Singing with Meaning: What the Song Is About
Primary 1 · Creative Arts
Singing with Meaning: What the Song Is About
Lesson 3 of 8
11 min
Let's begin
Umutoni walks past the church on Sunday morning. She can hear singing inside.
She stops and looks in. The people are clapping. Their faces are glad.
Today you will learn what those songs are for.
Gospel songs are songs about God.
Some of them say thank you for something good.
Some of them ask for help when something is hard.
Some of them just say we are glad, and everybody claps.
At church on Sunday, with many voices at once.
At home in the evening, with the family.
At a gathering, when neighbours come together.
Sometimes one person sings alone on the path home.
Some children think these songs are all slow and serious.
Watch the people's faces the next time you hear one. They smile. They clap. Some stand up.
A thank-you song is a glad song.
Worked example
A song keeps saying one word: murakoze. That means thank you.
Step 1 Find the line that comes back. It is the thank-you line.
Step 2 Ask: thank you for what? Listen to the next line.
Step 3 The next line is about food and rain.
So the message is: this song says thank you for the food we are given.
A children's song of thanks, sung in Kinyarwanda. Listen, then say what it is about.
Tip
Thank you for what?
A song of thanks always thanks somebody for something.
Find the thing, and you have found the message.
Do each one, then tap Show answer to check.
Name two things a gospel song can do.
Answer: say thank you, ask for help, or say we are glad. Any two.
Ishimwe says these songs are all slow and sad. Is he right?
Answer: no. Many of them are glad songs. People clap and smile while they sing.
Name one place where people sing these songs.
Answer: at church, at home in the evening, or at a family gathering.
A song keeps saying thank you for the rain. What is the message?
Answer: this song says thank you for the rain that grows our food.
Sing one song of thanks to somebody at home, then tell them what it thanks God for.
Answer: sing first, then say your one sentence. Both halves count.
What you learned today
Quick check
Gospel songs are songs about ...
