Molly My Sister

• Sarah Fairfield
• Posted 2/13/23
• 0 comments

Speech Piece with Instruments 

Suggested Grades: 3-5 

National Core Arts Standards 

#1 – Generate and conceptualize artistic ideas and work.  
#2 – Organize and develop artistic ideas and work. 
#3 – Refine and complete artistic work.

Objectives  

• Perform and respond to music using movement and speech 
• Explore 6/8 meter using movement and speech 

Materials  

• Variety of Un-pitched Percussion Instruments 
• PowerPoint optional 
• Composition Worksheet optional 

Lesson Overview

Students explore the meter of 6/8 using movement and speech. Students then use rhythmic building bricks in 6/8 meter to create a contrasting section to the poem Molly My Sister and I. 

Suggested Teaching Process

Exploration of 6/8 through Movement & Speech (Pulse and Sub-division)

1. Play rhythm patterns in 6/8 meter on the temple blocks (or drum, etc.).
2. Students react to music and move through space. 
3. Students identify rhythm patterns by the type of movement performed:   

4. Assign words to the actions. 
5. Play short rhythmic patterns on the temple blocks. 
6. The students echo translating patterns into movement words. 
7. Introduce 6/8 meter. 
8. Combine word patterns identified above and label with the matching rhythmic symbols. 
9. Students read 6/8 patterns using the identified speech patterns and rhythm syllables. 

Exploration of Expressive Speech

1. Students read rhythmic notation for the poem. 
2. Transfer the rhythm to the nursery rhyme. 
   • Discuss the poem’s mood. 
     • Do you think the main character in the poem is happy, sad, angry?  Why? 
   • Ask students leading questions. 
     • How can you say the text more excitingly, reflecting the poem’s mood? 
   • What kinds of things can we do with our voices to reflect the mood or expression of this poem? 
   • Speak the poem again with increased expression. 
3. Optional: Ask an individual student or two to share their “interpretation” of the poem.   
   • Reflect on what they did to make the poem more interesting/engaging. 

Arrange the poem into a musical work:

1. Teach Ostinato #1 using echo imitation.  
2. Divide students into two groups. 
3. Combine Ostinato #1 and Poem. Half of the class speaks the poem while the remaining students speak the ostinato.  
4. Repeat the same process with Ostinato #2 
5. Divide the class into three groups and perform the poem with both ostinati. 
6. Rotate so each group practices each of the three parts.  
7. Decide on a Final Form.  
   • Ex. Intro/Ostinato A, Poem, Ostinato B/Coda 

Adding unpitched persussion:

1. Transfer the speech to unpitched percussion. 
2. Assign each group a musical timbre (woods, metals, skins).   
3. Optional: Discuss why certain timbres might work better than others for each part.  
4. Each group practices individually while speaking their part and playing softly.  
5. Yes…it will be noisy!  
6. Have each group play their part separately for the class.   
   • Lead the class in giving feedback.   
   • Do they need to play softer? 
   • How will it sound when they with the other parts? 
   • How many times do you play the poem? Etc. 
7. Combine all parts with speech and unpitched percussion.   
8. Determine the final form. 
   • Hint: When you will speak the poem, play it on instruments, repeat the poem, and in what order.  
9. If needed, reflect on the musicality of the performance, and make alterations as necessary. 

Compose a contrasting section:

1. As a class, brainstorm different types of coffee and tea. 
2. Read through the different 6/8 rhythm building bricks. 
3. Match the words of the different types of coffee and tea to the rhythm that fits most naturally. 
4. Divide students into small groups or have them work individually. 
5. Students create contrasting rhythm sections using different kinds of coffee and tea using elemental forms. 
6. Students fill in the worksheet with their coffee and tea rhythm pattern, notating the pattern iconically, with words, or pictorially. (optional) 
7. Once students can successfully speak their patterns add movement, body percussion, or instruments to perform their rhythms. 
8. Each group of students shares their composition as part of a rondo.  
9. Use the poem Molly My Sister and I as the A section. 
10. Perform 
    • Hint: Consider grouping three or four students together between the A sections for the final performance, it makes the rotation move more quickly. 

References

Graphics were created by Kate Hagen and Educlips.