Peter and the Wolf

When I found a book called "Peter and the Wolf" at the library, I was super-stoked.  I quietly snuck it in with the other books that my kids actually picked out (What books does a two-year old "pick out", really? Maybe instead of saying that Melody picked out a book, I ought to say I transferred the book from the floor or table or wherever it landed after she randomly pulled it off the shelf only to discard it moments later for another new, random, shelf-pulled book to our checkout bag, b/c it looked like it met one of my criterion for checking out a library book:  A) Somewhat quality literature and/or artwork  B) short enough that I don't have to spend half an hour reading one story.)  Anyhow, I snuck in Peter and the Wolf and my teacher brain started going a mile a minute. 

I used to teach Peter and the Wolf in MA to my first graders - it is an awesome introduction to the instruments of the orchestra, but more importantly (in my little music educator's mind) is that I think it starts to teach to children that all music tells a story.  Some music tells the story of rebellion and sticking it to the man (thinking John Cage or even Stravinsky here) and of course, some music tells actual stories (like opera) but ALL music is about more than just the sound.  There are emotions and plots, characters and growth all underneath the melodies and harmonies.  I think that teaching kids to RELATE to music is one of the most important things you can do to help kids LOVE music.  And when kids love music, they will never stop learning about it and experiencing it.

So....all that to say, I was super-excited to find and get this book for my kids and start passing on my love for music to them.  But, although I immediately went into lesson-planning mode, I wanted to make sure that I didn't force it down their throats.  I decided to let them take the lead, and just be available if they showed some interest.  Well - after a day or two, they discovered it in our library basket and of course, wanted me to read it.  Thank goodness it was me and not their father!  Not that he is a doofus, but he is not familiar with Peter and the Wolf.  In fact, both he and my mother thought that the book was "really weird" when the kids asked for it later in the week.  But, they asked me about it first - so we read it several times.  The kids LOVED it, especially when I used the "silly voices" for all the animals.

Then, one day, after reading it, I casually mentioned that there was music to go along with the story, and maybe sometime they would like to listen to it.  I didn't sit them down for a "Peter and the Wolf" lesson. I just casually slipped it in - I knew that if they were interested, they would initiate the process of digging deeper.  And, of course, they eventually remembered and asked to listen to the music that went along with the story.   So, I looked it up on YouTube.   So far, we've watched three different versions on YouTube of the story.  And they keep asking for it again and again.  The nice thing about this - I really don't have to do any work.  The narration on some of the videos we've watched does enough to introduce the instruments.  And really, I want their brains to do the work, not mine.  So, occasionally I will say something like "Oooh, here comes the wolf's music!"   Or, "hear the duck?  Remember what instrument that is?"  - they have been totally engrossed and love listening to the story (we still have it checked out) and listening to the music.  Of course, I have had Peter & the Wolf stuck in my head for the last several days, but I guess that is the price you pay for home-music-educating your kids. 

Some of the further activities that I intend to do or that I will be ready for, should they come up - 1) act out the story.  I think that Cooper would especially enjoy going on a "wolf hunt" - like Peter does in the old Disney movie.  (I do know that this is not entirely accurate or true to the original story, but I'm using a little creative license, here.)  2) Perhaps we could talk about the way that sound is produced on an instrument - Cooper just got a recorder for his birthday, and it would be very easy to tie in the woodwind instrument family to Peter and the Wolf to teaching him to play on his recorder.  3)  Any kind of art activity where we draw or paint the characters, plot line,  song map, etc...These are not things that HAVE to be done, but just if they come up, I've thought about them and am prepared to introduce them or work them out with the kids. 

I have recently been doing so much research on homeschooling, this method, that method, this curriculum, that curriculum, no curriculum - we are trying to find what works for us.  And I think that this method - the non-lesson lesson that I did with P&TW is the perfect example of what we are going for - letting the kids discover things for themselves, facilitating their interests, while still introducing several solid educational concepts.  (I can think of several TEKS that this "lesson" would cover, though I couldn't reference them right off the top of my head).  Anyhow, I hope that you can get as much out of this as we did! 

* The book is called Peter And The Wolf:  The symphonic children's classic retold by Caldecott Medalist Chris Raschka.