Skip to content
Pragmatic Mom
Menu
  • Home
  • About
    • Contact
    • Policies
    • Media Kit
    • Privacy Policy
    • Copyright
    • KidLit Blogroll
  • My Book Lists
    • My List of Lists
    • Multicultural Books for Children: 60+ Book Lists
    • #OwnVoices
    • Summer Reading Lists for Middle School Kids
    • Asian American Children’s Books
    • African American Children’s Books
    • Arab American Children’s Books
    • Latinx American Children’s Books
    • Native American Children’s Books
    • LGBTQIA+ Children’s Books
    • Diverse Books for Kids
    • Best Books for Kids
  • Education
    • STEM/STEAM
    • Math
    • Social Studies
    • Art Projects for Kids
    • Applying to Art School
    • Applying to College
    • Book Club for Kids
    • 70+ Free Educational Games
  • Controversial
    • Sexual Misconduct in Children’s Book Publishing #MeToo #TimesUp
    • Rethinking & Examining Dr. Seuss’ Racism
    • Blood Feud over YA #BloodHeir
    • Tulsa Race Massacre: What They Don’t Teach You in History Books
    • The Chinese Exclusion Act – What They Don’t Teach in History Books
    • Segregation in California Schools: What They Don’t Teach in History Books
    • SCBWI Minnesota Racist Illustration and Gaslighting Response
  • My Books
    • My Book Announcements
    • The Traveling Taco book trailer!
    • Cover Reveal of my latest picture book … FORTUNE COOKIES FOR EVERYONE!
    • Picture Book Announcement! BARBED WIRE BETWEEN US, illustrated by Violeta Encarnación
    • We Sing From the Heart gets a few stickers!
    • Book Announcement! Postcards from Malcolm X: How Yuri Kochiyama Became a Civil Rights Activist
    • Kirkus Reviews My Newest Picture Book: THE TRAVELING TACO
    • We Sing From the Heart is a Notable Social Studies Trade Books for Young People Winner!
    • We Sing From the Heart gets a few stickers!
    • WE SING FROM THE HEART wins California Eureka! Nonfiction Children’s Book Award
    • WE SING FROM THE HEART is Orbis Pictus Recommended Book
    • WE SING FROM THE HEART is a Junior Library Guild Gold Selection
    • Dorktales Podcast: Simon Tam, Hidden Hero of History
    • Food for the Future Wins Nautilus Silver Book Award
    • Food for the Future makes Mass Book Award Long List!
    • FOOD FOR THE FUTURE Makes Green Earth Book Award Long List!
    • Food for the Future is a finalist for 2023 INDIES Book of the Year!
    • New! Food for the Future Activity and Discussion Guide!
    • FOOD FOR THE FUTURE is a Junior Library Guild Gold Selection!
    • ‘Food for the Future’ selected for Chicago Public Library’s Best of the Best books
    • Scholastic Purchased CHANGING THE GAME!
    • Starred Review for FOOD FOR THE FUTURE from School Library Journal!
    • Sumo Joe makes Bank Street Best Children’s Books of the Year list!
    • How To Coach Girls wins Silver Award!
    • Posts on My Books
  • My Book Events
    • My Book Events
    • Read Your World’s AAPI Virtual Panel + 5 Book Bundle Giveaways!
    • I’m doing a Storytime at the 3rd Annual Greater Roxbury Book Fair
    • The Traveling Taco Storytime and Craft at Ten Trees Books
    • NCSS Virtual Presentation: Farm to Table to Book
    • How Stories Can Help Students Feel Brave and Take Risks – NCTE Boston Presentation
Menu
A Teacher Pens Songs to Teach Kids History

A Teacher Pens Songs to Teach Kids History

Posted on August 26, 2015May 12, 2024 by Pragmatic Mom

Please welcome my guest author, 5th grade teacher Damien Drago today. He found a unique way to get his students excited about history: he writes and performs songs about American history!

