Middle School
Old Joe Clark (Trails version)
Rock Erodes
Shake, Break and Blow
Solids, Liquids and Gases
Techno Rap
What's The Weather Today
In The Future
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Middle School
Words by: Fifth Grade Students, Class of 2003, Rose City Park Elementary, Portland, Ore. Based on Tune: Kansas City
Goin' to Middle School, Middle School here I come. [2 times]
They've got some really great kids there, and I'll be one of them.
School starts later; extra "z's" are really cool. [2 times]
I can sleep in late and be on time for school.
Well I might take a bus, a car or a bike
But if I have to walk you know it won't be such a hike,
Goin' to Middle School, Middle School here I come.
They've got some really great kids there, and I'll be one of them.
There's lockers, more classes, and more homework too. [2 times]
I'll see old friends and maybe meet... someone new.
After school sports, band and dance team too:
These are some of the things that I look ... forward to.
Some bullies may try, to push me around,
But I'll just ignore them, they won't get me down.
Goin' to Middle School, Middle School here I come.
They've got some really great kids there, and I'll be one of them.
They've got some really great kids there, and I'll be one of them.
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Old Joe Clark
Words: Mrs. Grabow's 4/5 grade class & Greta Pedersen (see project notes below). Music: Traditional Folksong
Old Joe Clark was an Irishman
On the Transcontinental Railroad.
One day he worked all by himself,
Since then his back's been bowed.
Old Joe Clark was head'n west,
On the Mormon Trail.
He went with handcart and on foot,
And danced through rain and hail.
The fastest rider on the Pony Express,
Was a man named Old Joe Clark,
They called him "owl" 'cause he slept all day,
And wouldn't ride 'til dark.
Old Joe Clark had a wing-ed horse,
Name was Betsy Sue,
They flew across the Oregon Trail
In 1842.
Indians were forced from their homes
On the Trail of Tears,
Their tears turned into small black stones,
During those long years.
From Independence to Santa Fe
Joe thought it'd be an easy day,
But his horse broke down on Glorita Pass
And he crawled the rest of the way.
Old Joe Clark he headed west
To Cal-i-for-ni-a.
But in the Rockies, got lost in a storm
And he wanders still today.
© 1999 Greta Pedersen
The Project: Old Joe Clark is believed to be a veteran of the War of 1812. The folk song which bears his name is a musical tall tale. Mrs. Grabow's class had divided into seven groups, each group studying a chosen trail (Oregon, Mormon, etc.). Each group wrote a new verse about Old Joe Clark; each verse need a fact about the trail studied, and an exaggeration or tall tale element.
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Rock Erodes
Words & Music by: Greta Pedersen & Mrs. Duby's 5th Grade Class, Carus Elementary, Oregon City, Ore. Style: Country Rock
Chorus:
Erosion wears away the land,
Deposition builds it up again.
This repositions the geographical shapes,
Of rivers, canyons, mountains and lakes.
From the mountain face,
The river flows and the wild wind blows.
Dirt and rock erode,
And over time, a canyon grows.
Chorus
Then on to the sea,
The river flows and the wild wind blows.
Deposits dirt and clay,
And at the delta it will stay.
Chorus
This is nature's way:
The river flows and the wild wind blows.
There is always change;
The only thing that stays the same.The only thing that stays ............ the same.
© 2003 Greta Pedersen
Shake, Break and Blow (A Medley)
Words by: Greta Pedersen & Ms. Parker's Fifth Grade Class, Carus Elementary, Oregon City, Ore. Styles: Various.
[Tune: Under The Boardwalk]
The continents were once a solid piece of land,
Then it started to split, all the rocks, the dirt and the sand.
Oh yes, Pangaea split into two,
Now they've split into more, yeah, you know, there's now quite a few.
Chorus:
They were dividing — those continents
They're still a-sliding — those continents
We are not lyin' — those continents
'We're all a-glidin' — those continentsWe are the drifters, drifters!
There's Africa, and Asia, we're telling you,
North American and South America too.
Next there is Europe, and then Australia,
And last but not least, there is cold Antarctica.
Chorus
[Tune: I Feel The Earth Move]
I feel the earth quake, under my feet,
I see the walls tumblin' down.
I fear a big tsunami, whenever the quake's around.
They are caused by tectonic plates,
Slipping and a'sliding around.
When the Richter's off it's mark
You know you better hit the ground.
I feel the earth quake, under my feet,
I see the walls tumblin' down.
I fear a big tsunami, whenever the quake's around..............
[Tune: Twist and Shout]
Shake it, shake it, on-Vulcan now [shake it on, Vulcan]
Smoke and blow, [Smoke and blow, ]
Come on, come on, come on volcano now [come on volcano]
Don't you know, [Don't you know, ]
That the pressure's building [pressure's building]
Magma's pushing up [pushing up]
Rocks will soon be a-flyin' [soon be a flyin']
And the lava flowing out [flowing out]Ah-----------------------
Deep inside the volcano now [in the volcano]
Magna's very hot [very hot]
And it turns to lava [turns to lava]
When it blows its top [blows its top]
When it cools on down [cools on down]
It turns into rock [into rock]
Sometimes the blast makes ash, now [blast makes ash]
And the sunshine is blocked [sunshine is blocked]Ah-------------------------
Repeat "Shake it" section to "Ah....."
