#36 PROKOFIEV: Peter and the Wolf/Romeo & Juliet
GRIEG: Peer Gynt - Updated 01/16
- Romeo & Juliet [Prokofiev]
-------------Cinderella & Classical Symphony [Prokofiev] - Peter and the Wolf [Prokofiev]
- Peer Gynt [Grieg]
See also #18 Halloween
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Romeo & Juliet
LESSON: Romeo & Juliet Background, Procedure, Call Chart
http://www.classicalmidiconnection.com/cmc/prokofiev.htmBACK to Peter/Peer topics
***********************************************************************CINDERELLA/CLASSICAL SYMPHONY
MIDIS: Cinderella, Classical Symphony: http://www.classicalmidiconnection.com/cmc/prokofiev.htmBACK to Peter/Peer topics
***********************************************************************Peter and the Wolf
01/16 10/12 PRINTABLES: http://sarahjanestudios.com/blog/2011/04/peter-and-the-wolf-puppet-theater/
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LESSON: Peter & the Wolf (EXTENSIVE): http://www.classicalmidiconnection.com/cmc/prokofiev.htm
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PEER GYNT PROJECT: 've been doing [this] with my 4th and 5th graders and it's been a HUGE hit.
Day 1: Listen to "In The Hall of the Mountain King". Teacher tells the story of Peer Gynt who was captured by trolls. In the version I tell the kids, the troll king wants Peer to marry his daughter and Peer escapes the mountain. I make it goofy on purpose.
After listening to the music/story, divide the kids into small groups of 3-4. Give them a "Mad Lib" to complete as a group based on the Peer Gynt story. I don't let them see the story until after they've filled in their parts of speech and such on a separate piece of paper.
Day 2: Explain what a silent movie is. I showed a clip of a Charlie Chaplin movie from YouTube. Tell the kids that they will use their stories as their script to create a silent movie with "In The Hall of the Mountain King" as their background music. Remind them that they can't have any sound at all-- it's a SILENT movie. Turn them loose with props and see what they come up with.
Day 3: Give them a little bit of time to practice, then present the> silent movies. If you have the technology available, film the kids.> This has been an absolute blast. Even my difficult kids have been engaged and creative with this one. There's nothing quite like seeing a "tough guy" 5th grader wearing a tulle scarf as a veil along with a set of reindeer antlers to make the end of the year go a little easier) ---- Martha Stanley
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12/11 PUPPETS: I have my students (kinders) make their own popsicle stick PATW puppets. They glue a pic of the character on one side of a note card and we use these like this for a while in identifying the themes. Later we glue a pic of the corresponding instruments on the back of each character note card puppet. It's a way for me to assess them to be able to do this but rest assured some need assistance. They beg and beg to take these home to play with them. We use them in class a lot first tho. It does take time but is well worth it because we refer to them in future grades.I used the character pics and instrument pics from the STM and SOM series. Had to reduce the sizes to make them fit by using the copier. ---- Todd in Santa Fe
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01/16 LESSONS: http://www.coreknowledge.org/mimik/mimik_uploads/lesson_plans/694/Beware%20of%20the%20Big%20Bad%20Wolf.pdf
LESSONS: http://www.primaryresources.co.uk/music/music.htm
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07/15 -Lesson at:
http://www.minnesotaorchestra.org/learn/teachers-students-and-parents/young-peoples-concerts/curriculum07/11 LESSON w/Printables: http://www.coreknowledge.org/mimik/mimik_uploads/lesson_plans/694/Beware%20of%20the%20Big%20Bad%20Wolf.pdf
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07/11 LESSON UNIT (for Grade 1) includes Procedures, several lessons, booklet for students, shadow puppet cutouts, instrument cards
: http://www.hvanrossum.com/cutouts.html#peter
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12/09 Peter and the Wolf Introduction by Phil Tulga
http://www.philtulga.com/Peter.html
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LESSON: http://www.primaryresources.co.uk/music/music.htm -- includes:
Powerpoints: see K. Parsons, G. Pitchford
Identify the Character, Instrument (worksheet) see A. Black Character Cards & Pictures - see A. Black
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06/09 POWERPOINTS: http://www.primaryresources.co.uk/music/music.htm
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11/08 I love Phil Tulga's website: http://www.philtulga.com/resources.html with a page for a photo and sound bite for each instrument theme. – Lynn in Ohio
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11/08 VIDEO: Itunes has a great film (32 minutes) Oscar edition for $1.99 about the Oscar winning PATW:
http://www.breakthrufilms.co.uk/peterandthewolffilm/
also http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0863136/
Double checked the iTunes thing -- yep, it's there!! Be aware that at the end, the hunter gets his due, and the wolf is set free. There is some redeeming merit and bullying doesn't pay. When I use this, I WILL be commenting on the bullying.---- Martha StanleyI just downloaded this from iTunes (at $1.99, the price is right!). However, be SURE you watch it first. The first 5 minutes have a soldier grabbing Peter, throwing him in a dumpster and pointing his gun at him as if to shoot him. I don't have time to watch the rest right now, and if all we have to do is skip the first 5 minutes, that's fine. The picture quality is excellent! -- Becky Luce
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12/07 ACT OUT: I have used the recording with upper elementary with great success, because I let them act out the story. The only iffy part is the hunters (guns, you know), so I just tell them that the hunters in our version of the story are using binoculars to try and see the wolf from far away. Works every time! -- Caitlin in MD
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VIDEO: If you are looking for a really great Peter and the Wolf video, check out the Royal Ballet version. The costumes are great and the dancing is wonderful. Here is a link to Amazon for more information.
http://www.amazon.com/Prokofievs-Peter-Royal-Ballet-School/dp/B00005B34Z
My kiddos loved this! They wanted to watch it again the following class period! -- Todd HansenTry CD Universe here:
http://www.cduniverse.com/productinfo.asp?pid=1691121 -- Stephen Wight
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06/07 LESSON: 1. When introducing each theme and instrument it can be helpful to add words to the melodies. Just sing along with the themes as they are introduced on the CD. Here are some suggestions:PETER: Here's Peter's little song, we hear it as he skips along. The strings play when he's in the forest.
CAT: It's the cat, it's the cat, it's the clarinet. Meow, meow, meow, meow, meow, meow.
GRANDFATHER: It's Grumpy Gramps! He says the forest is no place to go. He has a voice that's way down low.
HUNTERS: The hunter's song, the hunter's song, We hear this music each time they march along. (followed by the sounds of the guns)
DUCK: The duck.swims around the pond so slow. The oboe tells him how to go.The Wolf and the Bird don't need any rhymes. But you can compare the wolf's music to the theme from the movie "Jaws". There are definite similarities!
2. I play the first section where each instrument is introduced and stop after each instrument. At this time I share the lyrics above and show round large instrument pictures.
3.Talk about instrument families.
