Beacon Learning Center Lesson Plans

Beacon Lesson Plan Library

Goldilocks and the Bears Make Their Pitch

Elizabeth Roederer

Description

Students listen to the story of [Goldilocks and the Three Bears] and identify the pitch of the bears' voices as high, medium, and low. Students improvise on xylophones a melody to accompany the bears in the telling of the story.

Objectives

The student improvises simple rhythmic and melodic patterns and accompaniments.

Materials

-Enough Glockenspiels, soprano, alto, and baritone xylophones for every student to play (alto/baritone xylophones can accommodate two students at once).
-Mallets for every student
-A big book edition of [Goldilocks and the Three Bears] if available. If not, a Golden Book edition will suffice.
-One teacher copy of BOP-A-REE GOLDILOCKS (see attached file)

Preparations

1. Get a copy of [Goldilocks and the Three Bears].
2. Print out one copy of BOP-A-REE GOLDILOCKS then practice performing it with motions until you can easily and from memory perform it.
3. Set out enough instruments and mallets to accommodate all students

Procedures

1. Tell students that we will read the story of [Goldilocks and the Three Bears] and not only set it to music, but also learn about pitch.

2. Ask students what pitch means. (If pitching a baseball is mentioned, ask what happens to the ball if it is thrown underhanded/overhanded) Yes, the ball goes up or down. In music pitch is the tone sounding high and low or right in the middle. As you explain this, play tones on the piano for each of these ranges.

3. Direct the attention of students to the instruments. Make the statement that the larger the instrument the lower the tone it makes.

4. Play a couple bars on each of the instruments; the glockenspiel, soprano, alto, and baritone xylophones. Ask students which instrument might best represent Father Bear's voice. (The big one)

5. Ask students which instrument would best suit Mother Bear's voice (soprano or alto xylophone) then which one for Baby Bear(glockenspiel). The teacher may want to play again or hand the mallet to a student and ask the student to play the instruments then suggest the best instrument to represent Mother and baby bear.

6. Assign students to instruments, making sure they know what voice they are playing.

7. Remind students that these are instruments they play, not hammers they beat.

8. Suggest that students are like musicians in an orchestra. When the conductor points his/her baton to a certain section, the instrumentalists in that section play. While a baton will not be used, students should know when to play by the bear that is speaking in the story. Students need to respect other sections of our story-telling orchestra by playing only when their bear is speaking.

9. Distribute mallets.

10. Read the story, pausing after each time a bear is mentioned so students may improvise a melody on the instrument representing the bear.

11. After the performance, compliment students on their creative melodies and cooperation as part of the bear orchestra.

12. Collect mallets and move students away from the instruments.

13. Tell students that since they have been sitting for awhile learning about pitch (ask students for the meaning of pitch in music), we will tell the story of Goldilocks in a different style and with body movement.

14. Have students stand while you perform BOP-A-REE GOLDILOCKS.

15. Teach BOP-A-REE GOLDILOCKS by rote to the students.

16. Once students are comfortable with the story and motions, observe three or four children at a time performing BOP-A-REE GOLDILOCKS. At the end of each group's performance, begin the applause and encourage your students to join in.

Assessments

The student will receive a rating of Excellent if he/she plays an improvisation on the instrument at the appropriate time in the story, recites BOP-A-REE GOLDILOCKS, and performs the accompanying movements.
A rating of Good will be awarded if the student plays at the appropriate time and does one of the performance standards for BOP-A-REE GOLDILOCKS.
A rating of Poor will be given to students who do not participate in either activity. If, however, the student is willing to learn, the student may join another kindergarten class for a second chance.