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Solids, Liquids and Gases
Words & Music by: Greta Pedersen and Ms. Kent's 1/2 Grade, Carus Elementary, Oregon City, Ore. Style: Folk
Solids can be hard like a rock
Solids can be soft like a pillow or a sock
Solids can be smooth, or bumpy or rough,
Solids can be soft... or be tough.
It's still solid if it drops into pieces,
Like when a big Reeces turns to Reeces pieces.
It keeps its shape, can be opaque like a snake,
Transparent like glass, or translucent.
Liquid is a different thing.
If you want to tell a liquid from a solid,
Dropped above a table, a solid goes "crash"
And a liquid.... goes "splash."
Liquids are wet, don't keep their shape,
Can be slippery or sticky or slimy. "Oh Great!"
Honey's a liquid with lots of viscous,
That's why it sticks to your biscuits.
Gases we can't always see.
On a cold day we see them when we're breathing out,
And when helium's contained inside a balloon,
Pop it and it spreads... around the room.
Gas isn't heavy it's very light.
It's light enough to fly a big, fat, kite.
There's no oxygen up in space,
But there's other gases in it's place.
Solids can be firm like a lid.
Heat them up enough, they turn to liquid.
Heat them up some more, they turn into gas.
That's all you're gonna hear... from this class.
© 2003 Greta Pedersen
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Techno Rap
Words & Music by: Greta Pedersen & Mr. Bartsch 6th Grade Class, Carus Elementary, Oregon City, Ore. Style: Rap
Chorus:
Technology is everywhere throughout this nation
And throughout all civilization
Lives are easier and longer for the population
But we have had this revelation,
And we need to get out the information.
Cars have created air pollution
But scientists have come up with a new solution
Hydrogen power as the substitution
Emits water vapors, that's the revolution.
Factories and power plants add to the confusion,
Ozone layers in a bad condition.
Acid rain in the precipitation,
Can ruin the chances of growing nations.
Nuclear power's radiation,
Can destroy the whole world's population.
Cloning's an unknown situation,
We need to be careful with our expectations.
Chorus
You don't have to be a magician,
To know we're in a position.
Technology has a chance for redemption,
And it's up to our generation.
All living things need appreciation,
Helping the earth gives us gratification.
So we all need an education,
For our new... adaptation.
Solar power, wind power, conservation,
We'll recycle our garbage and reduce consumption.
Chorus
TAG:
We need YOUR participation!
© 2003 Greta Pedersen
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What's The Weather Today
Words & Music by: Greta Pedersen & Mrs. Michimoto's 2nd Grade Class, Carus Elementary, Oregon City, Ore. Style: Old Time Country
Chorus:
What's the weather going to be today
Sunny, rainy, bright or gray.
Just look outside, you'll know what to say,
What the weather will be today.
Cumulus clouds are fluffy and white,
Just like puff balls, a beautiful sight.
It'll prob'ly be sunny, and we'll have fun,
In the cold winter days or the summer's hot sun.
Chorus
Cirrus clouds are high in the sky
They come on days when it's sunny and dry
Balmy days with not much wind;
These clouds are feathery, white and thin.
Chorus
Status clouds so thick and gray,
We'll predict a stormy day.
With not much sun 'til they blow away.
We'll mostly stay inside to play.
Chorus
© 2003 Greta Pedersen
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In The Future
Words & Music: Greta Pedersen (see project notes below). Style: Rock & Roll
REFRAIN:
What, I wonder what’s gonna happen in the future.
Oh, what, I wonder what’s gonna happen in the future.
Gregorian chant was once the rage,
We’ve had Bach, Clara Schumann, Scott Joplin and Cage.
Now there’s rock and roll, rap, and-a hip hop too.
In a thousand years, how will they groove?
REFRAIN
Da Vinci dreamt up a flying machine.
And Hedi Lamar designed for submarines.
From China, we have paper; from Shakespeare, lots of words,
Owe the printing press to Gutenberg.
REFRAIN
BRIDGE:
Imagine time machines, and cars that levitate.
And objects teleported, powered by brain waves.
Draw something, cut it out; it would be real.
Shots without needles, and healthy candy meals.
REFRAIN
Did you know some inventions were made by mistake,
Like x-rays, coke, and chocolate chips that we bake.
So we might as well try, we might just be surprised,
When we let our ‘maginations go wild.
REFRAIN
BRIDGE 2:
A bedroom cleaner that cleans with the blink of an eye.
A homework helper that works while we sit by.
A world with no disease, happy, healthy lives.
Jump in a TV, be part of the storyline.
REFRAIN twice, 2nd time as round.
© 2000 Greta Pedersen
Project: Elaine Ball, a teacher at Cedaroak Park Elementary, wrote the script for a musical about inventors and artists of the past, present, and future. She asked me to write a song for it. She gave me facts about inventors and artists that were mentioned in the musical. The 2nd and 3rd graders involved in the project wrote down their ideas for inventions of the future. These elements were integrated with ideas of my own into the finished piece.
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