Hoedown from Rodeo by Aaron Copland is a great classic piece to share with your elementary students. The upbeat tempo and contrasting sections make it perfect for movement, dancing, and in the case of this blog post, jamming to the beat. If you haven’t already used Hoedown from Rodeo in your music class, this activity would be a great way to jump in.
Background on Hoedown from Rodeo
Hoedown is the final movement in the ballet Rodeo by Aaron Copland. The ballet premiered in 1942 – the same year that Fanfare for the Common Man premiered. What a year for epic music writing! The ballet Rodeo was written for the Russian dance troupe, Ballet Russe de Monte Carlo, and choreographed by Agnes de Mille. The ballet was extremely well received, getting 22 curtain calls on the night of its premiere!
Rodeo tells the story of a Cowgirl vying for the attention of the Head Wrangler. After being snubbed by the Head Wrangler, who goes off with the Rancher’s Daughter, the Cowgirl finds her ideal match with another cowboy who respects her for who she is. Yeah girl power!
Hoedown takes two square-dancing tunes – Bonaparte’s Retreat and McLeod’s Reel – and pushes them into the orchestral setting for this cowboy-themed finale.
Rhythm Activity to Hoedown from Rodeo by Aaron Copland
Listen to Hoedown
First, I have my students listen to the song. Often I will have them imagine what the music makes them think of and draw it on a worksheet.
After that, I might have them listen in a more structured way, noticing the different sections of the piece with a listening map.
Rhythm Reading with Hoedown
Once students have a feel of the main sections of the piece, we add rhythm reading. I have a simple ostinato to go with each section. Here are the ostinatos for each section:
I have students say and clap the rhythms along with the song. Pro Tip: I feel like SAYING and clapping really makes a big difference verses just clapping. I think it helps students who may be struggling to read with comprehension by giving them an extra layer of scaffolding.
Just to make it a little more fun, we add some movement in between as well. Here’s an overview of the whole piece:
Intro: Lasso motion. L hand makes large arc overhead (8 beats). Same with R hand. Lasso motion.
Woodblock section: pretend to ride a horse
A – play rhythm
B – play rhythm
A – play rhythm
B – play rhythm
B – play rhythm
A – play rhythm
Interlude: Lasso motion.
C – play rhythm
D – play rhythm
C – play rhythm
Hoedown: improvise
Interlude: pretend to ride a horse. Fall asleep during trombone part. Wake up on last note.
A – play rhythm
B – play rhythm
Coda: sticks down. Stand up and take a bow.
Add Drum Kits
Once we have practiced all the rhythms with the piece, I add the piece de resistance. Drum sticks! You can do this lots of different ways. You can have students drum on the floor, drum pads, bucket drums, or maybe you have drum kits ala Kidstix. All of these ways will work just fine. If you are using Kidstick stations, you will have multiple timbres to work with. Here are the timbres I use for each ostinato:
A: can
B: tambourine
C: scrape/click
D: can
Article Related to Hoedown from Rodeo
Finding Joy and Beauty With the Music of Aaron Copland in Elementary Music
Complete Your Lesson to Hoedown from Rodeo by Aaron Copland With a Listening Map
Want the listening map and worksheets I use in my lesson? Click here for the Hoedown from Rodeo Listening Map and Worksheets.
Learn more ways to use listening maps in your classroom with The Ultimate Guide to Listening Maps.
Want More Music By Aaron Copland?
Check out my Aaron Copland Composer Bundle. It contains a biography on Aaron Copland, worksheets, listening maps to some his greatest works, and fun movement and rhythm activities you can do while listening to Copland’s music.
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