The Nutcracker Suite: An Interactive Listening Unit-BUNDLE-SMARTBOARD/NOTEBOOK

NEWLY REVISED/UPDATED - FALL 2014

This SMART NOTEBOOK BUNDLE KIT is a comprehensive UNIT of study over the famous music work & ballet "The Nutcracker Suite" by Russian composer Tchaikovsky. This Kit includes 9 interactive music listening lessons that are each listed/sold separately in my TpT store in SMART NOTEBOOK format, however, buying this BUNDLE saves you $8.00. The lessons in this kit are as follows: (This kit is also available in Power-Point format in my TpT store if you do not have capabilities of using Smart Notebook format).

1. Tchaikovsky & The Nutcracker Suite: Introduction To the Composer & The Ballet - In this lesson, the students will be introduced to Tchaikovsky, the history of ballet, and the story of the Nutcracker. There are also extension activities and suggested apps and websites that are listed for the teacher and students to explore as part of the unit.
2. The Nutcracker Suite - The Overture (A Listening Lesson w/ Map) - In this lesson, students will identify 4 musical themes represented by 4 different fictional characters in the famous tale of the Nutcracker. Students will be expected to identify these musical themes by their specific designated assigned instrument(s). Students will also be able to identify the form that these musical themes create. A reinforcement character to instrument matching activity is included with this lesson as is a recording of the music.
3. The Nutcracker Suite - The March (A Listening Lesson w/ Map) - In this lesson, students will identify and label the 2 main sections of this march as AB form. Students will also be able to use imagery with the music to describe what is happening in the story as they hear the music being played. A recording of the music is provided in this file.
4. The Nutcracker Suite - Russian Dance (A Listening Lesson w/ Map) - In this lesson, students will follow a listening map as they hear the Russian dancers prance around as if they are flying through the air. Students will be expected to read simple rhythmic notation including quarter notes and quarter rests as well as repeat signs, A recording of the music is included with this file as well as a short video clip of the Russian Mariinsky Ballet Company performing this high energy piece. Adding instruments to this selection would make for a great classroom play-a-long activity.
5. The Nutcracker Suite - Arabian Dance (A Listening Lesson w/ Map) - In this lesson, students will follow a listening map as they hear the Arabian dancers gracefully and mystically glide throughout the piece. Students will listen for entrances of instruments and groups of instruments and observe the order that this occurs in. Students will be expected to recall this order as well as the mood this piece creates. A recording of the music is included with this file as well as a short video clip of the Russian Mariinsky Ballet Company performing this elegant, mystical dance. Extension ideas could include talking about the tempo and dynamics of the piece, the timbre of the instruments used in the piece, etc.
6. The Nutcracker Suite - Chinese Dance (A Listening Lesson w/ Map) - In this lesson, students will follow a listening map as they hear the Chinese dancers spring about, dancing joyfully to their bouncy happy tune. Students will recognize the variations of high and low sounds and what instruments represent those sounds in the piece. A recording of the music is included with this file as well as a short video clip of the Russian Mariinsky Ballet Company performing this fun, cheery tune. Extension ideas for younger students could include talking about different things that sound high and low, vocal explorations of high and low sounds, etc.
7. The Nutcracker Suite - Dance Of Sugar Plum Fairy (A Listening Lesson w/ Map) - In this lesson, students will follow a listening map as they hear the sugar plum fairy dance her way from one section to the next. Students will be expected to read simple rhythmic notation including quarter notes, quarter rests, and paired eighth notes, repeat signs, as well as visual icons to help navigate their way through the map. A recording of the music is included with this file as well as a short video clip of the Russian Mariinsky Ballet Company.
8. The Nutcracker Suite - Dance Of The Reed Pipes (A Listening Lesson w/ Map) - In this listening lesson, students will be able to identify the difference between moods in music, specifically using musical terms "major" and "minor." Students will also be able to identify when one mood/section ends and another begins by hearing the changes in the music. At the end of the lesson, students will check their understanding of the activity by answering some simple questions about what they've just heard. A recording of the piece is provided as well as a fun short video clip of the Russian Mariinsky Ballet Company performing this fun, cheery dance tune.
9. The Nutcracker Suite - Waltz Of The Flowers (A Listening Lesson w/ Map) - In this lesson, students will be expected to identify the 4 musical themes heard in this dance tune as well as the instruments that play each of those themes. Students will also be able to identify the main form of the piece as ABA form. Activities included in this file are a very colorful vibrant listening map, a theme identification activity, a form labeling activity, and a short video excerpt/recording of the Russian Mariinsky Ballet Company performing this fun, cheery dance tune. A recording of the music is also provided to correspond with the listening map.

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