The Music of Louisiana - A Special Activity for Mardi Gras!
Tomorrow is Mardi Gras and if you're looking for something special to do in acknowledgment of the event, check out this simple lesson idea from Risa Young over at Scholastic. After discussing what the observance is all about and how people celebrate it, Risa suggests introducing your kiddos to the various types of music that have been made famous in Louisiana - listening to samples of jazz, blues, Cajun, and Zydeco/Creole songs and discussing the differences.
As a fun extension, you might consider learning some Zydeco dance moves, teaching the dances to your kiddos as you explore the new type of music. [NOTE: We did a basic search on YouTube - simply typed in 'zydeco dancing' - and found several introductory/demo videos that can help get you started.] After learning a few authentic moves, Risa then suggests expanding the activity by inviting students to create their own dance moves inspired by the music.
Since music is important to Louisiana culture we thought we'd highlight this fun activity for the upcoming holiday, but Risa also offers several other special Mardi Gras activity recommendations in her article at Scholastic, so be sure to visit the full post! Many of the activities can be used in conjunction with each other!
