Carnival of the Animals The Elephant Learning Activities

Carnival of the Animals “The Elephant”

Learning Activities • The upcoming learning activities are based on the Carabo-Cone method of elementary music education • They will feature either practices either directly used or closely modified from those of the Carabo-Cone method

Clef Bracelets • Materials: Pipe Cleaners, Rubber Bands • Students will take two pipe cleaners and bend them into a bass clef and a treble clef • Using the rubber bands, they will place the bass and treble clefs on the appropriate hands • They will then go to the piano to associate which notes are bass and which are treble • After listening to the piece, they will decide which clef it would be in and which hand would play it

Music Puzzle • Take the melody line and cut it into one measure “puzzle pieces” and place in bags (each student should get a copy) • While listening to the piece, students will arrange the pieces into the correct order • Once that is complete have students take turns playing a measure or two at the piano – This lesson reinforces musical literacy and listening skills

Beanbag Game • Have melody line projected on the board • Have students line up in front of Floor Staff • Taking turns they will each throw a beanbag and try to land on the appropriate spaces to “write” the melody – You can also use specific colored or sized beanbags to indicate note duration. • If they land in the correct spaces they get to go play that note on the keyboard – They get to hear what they see in front of them

Live Keyboard • Students will choose a name tag specifying a specific note on the keyboard • They will crouch down in the correct order of the keyboard • Have the melody projected on the board, and either with a recording or at an actual piano, play the piece • When it is time for their “note” to be played in the song, students will pop up • When they know how the song goes, you can transition to having them sing the note that they are and do the song in rhythm.

“Just One More” Relay • Only do this once children REALLY know the piece • Have a student go up to the piano and play the first note of the melody • Taking turns, the next student will play the first note, and “just one more” • This continues for the entire piece, adding a single note at a time

Related Activities • Learn The Elephant Song – Eric Herman • Watch the Elephant March clip from The Jungle Book – Have students swing arm like a metronome to feel where the beat is in the song – When they feel the beat you can move on to marching around the room and singing the song – Have students march like Mowgli did with the elephants while listening to and/or singing the song