WOODWINDS: . If possible, show them a clarinet reed and an oboe reed (in plastic cases) to compare. We have a band teacher at our school who supplied these to me. I demonstrate a variety of flutes and recorders. I play a soprano and an alto recorder, and assorted flutes from different countries (wooden, bamboo).
STRINGS: Make a box banjo using rubberbands and a shoebox or other box. Also put rubberbands on a board. Demonstrate the effectiveness of the sound box as a resonator- as opposed to the bands on a board. Then talk about the different sizes of the string instruments of the orchestra. If the resonator box is larger, will the sound be lower or higher?
BRASS: ask children to buzz through their fingers (held in a circle) to demonstrate brass instrument embrasure. Show pictures of brass instruments. Show picture of a saxophone and explain why it is NOT a brass instrument, even though it is made of brass. (It's a reed instrument)
PERCUSSION: Explain to children that a percussion instrument is one which is hit, scraped or shaken. Two percussion instruments that appear in P & T W are the cymbals and the drums. Ask students to clap like the cymbals being struck together and to pat their legs, as if they were drums. Ask them to echo you. Do a series of rhythm patterns (clapping and patting) that they can echo. Explain that they are doing "body percussion".4 Use books and videos as supplemental material. There are many versions of this tale. Some are not true to Prokofiev's original ending. Teachers are encouraged to discuss the differences and do a compare and contrast study with their students.
5. Teachers may wish to obtain and show the delightful Sesame Street version of Peter and the Wolf to students in grades K and 1. It is called Elmo's Musical Adventure (Peter and the Wolf) and features the muppets and the Boston Pops Symphony. It can be purchased at Walmart. In this version the duck is not eaten.
Disney cartoon version from the first Fantasia: In this version the animals are given names (Sasha the bird, Sonia the duck, Ivan the cat) and the duck is alive at the end.
One Book & Cassette version of P & T W is published by Alfred A Knopf (1986) , retold by Loriot with pictures by Jorg Muller. ISBN 0-394-88417-5 (book) ISBN 0-394-88418-3 (book & cassette package). This book has beautiful illustrations and is also fun because there are "I Spy" pictures of the wolf (foreshadowing) before he makes his actual appearance. Children like being the first to find the wolf! -- Dianne Park President, San Diego American Orff Schulwerk Association, Visit our SDAOSA website at
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06/07 LESSON - 1. First I tell the story. I don't use a book because I don't want them to ask for pictures. I want them to imagine their own. I also wear a clip-on mic which makes it really fun to play with the voices.
2. We listen to the CD - I like the one with Dame Edna as the narrator. It's way over their heads, but she entertains me, and the story is still the same. While we listen, they have a picture of a character to color. The 2nds draw scenes and add captions instead of having a coloring page.
3. I borrow instruments from the middle school and demonstrate to the best of my ability - anything with a reed sounds like a cry for help.
4. We listen again while making masks out of paper plates. When they're done, I tell the story while they act out their part, using the masks.
5. All my classes are divided into 4 teams. Teams sit together on the floor. I put pictures of each character and all the instruments in random order on the board. As I play each theme, they decide who it is and which instrument. If they're right, they get "a point in their head." I have no idea what that means, but they fall for it every time. - Andrea Cope
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06/07 VIDEO: We have the P&TW with Sting narrating. It is very funny. You have to be sure to tell the kids that Grandpa didn't know that smoking was unhealthy & that the duck is drinking root beer. They love the circus at the end, & are in awe of the way the characters change from "real" to puppets. I like that the pictures of the instruments are really the instruments, & not cartoon drawings. -- Mary Grebe
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01/07 KIRSTIE ALLEY VERSION I use the Kirstie Alley/Lloyd Bridges version of Peter and the Wolf. I always tell the kids that this is the "real" version. THEN I show them the Elmo version which is a hoot. It also has Keith Lockhart and the Boston Pops Orchestra. The kids love it. I do have a problem with this particular video though, much as I love it. The IDEA is great and Keith Lockhart is terrific but the actors (and they ARE actors - NOT professional players) are not good role models for playing the instruments. It is hilarious - really - and I always explain to the kids about the obvious drawbacks in it. They don't seem to mind! They really love it. - Kathleen Bragle
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01/07 ROYAL BALLET'S DVD I would recommend the junior Royal Ballet Schools' DVD of Peter and the Wolf to show after they have seen the perfomance. If you have enough time I would latyer have them act out the story with the music. I have abbreviated the music so it doesn't take so long. Usually do this with first or second grade classes who perform to the kindergarteners. -- Sue Michiels
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07/05 LESSONS: I [this] it with 2nd Grade.Lesson 1 - read the story, listened to the introduction. Lesson 2 - watched the Elmo version
Lesson 3 - listened to the CD while making puppets out of paper plates and popsicle sticks
Lesson 4 - I pulled one riser to the center of the room for easy access and placed the library's little puppet theater on top. As I retold the story, they ran behind the stage and held their puppet up. Yes, we generally had 8 cats, six wolves and one grandfather, but they didn't care one bit, no matter how squished they were backstage.
And now the warning: Lesson 5 - I tuned in to myself and was stunned to realize I had been saying, into my microphone, quite loudly, "All cats in the air!" "Ducks up!" And . . . . . . . . "Hold your Peters up higher! All Peters in the air so we can see them!" -- Andrea Cope
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04/03 ART: I begin this unit by telling the children that music can tell a story and WE get to hear a wonderful story about...Peter and the Wolf. I am so dramatic about it...I tell them that in THIS story, the actors are instruments. I show them the instruments and we discuss show plays what...They get comfortable in the room and begin to listen to the narrator version. AS they listen, I show them the instruments that are playing.When the music is over, we retell the whole story. I tell them to think about a favorite part that they would like to draw as we are telling the story. They each get a huge piece of paper and begin to draw their scene while the music plays again.
When they are done, we give our scenes a big black title across the top of the paper and the students tell what their scene depicts.We then read several books and compare the illustrations with each other and ours and finally we watch the Disney version video excerpt from Make Mine Music. They take their pictures home and share them with their families. This all takes 2 weeks for me because my classes are so short. My 1st graders end of loving this music so much!
Contributed by Kristin Lukow -- [email protected] -- http://www.geocities.com/klukow/music.html
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03/02 RHYTHM INSTRUMENTS: I started my 1st grade P&W unit this past Wed. and it went quite well. Just to whet their appetites for more, I simply told them the story. Then I had them recall the various characters (I wrote these on the board). I went on to suggest that we assign various instruments to represent each character...
Peter=wood block
Bird=jingle bells
Cat=a plastic monster stick that "moans" when you turn it upsidedown.