 Damien Drago

——————

I distinctly remember racking my brain thinking of ways to make my fifth-grade social studies lesson a little more lively. How could I get ten-year-olds to understand the indignation patriots felt toward King George and Parliament?

What might I say to those ruling bodies if I lived during the Revolutionary time period? A mocking, made-up expression, “Go powder your wig!” began ringing in my head. I imagined telling off those fancy-pants, elite tyrants with that phrase.

At some point, I grabbed my guitar and penned a song called “Powder Your Wig.” Its purpose was to summarize the war’s causes and to evoke an emotional response from my students. Well, that song was a hit in my little world of thirty students. Not only did my children learn the causes of the war, but they were excited for social studies and to sing along when I broke out the guitar.

This prompted me to write a few more songs that would encapsulate the major aspects of the Revolutionary War. Those too were popular amongst my students and something I call Rockin’ Thru History was born.

The culmination was the release of my first “educational rock” CD entitled Powder Your Wig: Songs Inspired by the American Revolution. In it, I’ve attempted to take important, fascinating, and amazing details about our nation’s founding and fit them into fun, catchy, and summarizing songs. It seems to get elementary school kids excited and I’ve been singing in libraries, folk-festivals, schools, and other places ever since

In preparing and researching for my next songwriting project which I thought would relate to the Civil War, I began pouring over books about American slavery. After reading A Narrative of the Life of Frederick Douglass, I decided to take a little detour from my original plan. The book simply knocked me off my feet.

I came away realizing that every American student needed to know more about this great man. There is true power in his retelling of the fact that he was purposely torn from his mother before he could grow attached to her. Amazingly, he taught himself to read and write because he realized the tremendous power of words and knowledge. The day he decided he would no longer be a slave under any circumstances gripped me made me want to shift my focus for the next album.

With the help of some other amazing books like Bound for Canaan: The Epic Story of the Underground Railroad, America’s First Civil Rights Movement by Fergus Bordewich and To Purge this Land with Blood by Stephen B. Oates, I wrote seven original songs that tell the story of the Underground Railroad and some of its heroes. I sing about larger-than-life people like Douglass, Harriet Tubman, and John Brown but also about normal, everyday people who knew, deep down in their hearts, that equality is something that should belong to every American.

My album Slave No More: Songs Inspired by the Underground Railroad just came out in the spring and I’m in the middle of a busy summer singing at many of our local libraries here in Eastern Pennsylvania. When I have the privilege to perform, I love scanning the audience of little faces during the show. Clearly, some of those young readers are affected by the stories I tell through music.

My hope is that a spark gets lit and flames are fanned for further study and reading about the Underground Railroad. I have a deep conviction that it can be a unifier for our students who find themselves in an increasingly tumultuous and divisive time period in our culture.

As an educator and musician, there is tremendous satisfaction I feel when I hear little voices singing Rockin’ Thru History songs or when I see students with books about what we’ve been singing. There is something special when they share the impact of these incredible stories from history. When I first picked up my guitar thinking about King George, I never would have thought it could have developed into this second, fun-filled job in which I get to teach more American history to more children. I am very grateful for the opportunity and look forward to more songs that tell the story of the nation we call home!

Damien Drago has been a 5th Grade, public-school teacher for the last 13 years. He’s also a musician and songwriter who will sing about American history wherever he can get on a stage. Married to Audrey for the last 14 years, he has five amazing children (and one on the way). The Dragos make their home in Shillington, Pennsylvania. You can find out more about Damien’s work and music at his website.

To examine any book more closely at Amazon, please click on image of book.

A Teacher Pens Songs to Teach Kids History

As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases.

Follow PragmaticMom’s board A Teachable Moment on Pinterest.

