<h3>Fishy Moves</h3><p>First, the children listen in a still, quiet way to Aquarium from Saint-Saens' Carnival of the Animals. One way to achieve 'still and quiet' is to ask the children to find a big space on the floor and lie down pretending to be a starfish, with eyes closed. Make sure they are far enough apart not to nudge each other!</p>                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                

<h4>Moving to the music</h4><p>Next, ask the children to move to the music, keeping feet very quiet. If you have floaty dance scarves, this is an ideal time for the children to use them to express the graceful musical phrases. </p><p>I'll share a secret with you now. When I was a child of this age, we had a radio programme in which we had to pretend to be swaying trees and suchlike. I thought it was daft and didn't realise until later in life that moving to music and doing silly things was FUN. That's why I nearly always join in with the children!</p>                                                                                                                                                                                <h4>Discussion</h4><p>After listening and moving to the music, show the video so that the children see the instruments being played - notice that there are two pianos as well as orchestral instruments.</p><p>After watching, you might like to respond to the children's own comments and then you could ask, 'What makes this music sound like fish gliding through water?' (Logically, it doesn't - but imagination is a wonderful thing!) Ask for lots of describing words for the music and help the children with including using Elements of Music Words such as tinkly <em>timbre</em> for the high notes on the pianos, and the swishy, gliding sound of the glass harmonica near the end. You can't see it in this video but I suspect that the part is played on a glockenspiel, which will be a bigger version of the tuned percussion instruments with shiny, metal bars that children have in school.</p>                                                                                                                                                <p>Floaty scarves are lovely to use and you can buy a pack cheaply online. </p>                                

Moving to the music - Video

<h3>Fishy Moves</h3><p>First, the children listen in a still, quiet way to Aquarium from Saint-Saens' Carnival of the Animals. One way to achieve 'still and quiet' is to ask the children to find a big space on the floor and lie down pretending to be a starfish, with eyes closed. Make sure they are far enough apart not to nudge each other!</p>                                                                <div class="video">    <div class="embed">                    <iframe class="lazy_embed" src="https://player.vimeo.com/video/382925108?title=0&amp;byline=0&amp;color=A2D6BD" allowfullscreen="">            </iframe>            </div></div>                                                                <h4>Moving to the music</h4><p>Next, ask the children to move to the music, keeping feet very quiet. If you have floaty dance scarves, this is an ideal time for the children to use them to express the graceful musical phrases. </p><p>I'll share a secret with you now. When I was a child of this age, we had a radio programme in which we had to pretend to be swaying trees and suchlike. I thought it was daft and didn't realise until later in life that moving to music and doing silly things was FUN. That's why I nearly always join in with the children!</p>                                                                <div class="video">    <div class="embed">                    <iframe class="lazy_embed" src="https://player.vimeo.com/video/399589767?title=0&amp;byline=0&amp;color=A2D6BD" allowfullscreen="">            </iframe>            </div></div>                                                                <h4>Discussion</h4><p>After listening and moving to the music, show the video so that the children see the instruments being played - notice that there are two pianos as well as orchestral instruments.</p><p>After watching, you might like to respond to the children's own comments and then you could ask, 'What makes this music sound like fish gliding through water?' (Logically, it doesn't - but imagination is a wonderful thing!) Ask for lots of describing words for the music and help the children with including using Elements of Music Words such as tinkly <em>timbre</em> for the high notes on the pianos, and the swishy, gliding sound of the glass harmonica near the end. You can't see it in this video but I suspect that the part is played on a glockenspiel, which will be a bigger version of the tuned percussion instruments with shiny, metal bars that children have in school.</p>                                                                    <div class="img img_sml">        <img class="lazy_img" src="https://rippleeducation.blob.core.windows.net/media/glockenspiel.jpg" alt="Glockenspiel">    </div>                                                                <p>Floaty scarves are lovely to use and you can buy a pack cheaply online. </p>                                                                    <div class="img img_sml">        <img class="lazy_img" src="https://rippleeducation.blob.core.windows.net/media/51NcfXK6CcL._AC_SR320320.jpg" alt="51 Ncf Xk6 Cc L  Ac Sr320320">    </div>                                                                <h3>Fishy Sounds (pitch, structure)</h3><p>This activity really belongs in the Creative Music section but it follows on well here because it's a perfect time for the children to use those little glockenspiels that are often neglected. First you'll need to re-cap on <em>high and low pitch</em> (littlest glockenspiel bars produce the highest pitch and it's unrelated to volume). If you model the activity first, explaining how you are using high and low sounds and fast and slow sounds, the children will understand more easily.</p><p>Ask the children, in pairs, to create their own fishy music. Most children are, in my experience, more creative when they have some structure to work with rather than just being asked to make something up. Here's a suggested plan:</p><ul><li>the sun rises </li><li>the fish swim slowly to the surface </li><li>the seagulls fly high, then swoop down quickly</li><li>the fish swim away quickly</li><li>the seagull flies up into the sky</li></ul>                                                                <p>Each pair of children needs one glockenspiel and one untuned instrument. It's possible to do this activity with several pairs of children at once but do make sure that the volume is not too loud - using soft-headed beaters helps.</p><p>The children make up their piece of music, practise playing it, then perform it for the rest of the children after which they may revise their music and perform it again. It's great to record the music so that the children can listen to and admire their own work - and, of course, self-assess. Recording the music also provides a record of achievement for you. </p><h4>Make Graphic Scores</h4><p>Graphic scores are time-lines for what happens in the music and when. First ask the children how they can show high and low pitch in their graphic score, as well the order in which the sounds are made. </p>                                                                    <div class="img img_sml">        <img class="lazy_img" src="https://rippleeducation.blob.core.windows.net/media/shoal_of_fish.jpg" alt="Shoal Of Fish">    </div>

Seaside & Under the Sea Level: Key Stage 1 - Listening, appraising & movement

Year 1

Year 2

Seaside

Music

Fishy moves - Video

Music Playtime has been created by a Key Stage 1 and Early Years Music education specialist. The schemes are built in recognition of the fact that most primary teachers are not music specialists. Access the knowledge and the ideas you need to feel confident teaching music.

Fishy moves - Video

Music Resource Description

Fishy Moves