6 Ways to Use Al Citron in the Music Classroom

[vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text]Al Citron is a traditional stone passing game from Latin America. Most research sites its exact location as Mexico. Today, I want to teach you some different ways you can incorporate this song into your lesson. It is great for teaching many different concepts.

Stick/Stone Passing Games

As mentioned, this is a traditional stone passing game but you can also use sticks or even beanie bags. Use what you have! Just make sure it’s something that the scholars can easily pass around. So everyone starts with a stone in front of them. Scholars pass the stone to their right on the strong beat and pick up the stone on the weak beat. For the last two measures, “triqui triqui tran”, scholars keep the same rock but move the rock to the right, to the center, and back to the right again. I found a video online that shows you how to play this.

Strong and Weak Beat

Because this is a passing game, it makes it easy for scholars to feel the strong and weak beat. Since this song is in a meter of 2, you can also have scholars practice the strong and weak beat by marching around the class (with one shoe off!) so that they can feel the strong/weak pattern in their bodies.

Anacrusis (pick up)

This song begins with a two eighth note pick-up, or anacrusis, so it’s a great song to teach the concept of pick up notes.

Tam-Ti (dotted half and eighth note)

Al Citron is filled with dotted quarter note/eighth note rhythms. Use rhythm sticks and have scholars practice playing the rhythm. You can also sing the song and have scholars raise their hand when they hear the tam-ti pattern or they can even create their own movements for the pattern. If you’re scholars are able to, I encourage you to have them dictate the rhythm of the song.

Low Sol

Al Citron is rich with low sol! Have scholars identify the low sol throughout the song. This song is perfect because they will really be able to hear the interval between do and low sol.

All about Mexico

Are you doing a unit on Mexico or Latin America? This is a great song to add to your lesson. If you are a music teacher, consider teaching your scholars some important facts about Mexico before you teach the song. And for my general education teachers, liven up your unit on Mexico by teaching Al Citron or collaborating with your school music teacher! You can also do this song for Cinco de Mayo.
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