The winter break often feels like a whirlwind, doesn’t it? As educators, we often have grand plans for incorporating special seasonal songs like “Auld Lang Syne” into our curriculum. Yet, the hustle of holiday programs, last-minute assemblies, and classroom parties frequently disrupts our best intentions. Before we know it, the break arrives, and upon return, New Year’s Day feels distant, pushing us to jump straight into new topics. Sadly, beautiful New Year folk songs, including the iconic “Auld Lang Syne” song, can get lost in the shuffle. This year, let’s be proactive and introduce these songs before the winter break. By doing so, we equip students to carry these melodies into their holidays, perhaps even sharing a song with family and friends. At the very least, they’ll recognize and perhaps sing along when “Auld Lang Syne” plays on the radio or TV.
“Auld Lang Syne” stands out as perhaps the most recognized New Year song globally. Many are already somewhat familiar with it, even if they don’t know all the words or the correct tune. This lesson plan serves as a refresher, clarifying the song’s proper form, delving into its history, incorporating a traditional dance, and much more, ensuring a comprehensive and engaging learning experience centered around the “Song Auld Lang.”
Learning “Auld Lang Syne”: A Step-by-Step Approach
My go-to method for teaching songs, and especially for teaching the “song auld lang”, involves a two-pronged approach: whole song immersion followed by focused sections. Initially, I sing the entire song for the students, allowing them to absorb the melody and overall feel. Then, I break the song into manageable “chunks,” teaching it by rote, phrase by phrase. It’s crucial to ensure students grasp the melody of the verse before moving to the chorus. This highlights the melodic similarities and differences between sections, enhancing their musical understanding. If time permits later in the lesson, projecting the musical notation can be beneficial. This offers a visual representation of the song’s structure and provides an opportunity to discuss how composers use melodic repetition and variation to build a song. Reinforcing the melody until it’s ingrained in their memory is key, especially when you later want students to recall and analyze what they’ve learned.
After covering the first verse and chorus of the “song auld lang”, I revisit the first verse to explore the meaning of some key phrases. We engage in a discussion about the New Year and New Year’s resolutions. I pose questions like, “Should we completely forget the old year? If you were to move to a new place, should you forget old friends and only focus on making new ones?” The depth of this discussion can be tailored to the grade level. Even elementary students understand the concept of friendships changing, whether through moving away or school transitions. Relating it to classroom changes from year to year also resonates. This conversation becomes a meaningful way to explore themes of “new beginnings” and looking forward, balanced with remembering and valuing the past, all within the context of the “song auld lang.”
Always go over unfamiliar vocabulary. In this song you are definitely going to wan to explain Auld Lang Syne, acquaintance, and Scots.
Unpacking the Vocabulary of “Auld Lang Syne”
When teaching “Auld Lang Syne” song, vocabulary is paramount. The most crucial phrase to address is undoubtedly “Auld Lang Syne” itself. Explain that “Auld Lang Syne” is a Scots phrase that essentially translates to “old long since,” “days gone by,” or “times long past.” In the song, we are pondering whether we should let go of old friends and past times. This naturally leads to a fascinating discussion about language evolution and dialects, and how the English language has transformed over centuries. It’s a concept often overlooked by both children and adults, making it a valuable point to highlight. I like to show students a visual aid about the “Scots” dialect and even attempt to sing the first verse in Scots, which usually amuses them and makes the learning more memorable.
Children are often unaware that languages are dynamic and constantly evolving. To illustrate this, I sometimes introduce older English phrasing, perhaps from the King James Bible or Shakespeare, using words like “thee,” “thou,” and “shall.” While unfamiliar, students can usually grasp the meaning. Alternatively, adopting an Australian accent and incorporating Australian slang can be another engaging example, even if my own attempts are admittedly imperfect! Drawing these comparisons and providing examples of English used in different or older forms helps broaden their linguistic awareness and appreciate the nuances within the “song auld lang.”
