Instruments of the Orchestra

We are talking about the Instruments of the Orchestra in Kindergarten and First Grade.  Students have listened to and watched the classic story of Peter and the Wolf ( Петя и волк, Petya i volk in Russian) by Sergei Prokofiev.  It was written in 1936, capturing the personality of each character with their own special instrumental sound.  Prokofiev actually visited the Disney studio when Disney was creating his animated version which was released in 1946.  We enjoyed the Disney version very much!  The Russian film by Susie Templeton provides a great contrast to the animated version.  We have also watched the Vancouver Symphony Orchestra perform the piece, which gives great visuals of the musicians playing the instruments.  Of course, the Jim Gamble puppet version is a favorite as well.  Each version is a little different from the other in style, setting, and even characters.  Students compare and contrast those differences in our discussions.

A new resource that I've found this year is the video of Peter and the Wolf with characters created by Chuck Jones, starring Kirstie Alley and Lloyd Bridges.  It's a unique approach to the story.  The added bonus to this DVD is an introduction to the instruments of the orchestra as well as a game.  There are 25 different combinations in the game to match instrument sounds with animals.

First graders just completed an activity to sharpen their story sequencing skills, using Peter and the Wolf.  I found this activity in a resource from Westchester Philharmonic.   This is a great basic resource for this unit.  Students colored the illustration and then cut it into strips following the guide on the back of the paper.  Each strip contained a sentence telling the story.  Students mixed them up, put them in order, and then flipped them over to be sure they had the right sequence.  I sent the strips home with them in ziplock baggies, hoping that they will share the story with their families.

Carnival of the Animals - Piano Carnival

I just discovered a new iPad app that will fit perfectly into my upcoming music lesson plans!  Piano Carnival is a narrative that accompanies Saint-Saen's Carnivalk of the Animals. Attached to each page of this story is a video of the appropriate piece of music as well as additional drawings AND a movie of those drawings being created in Photoshop!  SOOOO cool!

What really impressed me was the website for educators (http://www.pianotheatre.com/#!piano-carnival-lesson-plans/c2hs) that is linked in the "grown ups" area. This site has lesson plans and activities to accompany the book AND Common Core Standards are listed that apply to each lesson!  WOW!  I am so excited to begin this unit with my students!

There are many ways to use this app with your classroom. Project on a SmartBoard, just use your iPad to present the story, or put on a classroom set of iPads for individual use. Another great thing about this app is that it is FREE!  Check it out music educators!