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Friday, January 25, 2019

Fun Fridays: The Cay and Saint-Saens


Our Bible lesson this month is on self-control.  Our Scripture passage was Titus 2:1-12.

For the past 2 weeks, the boys have been reading "The Cay" (pronounced "key" or "kay" according to the dictionary).   Today, we went chapter-by-chapter discussing the book.  Such an emotional story that both the boys enjoyed.  Michael was quite moved by the climax of the book.  "The Cay" opened up quite a lengthy discussion on prejudice.  














We had snack in the middle today instead of at the end.  It is always easier to switch gears when there is food involved.


I love music day!

Today I introduced the boys to Camille Saint-Saens and his piece, "Carnival of the Animals"!

Resources:
Camille Saint-Saens bio
Classics for Children:  Arthur Fiedler
Playhouse Square:  "Carnival of the Animals" teacher resource guide
Squilt Music:  "Fossils" and "Introduction and The Royal March of the Lions" listening maps
Those Amazing Musical Instruments


During my research, I made note of the instruments used in each  movement of this piece.  I tried to pick some kind of listening activity for each movement.

1.  Introduction- Royal March of the Lion--piano and strings
Listening map from Squilt

2.  Hens and Cocks--piano, strings (except bass and cello), clarinet
Guess what animal you hear?
Using the paddles (Dollar Tree find) make up the dialogue you imagine the hens and cocks are having.  The boys did this without knowing what the other one was writing.

The hilarious results:

"And stop crowing so early in the morning!"
"No."



3.  Wild Horses--2 pianos
How does the music make you feel?
Improvise movement

4.  Tortoises--strings and piano
Slow cup stacking














5.  The Elephant--double bass and piano
Those Amazing Musical Instruments and talked about the bigger the instrument the lower the sound.



6.  Kangaroos--2 pianos
Movement to music

7.  Aquarium--2 violins, viola, cello, 2 pianos, flute, glass harmonica
Talk about the whole note
Watch video of glass harmonica



8.  Personages with Long Ears-- 2 violins
Listen and use paddles to guess which animal?

9.  The Cuckoo in the Depth of the Forest--2 pianos, clarinet
Raise paddles every time you hear "cuckoo".
Listen a second time and count every time you hear "cuckoo".














10.  Aviary--strings, piano, flute
Watch:



Compare and contrast with #13, "The Swan"

11.  Pianists--strings, 2 pianos
Improvise movement

12.  Fossils-strings, pianos, clarinet, xylophone
Listening map from Squilt
Those Amazing Musical Instruments


13.  The Swan--2 pianos, cello
Watch:



Compare and contrast with #11

14:  Finale: full ensemble:  2 pianos, 2 violins, viola, cello, double bass, flute, piccolo, clarinet, glass harmonica and xylophone

Watch:





We also found the Ogden Nash poems quite humorous:



Another Fun Friday!