Bird and peanuts (timbre) - Song

Birds and Peanuts (timbre)

An activity for pairs of children. First discuss with the whole group of children what birds like to eat. Then at various points in the day, the children go in pairs to the music corner and each choose an instrument that makes a completely different sound (timbre). One is the bird pecking the food (eg wooden claves) and the other is the peanuts in a bird feeder (eg a shaker).

The children make up a little sequence of music about the bird eating the nuts by taking turns to play. This sequence is by Holly and Florence using claves and a shaker made of nut shells on a string.

Extension Activity (tempo, dynamics)

As an extension, the children could make another difference by changing the way they play their instrument - for example:

• Dynamics - Play the claves quietly and play the shaker loudly
• Tempo - Play the claves quickly and play the shaker slowly

Whole Class Activity

You could do this as a whole class activity even if you don't have enough instruments, by having two children playing instruments and the rest of the class using body sounds like clapping for the bird and rubbing hands together for the shakers.

The piece of music can be given a name, then recorded so the children can listen.