Weather the Weather!: Unison / 2-Part Choral Teacher's Handbook

Beck and Fisher have created a musical that genuinely bridges science and music without feeling forced. The theatrical framework (with rhyming verse between songs) gives your rehearsals shape and purpose, while the varied musical styles keep young singers engaged across multiple class periods. Most refreshingly, you can use it flexibly: as a full cross-curricular event with experiments, as a concert piece, or simply as thematic singing that ties to what's happening outside your classroom windows.

Energetic and playful, with music that shifts in character as the weather does. Your singers will move between contemplative moments and bright, rhythmic sections, all connected by a theatrical framework that makes them feel part of a larger story rather than simply learning separate songs.

Elementary and middle school choir directors who want a flexible musical program that connects to science content and holds students' interest through varied musical styles. Works equally well for classroom teachers with singing groups or ensemble directors seeking repertoire that invites cross-curricular collaboration.

• Use the variety of musical styles to your advantage. Shift your conducting energy and tone between contrasting sections so singers internalize how style shapes musical choices.
• Coordinate performance timing with actual seasonal or weather conditions if possible. Singing about rain during a rainy week creates genuine engagement beyond the page.
• Work the rhyming verses between songs into a semi-staged presentation; even minimal movement and characterization enrich the theatrical experience without demanding elaborate choreography.

Schedule this as a spring concert or seasonal assembly program, or break it into smaller performance moments throughout the year as weather conditions align with your teaching calendar. The handbook format makes it easy to teach movements, staging, and experiments incrementally rather than all at once.

• Singing in unison and 2-part harmony with clear diction
• Interpreting stylistic contrasts between song sections
• Building confidence in performance through theatrical integration
• Coordinating singing with movement and basic staging
• Understanding how musical choices reflect lyrical content