One of my favorite units to teach is how music can help to tell a story! I use "The Snowman" video with Kindergarten kids, and "The Sorcerer's Apprentice" and other clips in Fantasia 2000 with the First Graders.
As in most of my units I go even deeper with the Second Graders.
"Peter and the Wolf" uses orchestral instruments and musical themes to help tell the story.
"Where the Wild Things Are" is enhanced with underlying music from Stravinsky's Firebird Suite, and then the same music is heard in "The Firebird" in Fantasia 2000.
"The Three Billy Goats Gruff" is enhanced with classroom instruments.
"The Nutcracker" is read with Tchaikovsky's music in the background, and then students enjoy working on the Nutcracker word search on their iPads while listening again to the music.
At the end of the unit, my Second Graders fill out an evaluation on a Google Form. The last question gives them a chance to give me their thoughts on the unit overall. Here are a few of their responses:
My favorite part of the unit was Fantasia 2000
This was my favorite unit
You should definitely do it with seconds next year!
It is the best unit so far
The Peter and the wolf was my favorite part of the unit.
I LOVE THIS MUSIC UNIT SO MUCH!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Adding instruments to "The Three Billy Goats Gruff"
Working together on the Nutcracker Word Search
