In ancient times the moon was called Artemis,
the Huntress. It is still by moonlight that many owls do their
nocturnal hunting. Special tufts on their wing feathers make
their flight as silent as the passage of Artemis herself.
This song lends itself to an owl walk or any night hike, as
well as occasions when a calming piece is in order.
Silent Huntress taking flight
Soft the shadows, soft the light
Passing silently through the night
Additional “Winter Solstice” lyrics
by Chris Harmon, used by permission
Days grow shorter, winter’s here
Light the candles, draw friends near
Celebrate the season with cheer
Suggested Activity
Owls Up Close
There are many ways to get to know owls. One is to spend time
listening to them in the woods at night. Other possibilities
include field trips to a local nature center, or asking a
wildlife rehabilitator who works with injured owls to visit
your classroom.
Just
as pirates used to “muffle” their oars with cloth
so no one could hear them approaching, owls have something
similar on their flight feathers. Ask the nature center if
they can show your class some of those tufted flight feathers.
They might also have recordings with different owl calls.
See if you can learn to recognize the most common ones in
your area.
Suggestions for Teaching Rounds Sing the whole song through at least
once or twice to convey the overall shape of the round, then
teach it phrase by phrase. The next step is singing the whole
song through in unison. On the first day, this may be enough
for younger children. When you’re ready to try it in
parts, start with two parts before adding more. Sign language
or motions can help keep the different parts together rhythmically.
They also add another level of fun or beauty to many songs,
especially rounds and a capella chants.
Just
as pirates used to “muffle” their oars with cloth
so no one could hear them approaching, owls have something
similar on their flight feathers. Ask the nature center if
they can show your class some of those tufted flight feathers.
They might also have recordings with different owl calls.
See if you can learn to recognize the most common ones in
your area.