Grade Level
Fifth and Sixth
Overview
This lesson is designed to complement the Oakland East Bay Symphony Young people’s Concerts performance of Peter and the Wolf, and can be used both prior to and after the performance. The activities in the lesson support students’ literacy growth and encourage the development of critical thinking skills. Students will learn about the role of the conductor, write a modern day story about what happened when a child didn’t listen to an adult’s warning, explore how the language of music can bring people together, and create a class mural based on the style of artist Keith Haring.
Subjects
Language Arts/ Visual Arts
Materials
Audio recording of Sergie Prokofiev’s Peter and the Wolf if possible, but not necessary
Poster paper
Poster paint
Book paper
Drawing utensils
Objectives
Students will be able to do the following:
1. Write clear, coherent sentences and paragraphs that develop a central idea.
2. Select a focus, organizational structure, and point of view for an oral presentation.
3. Communicate a story through original works of art.
Pre-Concert Activity
In preparation for attending the Peter and the Wolf symphony, students will learn about the role of the conductor.
1. Visit this site http://www.msokids.homestead.com/MaestroAcademy.html to learn about conducting.
2. You may either send students to the site individually or in small groups, or you may chose to print out the information on the Web site and distribute it to the class.
3. After students have read the information, ask them to answer these questions.
· What would happen if a conductor had to use words to conduct the orchestra? (He would have to speak so loudly that it would interfere with the music.)
· What does the conductor tell the musicians with his right arm? (Which beat they are playing in each measure.)
· What does the conductor tell the musicians with his left arm? (How he wants them to play.)
· What does the conductor tell the musicians with his eye contact and facial expressions? (He gives them feedback on how they are playing.)
· What happens when the conductor raises his left hand in the air with his palm facing toward him? (The musicians will play louder.)
· What happens when the conductor puts her left hand down in front of her with the palm facing the floor? (The musicians will play softer.)
4. Provide time for students to trace the conductor’s movement patterns. The Web site provides music selections that contain two, three and four beats per measure.
5. If possible play the Peter and the Wolf symphony for students to practice their conducting skills.
6. Suggest to students that they watch the conductor’s movements and listen to the results that it creates in the music when they attend the Peter and the Wolf symphony.
Lesson One
1. Read the story of Peter and the Wolf. An online version of the story can be found at http://library.thinkquest.org/17321/data/estext.html. You may also choose to copy the story from the site and pass it out to the students.
2. Tell students that they are going to write a modern day story about what happened when a young person didn’t listen to the instructions of an adult.
3. Involve the class in a discussion surrounding the things adults warn people not to do when they are young.
4. Record all of the “adult warnings” on the board.
5. Ask students to choose one of the “adult warnings” on the board, or a warning of their own choosing, for the basis of their story.
6. Discuss a list of possible genres for the story.
· Traditional Literature (folktale, fable, myth, legend)
· Modern Fantasy
· Realistic fiction
· Autobiographical
· Humorous
7. After students have decided on an adult warning, ask them to brainstorm a list of events that could have occurred when the adult’s warning was ignored.
8. Have students progress through the writing process (e.g., prewriting, drafting, revising and editing successive versions).
Teacher Note: These Web sites offer information on the writing process.
http://www.angelfire.com/wi/writingprocess/
http://serv1.ncte.org/teach//Mathias13085.html
9. Conference individually with each student and address these items:
10. Ask students to illustrate their books.
11. Bind the pages together.
12. Provide time for students to share their stories.
In this lesson students will learn how the language of music can be very effective in bringing people together from different backgrounds. They will read a story about a German POW and a Japanese POW camp warden who became friends during World War I, and prepare and deliver a news story based on this true-life encounter.
Teacher Note:
1. Tell students that they are going to read a story about how music helped two unlikely people, a German POW and a Japanese POW camp warden, become friends when their countries were at war.
2. Send students to this Web site to read the Symphony of Friendship story http://www.mandala.co.jp/B9/P00E.html. You may also choose to copy the story from the site and pass it out to the students.
3. After reading the Symphony of Friendship, involve students in a class discussion. The following is a list of possible discussion questions:
· What was the most surprising part of the story?
· What was your favorite part of the story?
· Give examples of how people helped each other.
· How did music help the German and Japanese people’s hearts beat together and become like one person?
· Can you think of other ways that music could be a bridge among people of diverse cultures?
4. Working in pairs, create a television news piece about the POW camp.
5. Set up an area of the room to look like a television newsroom set.
6. Provide time for students to read their news reports.
7. If possible, videotape the news reports.
In this lesson students will create a mural based on the story of Peter and the Wolf and/or the performance of the Peter and the Wolf symphony. The mural will be based on the style of artist Keith Haring. Haring’s “cartoony” style produces imagery that children seem to connect with easily.
