SOUNDS from the Today You Will Learn

lesson plan Music_Teach Primary 02/04/2012 14:52 Page 2

KS2 LESSON PLAN: MUSIC SOUNDS FROM THE Today you will learn... >To explore, choose, combine and organise musical ideas within a musical structure suggested by JJ’s tour of the Titanic >To use ICT to capture and seabedApril 15th, 2012 will mark the centenary of the Titanic disaster. change sounds Combine and organise Kevin Hamel revisits the wreck and finds the inspiration for a musical elements ghostly soundscape... >To record and perform your music with a graphic score By following this series of KS2 activities, children will compose and then perform a piece of music that describes an imaginary tour of the Titanic wreck. It is one of a number of composition activities based on the Titanic and is inspired by the example of the late David Bedford, a tireless supporter of musical composition in schools. A prequel to this lesson, 'building the titanic', interprets Harland and Wolff’s Belfast shipyard in sound, and imagines a visit from Bruce Ismay - chairman of the White Star Line - and Thomas Andrews, the Titanic's designer. This and other ideas can be found on the The Wreck of the Titanic website (thewreckofthetitanic.com) in the curriculum resources section.

Starter activity Main activities recording these with sound editing Discovering the wreck of the Echoes of the past software (e.g. Audacity), lowering Titanic two and a half miles under Discuss the objects the the pitch to suggest the deeper the Atlantic was made possible robot camera meets as it toned whistles of the Titanic. thanks to new underwater explores the Titanic and Consider adding other effects, like technology. In 1986, a remote 1 echo. (See David Ashworth’s article 89 consider ways of describing these controlled robot called Jason through sound. The children will at thewreckofthetitanic.com for Junior (JJ) swam around and work in groups, each exploring further starting points and ways of inside the wreck taking still one of the objects identified in the using Audacity.) pictures and video. previous activity. Here are some It's possible for children to see possible starting points. b) Rusticles the wreck for themselves as the Rusticles are strange stalactite-like BBC offers excellent video a) Titanic’s whistles growths on iron formed by the content (tinyurl.com/tptitanic). The Titanic’s three enormous oxidising action of bacteria. Having watched the footage, whistles were audible over great Spectacular growths can be seen pupils can go on to imagine distances. Children might on Titanic’s anchor. Would children exploring the Titanic wreck. recreate this with expect rusticles to make dull or What might they discover at recorders, other wind ringing sounds if struck? Will those depths? What would it look instruments, or the length of rusticles affect and feel like (pitch black / appropriate their pitch? Can children extreme cold / intense electronic select instruments or pressure)? keyboard sound makers to At this point, there's also an sounds. Try suggest these? opportunity to discuss the science of underwater exploration, such as why robots are used to explore the wreck in place of divers.

To prepare for the next stage www.tts-group.co.uk 0800 318 686 [email protected] of the lesson, ask the children to research some of the objects that have or might be discovered in the wreck. These include:

> Rusticles > Boilers > Chandeliers > Titanic’s three tone whistles > A musical box TEACH PRIMARY HIGHLIGHT PRIMARY TEACH lesson plan Music_Teach Primary 02/04/2012 14:53 Page 3

KS2 LESSON PLAN: MUSIC

c) Morse key drums and large tambours to chandeliers are moved by > The SOS distress … _ _ _ … create hollow, resonating sounds. underwater currents. Do compositions consisted of three short sounds, Compare different qualities of exhibit clear three long sounds, and three short sound made by using fingers and Each group goes on to record their musical sounds tapped out on a Morse key. different beaters. music with a graphic score. Some structures and Practise this pattern on single children may need help with imaginative use of chime bars using the side of the e) Chandeliers representing their ideas sound? thumb to dampen the vibrations As the Titanic struck the iceberg, clearly. > Are musical when playing short sounds. Try first class passengers reported passing the message from player that the glass chandeliers elements to player. Try playing it together shivered. Explore language and a (dynamics, tempo, (this presents quite a challenge!). range of instruments to etc) explored describe their appropriately and d) Boilers movement and effectively? As the Titanic sank, the heavy sound (bell > How effectively boilers ripped through the hull of sprays, wind chimes, USEFUL QUESTIONS USEFUL do graphic scores the Titanic and ended up scattered etc). In the wreck of the represent the over the debris field. Explore Titanic, surviving music?

Creating a performance Think about the way the 2robot submarine camera travels around the wreck of the Titanic. Discuss the quality of movement (e.g. rapid and jerky, or smooth, gliding movements). Compose a short, repeated musical phrase (ostinato) to suggest the robot camera exploring Titanic’s wreck. This 90 could be an opportunity to use chime bars to explore interesting melody patterns available with whole tone scales (C, D, E, F- sharp, G-sharp, B-flat, C). Imagine that the robot camera is visiting the Titanic and viewing each object in turn. Begin with the ostinato you've just composed, then follow this with the music for one of the musical episodes (e.g. boiler music). As the remote camera moves on, resume the ostinato - followed by the music for the next object encountered and so on. Practise and refine the performance of the undersea tour of the titanic.

Follow up and assess >Children could record their under the sea tour of the Titanic using Audacity. They might incorporate this as the soundtrack to a photo story presentation. >The Wreck of the Titanic CD-ROM for KS2 explores the story underpinning the ship's fateful voyage. Actors, musicians and Titanic experts help interpret Titanic’s story by bringing to life the building of the great liner, its passengers ABOUT THE AUTHOR and crew, the sinking of the Titanic, and its legacy. Extensive activities across the KS2 curriculum introduced in the CD-ROM are to be found at thewreckofthetitanic.com. This valuable and growing resource also provides Kevin Hamel is a primary educator, and the curriculum news of events related to the Titanic in schools, museums, libraries and development officer for the Cumbria Music Service. For more music communities. For further information, or to purchase the CD-ROM, please related resources inspired by the Titantic, visit contact [email protected] wreckofthetitanic.com