From 1973 to 1984, and again from 1993-1996, and then yet again in the 2000s, Schoolhouse Rock produced various educational musical videos that became a part of our collective consciousness of Generation X and Millennials.
These short episodes, which aired like commercials between Saturday morning cartoons, originally were conceived by David McCall, an advertising agency president who observed his own children struggling with memorizing multiplication facts yet had no problem remembering popular songs.
Schoolhouse Rock, picked up by ABC and sponsored by General Mills, produced songs that ranged the gambit in theme: math, economics, science, history, grammar, and civics — all with the aim of helping viewers attain math facts, learn about the way the physical world works, and experience history and the political process in a memorable way.
What We Collectively Remember
I jumped at the chance to write an article about the 50th anniversary of Schoolhouse Rock, because I felt the series of animated music videos gave me a great gift: the ability to fully memorize the preamble of the Constitution, as assigned in seventh grade at Wheaton Christian Grammar School in 1994. Just when things started heating up for me educationally — managing seven or eight different classes and as many teachers, assignments, projects, tests, and the like — Schoolhouse Rock came in with a slam dunk.
“The Preamble” with music and lyrics by Lynn Ahrens, originally aired on Oct. 25, 1975. I offloaded some of that pressure onto a video checked out from the Naperville Public Library, which we manually rewound and rewatched at home so it could really sink in. Kids have it so easy now — a simple Google search affords the opportunity to watch and rewatch all Schoolhouse Rock videos at the slightest whim.
I think the school I attended must have had many Schoolhouse Rock VHS tapes in its arsenal, because as I reviewed the complete list of episodes online, I recognized and recalled such memorable tunes as:
- “Conjunction Junction”
- “A Noun is a Person, Place, or Thing”
- “The Shot Heard ‘Round the World”
- “I’m Just a Bill”
- “Interplanet Janet”
Many of my friends referenced “Conjunction Junction” and “I’m Just a Bill,” crediting these songs as helping clear up confusion in the learning process regarding both conjunctions and the process of a bill becoming a law. Well done, Schoolhouse Rock!
“I’ve considered trying to dig up some of these videos to help reinforce teaching my own children,” said Margaret, a Naples mom of three.
The Power of Song in Education
Thanks to Schoolhouse Rock, many of us understand intimately the power of song to aid in memorization. As children memorize songs, they learn concepts — concepts get “stuck” in their minds and become a part of their long-term memories.
A teacher friend of mine with five of her own children (whom she homeschools) uses songs heavily in her methodology: “I’m 1000% behind songs as teaching tools. Part of the classical method is stuffing as much knowledge and information into my dear children when they’re young — when it’s easier to memorize. Then, as they get older, they can hang more information and understanding on these initial ‘pegs’ of facts they learned when they were young.”
Classical Conversations — a national homeschool educational organization with various chapters here in Collier County — relies heavily on songs to transfer knowledge to its youngest students. “It makes learning content much more fun,” explained Alex, a Naples mom of four who participates in Classical Conversations. “As they get older, those facts they learned will be applied in their higher-level classes. It’s such a cool process of building a fact base through songs and then applying those facts when they get older.”
Anyone who walks the halls of a school in Collier County will hear instruction interspersed with songs, and I think as parents, we all understand that songs make it easier to memorize information, poems, verses, concepts, and facts.
I talked to Katie Craig, who was a music teacher at Osceola Elementary for many years. “Songs make information much easier to memorize, because we engage both hemispheres of the brain with ease,” she explained. “Adding actions and movements to songs is even better for memorization and understanding.”
Songs attach melody to lyrics, tying any information to a recognizable tune. And rather than merely listening to someone speak, listening to music with information brings emotional connection. Music often contains rhymes and repetition, making it easier to remember the content.
Teachers who use music to reinforce concepts and aid in memorization also tap into the power of “changing it up” and getting students on their feet, actively participating in the learning process. Music gets stuck in our heads so easily — so, what better way to encourage our children to learn than to fill our homes with positive music that shares a body of knowledge?
How to Celebrate
Celebrating Schoolhouse Rock is easy — songs are accessible on streaming music services and online videos. ABC aired a 50th Anniversary Singalong — hosted by none other than Ryan Seacrest — in February of 2023 that featured many celebrity guests, so a family viewing party may be in order (currently available on Disney+).
But, celebrating the educational process by filling our homes with music may be the best idea of all. Incorporating music and celebrating its power is vital to the flourishing of the educational process, even in our homes. So, celebrate with me, and be sure to subject your children to a dramatic reenactment/singalong of your favorite Schoolhouse Rock song! Your kids will surely thank you … someday!