Creative work is always so much fun! In the music room children learn that music tells stories. The official term is "program music", but the first grade level we use sounds and movement to tell the stories.
This piece is based on Bobbie Shaftoe, a short English folksong about a young man who goes off to sea one last time before coming home to get married. The task was to create his last adventure using instrument sounds and movement. After the class came up with the storyline together, they worked in teams to create sound effects to fit the story. These are clips of some of the groups playing their adventure stories.
Mrs Henely's Group 1
Mrs. Henely's Group 2
Mrs. Ricke's Group 1
Mrs. Ricke's Group 2
Mrs. Hucka's Group 1
Mrs. Hucka's Group 2
Mrs. Wuebker's Group 1
Mrs. Wuebker's Group 2
When we put the whole piece together, children alternated singing the song with each group's adventure story. Here's a clip that shows part of a completed piece.
Mrs. Henely's Group 3 with sound and movement
Mrs. Hucka's Group 3 with sound and movement
