Peter and the Wolf Activity Guide

Peter just got even more fun with our silicone manipulatives for active listening! They cling to whiteboards and laminated charts—for the whole class or learning centers. Silicone, 3¾". Set of 14 28171

MEET THE CHARACTERS As students listen to a narrated version of Peter and the Wolf, the teacher or students place the appropriate character dot on the whiteboard as they hear the character’s theme song.

MEET THE INSTRUMENTS Discuss the characters of the story and ask why certain instruments are used to portray them.

Peter and Violin Duck and Oboe Wolf and French Horn

Grandpa and Bassoon

Cat and Clarinet Bird and Flute Hunters and Timpani

MATCH CHARACTERS WITH INSTRUMENTS Place all the dots on the whiteboard. Have kids line up at the whiteboard. Each person in turn tries to correctly match the character with their instrument, then goes to the end of the line. The next person corrects that pair of dots if it is wrong, or creates a new matching pair. Activity continues until all dots are correctly paired.

LISTENING GAME Identify aurally the music with the characters and the instruments that portray them. After listening to a musical theme from Peter and the Wolf, kids in turn identify either the character, instrument, or both.

WHO AM I? CIRCLE GAME Put all 14 dots randomly in a big circle on the floor, with kids standing outside the circle. Play Peter’s theme song as kids move in rhythm clockwise around the circle. When the music stops, whoever is in front of Peter picks up the dot and places it on the whiteboard; he then sits down inside the circle. The same theme is played again, and this time whoever stops in front of the violin picks it up and places it next to Peter on the whiteboard, then takes a seat next to Peter inside the circle. Then a new theme is played, and the activity continues until all the characters’ themes and their matching instruments have been identified and placed on the board. © 2019 • Plano, Texas • 800-445-0649 • fax 972-943-8906 • www.musicmotion.com HOW DO I FEEL? CHARADES GAME Divide the class into 7 groups and give each one a character dot. Ask the group to write down words that describe the personality, feelings, or mood of their character. For example, Peter—carefree, confident, happy, naughty, etc. Have each group silently act out the various descriptions of the character (without sounds or words) for others to guess the words they have written down and then to identify the character. After the feelings and character are identified, play the character’s theme and have the group mime their actions again to see if the personality of their character matches the “personality” of the music.

RHYTHM GAME Make a big circle with the Music-Go-Rounds: with 7 consecutive character dots on one side of the circle and 7 instrument dots on the other side of the circle. Have 14 kids make a circle facing each other, each sitting behind one of the dots. Perform together the following rhythm a few times in slow steady beats: 2 knee taps, 2 hand claps, 2 finger snaps. When they are secure in the rhythm pattern which continues throughout the activity, have each student in turn name the character or instrument dot in front of them as their fingers snap. When everyone is confident about the rhythm pattern and the dot in front of them, the game begins. Each child with a character dot in turn names the dot in front of front of him/her as the fingers snap, then without breaking the rhythm whoever has the instrument that matches the character responds on the next finger snaps. After each response, the game continues clockwise around the circle with the next character dot. Whoever breaks the rhythm or responds incorrectly gives up their seat in the circle to a new student. Activity continues until all characters have had one or more turns. For a game variation, start with the kids who have Instrument dots, and the kids with the character dots have to re- spond.

© 2019 • Plano, Texas • 800-445-0649 • fax 972-943-8906 • www.musicmotion.com PROKOFIEV’S MUSICAL TOOLS: LISTENING GAME Play a musical theme and ask kids to note what musical tools are used by Prokofief to portray the character. The TEMPO, DYNAMICS, and ARTICULATIONS Music-Go-Rounds can be introduced in context with music.

