Submitted by Dan Fee, Fond du Lac, Wisconsin
Idea posted May 10, 2006
Here's something we did that's been working as well in fifth grade as it did in second grade.
We're listening to Beethoven's Fifth Symphony this month. This week, we're listening to the second movement. We're showing the dynamic levels as follows:
- pp - lay on the floor
- p - crouch down (so you can stand when it gets louder)
- mp or mf - stand with hands on knees
- f - stand
- ff - jump up and down
This is so simple and not terribly creative, but the kids are lovin' it. (It's because they love and need to move... I know.) Any piece with lots of dynamic variety will work just fine.
It's a good review for dynamics or to introduce the concept. Sometimes, I lead the movements and tell them that they may show one movement "louder or softer" than I'm doing. This is because I want them to feel like they can hear things a little differently than me. Other times, I point to the dynamic level on the board, and they respond with the appropriate movement. Either way, it's been working like a charm!