Duck=a duck call instrument (homemade)
Grandpa=drum
Wolf=maraca
Hunters=sticks
I passed out the instruments (everyone had something) and I read the story again and let the instruments accompany their character. The kids loved it. Then, I proceeded to tell them about Prokofiev and how he did this same thing only he used instruments of the orchestra. Next class, I'll introduce the bird (from the cd), show a picture of a flute, pass out scarves and let the kids move like birds to the music. Then I'm going to pull out my recorder and play "Bluebird Bluebird" which will lead in to my introducing them to that song and companion game.
Basically, this is how I'll introduce each character. At the end, I'll show a video to pull it all together.
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02/02 WOLVES: Point out that in Russia at the time the story takes place, wolves were a very serious problem. They ran in large packs and would attack lone travelers and small groups. These hunters may have been tracking a particularly vicious wolf with a history of attacking humans.
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02/02 LYRICS: 1. When introducing each theme and instrument it can be helpful to add words to the melodies. Just sing along with the themes as they are introduced on the CD. Here are some suggestions:Peter:
Here's Peter's little song, we hear it as he skips along. The strings play when he's in the forest.
Cat:
It's the cat, it's the cat, it's the clarinet. Meow, meow, meow, meow, meow, meow.
Grandfather:
It's Grumpy Gramps! He says the forest is no place to go. He has a voice that's way down low.
The Hunters:
The hunter's song, the hunter's song, We hear this music each time they march along.
(followed by the sounds of the guns)
Duck:
The duck…swims around the pond so slow… The oboe tells him how to go.The Wolf and the Bird don’t need any rhymes. But you can compare the wolf's music to the theme from the movie "Jaws". There are definite similarities!
2. I play the first section where each instrument is introduced and stop after each instrument. At this time I share the lyrics above and show round large instrument pictures (Bowmar)
3.Talk about instrument families.
Woodwinds: . If possible, show them a clarinet reed and an oboe reed (in plastic cases) to compare. We have a band teacher at our school who supplied these to me.
INSTRUMENTS: I demonstrate a variety of flutes and recorders. I play a soprano and an alto recorder, and assorted flutes from different countries (wooden, bamboo).Strings: Make a box banjo using rubberbands and a shoebox or other box. Also put rubberbands on a board. Demonstrate the effectiveness of the sound box as a resonator- as opposed to the bands on a board. Then talk about the different sizes of the string instruments of the orchestra. If the resonator box is larger, will the sound be lower or higher?
Brass: ask children to buzz through their fingers (held in a circle)to demonstrate the production of sound. (Lips begin to vibrate, this causes the column of air in the mouth piece to vibrate and this produces sound.) Show pictures of brass instruments. Show picture of a saxophone and explain why it is NOT a brass instrument, even though it is made of brass. (It's a reed instrument)
Percussion: Explain to children that a percussion instrument is one which is hit, scraped or shaken. Two percussion instruments that appear in P & T W are the cymbals and the drums. Ask students to clap like the cymbals being struck together and to pat their legs, as if they were drums. Ask them to echo you. Do a series of rhythm patterns (clapping and patting) that they can echo. Explain that they are doing "body percussion".
4. Puppets: Use the puppets included in the packet to help tell the story. Color and cut out according to directions. Create your paper bag theater. Follow the narration and let the music tell the tale, moving the puppets at the appropriate times. Practice your timing. This is a very successful activity for K-3rd grade.
5. Use books and videos as supplemental material. There are many versions of this tale. Some are not true to Prokofiev's original ending. Teachers are encouraged to discuss the differences and do a compare and contrast study with their students.
Teachers may wish to obtain and show the delightful Sesame Street version of Peter and the Wolf to students in grades K and 1. It is called Elmo's Musical Adventure (Peter and the Wolf) and features the muppets and the Boston Pops Symphony. It can be purchased at Walmart. In this version the duck is not eaten.
Disney cartoon version from the first Fantasia: In this version the animals are given names (Sasha the bird, Sonia the duck, Ivan the cat) and the duck is alive at the end.6. One Book & Cassette version of P & T W is published by Alfred A Knopf (1986) , retold by Loriot with pictures by Jorg Muller. ISBN 0-394-88417-5 (book) ISBN 0-394-88418-3 (book & cassette package). This book has beautiful illustrations and is also fun because there are "I Spy" pictures of the wolf (foreshadowing) before he makes his actual appearance. Children like being the first to find the wolf!
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02/02 PUPPETS: We make picture puppets on popsicle sticks and the children each get a complete set. They respond to the story by showing which character they are hearing....they really love this unit. Parents send us messages constantly about how much their children love it However, we do the unit in first grade. We teach "Carnival of Animals" in Kinder. We found a really cute book with good ideas at TMEA by Marjie Van Gunten it has 12 taching units using music , movement and language.....it is highly successful.
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02/02 INSTRUMENTS: I assign classroom instruments for the characters in the story and then as I read the story they play according to what their character is doing. They love the part where the bird and duck argue-I tell them to make the instruments sound like they are arguing, etc...
Here's what I use:
Peter-glockenspiel with all bars on-they can play specific bars or just glissando up and down
Duck- Vibraslap
Bird- TriangleWolf- Gong
Grandfather- Cabasa
Cat- Guiro
Hunters- Timpany drum
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7/01 WEIRD AL VERSION: Peter and the Wolf; Weird Al version It's out of print but it is SO worth the search. It's the P&W story done on a synthesizer, but it sounds pretty real. There are lots of Weird Al plot twists, a burp, a toilet flush, all the stuff kids like!! He also has great voices for the characters.
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7/01 CAT PAWS VERSION: Lee Towell, Cat Paws, in San Antonio, Texas has a wonderful Peter and the Wolf suitable for the primary grades.
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7/01 BOOK: Sesame Street book with Prairie Dawn acting as the narrator. For older ones, I use the Spitting Image Puppets version narrated by Sting.
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7/01 VIDEO: "Elmo's Musical Adventure - The Story Of Peter and the Wolf." Baby Bear and his Father go to the Boston Pops to hear Peter and the Wolf. The purpose of the video is teaching Baby Bear how music can paint a picture. Baby Bear imagines the story ( with Sesame Street characters, of course). It's done really well, and it uses the actual instruments and musicians to help the children see how music creates a story. I was really impressed and plan on using it with younger students.I started showing at the point where Papa Bear and Baby Bear go to the orchestra hall and meet the Boston Pops players and conductor, who introduces each instrument used in the story. This part takes about 20 minutes and gives the kids a chance to process all this new stuff. After the viewing we discussed the characters/instruments, and the class named the characters. I wrote them on the board as if they were really contributing a new thought, but I was actually placing them into a special order to arrive at the following: "bird, cat, grand-pa, duck, Peter and the wolf" We spoke and clapped the words until the kids could tell me what rhythm to write: ta ta / ti-ti ta / ti-ti ti-ti / ta Z "Hunters" became an ostinato: ti-ti Z.
