Kay Harker and Cole Hawlings Picture accessed via BBC There are few things more Christmassy than the opening few bars of the theme tune to The Box of Delights . In fact, the tune is based on Victor Hely-Hutchinson's Carol Symphony and had been used in radio adaptations of the same novel years earlier than the 1984 television series. Clearly, everyone already knew that you just couldn't improve on that sound to evoke the magic of Christmas which - for me and for many - is so wonderfully explored in John Masefield's story. As a viewer, one of the things I enjoy most about the television series of The Box of Delights is the acting. Child actors are precarious things: too sweet and they're almost unbearable to watch, not sweet enough and they're unbelievable. They must walk that fine line between the two, and it is a perilous one! Most young actors fall into the first category, where their on-screen presence is almost dangerously saccharine. Not so the child actors ...
Here is the first lesson plan I'm posting on this blog! Hopefully, it will be the first of many.
The Curriculum Experience and Outcome for this lesson is:
For each topic, I try and do a composition lesson. The class have to create a piece of music in their group that is inspired by their topic. Why not do this with a book too?
Learning Intention:
To understand how to work in a group and create music for a book.
Success Criteria:
Introduction
Talk about different ways you can make sound with your body (clapping, clicking, vocalising, stamping) and different rhythms you can use.
Show loud noises and soft noises and brainstorm when you might use loud and soft in a book or film soundtrack. For a sad or thoughtful part, make the music quiet. How might you make the music scary? Or exciting?
Development
Separate the class into groups of three or four.
Explain that they are going to work in their group to create a 1 minute piece of music using body percussion or voice.
Accept that this lesson is going to be noisy!
Give the class 5 minutes to brainstorm ideas with their group. It is up to them how they do this but you may need to give an example on the whiteboard. They could write down if they want it soft or loud and link it to their feelings about the book. They could discuss what sounds they want to create. You could suggest to them that they mimic sounds from characters, if they are struggling to come up with ideas. Sapphire (the dragon) roars and Lavender (the fairy) has quite a high voice...
Have 10-15 minutes to create, practise and polish their 1 minute performance. Make sure the group are working together and that they are sharing the work evenly.
Conclusion
Ask groups to perform their piece. They could say a short introduction about how they portrayed their feelings in the music, or why they chose certain sounds.
Ask the other groups to give some peer-evaluation.
Go back to the Success Criteria and ask the groups if they think they met it (I find thumbs up, thumbs down works well for my class).
Assessment
"First Aid for Fairies and Other Fabled Beasts" by Lari Don
The Curriculum Experience and Outcome for this lesson is:
Inspired by a range of stimuli, and working on my own and/or with others, I can express and communicate my ideas, thoughts and feelings through musical activities. EXA 0-18a / EXA 1-18a / EXA 2-18a
For each topic, I try and do a composition lesson. The class have to create a piece of music in their group that is inspired by their topic. Why not do this with a book too?
Learning Intention:
To understand how to work in a group and create music for a book.
Success Criteria:
- I can use my body to make 4 different sounds.
- I can talk about my feelings towards the book.
- I can listen to others in my group.
- I can create a 1 minute piece of music about the book.
Introduction
Talk about different ways you can make sound with your body (clapping, clicking, vocalising, stamping) and different rhythms you can use.
Show loud noises and soft noises and brainstorm when you might use loud and soft in a book or film soundtrack. For a sad or thoughtful part, make the music quiet. How might you make the music scary? Or exciting?
Development
Separate the class into groups of three or four.
Explain that they are going to work in their group to create a 1 minute piece of music using body percussion or voice.
Accept that this lesson is going to be noisy!
Give the class 5 minutes to brainstorm ideas with their group. It is up to them how they do this but you may need to give an example on the whiteboard. They could write down if they want it soft or loud and link it to their feelings about the book. They could discuss what sounds they want to create. You could suggest to them that they mimic sounds from characters, if they are struggling to come up with ideas. Sapphire (the dragon) roars and Lavender (the fairy) has quite a high voice...
Have 10-15 minutes to create, practise and polish their 1 minute performance. Make sure the group are working together and that they are sharing the work evenly.
Conclusion
Ask groups to perform their piece. They could say a short introduction about how they portrayed their feelings in the music, or why they chose certain sounds.
Ask the other groups to give some peer-evaluation.
Go back to the Success Criteria and ask the groups if they think they met it (I find thumbs up, thumbs down works well for my class).
Assessment
With this lesson, it is really self- and peer-assessment, and some observation on your part too. If you have a camera or ipad, take some pictures or better still, a video. That's great evidence of their learning and achievements.
I have recommended this lesson plan for "First Aid for Fairies and Other Fabled Beasts" because it is a very exciting book with a mixture of emotions in, all of which could be portrayed well in music. Having said that, it could work with any book or project.
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