"Oro" is meant to help uplift bilingual youth who are suffering mental and emotional distress that affects their self-esteem and sense of belonging. When children experience trauma / Adverse Childhood Experiences, their learning and social emotional development are affected. As teachers, we can incorporate songs like "Oro" into our arts activities to offer at least a temporary relief from the painful reality that many of our students face on a daily basis. This song emphasizes the existence of multiple communities of people that do cherish their presence and are more than willing to support them. The use of both English and Spanish in the lyrics encourages cultural and linguistic pride in those whose first language is Spanish.
Suggested Music / SEL K-6 Lesson Plan incorporating "Oro"
Intro: Present the wonderful book I Am Golden By: Eva Chen, Illustrated by Sophie Diao. I personally introduce it as one of my favorite stories that reminds me of my own family even though the family in the story is from China and my family is from Mexico. Students are reminded to be respectful, especially if they have not had a chance to learn about Chinese culture except for what they've seen in cartoons, etc. This can be emphasized using one or more of the Southern Poverty Law Center's Social Justice Standards.
Read the story with your class. The read aloud below is excellent if you have access to a projector.
This story beautifully illustrates the experience of belonging to a family that immigrated to the US, dealing with a language barrier, racism and bullying, and ultimately embracing our "differences" as what make us unique and "golden" through a verbal affirmation. After reading the story you can ask students to share any connections with their own story and their own family.
Share the "Oro" lyric video with your class, and then display the lyrics to ask for help "translating" the lyrics in Spanish.
You are not alone We are here for you Siempre hay alguien Que puede ayudar No llores más
Somebody’s there Somebody cares Alguien está Alguien habrá
Somebody’s there Somebody cares Alguien está Alguien habrá
Eres oro Y vales mucho más You’re so loved You’re our hopes and our dreams You’re family
Somebody’s there Somebody cares Alguien está Alguien habrá
Somebody’s there Somebody cares Alguien está Alguien habrá
Using echoes, teach the song line by line either spoken rhythmically or sung a capella or using the video as a guide.
For TK-1st grade Distribute colorful scarves and instruct students to wave their scarf slowly and smoothly (legato) while they sing or listen to the song once more.
For 2nd-6th grades Go over the 6|8 meter + the definition of a downbeat / accented beats using a heart chart and body percussion such as pat pat pat, clap clap clap and ask them to try it while singing a portion of the song.
Review+ Reflection Question:
Music vocabulary: steady beat, melody, lyrics, body percussion
What makes you golden?
Did you try it with your class? Let us know how it went!
There is a dire need for culturally responsive materials for elementary music education. Ms. Cosquilla is an award-winning songwriter who has a Certificate of Achievement in music with Mariachi Specialization from Southwestern College, a BA in Latin American Studies from Harvard University, is currently pursuing a Master's Degree in Music - Music Education, and 19 years experience in music education that includes curriculum writing and arts integration with a focus on Social Emotional Learning. She currently teaches general music in Los Angeles and works closely with Chicx Rockerxs South East Los Angeles and the Mariachi Women’s Foundation.
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