Dance+of+the+Toy+Flute-Bigge

=**Introduction**= This lesson was used with a 2nd grade general music classroom. As the holidays approached, we were finding ways to incorporate traditional music while still respecting the diverse background of the students within our class. In this lesson, I took the rhythms within Tchaikovsky's "Dance of the Toy Flutes" from "The Nutcracker", and created a fun activity using the instruments we had in our classroom. Luckily we had an abundance of triangles and sleigh bells! For the different colored lines of the text that I created, we had the class split either playing a triangle or sleigh bell. On the brown text (Which is red and green mixed together!) we had all of the students play. With the activity we had the students keeping a solid beat, and we even taught them about dynamics with the tremolo portion. Attached as well below is my lesson plan, where the sequencing is easier to follow. Enjoy this fun activity! It worked wonderfully with all of our 2nd grade groups, and the instruments involved are affordable for schools with budget restrictions.

**Lyrics:**
**A**-Snowflakes falling from the big grey sky. I hear sleigh bells jingle as they pass by. Oh it must be winter, Oh it must be winter. Snow man building, present giving, boy it’s cold oh my! Snowflakes falling from the big grey sky. I hear sleigh bells jingle as they pass by. Oh it must be winter, Oh it must be winter. 1. Tremolo 2. I can’t feel my toes! **B**-Running running running running **A’**- Snowflakes falling from the big grey sky. I hear sleigh bells jingle as they pass by. Oh it must be winter, Oh it must be winter. Snow man building, present giving, boy it’s cold oh my! Snowflakes falling from the big grey sky. I hear sleigh bells jingle as they pass by. Oh it must be winter, Oh it must be winter.

I can’t feel my toes! = = =**Lesson Plan:**=

National Standard Objectives: Analyze, Rehearse Evaluate and Respond
===Behavioral Learning Objectives: Students will listen to “Dance of the Reed Flutes” from the Nutcracker Suite and, using a song and body percussion, be able to perform this piece on triangle and sleigh bells. They will also perform a first and second ending and discover the meaning of an A and B section.===

Sequence of Activities:
1. Students will enter and be shown the Fantasia clip of “Dance of the Reed Flutes” from the Nutcracker Suite. //(3 Min)// -“What did you hear and see in the video? Did you hear a theme come back?” -Discuss the A and B section 2. After a discussion over what the students heard, students will listen to the recording of "Dance of the Toy Flutes" and keep the beat. //(3 Min)// -Students can follow the instructor's lead in keeping pulse in different ways (patting their lap, tapping their heads, etc) 3. Students will then learn the chant created that goes with the piece. (The words are sung to the tune, following the rhythm of the flute part) //(7-10 Min)// -Discuss first and second ending, explaining that students will repeat the tune from the top but take the second ending their 2nd time through. -Tremolo, the students should shake on the sleigh bells and roll on the triangle to keep a suspended pitch. During the clapping run through I had students use "Spirit Fingers". -"I can't feel my toes" is a little tricky to perform because of the syncopation so it will need some extra practice! 4. Students will then listen to Dance of the Toy Flutes again, but this time clap and sing their chant while it plays. //(3 Min)// 5. Once students have performed the chant, instruments will be handed out with one side of the room receiving triangles and the other receiving sleigh bells. //(2 Min)// -Two student examples will be shown first for proper instrument handling and playing. -Text in red will be performed on triangle, text in green will be performed on sleigh bells, during brown text both instruments play ( red + green = brown ) 6. Students will perform Dance of the Toy Flutes with instruments //(3 Min)// -If time allows, the students will switch and perform again on the other part. 
 * ** Concepts/Skills/Values: ** || The Nutcracker, playing triangle and sleigh bells, first and second ending, A and B section ||