I’m so excited to share this O Little Town of Bethlehem Group Singing & Descant singing time idea! This activity is the perfect way to spice up this familiar Christmas carol as you review in primary!
In this post, I’ll share several different ways to use this activity, from simple “oohs” and “aahs” to learning a brand new descant part for this song!
**See all O Little Town of Bethlehem Singing Time Ideas**
O Little Town of Bethlehem Group Singing & Descant
If you are teaching O Little Town of Bethlehem (archives) in primary this year, you will love this fun & engaging group singing idea! This people interactions activity is a great way to get everyone involved during singing time!
The basic idea behind this activity is to have groups or classes take turns singing the lyrics and singing or humming in the background! This is the perfect way to get in lots of practice without becoming too monotonous.
If you are up for the challenge, I’ve written a lovely descant part to complement the melody and lyrics of this sweet Christmas hymn. You can teach this descant part to perform as a special primary musical number in sacrament meeting, or just for fun!
What is a Descant?
A descant line is a part of music written to be sung with the other vocal parts in a song. A descant might have the same lyrics as the melody, like in the primary song, Mary’s Lullaby (sheet music), or the words might be completely different.
A descant line can be a really beautiful touch to any song. I wrote a brand new descant part written specifically for the first verse of this Christmas song. This descant sounds lovely when paired with the other vocal lines in this hymn. The descant line for this song does dip below the melody line a few times for special effect, but it primarily stays higher than the melody.
Teaching the descant part will be exactly like teaching the melody of a song! Since it will sound different than the melody that is familiar to the kids, you’ll definitely want to practice it a few times!
If you are teaching the descant part, start by singing through the first verse of O Little Town of Bethlehem (flip chart here). Then, have the pianist play the descant line while everyone sings the melody. Did you hear that? Let’s listen to just the descant part again. This can help the kids hear how the two parts fit together.
Then, switch and have the pianist play the melody as you teach the descant. Sing it together a few times before you split into groups. Choose one group to sing the melody and one group to sing the descant.
Senior primary children may have an easier time singing the descant part, but this doesn’t mean you can’t try teaching it to your younger primary kiddos too!
Options for Group Singing:
If you want to keep things simple and try the descant another time, there are still lots of ways to get the kids interacting with each other during singing time!
As you sing this Christmas song together, split the class into groups. Have one group start by singing the melody while all the other groups hum. Then, try singing “oohs” or “aahs” in the background.
Have each group take turns being “background singers” throughout the song, or just switch each time you repeat the verse. Either way, your primary kids are sure to have a blast!
Descant Lyrics:
I’ve included the lyrics for the descant part below. You’ll notice in the printable sheet music that the music AND lyrics for the descant are not the same as the original song. The descant begins with its own unique set of lyrics, then returns to the original lyrics toward the end of the song. I so hope you enjoy learning this descant together!
In Bethlehem,
Where Jesus lay
on a quiet, starry night
The dark gave way to
glorious light,
The Everlasting Light.
The hopes and fears
of all the years
are met in thee tonight.
Extension Activities:
- Choose a few key words from the song each time you sing. Replace these words with a syllable, like “ahh” or “eee” or “oooh.” Here are some examples of key words you might pick from: Town, Bethlehem, Stars, Streets, Light, Hopes, Fears.
- Grab these free Syllable Singing Cue Cards and randomly hold up a card while you sing. Immediately stop singing the lyrics and sing whatever syllable is on the card!
- Add some harmony by singing the alto line below the melody. Have groups take turns singing the melody and harmony.
- Split the class into groups (boys/girls, blonde/brown hair, Junior/Senior) – Have the groups take turns singing every other line!
For another fun similar activity, head over to see this I Feel My Savior’s Love Syllable Singing singing time activity!
O Little Town of Bethlehem Descant Part Demonstration!
If you are more of an aural learner and want to hear the descant part, watch this short video below! In this video, I explain how this descant part fits in with the rest of the song and sing through the entire descant line. Try it out with me or practice with a friend as you prepare to teach this descant in singing time!
–> O Little Town of Bethlehem Descant Demo <–
O Little Town of Bethlehem Printable Sheet Music W/ Descant
This free in-post printable includes a copy of O Little Town of Bethlehem with the descant line included.
Join INSTANT Primary Singing for extended printables including lesson plan, group singing lyrics chart, 1-page and 3-page lyrics chart. You’ll find these bonus files included when O Little Town of Bethlehem is the featured song of the month.
Get more out of singing time with the INSTANT Primary Singing membership that includes printable lesson plans, tons of extended printables and an ad-free experience for each featured song of the month, or get immediate access to the entire song list for the year!
Learn more about INSTANT Primary Singing membership options here!
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For another neat way to review this Christmas song, head over to this O Little Town of Bethlehem Finish the Picture singing time idea!
What other fun ways will you use this group singing activity in your Primary room?
