Wisconsin Music Teachers Association Mentor Program

Elementary Music Challenge

Have you ever heard the song "Mary Had A Little Lamb"? Did you know that song was published in 1889 under the title: "The New and Original Mary Had A Little Lamb—A New and Popular Version Specially Arranged With Medley Chorus", by Willis Woodward & Company of New York. J. HAROLD KIMBALL composed the music. Mrs. Sarah Josepha Hale (1788-1879) wrote the two original stanzas (additional verses were composed by J. Hanold Kendall).

A few states were recently claiming ownership to the origin of "Mary Had A Little Lamb". New Hampshire claims Mrs. Hale as one of their residents and attribute the poem being written about a lamb from their state. The original publication states that Mrs. Hale was from Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. The original tempo was "scherzando" and the U.S. Military Band performed it. Now, I bet you didn't know that!

Click here and listen to a version of this famous song.

Let's see just how much you know about the melody for this very famous song!

Here are the first two measures:

Are these the next two measures?

When you've determined your answer,

Click Here for the correct answer to magically appear and disappear.

Measures 3 & 4 are:

Now, here's the complete melody written in the bass clef:

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