At our next meeting, it was time for the actual concert (story). That was about 20 more minutes. After reviewing the characters and instruments again, the students copied the long rhythm pattern onto a paper, using standard notation, with which they were already comfortable. Using sol, mi, and la on their bell sets (G, E, and A) they then created their own tune on the given rhythm. We'll add the ostinato on another day.
The Sesame Street element didn't seem to bother the 1st graders at all. In fact, they had fun discussing who each character was and how their appearance had been altered to fit the story. Our 1st graders do "pigs," and hear assorted versions of "The Three Little Pigs." I had introduced this as one version of the story of Peter and the Wolf, as presented by our Muppet friends.
My 3rd graders LOVED it! Believe it or not, they didn't balk at the sesame street characters. They laughed and laughed when Elmo got tongue tied when the wolf was behind the characters. They wanted me to back it up so they could see that part again.I have special kids at this school
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7/01 BERNSTEIN VERSION: Students take the quiz on the Leonard Bernstein recordings many videos . . . I really like the Jim Gamble version as well as the Disney classic.recording narrated by Patrick Stewart. I color a scene board and character/ instrument cards for each team. (My kids are always in teams,but you could group them right before the activity.) The students use the character cards and place them on the scene where they think the character should be according to the story. About halfway through the recording, we use the instrument cards instead. (These are the sheets from Music Teacher's Almanac that Cheryl mentioned.) The next day we watch the Disney cartoon of "Peter and the Wolf." I have the students discuss the differences between the recorded story and the movie after the video finishes.We review for the exam. I play a game called snowball. Each student needs a small piece of paper and a pencil. You tell them to write a word on the paper. Give each student a word making sure that you use all of the characters and instruments (example: student one writes wolf on his paper, student two writes French horn on her paper, etc.).
Then you have the instruments line up on one side and the characters on the other. The students crumple their paper and throw them at each other until you blow the whistle (flash the lights, or other quiet signal). They then become TOTALLY silent and pick up ONE paper only. They must find the person who has the match to their paper (ex. the child with clarinet on her paper is looking for the child with cat on his paper.). They then form a line with their partner and I check them all. This game may seem chaotic, but the "you won't get to play if you're obnoxious" threat works really well here. If you don't want to brave it, then don't have the students crumple their paper. They then walk around the room trading papers with whomever they pass. When you say stop, they look for the match and line up. Take "Peter and the Wolf" test. Begin listening to the Weird Al version
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7/01 BOOK/CD: I teach Peter & the Wolf to 2nd graders, using a book and cassette package. This book has beautiful illustrations, and also is fun because there are "I spy" pictures of the wolf (foreshadowing) before he makes his actual appearance, and I give a hand stamp to the first kid who finds each picture. The book, published by Alfred A. Knopf (1986), is retold by Loriot with pictures by Jorg Muller. ISBN 0-394-88417-5 (book), ISBN 0-394-88418-3 (book and cassette pkg).I play the first section where each instrument is introduced and stop after each instrument. I use the large instrument pictures (Bowmar) and I give them an oboe reed and clarinet reed to pass around and compare (in a case!). I also play a fife and a recorder to compare embouchures (for the flute). Talk about instrument families.
Sometimes I add words to the melodies:
It's the cat, it's the cat, it's the clarinet, ow, meow, meow, meow, meow, meow.
Here's Peter's little song, We hear it as he skips along, The strings play when he's in the forest.
It's grumpy gramps ..........
The hunters song, the hunters song, We hear this music each time they march along.
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I compare the wolf's music to "Jaws."When they listen, I let them call out each time they hear a theme, and they discover how the different themes interact.
I also pass around a Kalmus miniature orchestra score, and explain how the conductor keeps track of what is going on. The dialog is written in 3 languages, which impresses them.At the end of the year, I lend out Elmo's Musical Adventure (Peter and the Wolf muppet-style) to interested classroom teachers. Some classes love it, and some find it sufferingly babyish.
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12/06 Peter and the Wolf - instrument sounds, background, story line
http://www.philtulga.com/Peter.html
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6/01 Peter and the Wolf Pictures and Midi files and quiz
http://grotesmurf.madscience.nl/music/index.html
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ABOUT: http://www.advocateswest.org/species/wolf/
ABOUT: http://animals.nationalgeographic.com/animals/mammals/wolf/
ANIMAL FACTS: http://www.sciencekids.co.nz/sciencefacts/animals/wolf.html
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Poems, Legends, Information, Wolves in Stories (story suggestions): http://www.wolfsongalaska.org/activity_page.html
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5/01
INSTRUMENTS: Each group has a set of instrument cards (I have sets that I purchased some time ago...animals holding instruments, each family of animals has a different family of instruments). They spread the cards out so they can see them all.
We listen to a recording of the story and when each character is introduced we listen, stop the tape and then find the card or cards that have that instrument on it. The character cards are then put together on the floor. After the story/class is over we discuss the instruments that were selected to represent each character.
At the beginning of the next class I list the characters on the board, give each group their cards back and have them find the instruments that correspond with the characters in the story.
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5/01 BOOK: I have a reproducible "little book" that tells the story and has a picture of the instrument that goes with each character. It is from "Teacher Created Materials" Early Childhood Units for Music. It is an eight page book with pictures of the story and instruments. For example, the first page says "Peter went into the meadow." It has a picture of a little boy and the violin, cello, viola and double bass. Each page is half of a sheet of paper so you run two copies per page.
I use this at the end of the unit. The kids love making them and I always tell them that their homework is to take it home and read it to their parents and teach them about the different instruments. They all have to learn to pronounce Prokovief too!
Teacher Created Materials 6421 Industry way Westminster CA 92683
1-800-858-7339 or 714-891-2273
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DISNEY ANIMATED VERSION: I love the Disney animation of Peter & the Wolf and use it every year with Grade 1/2.
First we listen to a traditional recording of "Peter and the Wolf." I have one that is narrated by Patrick Stewart. I color a scene board and character/ instrument cards for each team. (My kids are always in teams, but you could group them right before the activity.) The students use the character cards and place them on the scene where they think the character should be according to the story. About halfway through the recording, we use the instrument cards instead.
Day 2: The next day we watch the Disney cartoon of "Peter and the Wolf." I have the students discuss the differences between the recorded story and the movie after the video finishes. I also have various Coloring books and picture books of "Peter and the Wolf" for the students to pass around. The books I have were all purchased at "Music in Motion." They are and illustrated version of the story by Charles Mikolaycak and a coloring book called "Peter and the Wolf" published by Bellerophon.
Day 3: I pass out the coloring sheet for the kids to color. It's two pages and I let them spend the full class time coloring it.
