Unit 9 – Listening and Apprasing
Activity 1 – Be silent, listen attentively
The teacher guides the students to further their ability to listen attentively to the sounds around them and the music. Students are encouraged to discuss together the musical elements, character and mood of various types of music. Students should also be encouraged to develop the ability to recognize different ways of combing sounds and to respond to musical elements, character and mood of music through movement, dance or other forms of expression.
Activity 2 – The Carnival of the Animals
The Carnival of the Animals (Le carnaval des animaux) is a humorous musical suite of fourteen movements by the French Romantic composer Camille Saint-Saëns.
I. Introduction et marche royale du lion (Introduction and Royal March of the Lion)
II. Poules et coqs (Hens and Roosters)
III. Hémiones – animaux véloces (Wild Donkeys Swift Animals)
IV. Tortues (Tortoises)
V. L’Éléphant (The Elephant)
VI. Kangourous (Kangaroos)
VII. Aquarium
VIII. Personnages à longues oreilles (Characters with Long Ears)
IX. Le Coucou au fond des bois (The Cuckoo in the Depths of the Woods)
X. Volière (Aviary)
XI. Pianistes (Pianists)
XII. Fossiles (Fossils)
XIII. Le cygne (The Swan)
XIV. Final (Finale)
The teacher selects an excerpt from the work and the children are asked to identify the animal being protrayed, and the instruments.
At the end of this activity, the children can identify the piece they liked most and invited to draw the animal.
Activity 3 – Music from different countries
The following excerpts featuring traditional elements from from different countries can be played. The children can be asked to identify the country of origin for each piece. The country can be indicated on a map.
The teacher can play the National anthems from these countries whilst displaying the country flag. The teacher explains that these anthems are played on special occasions, such as National feast days. These anthems are also played in sports activities featuring the national teams.
Below you can find ideas featuring folk music or national anthems:
- Class children coming from a different countries can be invited to prepare a short presentation focusing on the folk music from their country.
- An excerpt featuring folk music is played. The children can be given a handout and asked to identify the country of origin, indicate location of country on map, draw the country flag and recognise some instruments. The activity can be repeated featuring folk music from other countries.
- The teacher plays the national anthems from the countries featured during the lesson without givin any clues. The children have to identify the countries and write them down. This activity can be carried out in groups so that the children can consult between themselves. Answers can be revealed after each excerpt or at the end of the activity.
- This activity can be carried out in the school yard. The chilren are distributed into 2 to 4 groups and gather at one end of the yard. Flashcards bearing the name of the countries and the flags are placed at the other end. The teacher plays the national anthem or an excerpt featuring folk music without mentioning the name of the country. The children discuss between themselves and when ready one child from each group will run to pick up the correct flashcard and flag displaying the correct country. Each child who picks up the correct flashcard or flag will get 1 point. The group gets an extra point in case the same child picks up correct flashcard and flag.