Mary Had a Pretty Bird “Mary Had a Pretty Bird” is one of the lesser known nursery rhymes in the Cabinet of Wonder series. This sweet and simple verse is set to an infectious folk melody that is perfectly paced for circle and partner dancing. In the music video, The Pretty Bird is not caged, he is Mary’s free and equal companion. The two friends perch side by side on a tree limb, they dance and play hand clapping games or hide-and-seek around a stand of giant foxgloves (foxglove is a fanciful flower name for children to learn). This rhyme and video can open up conversations about the joys of friendship, wild animals versus pets, the color yellow, new words, “slender” and “fellow,” and the charming expression “upon my word!” The Color Yellow Mary’s bird is famously pretty and yellow (canary we don’t know). Your children can explore other things that are the color yellow: the sun, sunflowers, lemons, bananas, daffodils, egg yolks, bumblebees, dandelions, corn, chicks, rubber duckies. Draw and paint these objects with your class; make a bright and beautiful display of all the yellow things you can name. The Word “Slender” Learn about the word “slender” and its synonyms (slim, thin, skinny, lean, spindly, narrow, wafer-thin). There is another word that may not be common in the vocabulary of young children: “fellow.” “Fellow” is another word for man. People also use “fellow” as a term of endearment for a congenial person. Maybe your children have heard the song, “For He’s a Jolly Good Fellow?” When we feel a shared sense of love and support within a community, we call it “fellowship.”  Upon My Word! An expression that appears in the rhyme that may be confusing to young children is “upon my word,” which is an outmoded expression that can be used as a pledge of sincerity. “Upon my word” could be interpreted as “I really mean it” or “I’m definitely telling the truth.” Rhyming Pairs Naming pairs of rhyming words in Mother Goose poems is a fun exercise. Some rhyming words for ”bird” and “word,” are: curd, third, heard, stirred, and blurred. Other rhymes for “yellow” and “fellow” are: mellow, bellow, cello, Jello, and hello. A Circle Dance Children will see a circle dance (with Mary in the center) in the music video. Circle-up with your class and dance to this infectious folk melody. Circle to the left, circle to the right, draw into the center and back out again. Children will love this! Add improvisations and make a dance of your own. Have each child take a turn as the “leader” who calls out the motions. A Partner Dance Children will see Mary and The Pretty Bird partner dance in the music video. Teach your class some basic square dance moves to try out such as do-si-do and promenade. Have your children pair up and swing their partners. Mary and The Pretty Bird play hide-and-seek, a playground favorite. There is also a brief hand clapping game. Young children love trying their hand at simultaneous chanting and hand clapping with a partner. Some useful rhymes appear below in the ACTIVITIES section of this teaching guide. The Flute and Fiddle In the musical arrangement of “Mary Had a Pretty Bird,” the flute and the fiddle seem to be in conversation as they exchange melodic lines. The flute imitates the sound of The Pretty Bird singing. Birds have special calls that they use to communicate with their partners, their young, and other members of their flock. It would be interesting to listen to recordings of birdcalls, especially the varied and complex songs of canaries. Flocking Play a game of “flocking” with your children. This is a graceful game of follow-the-leader in which one child moves at the front of the group and all imitate their movements (like a bird leading a flock). Some beautiful choreography results from this creative game. A Little Bird Told Me There are many interesting figures of speech in English that involve birds. Here are a few examples: “the early bird gets the worm,” “a bird in the hand is worth two in the bush,” “birds of a feather flock together,” “a bird’s eye view,” “a little bird told me,” “free as a bird,” “a night owl.” Help your children to understand the meanings of these expressions and glean their bits of wisdom.