DYNAMICS 3¾" silicone dots, with PDF guide. ARTICULATION TEMPO Set of 10 28083 3¾" silicone dots, with PDF guide. 3¾" silicone dots, with PDF guide. Set of 14 28120 Set of 15 28119 Here are examples of a few elements you might listen for in the themes: Bird - Allegro, mf, grace notes, staccatos, trill Cat - Moderato, piano, staccatos, slurs Duck- grace notes, legato, accelerando and crescendo to FF (when wolf chases it), ritard, decrescendo, PP (after duck is swallowed) Peter-Andante, slurs, staccatos Wolf -piano, legato, fermata, crescendo, forte Grandfather- Andante, accents, marcato Hunters- Fortissimo, tremolo, sFz, crescendo About the work: Peter and the Wolf was composed by Prokofiev in 1936 for the Central Children’s Theater in Moscow. It was created as a symphonic fairy tale, complete with narration About the Composer: by the composer, with the purpose of introducing children Sergei Prokofiev (1891-1953) was a to instruments of the orchestra. First performed by the Russian composer, pianist, and conduc- Moscow Philharmonic in 1936, it was not initially successful tor. Following the Russian Revolution but eventually became one of the most often performed and World War I, he lived several years classical works in the world for children. In 1938, Prokofiev abroad in the United States, Germany, himself conducted the American premiere with the Boston and Paris. He returned to Russia in 1936, Symphony. In 1946 Disney’s animated Peter and the Wolf and the same year was commissioned feature film further popularized Prokofiev’s work. by the Moscow Conservatory to com- pose Peter and the Wolf to introduce Peter and the Wolf is an excellent example of the storytell- children to the orchestra. In the course ing power of music. When music is written to describe or of his lifetime he composed numerous represent non-musical subjects, such as a story, painting, works for piano, violin, chamber en- landscape, or external event, it is called “program music.” semble, orchestra, opera, and ballet. When music does not attempt to represent specific subjects His most famous ballets are Cinderella or stories, it is called “absolute music.” You can usually tell and Romeo and Juliet, and his most by the title of the work whether it is “program” or “absolute” ambitious opera was based on Tolstoy’s music. Can you think of examples of each? famous Russian novel War and Peace.

Before each performance it's become traditional to introduce to the audience the starring instruments, which in turn play the melodic theme of the character they portray. This introduction helps young listeners recognize both the sight and sound of the instruments and the characters they represent during the performance. Here's what you'd hear.

The bird is portrayed by the flute:

The duck by the oboe:

The cat by the clarinet:

The grandfather is played by the bassoon:

The wolf is represented by a trio of French horns:

The Hunters are represented by the timpani and bass drum:

The hero of the story, Peter, is represented by the string section:

Each of these instruments take their turn in the limelight, playing some of Prokofiev’s most memorable melodies. When you listen to the entire work, see if you can recognize the characters by their musical themes and the particular instruments the composer chose to represent them.

Peter’s and Grandfather’s Hat Peter and the Wolf 27081 Playtime Kit Kit includes 2 99444

Grandfather’s Hunter’s Hat Mustache/Beard 27083 One piece. 27082 Kit includes 3. Wolf Cap 4310

Bird Wings 19" x 47" 27080 Cat Ears & Tail 4359 Duck Hat 27078 Feather Boa 40" 27079

Disney’s PETER & THE WOLF/ MAKE MINE MUSIC DVD. The original animated version of Peter with Prokofiev’s music, plus other Disney 1946 classics including Willie the Operatic Whale, Casey at the Bat, Mickey Mouse’s The CHILDREN’S CLASSICS CD Band Concert, Farmyard Symphony, and more! Leonard Bernstein narrates Peter 67 min. DVD 7582 and the Wolf and Carnival of the Animals, with clarifying insights PETER AND THE WOLF illus. by about the stories and what to listen Peter Malone with a CD by the for in the music. Also includes Cincinnati Pops. Dreamlike paintings Young Person’s Guide to the Or- and a kinder ending, with a short bio chestra narrated by young Master of Prokofiev. HB & CD 9691 Henry Chapin. 75 min. CD 4107

PETER AND THE WOLF BALLET DVD. Prokofiev’s musical tale, danced by the Royal Ballet School to Matthew Hart’s joyful choreog- raphy. This ballet, narrated by Will Kemp, is a delightful intro to the story, the music of Prokofiev, and ballet. The sets are minimal but effective, the characters enticing, and the imaginative performance charms all ages. 30 min. length is perfect for K-5. DVD 25015

PETER AND THE WOLF: A Prokofiev Fantasy DVD Narrated by Sting, with Claudio Abbado and the Chamber Orchestra of Europe. Spitting Image puppets interact with real-life story characters and orchestral musicians. In- Classics to Color: PETER AND THE WOLF cludes 2 bonus Prokofiev works dramatized PETER AND THE WOLF Activity Kit by Debra Lindsay. for kids—Overture on Hebrew Themes and Color the story in imaginative pictures. 24 loose-leaf reproducible The Classical Symphony (Peter upsets a Then read “the Story of the Story”, with puzzles, melodies and activity banquet attended by Beethoven, Bach, background on the story, instruments, sheets. 9296 Mozart, Wagner, and others). 53 min. history, and composer Prokofiev. DVD 7152 PB 6286