Another key vocabulary word in “Auld Lang Syne” to clarify is “acquaintance.” It’s not a word commonly used in everyday conversation, though students might have a general understanding. I define it with a simple progression: “A stranger is someone you don’t know. Upon meeting and getting to know a stranger, they become an acquaintance. If you learn more about an acquaintance and develop a liking for them, they become a friend. Stranger → Acquaintance → Friend.” Taking a moment to explain “acquaintance” enriches their vocabulary and deepens their connection to the song. They aren’t just singing words blindly; they understand the significance and meaning behind each phrase in the “song auld lang.”
Auld Lang Syne has several really wonderful verses. Check out this blog post with ideas on how to teach more than just verse one!
Expanding the Song: Exploring Additional Verses
A few years ago, my curiosity about this beloved folk song, “Auld Lang Syne” song, led me to research its origins and history, eventually inspiring me to create a “Favorite Carol” resource set. During my research, I discovered that “Auld Lang Syne” boasts several verses beyond the commonly known first verse. Historically, this song was often sung in social gatherings, and yes, likely in taverns. Considering its traditional use at New Year’s Eve celebrations, it’s not surprising that some verses allude to festive drinks. While these references are mild, mentioning “pint cups” and “draught,” you might choose to adapt or omit a verse or two depending on your students’ age and context. Simple word substitutions can easily address this.
Personally, I find these additional verses enrich the song’s narrative and emotional depth. To introduce them, a straightforward method is to sing the verses yourself while projecting the lyrics, encouraging students to join in on the familiar chorus. This keeps them engaged and accelerates the learning process. Alternatively, divide students into small groups, assigning each group a different verse to learn. Give them a few minutes to align the words with the melody. Then, as each group “performs” their verse for the class, you can sing along, with the entire class uniting for the chorus. This collaborative approach makes learning all verses of the “song auld lang” both fun and achievable.
Dancing into the New Year with “Auld Lang Syne”
Dance Instructions for Auld Lang Syne
While I haven’t yet initiated the “Auld Lang Syne” dance at a New Year’s Eve party, I’m definitely enthusiastic about teaching it to my students! The dance movements are surprisingly simple, and students generally find it incredibly enjoyable. For the initial verses, everyone joins hands, forming a large circle. Maintain this circle formation throughout as many verses as you wish to sing. However, on the final verse, introduce a slight variation: cross your arms across your chest, with your right arm reaching to the left partner and your left arm to the right. At the song’s conclusion, while still holding hands, twist and turn your bodies to face outwards, symbolizing facing the New Year together! It’s a wonderfully symbolic and remarkably easy dance that perfectly complements the “song auld lang”.
In my “Favorite Carol” kit, I include a visual guide outlining the dance steps, along with links to online videos demonstrating the dance. While finding a video explicitly showing the “turn out” at the end proved challenging, numerous videos depict groups in kilts singing, dancing in circles with crossed arms, and thoroughly enjoying themselves. Observing these videos reveals that the song often begins at a slower tempo, gradually accelerating into a more lively pace during the final verse, enhancing the celebratory spirit of the “song auld lang.”
I hope this exploration of “Auld Lang Syne” has provided you with fresh ideas and approaches for teaching this timeless song. “Auld Lang Syne” is versatile enough to be taught both before and after the winter break, seamlessly fitting into your curriculum. In fact, teaching it before the break and revisiting it as a “welcome back” song in January offers a wonderful sense of continuity. If you have additional teaching ideas or suggestions for this classic, please share them in the comments below! I’m eager to learn how you incorporate “Auld Lang Syne” into your classroom.
If you appreciate the visuals and resources presented in this blog post, explore the Favorite Carol resource for “Auld Lang Syne”. This resource, available as both a PowerPoint presentation and a PDF file, offers extensive historical context, vocabulary support, background information, visuals, and teaching aids to enrich your lessons on this iconic “song auld lang.” The PowerPoint can be used for interactive lessons, while the images can be displayed as a hallway bulletin board, reinforcing classroom learning.