Day 4: We review for the exam. I play a game called snowball. Each student needs a small piece of paper and a pencil. You tell them to write a word on the paper. Give each student a word making sure that you use all of the characters and instruments (example: student one writes wolf on his paper, student two writes French horn on her paper, etc.). Then you have the instruments line up on one side and the characters on the other. The students crumple their paper and throw them at each other until you blow the whistle (flash the lights, or other quiet signal). They then become TOTALLY silent and pick up ONE paper only. They must find the person who has the match to their paper (ex. the child with clarinet on her paper is looking for the child with cat on his paper.). They then form a line with their partner and I check them all. This game may seem chaotic, but the "you won't get to play if you're obnoxious" threat works really well here. If you don't want to brave it, then don't have the students crumple their paper. They then walk around the room trading papers with whoever they pass. When you say stop, they look for the match and line up.
Day 5: Take "Peter and the Wolf" test.
Day 6: Begin listening to the Weird Al version of the song. I see my 4th graders for 20 minutes, so it takes us 2 class periods.
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LESSON II had the students listen to the Introductory track that explains the use of the different instruments with the different characters. As each instrument was mentioned, I showed a picture of the instrument. After that was over, we discussed the wisdom of Prokofiev's choices. Then I let the students listen to the first part of the story, up to the moment just before the duck is eaten by the wolf. This leaves them in a little suspense until they get to finish the story.LESSON II: I rehearse the names of the instruments and which one plays which character. Then I give each student an outline picture of one of the instruments. They are to write the name of the character on it, then give the instrument a "costume" so that it looks like the character. I have had a blast watching how creatively third graders can embellish the pictures to look like animals. Each student works on his own picture while listening to "Peter and the Wolf"
Hints: I found the pictures in a book that comes with the MacMillan music texts. The students do better when they aren't allowed to draw until after their character's first appearance in the story. I give the students two lessons to work on their pictures. I don't give them any guidelines, other than that. If they ask me "how do I do this?..." I tell them that they are the artist, not me, and that if they don't worry so much about what to draw, but concentrate on listening, the perfect idea will appear like magic. If some of them finish early, they might want to try an additional picture. One class began spontaneously to use their finished pictures like puppets to act out the story together while listening.
I don't have any resources per se but we did have a good time with this in the primary reading classes that I teach. We did a Peter and the Wolf puppet show to a music/narration cd. I just drew them, photocopied them, and the kids colored and cut out a rough outline around each one. Then we taped them to some old junky bell mallets and voila! puppets!
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VIDEO: The Peter and the Wolf video with Sting as narrator is available in the Music in Motion catalogue (p97 of the 1999 catalogue). Its full title is "Peter and the Wolf: A Prokofiev Fantasy". It contains 2 other Prokofiev pieces, but I usually only have time to show the "Peter" segment. My kids (preK-1st) enjoy it!
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CARDS: I think in the Music Teacher's Almanac there is a neat set of cards that the students can color and cut out. The students can then draw a stage (or there may be something else in the book for this part) and when they hear the character in "Peter and the Wolf" they move the card to center "stage". I'm doing this with my first graders right now. They enjoy matching the cards together and using them as flash cards with a partner and lots of other neat ideas they have come up with themselves!
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JIM GAMBLE VERSION: A particulary good version of this is obtained from Puppeteers of America Store. It's Jim Gamble's version of Peter and the Wolf. He has made two sets of puppets. The first set has the body of the musical instrument. It's fascinating to watch. I've seen him perform it live a couple of times too.....once from backstage. He's amazing.
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OCTAVO: There is a wonderful "Peter and the Wolf" arrangement by Lee Campbell-Towell that incorporates singing and movement. She took the melodies and added lyrics and movements for the kids. I did it in performance with my third graders a couple of years ago and it was a hitBACK to Peter/Peer topics
***********************************************************************PEER GYNT
01/16 BOOK: RATTLEBONE ROCK, by Sylvia Andrews, Harper Collins Publishers; Cute and colorful illustrations. Cover describes it this way: Clacka-Clack! Booma-Boom! Rappa-Rap! These are the sounds of ghosts and things as banshees sway and witches swing. Spirits in thegraveyard rock and bop as the rattlebone rock begins to hop. The whole town joins in all thefun and everyone parties till the morning sun. Come snap and clap - join the syncopation fora best-ever Halloween celebration!I use this in 2nd and again in 3rd. First I just read it through and show the illustrations.Then I assign one or more students to each page with a particular rhythm instrument, such ascastanets on the page where ghosts enter. The rhythms are created by the students and the texturethickens throughout the book until reaching a climax towards the end. Then everything fadesaway to nothing as daylight comes. I read through a small p.a. system in my stereo to givea little different color to the narration. Musical growth comes through creative use of instruments,following a directors motions, and listening carefully and watching for cues. Instruments usedare: hand drum & beater, castanets on a handle, *green thing* you twirl in the air to makehowling sound, sticks on chair, autoharp & mallet (sort of like *Banshee*), sandblocks,guiro, maracas, cabasa, claves, jingle sticks, finger cymbals, cat and owl sounds (vocal). WEBSITES 12/09 LISTENING MAP
http://www.classicsforkids.com/activitysheets/October2009.pdf
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RECORDINGS
A Heavy Metal band took the song and arranged it - Guitar Hero even used their recording for the game!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=s2HiprcBJ8k --- RaeAnna Goss
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IDEAS
11/08 There is a video series by Jim Gamble of his wonderful puppet/marionette programs. There is one for Peer Gynt, Carnival of the Animals, Peter and the Wolf and The Nutcracker (I believe). You can put Jim Gamble in your favorite search engine and find out more information. --- Todd in Santa Fe
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11/08 I use the BBC Orchestra site that has an animated version of Hall of the MK - kids just love it. I'll look up the web address for you at school. On a second or third listening I let the kids mold clay into a troll while listening. They LOVE this. They get to work with clay and make trolls and the mtn king, etc. They each get a ball of clay to use. They hate to give up their creations at the end of class! -- http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/p02fltbj --- Dianne Park, San Diego, CA
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12/07 HAND JIVE: Do the hand jive (from the musical Grease) to the melody. Pat legs for two beats, clap two beats, R hand over L twice, L over R twice, L fist hit R fist twice, R fist hit L fist twice, L thumb over shoulder twice, R thumb over shoulder twice. Repeat for each theme - music gets faster and faster, so does the hand jive. I get lots and lots of giggles at the end of this and they always ask if we can do it again!CLAY TROLL: Using green modeling clay, form a troll while listening to the music (music was written about a troll story). A HUGE hit! Word of warning: don't make your own clay unless you have a tried and true recipe. I did this the first time with my own clay, which was perfect consistency when I made it, but turned to mush by the time I got it out. The kids had green clay ALL over their hands and it was a horrendous mess. Fortunately I have 2 sinks in my room, which were both used to clean hands. Anyway, using good modeling clay and making trolls was a big hit - the kids loved creating while listening. -- Marcia Rothra
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12/07 MOVEMENT: We all crouch and sneak around the mountain cave, pretending we're hiding though it may be behind a music stand or between xylophones or flat against the wall. There is one point where I say "Freeze" - the action just gets so fast and loud that kids would be screaming and running - so we act out the rest in pantomime right where we are. We run in place desperately looking behind us, maybe start from a crouch and move higher and higher like we're frantically trying to crawl out a hole. Strike pose of exultation at the end. -- Linda Zaudtke
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12/07 CUP GAME: Do the cup game to the Hall of the Mountain King, around a "campfire." I did this back in October and again at the end of the school year. Do a simplified version with the younger grades, and add a more complex pattern for the older ones. -- Julie Jones
