Migration
A Dancing Song
Copyright 2015 by Nancy Stewart

Though birds migrate in the fall, we don’t really miss their presence until mid-winter. First and foremost, this is a song for dancing! If you have scarves, get them out and let the children migrate around the room! It’s also an opportunity to discuss migration, and appreciate our feathered friends, and to notice those who stay behind. Below are some great websites with information on bird migration. As the lyrics indicate, sparrows, hummingbirds (though not all), and most song birds migrate. Hummingbirds have an especially long journey, and they fly at night for safely, stopping to rest along the way. For more “choreographed” dancing, children can act out the parts of the birds as the song is played.
ANOTHER IDEA: Make a migration chart, and list local birds, where they are now, and then follow their return in the spring.

1. Tiny little sparrow tell me where do you go
Before the leaves are off the trees and
      the ground is white with snow
Says the sparrow, “I fly to where the sun
        warms the ground
and enough food for us all can be found
I fly away, I fly away

2. Tiny little hummingbird, where do you go
Before the leaves are off the trees and
         the ground is white with snow
Says the hummingbird, “I fly through the darkness
         of night,
often resting for it’s such a long flight
I fly away, I fly away

3. Songbird I miss you every winter when you go
Before the leaves are off the trees and
        the ground is white with snow
Says the songbird, “Don’t worry I’ll return in the spring,
And I’ll sit outside your window and sing.”
I fly away, I fly away

4. What a clever thing it is to know just when it’s time to go
Before the leaves are off the trees and
               the ground is white with snow
Little birds you are brave, little birds you are strong
Travel safely ‘til you bring me back your song
I fly away, I fly away
I fly away,
I will listen for your song when you return
                 on a warm spring da