My wife has been volunteered to teach music in grade school a couple of times a month. The first unit is on work songs, including sea shanties. Our question is, is it possible to tell what type of work was done by the tempo and rhythm of a shanty? For example how would a short haul shanty differ from a capstan shanty, or a long-haul shanty? Also I would be interested in the descriptions of other (land) work songs and how they relate the rhythm of the task being done.

Thanks, Jon W.

PS I have refreshed the Heave up songs thread which has some related info.