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12/07 SHAKERS/ACCELERANDO: Back when I was student teaching, we used homemade egg shakers with "The Hall of the Mountain King" to demonstrate accelerando and crescendo. The trick is to start the music, THEN begin to hand out the shakers one at a time to the children. You hand them out at a pace that allows a gradual crescendo to build as the children shake them to the steady beat. Used to do this with 2nd's...still do, but the older kids still beg for this lesson. The looks of joy on their faces when the music gets fast and loud are priceless! -- Julie in IL
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12/07 EGG SHAKERS We used a little airplane glue to hold the eggs shut. I'm on the 4th year with no mishaps! -- Jayne in MI
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MOVEMENTS: I've tried something similar with this same piece that doesn't involve any touching! I just thought I'd pass it along in case someone else wanted to try it. It's basically a hand jive of 16 beats. My 1st and 2nd graders are able to enjoy it, whereas the other pattern suggested is too complex. I originally teach it with the song "Waddaly Atcha" and then bring it back with the Mountain.King. They really see and feel the accelerando and crescendo with the hand jive. We do it while seated in a circle.All movements are done in twos:
pat legsslicing motion with one hand on top (palms down and moving horizontally over each other) slicing motion with the other hand on top pound fists with the other hand on top
"hitchhike" motion over 1 shoulder
"hitchhike" motion over the other shoulder
-----Procedure:
Stand in a circle and pass one beach ball to teacher beating steady drum beat. When all students can pass on the beat, speed up the drum beats. When all have that, add another beach ball and practice with tempo changes. Now put on Hall of the Mtn. King and tell them not to quit no matter what! About 50 teachers did this with three beach balls going and made it all the way through and it was great! Contributed by Di Park
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07/05 I start out by telling the children that music can tell a story through words, it can tell a story without using words, and it can be added to a story to make it more meaningful. I also talk about cliffhanger endings at some point (depending on the grade level). I start off w/ "Skin and Bones" (has words). I did it a couple of weeks ago when I demonstrate the flute and recorder and had them sing like the flute on the "Oooo's".
We also act out the story. The congas are tombstones, boomwhackers are bones, the old lady wears a scarf and walks around, and behind a makeshift screen, a child puts on a mask from the Dollar Tree. They have cute cuddly bear, monkey and rabbit masks. The child jumps out at the end on "Boo" and everyone laughs and wants to take a turn. Next I tell the simplified story of Peer Gynt. He was a bully and nobody liked him. He was chased out of town. He fell and hit his head. When he awoke, a beautful girl took him home to meet her father, The Mountain King.
Her father was also the king of the trolls. Dr. Linda High has a nice troll picture that's not scary in her storybook. I think it's called "Once Upon A...". We listen to the music and use our fingertips to keep a beat. I tell what's happening the first time they listen, but keep quiet the second time. I also tell them that I have heard 3 endings to the story and that w/ music there are no wrong answers. Peer can either get caught, escape, or wake up. They can decide which one they like.
With the older children I pass around bean bags or basket balls to the beat and keep adding them in. We got up to 8 balls in 5th, but 3rd was having trouble w/ 3.Another lesson is "The Green Gourd". It's a mountain story about a "witchin' green gourd" that chases the old woman and "fumps" her on the head. We use instruments to represent the characters and I got a song from a workshop that goes w/ it. The children also act it out. I like to pick out the most aggravating child for the green gourd because the bear sits on him in the end. Dr. Linda High orchestrated that one and "Old Mossyfoot" which I also got at a workshop.
I quit using "Where's My Big Toe?" for K's because one or two always got scared. It's on a CD I found of Appalachian stories and songs. The storyteller is wonderful and when the lights are turned out, you feel like you are sitting around a campfire listening to cool stories. These activities pretty well take up the whole month. At another workshop I went to today, I got some ideas for "Old Roger is Dead and Gone to His Grave". I plan to use it this week and have the children act it out and add instruments and sound effects. Even K's can do this one. Susan Hanks
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07/05 It reinforces keeping the steady beat, and I have them listen for the 2 main things the music does from beginning to end (crescendo and accelerando). When I tell the story of Peer Gynt, I explain that he is trying to escape because the king's daughter danced for him (Anitra's dance) and he laughed at her. The King ordered him thrown in the dungeon, so he is looking for a way out. When the music starts to speed up, the trolls are chasing him. He reaches the top of the mountain, and they have a big fight (where the music starts and stops) and then - he either escapes or they catch him! (I let them guess about it, then tell them he escaped) They love it! Barbara
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11/03 Something I picked up from a workshop or something for "Hall of the Mountain King": Teach the hand jive from Grease BEFORE you let them hear the song. Clap 2x, patsch 2x, swish (cross hands at the wrists) 2x, switch hands & swish 2x, pound fists 2x, switch hands & pound 2x, hitchhike 2x on one side, 2x on other. Do it nice & slow till they have it down. Remind them to make small movements in even sets of 2. Then put song on & do the hand jive with it. They ALWAYS break out giggling when the music gets louder & faster. They then tell me what happens to the music (gets louder, faster, higher). In the Silver Burdett book it says the story different than Jim Gamble's video (which story is correct, anyone know?) But I choose a Peer and some trolls & have them slowly walk around like trolls, pantomime style, ignoring Peer, while Peer tries to get out of his imaginary palace with no way out. When the music gets faster, the trolls take turns "lashing" out at Peer, without touching him, and he keeps looking for an escape. At the climax of the music, the trolls fall to the floor as if disappearing, & Peer is looking around in awe. FUN & they beg to do it again & again. - Contributed by Mary Duren
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07/05 I use the Grieg’s “In the Hall of the Mountain King” and do a “wake up the body by bits and pieces thing”... all[students] start out lying on the floor where they have space... first only fingers wiggle... then add toes ,... then arms one at a time I think... it's been a few years since I did it.. but the kids loved it and requested it many times later... by the end... the whole body is standing and wiggling around to the music ... stops and freezes when the music does... and I can't recall... collapses at the end. I'd have to try it out and see how many body parts it would end up being... I told them a little of the story of Peer Gynt... and how he didn't want to marry the troll princess... so tried to escape while trolls were sleeping. -- Nancy Paxson
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10/04 HALL OF THE MOUNTAIN KING
pat pat
clap clap
scissor hands w/ 1 hand on top
scissor hands w/ other hand on top
make fists and "pound" one hand
on top of the other
now other hand on top hitchhike thumb over one shoulder
other thumb over other shoulder -- Jennifer Schroeder
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The Macarena works well with this music. - Gwen Fitzgerald
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02/03 "In the Hall of the Mountain King":
02/03 Each movement is done on the beat.own - pat your own legs with both hands
right - move your hand one leg to the right (your right hand in on your neighbor's left leg and your left hand is on your own right leg)left - same as above but in reverse
cross - cross your arms and pat your own legs
out - uncross your arms and pat the legs of your neighbors
side - clap your neighbor's hand on both sides of you ( right hand goes to neighbor on right,etc)Own Right Own Left
Own Cross Out Own
Clap Clap Side Side
**Turn 2 3 4***(we replaced the turn with 4 snaps, as Becky has inquired privately, so standing for the turn is not needed. On "side", where you're supposed to meet your neighbors' hands, we just reach flat hands out forward and slightly to the sides and pat the air. It's too hard to meet neighbors' hands in a seated circle, especially when you are close enough to reach their knees in the first part of the directions)
Contributed by Becky Luce
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I tried it standing since there is a turn in it, I just assumed that it was in a circle. I had a concern about hands going where they should not go. Missing someone's legs and touching somewhere else.... I have to say that there is a possibility if you do when standing that hands will end up where they should not. Inappropriate places. I think sitting is the way I would do it. We did the turn for 4 counts. Now I guess we stand up to turn... and sit down again afterwards.
