Summary

The activities are made up of a series of characters, moods and movements. The pupils should be provided with a selection of different instruments and allowed to experiment to try to create suitable sounds. Each screen gives the pupils a different focal point. Every opportunity should be given for the pupils to discuss and explain their ideas. As the lesson progresses, the pupils should be blending sounds together to represent different aspects of each character. By the end of the lesson it should be possible to listen to the whole class playing their interpretations together to create a combined sound.

Suitable for

Year 3-4

Using a non-interactive whiteboard

This lesson simply provides a stimulus, and therefore is totally compatible with non-interactive whiteboards. No changes are required in the presentation or delivery of the lesson.

Prior learning required

Pupils who have been working through the QCA unit may benefit more, but the lesson can just as easily be used as a starting point. It would be interesting to use the lesson to introduce the topic, and then return to it at the end to gauge development.

Aims and objectives

• Pupils will use music to make a representation having been provided with a visual stimulus.
• Pupils will adapt their work to suit different types of mood and movement.
• Pupils will evaluate their own work and that of others backing up their observations with musical and artistic reasoning.

Timings

The timing of this lesson can vary dramatically according to the teacher's exact requirements. It would be possible to make it an hour's lesson, spending twenty minutes on each activity page. However, it would be equally possible to make a whole lesson out of each page. The timing of the lesson depends entirely on the amount of time allocated to pupil performance and feedback times.

Suggestions for group activities

The lesson is split mainly into individual and paired work. Having said this, each section could see the individual or paired work integrated so that larger groups can perform together, and even a whole class performance is possible for each section.

Suggestions for differentiation

Less able pupils should concentrate on one element in each activity, for example the rhythm of movement. Rather than trying to combine their work as one element of a group, they could be set with similar pupils and could all perform the same element together. This would ensure that they are still playing with an awareness of others, albeit on a lower level.

Further activities

There are many literacy ideas that can stem from this lesson. Pupils could write factually about the lesson, creating instructions for others to produce the types of sound they created themselves, or writing evaluative reports on their own and others' efforts. There are openings for creative writing as well. Challenge a group to compose a piece of music to suit a different animal. The other pupils could then write a descriptive paragraph about the animal they imagine it to be and its habitat. There are likely to be many different ideas! Play a widening range of instruments using appropriate playing techniques and demonstrating increasing dexterity and control of sound. Maintain an individual instrumental part in a group piece. Compose and arrange music in response to a range of musical stimuli. Create, select and organise sound to produce a specific mood or atmosphere.

Listen to classic pieces that represent animals

www.discoverynet.com/~ajsnead/allsongs_1/william.html
Horse sound - short excerpt of the William Tell Overture by Rossini.

Click here to listen to The Elephant from the Carnival of the Animals by Camille Saint-Seans.

Click here to listen to The Hen's March by Anon.