Timbre

Teacher: Chris Au
Age / Grade Level(s): FALS/CALS High School
Class: General Music
Music Element(s) OR Topic: Timbre

Resources/Materials
1) Potentially a stuffed bear.
2) Percussion instruments.

National Core Music Standards (http://www.nationalartsstandards.org/)

Write out the specific standard, by grade OR skill level, being met:
1) MU:Pr6.1.3a: Perform music with expression and technical accuracy.

Objectives (Outcomes)
1) Today we will create our own timbres using body percussion to best describe the story/chant Were Going
On A Bear Hunt.

Assessment
1) Accurate demonstration and participation during the song/chant.

Strategy/Procedure

1) Introduce the idea that were going on a bear hunt and while on that adventure we ran into a few obstacles that
were going to reenact.
2) State that we have a chant that well say when were hunting for a bear and then start the chant while
signaling a call-and-response with your hands. Were going on a bear hunt. Were going to catch a big one.
Im not scared. Its a beautiful day.
3) Halt the chant, and describe one of the obstacles:
a. Deep thick mud puddle. (squishy, stomping body motion)
b. Large field of long wavy grass. (swishing, arm waving motion)
c. Racing deep river stream. (violently swishing, swirling, body movement)
4) Ask them Can I go over it? Can I go under it? and then state I got to go through it. What sound does ____
make?
5) Ask for a few suggestions, and suggest particular body percussion with potentially a mouth sound.
6) Perform it as a class.
7) Start the chant again, and use another obstacle until youve used all three.
8) When you meet the bear: Theres a cave! A dark and scary cave. Can we go under it? Can we go over it? We
have to go through it. What sound do our feet make when were walking in a cave? (youll want an echo
effect)
9) Perform the echo effect. Then stop it with: Whats this? It feels soft and fuzzy. Its so big. It has a large
head. It has a big mouth. (children will start guessing) ITS A BEAR WE HAVE TO RUN
10) Start running, while suggesting the obstacles you went through but in reverse, the class performs the
appropriate body percussion while running until you get home.
11) Say That was kind of boring, I have a way to make it more adventurous and fun! and introduce the
percussion instruments. Recall the obstacles and match the percussion instruments to them. Perform the
adventure as stated above. Have a few kids assigned to each one, and perform the whole song/chant.