Contributed by Patti Albritton
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I've used this with every 3rd and 4th grade since that posting. The students love it! We always do it sitting down.
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08/02 "In the Hall of Mountain King, Mountain King, Mountain King. In the Hall of Mountain King, composed by Mr. Grieg."I also work with them on skipping with this piece. It begins slow enough that those who can't skip can successfully move "Step - hop. Step - hop." By the end of the song, they are skipping! ALSO, I don't tell them what they will be doing by the end of the piece. It's really neat to hear their comments about it after the whole activity is over. (The PE teacher said that some of the students who had not been able to skip previously, were now able to skip after doing this activity a couple of times.)
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08/02 Mountain King Hand Jive: This activity was posted by Theresa Witt back in November of 1999. It's now a favorite with my 3rds and 4ths. I did change the last direction from "Turn 2 3 4" to "Snap 2 3 4" because we do the activity either seated in a circle of chairs or in a seated floor circle. Follow the link below to the original message.
http://www.escribe.com/education/mk8/m13131.html 10/01 The Peer Gynt story I heard is this:
Peer plays one too many tricks on the town he's in and he gets chased out of town and into the nearby woods.
Peer meets up with the mtn. king's daughter and decides he would like to marry her, so he introduces himself as PRINCE Peer (which of course, he's not) and asks her father for her hand. He agrees, with conditions:
1. Peer must learn to eat like a troll - Peer reluctantly agrees
2. Peer must grow a tail like a troll - Peer says he'll try
3. Peer must see like a troll (whose eyesight is very poor and cannot come outside in daylight).
Peer disagrees with the last request and says he does NOT want to marry the daughter after all. The king is furious, and the daughter falls to the ground in a faint. Peer tries to run away, but all the castle doors are locked and he's trapped inside. The king calls out the trolls to come up from their caves and capture Peer. They chase him around the castle, finally catch him, and start biting and hitting him.
All of a sudden everything disappears - the trolls, the king and his daughter, and the castle - and Peer finds himself all alone in the woods, rubbing his VERY sore head. (You see, he tripped over a rock while running through the woods and hit his head - it was all a dream...) This story matches the music very well, and my kids LOVE it. This goes along with the idea that Peer is traveling through the world seeking adventures - this was one of them....
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10/01 Peer Gynt:
I do something fun with my elem. kids for Hall of the Mountain King that your students might enjoy. I made bright green playdoh and rolled it into balls (a reasonable size) and put each ball into an individual ziplock bag. I have enough for a large class (34 bags). After we have listened to the H of the Mtn King once (while I tell the story muy dramitico!), I tell them that this time they are to listen without me talking, imagine the tale, and listen for dynamics, but as they listen they are to make the head of a troll. I demonstrate, quickly pulling out a long nose, pinching big ears and eyes and punching a mouth in. Every troll looks different. They just LOVE this activity. I tell them if they don't like what they made, just do it again -but at the end of the song we will all hold up our trolls and see how they look. The uglier the better! Keep some baby wipes in your classroom to wipe hands with afterwards since they get kind of salty. I did this today with my special ed kids (autistic/retarded) and they loved it!
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10/10 Using the music "In the Hall of the Mountain King" Have kids sit on floor in circle. Using inflatable balls (beach balls, etc.) pass the balls to the steady beat of the music. It gets really hectic at the end as the music gets faster and faster and the kids (even my big ol' 5th and 6th graders) love it.At the workshop, we used about 3 balls, distributed somewhat evenly among the participants in the circle. Depending upon my class, I'll use anywhere from 1 - 3. With some of my kids, it kind of freaks them out to have too many things going on at once. This afternoon with one of my "difficult" classes, I had 2 circles - boys and girls separate - and used one ball with each group.
I'm sure it doesn't have to be inflatable balls - but because of how fast the music gets, it's safer to use lightweight balls. Someone usually ends up getting bonked in the face.
And since it was fall when I learned the activity, way past beach weather, I couldn't find any beach balls. So... I went to the Dollar Tree and got 2 clear balls with glow-in-the-dark stars attached. It would be so cool if my room would get completely dark - but the kids don't care. I've also used inflatable globes. What I think would be really cute is to use inflatable pumpkins, but I haven't looked for any. I used to have an inflatable Christmas ornament - another Dollar Tree find - that would be cute for some sort of Christmas song that accelerates. (Any ideas?) By the way, another activity we did at the workshop was to pass the ball in one direction while the teacher played a steady beat on the hand drum (using a mallet). When the sound changed (she played on the rim with the mallet's handle), we had to switch directions. The kids like that, too - and it's fun to vary the tempo.
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The rhythm patterns to "In the Hall.." are quite simple and lend themselves to other lessons. I've had the students (as a whole class) write their own words to the rhythm of the piece and then perform it..sometimes adding rhythm instruments at the same time or on the repeating sections. It also has a clear form which can be another focus of the lesson. The kids have lots of fun writing words and learning how to make the syllables fit the notes. They gain more respect for composers.
Did you notice that "MARY HAD A LITTLE LAMB" has the SAME RHYTHM as "In the Hall of the Mountain King"?
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I use the book called "E.H. Grieg's Peer Gynt" translated by Ann Brannen and published by Gakken. It is from a whole series of books called "Fantasia Pictorial - Stories from Famous Music" It was published in '71 so don't know if you can still find it. (Try out of print booksellers. Several are listed on the internet. Just do a search)
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I was given these word that go to the rhythm of the music in a workshop given by Lois Fiftal, who by the way was excellent. If she ever comes by you it would be well worth your time to see her.
