Special Features

Amy Bizelli

MUSIC LESSON

Song Used: Wilderness Thunderstorm by NorthSound Musical

Element to Teach: Dynamics (soft and loud)

Grade Level: Second grade

Concept: The students will experience a gradual change in dynamics from soft to loud that will be experienced through movement and listening.

Objectives: The students will:
Listen to a thunderstorm in class
Create a rainstorm in the classroom
Experience soft and loud through movement

Materials Needed: tape/CD player, recording of a rainstorm, drums

Preliminary Procedures: The teacher will ask the students questions about thunderstorms, such as, "Do you like them?, Are you scared of them?. Discuss.

Procedures:
1. Play the recording of a thunderstorm while the students listen to the dynamics of it.

2. Teacher explains to class that we will create a thunderstorm using our bodies in a round - like fashion.

3. Split class into 3 groups and explain the order for creating the thunderstorm.

4. Create thunderstorm:
a) rub hands together
b) snap fingers
c) pat hands on legs
d) stomp feet on ground/play drums
e) pat hands on legs
f) snap fingers
g) rub hands together STOP.

5. Discuss how our thunderstorm was soft and loud.

Evaluation: The entire class participates in creating a thunderstorm in the classroom.

Follow - Up: The teacher asks the students what parts of the thunderstorm were softest and what part was the loudest. How did we show that in our creation of thunderstorm?