My books:

We Sing From the Heart picture book cover reveal of The Slants Simon Tam

 Amazon / Signed or Inscribed by Me

Cover Reveal: Boxer Baby Battles Bedtime!Amazon / Signed or Inscribed by Me

Food for the Future: Sustainable Farms Around the World by Mia Wenjen, illustrated by Robert Sae-Heng

Food for the Future: Sustainable Farms Around the World

  • Junior Library Guild Gold selection
  • Massachusetts Book Award Long List
  • Selected as one of 100 Outstanding Picture Books of 2023 by dPICTUS and featured at the Bologna Children’s Book Fair
  • Starred review from School Library Journal
  • Chicago Library’s Best of the Best
  • 2023 INDIES Book of the Year Awards Finalist
  • Green Earth Book Award Long List
  • Imagination Soup’s 35 Best Nonfiction Books of 2023 for Kids

 Amazon / Barefoot Books / Signed or Inscribed by Me

cover for Sumo JoeChanging the Game: Asian Pacific American Female Athletes by Mia WenjenAmazon / Scholastic / Signed or Inscribed by Me

The Elusive Full Ride Scholarship: An Insider’s Guide

How To Coach Girls by Mia Wenjen and Alison FoleyAsian Pacific American Heroes

6 thoughts on “A Teacher Pens Songs to Teach Kids History”

  1. maryanne @ mama smiles says:
    August 26, 2015 at 9:48 pm

    This is awesome! I love using music to teach, and he is definitely talented.

    Reply
    1. Pragmatic Mom says:
      September 11, 2015 at 9:59 pm

      Hi MaryAnne,
      I have to say that his songs are catchy and the content is sticking to me personally!!! I can see the power of history through music!

      Reply
  2. Erik - TKRB says:
    August 31, 2015 at 6:23 am

    This is really really cool! 😀

    Reply
    1. Pragmatic Mom says:
      September 11, 2015 at 10:25 pm

      Thanks Erik,
      I can’t get the John Brown song out of my head now though! His songs and content are very sticky!

      Reply
  3. Alison says:
    August 31, 2015 at 6:45 pm

    This is amazing!! Learning through song is so meaningful! 🙂

    Reply
    1. Pragmatic Mom says:
      September 11, 2015 at 10:25 pm

      Hi Alison,
      So glad you like them too!

      Reply

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Looking for something? Search here.

I’m Mia Wenjen!

Mia Wenjen Pragmatic Mom

Hi, I’m Mia Wenjen. Nice to meet you!

I blog excessively about diverse children’s books (picture books through middle grade). I am also the co-founder of Read Your World Celebrates Multicultural Children’s Book Day on Jan 25, 2024, our 11th year!

I’d love to chat with you. Let’s connect! PragmaticMomBlog (at) gmail (dot) com or through my social media handles.

Free Blog Updates in your Inbox (RSS feed)

Monthly Newsletter with Subscriber Only Giveaways in your Inbox

My Linktree (click for my links & socials)

my linktree

My Websites

  • How To Coach Girls
  • I Love Newton
  • Mia Wenjen (My New Author Website)

Camp Cody: Overnight Camp in New Hampshire

Read Your World LGBTQIA+ Books Save Lives Merch!

https://www.pragmaticmom.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/Read-Your-World-FINAL-Merchandise-Video.mp4

Purchase Read Your World Merch

LGBTQIA+ Books Save Lives Merch.

Buy it here!

Search Amazon

Find Children's Books

Newton Children’s Book Festival 2025

Newton Children's Book Festival 2025

Get My Books Signed or Inscribed through my shop (click to purchase)

Mia Wenjen signed books

Boxer Baby Battles Bedtime! (click to purchase)

Cover Reveal: Boxer Baby Battles Bedtime!

