The Great Tempo Race

About the Book

The traditional story of the tortoise and the hare was rewritten with a musical twist to help elementary students learn and remember some musical terms. The characters and events were used to help students form a picture in their mind of what each word means. Choral parts were included to bring about audience participation. Allegro = hare (Allie) --- very fast tempo Largo = tortoise (Larz) --- slow tempo Moderato = the bird that oversees the race (Moderato) --- medium tempo Rallentando = roll on to --- gradually slowing up Fermata = the firm mat --- hold Cheering sections: Allie go (4x) spoken quickly Larz go (4x) spoken slowly *It is recommended that the vocabulary be taught before the story is read to the students. This book then becomes a reinforcement of the terms they are learning or have learned.

About the Author

A wife, mother of three, grandmother, and educator, Rhonda Johanson received her BFAE from Wayne State College and her Master’s in Technology degree from Lesley University. For eighteen years she taught elementary music to children in Nebraska and the past seven years in Cheyenne, Wyoming. Her passion is to enlighten her students so they desire to continue on in music. In 2010, her 5th & 6th grade recorder band performed at the opening ceremony of Wyoming’s Music Teacher’s Convention. She has also received the Rotary Teacher of the Year award in Cheyenne.