Katie DeVries

Education 302/303
Hava Nagila: Theme Statement
In this unit, 3rd grade students will focus on the melody, dance, and
cultural context of the Israeli folk song Hava Nagila. Throughout the year,
these 3rd graders have been learning how to develop an appropriate
singing voice, and how to unify their voice in a group situation. They have
also been learning about rhythmic notation and the values of various
notes. I plan to build on these learning objectives in this unit, as they will
continue to develop their voice through singing the melody of Hava
Nagila, and will spend time analyzing the rhythms of the song and
creating ostinatos on their own.
As they acclimate towards the modal sound of the melody, they will
also learn to pronounce multiple Hebrew phrases with the correct
pronunciation of vowels and glottal tendencies. Fostering these language
skills will not only prepare them for future music selections, but will also
help them compare and contrast their native (and secondary) language
with that of another.
Hava Nagila is a celebratory, dance-like folk song that is used in
many Jewish bar mitzvahs and weddings. In this unit, the 3rd graders will
look at the dance and culture that is traditionally linked to this folk song
and will perform the dance and song together as a group. They will be
prompted to consider why many people from Israeli or Jewish culture

celebrate in this way, and how this is different or similar to their own type
of celebration. They will be encouraged to reflect on the meaning of the
lyrics in Hebrew and how celebration is something that occurs in every
nation and around the world.