We Sing From the Heart (click to pre-order)

We Sing From the Heart picture book cover reveal of The Slants Simon Tam

FOOD FOR THE FUTURE (click to purchase)

Food for the Future: Sustainable Farms Around the World by Mia Wenjen, illustrated by Robert Sae-Heng

CHANGING THE GAME (click to purchase)

Changing the Game: Asian Pacific American Female Athletes by Mia Wenjen

SUMO JOE (click to purchase)

Sumo Joe cover reveal

Asian Pacific American Heroes (click to purchase)

Asian Pacific American Heroes by Mia Wenjen

GNOMES & UNGNOMES: Poems of Hidden Creatures // I have 3 haiku poems (click to purchase)

GNOMES & UNGNOMES: Poems of Hidden Creatures 3 haiku by Mia Wenjen
Read Your World is Multicultural Children's Book Day

ClothingRIC- A Premium Coupon Website!

ThingsFromMars- The Wondrous World of Wacky Gift Products!

How to Get Kids Reading

  • Multicultural Books for Children: 60+ Book Lists
  • Getting Kids to Love Reading
  • Summer Reading Lists for Kids By Grade
  • Summer Reading Lists for Middle School Kids

Heim Nest Kid Mattress Exclusive Deal

Heim Nest Kid Mattress

AdvancedWriters.com is an expert writing service which helps students with academic writing.

educational toys

CEX.IO is a versatile crypto exchange platform where users can buy, sell, and trade cryptocurrencies, as well as access resources and tools to learn how to trade effectively.

MyPaperDone.com
is surely one of the best when it comes to paper writing assistance.

My Custom Essay
will guide you through academic life.

Essay Writing Services

If you ask "write my essay", Topessaywriting can help you with paper writing

TranslationReport can help you to choose the best translation service

If you are looking for the most trusted essay writing service, check this article about best essay writing service reviews at Econotimes

educational toys from dhgate stores

Assignment Writing Services Offer Assignment Assistance In UK Based Company 50% Discount Students

Playing at online casinos can be an exciting and rewarding experience, and you can find the best options at casinoszondercruksonline.com. 

For those seeking a safe and reputable gambling experience, the Meest betrouwbare buitenlandse casino lijst is an invaluable resource.

Archives

Categories

The Elusive Full Ride Scholarship (click to purchase)

The Elusive Full Ride Scholarship: An Insider’s Guide

HOW TO COACH GIRLS (click to purchase)

How To Coach Girls silver award winner

Archives

I’ll be sharing WHAT I WISH I KNEW BEFORE I STARTED MY KICKSTARTER CAMPAIGN

HOW TO COACH GIRLS book trailer by Mia Wenjen & Alison Foley

https://youtu.be/j74M0bBxrGg

Recent Posts

  • 21 Children’s Books to Celebrate Jewish American Heritage Month May 12, 2025
  • FOOD FOR THE FUTURE makes Sunshine State Young Readers Award Orange Blossom List for Nonfiction! May 9, 2025
  • Today is My Book Birthday for The Traveling Taco & 10 Book GIVEAWAY! May 6, 2025
  • 7 Train Books to get Young Readers on the Right Track + GIVEAWAY! May 5, 2025
  • The Traveling Taco Storytime and Craft at Ten Trees Books May 2, 2025

Categories

© 2025 Pragmatic Mom | Powered by Superbs Personal Blog theme
This website uses cookies to improve your experience. We'll assume you're ok with this, but you can opt-out if you wish.Accept Read More
Privacy & Cookies Policy

Privacy Overview

This website uses cookies to improve your experience while you navigate through the website. Out of these cookies, the cookies that are categorized as necessary are stored on your browser as they are as essential for the working of basic functionalities of the website. We also use third-party cookies that help us analyze and understand how you use this website. These cookies will be stored in your browser only with your consent. You also have the option to opt-out of these cookies. But opting out of some of these cookies may have an effect on your browsing experience.
Necessary
Always Enabled
Necessary cookies are absolutely essential for the website to function properly. This category only includes cookies that ensures basic functionalities and security features of the website. These cookies do not store any personal information.
SAVE & ACCEPT