I Let Her Go Go

This is one that works beautifully with students. I Let Her Go Go easily scaffolds and has a melody that students really enjoy singing. I will provide tips for teaching it in the game section below.

Suggested Grade Levels: 3rd grade, 4th grade, 5th grade

Analysis:

History:
There are plenty of resources that say this song comes from Trinidad/Tobago in the Caribbean, but anything more than that is sparse. My assumption is that children either created the song and game or adapted it based off of another song with which they are familiar.

I will add more information here as I find it.

Game:
***Disclaimer: This is exactly how I teach this to my students, so we will go back and forth on a few steps.

Students begin in a circle while facing a partner. Sing the song for students once or twice so they can begin to internalize it (I encourage my kids to sing once they are comfortable and eventually stop singing myself). When they hear “go go,” they must clap hands with their partner. On the long (half note) “go,” they will press hands with their partner instead of clapping.

Once students can do the first part, they will turn their upper bodies and clap hands with the person behind them on the second “go go.” Have them practice this several times because it can be tricky with the turn.

Let’s go back to the half note “go.” Now students will press their hands together and do a half circle turn, ending up in their partner’s place. They will continue to clap with their partner for the last “go go go,” but on the last one, they will jump/turn around and face a new partner! Continue this until they return to their original partner.

Classroom Applications:
–Super fun, fast-paced circle singing game that your kids will love
–Half note and single eighth notes for rhythmic identification
–You can tie the half note to an eighth to practice ties (that’s what I did with this lesson)
–Great to get older kids singing

Resources:

–Beam, D. (n.d.). I let her go-go. J. W. Pepper. https://www.jwpepper.com/I-Let-Her-Go-Go/10351269.item#.YLpSIzZueWA

–Hurley, C. (2018, December 18). I let her go go [Video]. YouTube. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vgSXhIHJCao

–NorthwestGirlchoir. (2015, May 5). I let her go-go – northwest girlchoir prep choir [Video]. YouTube. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tYJuU1A3f9E

–Pfitzner, A. C. (2014, May 30). School’s out… but not really... O Fortuna Orff. https://ofortunaorff.blogspot.com/2014/05/schools-out-but-not-really.html