune (accurate) part singing.
Activity
Learn a piece of music
“Under Winter Moon” by Andy Beck

Use “Winter Moon Song” to build a contextual framework for learning the piece of music.

Flexible arrangement options (SAB, SSA, SATB, and 2- part choral) for groups with different vocal
maturities and music-reading abilities.

A look at the instrumental accompaniments can begin a discussion on the different affects and timbral
qualities of instruments and how these factors can be used to represent non-musical ideas or features
within the context of a scene or story.

Choir promotes listening, tuning, rhythmic precision, and vocal clarity and expression.