Oyster shuckers at work
Role of Spirituals in Waterman Work
Grade 3
Teacher Resource Page
This lesson focuses on two main ideas:
- How oyster shuckers and crab pickers used spirituals to facilitate and accompany their work.
- How the context for music making (in this case, physical labor) informs performance practices.
Procedure
INTRODUCTION (15 minutes)
Read the introduction to students and review new vocabulary. Students will watch the “Water’s Edge: Black Watermen of the Chesapeake” video. After the video, have a discussion around the essential questions and thinking questions aligned to the topic and video.
EXTENSION (15-30 minutes)
Complete extension activities with students, as you see fit.
ASSESSMENT (15 minutes)
Have students apply their newfound knowledge by completing a Summative CER on the lesson using evidence from the video and activities as support.
REFLECTION (10 minutes)
Have students complete a reflection.
Standards
Maryland State Music Standards
- Anchor Standard 4:
Analyze, interpret, and select artistic work for presentation.- Exploration
- I:3-5:2: Describe and analyze how context (historical, cultural, social, and personal) informs performance.
- E:3-5:2: Demonstrate an understanding of musical contexts when describing choices of music selected for performance.
- E:3-5:3: Demonstrate and explain artistic qualities when performing musical ideas.
- Anchor Standard 11:
Relate artistic ideas and works with societal, cultural, and historical context to deepen understanding.
- Exposure
- I:P-2:2: Describe the role of music in other people’s daily lives.
- E:P-2:2: With teacher guidance, connect music to other people’s personal experiences when creating, performing, or responding to music.
- Exploration
- I:3-5:2: Describe and explain factors that impact the role of music in the lives of people.
- E:3-5:2: With limited guidance, connect music to other people’s personal experiences when creating, performing, or responding to music.
National Association of Music Educators (NAfME) Standards
Common Anchor 4- Analyze: Analyze the structure and context of varied musical works and their implications for performance.
- Interpret: Develop personal interpretations that consider creators’ intent.
- Select: Select varied musical works to present based on interest, knowledge, technical skill, and context.
Common Anchor 11
- Connect: Relate musical ideas and works with varied context to deepen understanding.
- Demonstrate understanding of relationships between music and the other arts, other disciplines, varied contexts, and daily life.
Summative Assessment (writing or oral exercise)
Option 1:
The hard work of oyster shucking and crab picking was a tough, tiring job. Why did many African American oyster shuckers and crab pickers sing spirituals while they worked? Identify two reasons and construct your response using evidence and reasoning from the videos and activities.
Option 2:
African American spirituals have a long history and were often passed down from generation to generation. How do you think singing these songs while working helped oyster shuckers and crab pickers keep their traditions and culture alive? Support your answer with evidence and reasoning from the videos and activities.
Reflection Questions
- How could singing work songs and spirituals as a group make oyster shuckers and crab pickers feel like a team?
- Oyster shucker and crab pickers worked long hours. Do you think singing work songs and spirituals made the work feel a little bit easier? Why, or why not?
Summative CER Rubric
| No Response Score Point 0 |
Not There Yet Score Point 0.5 |
Beginning To Score Point 0.75 |
Yes Score Point 1.0 |
|---|---|---|---|
| The claim is missing | The claim is incorrect or irrelevant. | The claim partially takes a position on the topic or issue addressed within the prompt. | The claim takes an appropriate position on the topic or issue addressed within the prompt. |
| There is no type of evidence in the response | The evidence is irrelevant or does not support the claim. | The evidence partially supports the claim and demonstrates some understanding of the topic or text, using appropriate sources. | The evidence supports the claim and demonstrates a strong understanding of the topic or text, using appropriate sources. |
| There is no use of words, phrases, and clauses to create cohesion and to clarify the relationship between the claim and evidence. | Use of words, phrases and clauses fail to show or explain any relationship between the claim and evidence. | Words, phrases, and clauses used lack cohesion but partially clarify the relationship between the claim and evidence. | Appropriate words, phrases, and clauses are used to create cohesion and to clarify the relationship between the claim and evidence. |
Teacher Resources
Primary Source Options
Recordings of Spirituals performed in the mid-twentieth century (in the traditional or congregational style). Note: While there are many arrangements of spirituals with accompanying sheet music dating back to the late 1800s, the transmission of spirituals have largely relied on oral rather than written transmission.
Fare Ye Well - Library of Congress
In the years immediately following the end of slavery, abolitionists, researchers, and enthusiasts began traveling throughout former slave states to document (via Western classical music notation) the music of formerly enslaved African Americans. One of the most well known collections of this type was Slave songs of the United States. Many of the spirituals that we recognize and sing today can be found in this text. However, for some songs, the lyrics and/or melody have been changed over time. It is also important to note that the same songs may have been performed differently from one region or locale to the next.
Examples from the text: “Nobody Knows the Trouble I’ve Had,” “The Lonesome Valley,” “Many Thousands Go,” “Rock O’ My Soul”
Allen, William Francis. 1867. Slave songs of the United States. New York: A. Simpson & Co, doi: https://doi.org/10.5479/sil.78680.39088002074508.
Spirituals Context
Music and history scholars have identified a few different styles of spirituals that emerged after the end of slavery. Folk spirituals were performed a cappella and largely in communal settings - this style of music is reflected in current day gospel performances. Classically trained musicians and composers have also arranged spirituals into art songs (for solo performance) and concert spirituals (largely for choirs). (Burnim 2015)
Work songs Context
“Since the earliest days of slavery, singing has accompanied all kinds of group and individual work activities of African Americans. These improvised songs, known as work songs, field calls (also field hollers) and street calls (also street cries) served many functions. Singing passed the time, coordinated the movements of workers and offered encouragement. They also communicated human emotions and provided a forum for criticizing whites in positions of authority.” (Maultsby 2021)
Burnim, Melonee. 2015. “Spirituals.” In African American Music: An Introduction. 2nd ed., edited by Mellonee V. Burnim and Portia K. Maultsby. New York: Routledge.
References
- Maryland Public Television (MPT)
- Burnim, Melonee. 2015. “Spirituals.” In African American Music: An introduction. 2nd ed., edited by Mellonee V. Burnim and Portia K. Maultsby. New York: Routledge.
- Library of Congress, “Traditional Work Songs”
- Library of Congress, “Spirituals”
- Maultsby, Portia K. “Work Songs, Field/Street Calls, Satirical Protest Songs”. A History of African American Music. 2021.