1. Borrow a book about Keith Haring from your local or school library, or view Keith Haring’s work on these sites.
http://66.113.241.131/master_k_life.htm
http://www.haringkids.com/master_act_color.htm
www.museenkoeln.de/kunsthalle/ temp/9705_haring/b_haring3.ht
www.museenkoeln.de/kunsthalle/ temp/9705_haring/b_haring.htm
www.uwrf.edu/history/ prints/haring.html
www.net-eyewear.de/.../ keith_haring_uhren.html
2. Show students Keith Haring’s work and tell them that they are going to create a Peter and the Wolf class mural, copying the style of Haring’s work.
3. Show examples of Haring’s work (you may choose to print some examples from the Internet) and discuss the following elements of his work:
· Use of black outline
· Use of space
· Use of color
· Use of rounded lines
· Doodle or “cartoon” quality
4. As a class decide on how you will break the Peter and the Wolf story into sections.
5. Break the class into small groups and assign each group a section of the mural.
6. Provide time for each group to discuss the following:
· What you will include in your section of the mural
· How you will create the same kinds of images as in Haring’s work
· What the rough sketch of your section of the mural should be like
· Who will work on what section of the sketch
7. As a class decide on the following:
· What color or colors you want to use for the background of the piece
· Where you will hang the mural
· The dimensions of each section of the mural
8. Pass out large pieces of white paper to the students.
9. Tell students to draw in pencil so that changes may be erased.
10. When students have finished all of their drawings, tell them to trace over the pencil lines with black magic markers or black paint.
11. Fill in the shapes of the characters and objects with colored markers or paint. Remind students that they need to fill in the entire area.
12. Cut around shapes if necessary and glue onto the background paper.
Teacher Note: Students may visit the Haring Kids Web site to learn more about the artist and his work.
Science
Compare the characteristics of real wolves to those in the story.
Music
Send students to this site to create their own music.
Observe students in the following areas:
· Growth in cognitive skills
· Interactions that occur during group work
· Growth in social skills
· Growth in attitudes toward learning
Conference with each student on these topics:
· His or her goals
· Strategies for learning
· Solutions to problems
What did I learn from this project?
What do I still want to learn about this topic?
What part of my work on this project gives me a sense of achievement?
What would I do differently next time?
In what ways was I able to work with others on this project?
What did I like most about this project?
http://www.cde.ca.gov/standards/
Language Arts
Writing
Organization
and Focus
1.1 Create multiple-paragraph narrative compositions:
a. Establish and develop a situation or plot.
b. Describe the setting.
c. Present an ending.
Evaluation and
Revision
1.6 Edit and revise manuscripts to improve the meaning and focus of writing by
adding, deleting, consolidating, clarifying, and rearranging words and
sentences.
2.1 Write
narratives:
a. Establish a plot, point of view, setting, and conflict.
b. Show, rather than tell, the events of the story.
1.0 Listening and Speaking
Strategies
Students deliver focused, coherent presentations that convey ideas clearly and
relate to the background and interests of the audience.
Visual Arts
2.0 CREATIVE EXPRESSION
Creating, Performing, and Participating in the Visual Arts
Students apply artistic processes and skills, using a variety of media to communicate meaning and intent in original works of art.
Develop Perceptual
Skills and Visual Arts Vocabulary
1.1 Identify and describe the principles of design in visual compositions
Communication and
Expression Through Original Works of Art
2.6 Use perspective in an original work of art to create a real or imaginary
scene.
Grade Six
Language Arts
1.0 Writing Strategies
Students progress through the stages of the writing process as needed.
Organization and
Focus
1.1 Create multiple-paragraph narrative compositions:
a. Establish and develop a situation or plot.
b. Describe the setting.
c. Present an ending.
Evaluation and
Revision
1.6 Edit and revise manuscripts to improve the meaning and focus of writing by
adding, deleting, consolidating, clarifying, and rearranging words and
sentences.
1.0 Written and Oral English Language Conventions
Students write and speak with a command of standard English conventions
appropriate to this grade level.
Sentence Structure
Grammar
Punctuation
Capitalization
Spelling
Listening and
Speaking
1.0 Listening and Speaking Strategies
Students deliver focused, coherent presentations that convey ideas clearly and
relate to the background and interests of the audience. They evaluate the
content of oral communication.
Organization and
Delivery of Oral Communication
1.4 Select a focus, organizational structure, and point of view for an oral
presentation.
1.5 Clarify and support spoken ideas with evidence and examples.
1.6 Engage the audience with appropriate verbal cues, facial expressions, and
gestures.
Visual Arts
Develop Perceptual
Skills and Visual Arts Vocabulary
1.1 Identify and describe all the elements of art found in selected works of
art (color, shape/form, line, texture, space, and value).
2.0 CREATIVE
EXPRESSION
Creating, Performing, and Participating in the Visual Arts
Students apply artistic processes and skills, using a variety of media to communicate meaning and intent in original works of art.
Communication and
Expression Through Original Works of Art
2.4 Create increasingly complex original works of art reflecting personal
choices and increased technical skill.
2.5 Select specific media and processes to express moods, feelings, themes, or
ideas.