More Tchaikovsky-Sleeping Beauty

Waltz from "Sleeping Beauty" by Tchaikovsky

(This routine is done in a large circle. After students are seated distribute plates alternating blue-white.)

Introduction: 

Blue plates-Lift both up for 2 beats, down for 2 beats. Repeat three times.

(Half note pulse) Alternate plates in the air. R-L-R-L. Repeat twice.

Fan plates with both hands from high to low for 8 beats

Fan plates with both hands from low to high for 8 beats

White plates-Lift both down for 2 beats and up for 2 beats. Repeat three times.

(Half note pulse) Alternate plates in the air. R-L-R-L. Repeat twice.

Fan plates with both hands from low to high for 8 beats

Fan plates with both hands from high to low for 8 beats

 

A Section: All plates-Place plates on lap, clap plates together. Repeat three times. Swing plates R-L-R-L, then to the right in a large circle in front of you. REPEAT SEQUENCE

 

B Section: Blue Plates-Fan plates up in front of you for 3 beats, then clap bottom of plates together three times, moving down each clap. Brush bottom of plates together (ti-ti-ti-ta rhythm) twice. REPEAT SEQUENCE A TOTAL OF FOUR TIMES.

 

A Section: ALL PLATES-Pat plates on lap, clap plates together. Repeat three times.
Swing plates R-L-R-L, then to the right in a large circle in front of you. REPEAT SEQUENCE

C Section: Blue Plates-Hold both plates out to your side, bottom side up. White plates will be playing on your plates.

White Plates-Hold left plate to the side. Take right plate and tap your neighbor's plate 8 times. Reverse and hold your right plate to the sideand tap with your left plate. REPEAT SEQUENCE

 

A Section: ALL PLATES-Pat plates on lap, clap plates together. Repeat three times.
Swing plates R-L-R-L, then to the right in a large circle in front of you. REPEAT SEQUENCE

 

B Section: Blue Plates-Fan plates up in front of you for 3 beats, then clap bottom of plates together three times, moving down each clap. Brush bottom of plates together (ti-ti-ti-ta rhythm) twice. REPEAT SEQUENCE

 

A Section: ALL PLATES-Pat plates on lap, clap plates together. Repeat three times.
Swing plates R-L-R-L, then to the right in a large circle in front of you. REPEAT SEQUENCE

 

Coda: ALL PLATES-Alternate both plates in front of you up and down for 28 pulses. Fan both plates up in front for 3 beats, then drop and cover face. REPEAT

 

Alternate back and at the end in front of face on the pulse. ("Peek-a-boo") End with plates hiding the face.

 

Carnival of the Animals

I begin by discussing the composer Camille Saint-Saens. We discuss how he enjoyed jokes and wrote this piece to entertain his students. I would ask students to think of a time when they were acting silly with their friends and pretending to be chickens or other animals. Some say that Saint-Saens liked to write songs about his friends and how they acted. This is not bullying because is was good natured humor and his friends knew he was just being silly.

We listen to the piece after discussing how it is split up into parts or "movements".

I share the illustrations as we listen. There are several books available.

On the first listen, we use rhythm sticks and jinglebells along with some movement. We add more instruments each week. 

INTRODUCTION AND ROYAL MARCH OF THE LION. 

We tap on our laps for the roar of the lion. (Second listening we use drums)

HENS AND COCKS. Click the rhythm sticks for the clucking. (Second listening we use woodblocks)

MULES: UP and down with the jingle bells.

TORTOISES. Listening.

THE ELEPHANT. Tap the two-three of the waltz with egg shakers. (Second listening use drums)

KANGAROOS. We hop in place.

THE AQUARIUM. Use jingle bells or hands as fish and bubbles.

PERSONAGES WITH LONG EARS are identified by the braying of the violins. We stand and bow our invisible violins and and down.

CUCKOO IN THE WOODS. Echo the cuckoo with our voices.

THE AVIARY. No parody in this beautiful little scherzo for the flute and fluttering strings.

PIANISTS. Play our invisible lap pianos. Guided movement.

FOSSILS. Rhythm sticks. (Second listening use xylophones with a simple pattern)

THE SWAN. Listening

FINALE. Choose an animal and add movements.

I like to introduce the idea of a listening map. We use the second week to create our own listening maps, draw, and move/play. I play each movement twice so that students can listen/draw or play on the first listen and then trade with their partners on the second one. This takes me two weeks to complete. Template to come soon! I do not use the Introduction or Finale in the Musical Map so that we have twelve boxes. 

Below is the free pdf file I display on the board as a slideshow when we do our second listen to the piece. I have a remote to flip through the slides as students draw their listening map.

Carnival of-the-animals copy from mlauricella68

Peter and the Wolf

I began my Peter and the Wolf unit this week. I find it a great way to introduce "theme" and specific instruments of the orchestra. I begin by introducing the idea of theme (special music you will hear for each character in the story). We discuss how the characters can be people or animals. Here is a great little presentation I found on Mimio Connect (Thank you Maria O.):

Peter and the Wolf 

I usually start with the slide that shows Peter and the violin. I discuss each character, their theme and instrument. Then, I move on to the next character.

After hearing the theme for each one, I begin to tell the story. I use a book I found that was being recycled from my old school's library! It is wonderful, but you can use any Peter and the Wolf book. I flip from slide to slide as I tell the story and review what instruments are being heard. 

I have the English version of this edition. It has great illustrations and the theme for each character appears on the opposite page.

I use the slides that come after this section to review the instruments with the students on the Mimio. Sometimes, I will play the beginning of the Disney version. I bought the Dvd and am happy to loan it out anytime. It used to be available on YouTube, but Disney removed it for copyright violations. There is a version of the Disney book and record on YouTube.

During the second week I use a poem retelling the story from Boosey Hawkes, I've had for several years. 


I use instrument stations for this lesson. I have a character card at each station (except for Grandpa, as it worked better for me with the six stations instead of seven). Each station has a different instrument (4 of each) to represent each character. I use the woodblock/duck, handbells/Peter, drums/hunters, triangle/bird, maracas/cat, wrist bells/Wolf. I add characters that are mentioned early on in the story so each group has a fair amount of time to play their instrument before moving to the next station. Students love to play as I read and they get a chance to be active!

I finish with a final listening and matching game. I know that some teachers with more time make finger puppets. There are some templates out there, so I will add as I go. Also, you can check out this Pinterest board on Peter and the Wolf; Pinterest: Peter and the Wolf.
There are a ton of resources out there!