Trace, Toss, and Move! “In the Hall of the Mountain King/Hair Up” Remix
Looking for a fun way to get your elementary music students listening and moving? This week’s new play-along features a remix of “In the Hall of the Mountain King” and “Hair Up” from Trolls, with patterns students can trace using their fingers or follow with scarves!
The video includes zigzags, wavy lines, rising lines, and short and long dashes. As the music plays, the lines change color to guide students through the movements. Begin by exploring the patterns without music, then add the video, and finally bring out the scarves!
First, practice the patterns without music
Download the free pattern manipulatives from my Buy Me a Coffee page.
Give students time to explore the shapes before following the video. Have them trace each pattern on the page with a finger, then practice drawing it in the air. You can model a pattern and invite students to copy your movement.
Try asking:
Does this pattern move up, down, or both?
Does it have straight lines or curves?
Do you think that it will follow the melodic line?
This also gives you a chance to check that students understand the movements before adding the music.
Next, trace along with the video
Have students get their pointer fingers ready! Start the video and invite them to trace the patterns in the air as the lines change color.
For a quick introduction, say:
“Follow the patterns with your finger. Watch the lines change color to help you move along with the music!”
Students can trace while seated or standing. Adjust the size of the movements to suit your students and classroom space.
Finally, add scarves
If you have scarves, play the video again and invite students to follow the same patterns with their scarves. Give everyone enough room to move, and practice tossing and catching before starting.
No scarves? Students can still participate! Continue tracing with fingers or moving with hands. When the video says to throw, have students throw their hands in the air.
Connect the movement to the music
After the routine, choose a question or two to guide a short discussion:
Which movement was your favorite?
Where did you notice short sounds or longer sounds?
Which pattern would you choose for a musical moment you remember?
Did the patterns follow the direction of the melody?
Which do you like better? Grieg's original version or the Troll remix? Why?
You can also invite students to create a new tracing pattern, teach it to a partner, and choose a section of the music to accompany it.
A fun musical connection
“Hair Up” already borrows the familiar melody from Grieg’s “In the Hall of the Mountain King,” adding an energetic dance beat. Students can listen for the tune as it moves between orchestral and pop sounds!
Grab your scarves—or get your pointer fingers ready—and enjoy tracing, tossing, and moving with your students!