Singing for Retention

-->

This time of year is full of song and music.  This is a great time to change up those Christmas carols with crazy lyrics of multiplication facts and the periodic table.  Sound strange?  Well, the stranger the better to help with retention.

Believe me, your auditory learners will love you for it!  This is a great way to make learning fun.  Auditory learners will respond well to hearing the rhythm.  Linking information and facts to a catchy tune is very helpful for students who process information auditorily and struggle with retention.

A great geometry example is:

Oh Isoseles (Sung to the tune of :“O Christmas Tree”)

     Oh isosceles, oh isosceles
    Two angles have
    Equal degrees

    Oh isosceles, oh isosceles
    You look just like
    A Christmas tree

Or a science example:

Light Travels in Straight Lines (Sung to the tune of:  "God Rest Ye Merry Gentlemen")

Light travels in straight lines, that is unless somehow it's turned.
It can reflect (or bounce right back), but that's quite eas'ly learned.
Refraction is the property with which we're now concerned:

Oh - Sin theta-one times index one is equal to
Sin theta-two times index two!

Refraction is the bending which is caused by changing speed.
When entering at an angle, light will bend, and then proceed--
to travel in a new straight line, wherever that may lead.

 Oh - Sin theta-one times index one is equal to
Sin theta-two times index two!

Now since the bending's caused by changing speed, we have a clue
To calculate light's speed in any medium, (it's true!)
n-one v-one is equal to n-two times v-two.

Oh - Sin theta-one times index one is equal to
Sin theta-two times index two!

When slowing down the light bends 'toward the normal' as they say.
When speeding-up it will bend from the normal away --
Until the angle critical is reached to our dismay!

Oh - Sin theta-one times index one is equal to
Sin theta-two times index two!

Source:  Ms. Palmer’s Neighborhood http://bit.ly/TgLXDD

Other great examples of putting information to song are as follows:

The classic Cheers episode in which Coach gave Sam a geography lesson by teaching him the “Albania” song http://bit.ly/YFoUGk . 

Or more recently, Dr. Sheldon Cooper’s song for remembering the elements http://bit.ly/VZ5rcZ or the stars in the solar system that are closest to him http://bit.ly/TlIC8A .

Changing the lyrics to familiar songs can help children (and adults for that matter) learn important information in a fun and easy way.  It will also facilitate long-term retention.  I am not ashamed to say that sometimes I recite the “abc song” while I am filing something!  “…t, u, v….w, x…y and z”.  You will find many songs that others have already created by a simple Internet search.  However, do not underestimate your ability to create your own.  Your kids will thank you for making learning fun once again!