The lyrics are:
This is quite an eerie place, It's so dark, It's so stark, Think I'll lessen up my pace, I Know not where I am!
Should I quickly turn around, Sneak away without a sound, Should I be courageous and move on to victory?This is repeated nine times each time getting louder and faster as the music does.
The last section also goes to the tune.
Oh, no! Oh no! Somethings coming after me and quickly gaining ground!
(Repeat this once) then.......
Oh, no! Oh no! I,yi,yi,yi, I,yi,yi,yi I'mmmmmmmmmmmmmm Caught!You've got to try this to the music. It's a riot. The kids loved it. Even the 6th graders. It takes some practice getting the last part to go to the music. I have notation written out for it, and before we ever hear the song they read the notation
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My 4th graders love doing "tempo" with "In the Hall of the Mountain King". This is very easy. Divide students into 3 groups (Allegro, Moderato, Adagio) Give the Adagio group rhythm sticks. Have them tap beat (or you could notate the rhythm and have them tap it...it's actually a quite simple rhythm pattern...repetive) until the tempo changes, then pass to the Moderato group. The Moderato group continues until the tempo change then passes to the Allegro group. All students at least keep a beat patsching in before or after turn.
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Of course, they will be more drawn into the song if you tell the story of Peer Gynt in the Mountain!
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Move in a circle around the room to the beat. Start on tip toes at the beginning. As the music gets faster begin to walk normally. The next major tempo change begin to jog to the beat. Jump on the cymbal crashes near the end. No talking and no touching or pushing anyone allowed. If your group is large and space is small, let half go at a time and the others play the rhythm on sticks.
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I use a listening map transparency that comes with MacMillan Gr.2 Share the Music. It has the rhythm (ti-ti-ti-ti-ti-ti-ta--ti-ti-ta--ti-ti-ta--...etc) written in a box at the top in traditional notation. Then it has a cartoon-type picture of Peer running down the mountain past diamonds and other stones with the evil king watching from on top. Superimposed over the whole thing is a large crescendo mark. The teaching possibilities are endless. I have to force myself to go on to the next topic because the kids get so enthusiastic with this music.
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Some years I will put a large crescendo mark on the bulletin board--REALLY BIG--with all empty space around it. Then I have the grade that is studying Peer draw pictures of the mountain king, the workers, or Peer. We cut them out and place them around the crescendo mark going from smaller pictures to the largest ones. It's a great "teaching" bulletin board.
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After I set the scene, I teach the kids these words to the melody: Peer Gynt's running in the hall, of the king, mountain king Peer Gynt's running in the hall, they're chasing him around.We sing the melody faster and faster, and discuss tempo (using vocabulary like allegro, presto), and how it affects the mood of the piece. I usually do this with 1st/2nd grade.
A fun game: for this one. It involves a pocket chart and 18 laminated cards. You pass out the cards to 18 kids before the selection begins (18 because there are 18 repetitions of the theme). One by one the students bring them up and place them side by side in the pocket. At first they have lots of time to stroll up and back, but as the tempo and intensity increase they really have to move. It is great for really listening to the theme. It is also great fun!
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Here's an idea you may be interested in using "In the Hall of the Mountain King" that really works. I did this last week with my first graders after exploring loud and quiet sounds. It also will serve as my introduction to fast and slow. Try out these words which fit with the melodic rhythm of the music:This is such a scary place. It's so dark! It's so cold!
This is such a scary place. I don't know where I am.
Should I find another place? Should I go? Should I stay?
And if I should go away, who knows what I'll find there.(After repeating this a million times as the music increases into a frenzy, say:)
Ai yai! Ai yai! Run and run and run and run and run and run away!
Ai yai! Ai yai! Run and run and run and run and run and run away!
Ai yai! Ay yai! Ai yai yai yai yai yai yai yai!End with a silent scream. The children loved this! I made up simple (and I mean simple!) movements to go with this. They ended the lesson by internalizing the words and doing the movements while listening to the music. Success!!!
Actually it doesn't repeat only this rhythm. My seventh graders have been studying this piece and right now are in the process of creating a listening map of their own design to show everything they have discovered in the piece (synthesizing the information), which includes the following:
There are two themes, the first has the same rhythm as Mary had A Little Lamb. The second theme has changes (variations or contrast?? we can't decide) in the rhythm, and the theme is played higher (a fifth)
THEME 1 apple apple/ apple pie/ apple pie/ apple pie/ apple apple/ apple apple/apple apple/ pie(rest)/
THEME 2 apple apple/ apple pie/ apple pie/ apple pie/ apple apple/ apple pie/ apple pie/ pie(rest)/The themes are grouped in three sets of six: 1st 1st 2nd 2nd 1st 1st
1st 1st 2nd 2nd 1st 1st
1st 1st 2nd 2nd 1st 1stThe instrumentation of the first two sections follows a pattern: string, woodwind, st., ww, str, ww. We use the Microsoft Musical Instruments CD-rom to identify the specific instruments. Great for timbre discrimination.
For background information on the music I use excerpts and pictures from Ibsen's play Peer Gynt and we also listen to a recording of the piece in which the actors sing and speak in the very last section. Pupils may also do a composer profile of Grieg. This piece is also a mystery tune for students to work on.
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This year I chose Grieg as our composer of the month for October because "In the Hall of the Mountain King" has a creepy sort of Halloween flavor to it. I took a very easy Bastien piano arrangement of it, and had the kids play the bass line on barred instruments while I played the melody on the piano. Even the 8th graders were having the time of their lives. Kids really do love this piece. In fact, when I was playing it once at home when I was figuring it all out, my 18 year old rock 'n' roller exclaimed, "I want that CD!!" So Santa brought it--he was ecstatic!In the Hall of the Mountain King - (movements)
Each movement is performed on a beat."Own" means to pat your own legs with both hands.
"Right" means to move your hands one leg to the right, your right hand will pat the left leg of the person standing next to you and your left hand will pat your right leg.
"Left" means to move one leg to the left and pat left hand on the right leg of your neighbor and right hand on your left leg.
"Cross" means to cross your arms and pat your legs.
"Out" means to uncross your arms and pat the legs of your neighbors...right hand goes right, left hand goes left.
"Side" means to clap your neighbors hands on each side of you.
Own Right Own Left
Own Cross Out Own (I say "Back" here to help remember to go back to own legs)
Clap Clap Side Side
Turn 2 3 4
The turn is right in place and then you start immediately over.It's a short pattern, but because of the crossing and patting other people's legs, the kids are challenged. Another tricky part is that they want to watch me...but when they are on the other side of the circle, all of a sudden it looks backwards and they go left instead of right etc.... I always try to warn them of this ahead of time.
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