Looking for a simple way to incorporate music education into your homeschool?
These SQUILT lessons are designed to do just that.
Each week we incorporate music into our learning. Some weeks I decide to make a full blown lesson, and other weeks it is just listening for the sake of listening.
This week our selection is from Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart (whose birthday is this month, by the way), and it is Variations on Twinkle, Twinkle, Little Star.
Did you know that Twinkle, Twinkle, Little Star was a traditional French folk melody, which was then varied by Mozart?
The Lesson:
- Download and print the SQUILT form for your student.
- Tell them you are going to listen to a piece by Mozart - don't even tell them the name of the piece! It won't take them long to figure out it's Twinkle, Twinkle, Little Star. (Some may also recognize it as the ABC Song and Baa, Baa Black Sheep)
- Go over the form with your students. Discuss dynamics, rhythm, instrumentation, and mood.
- Listen to the piece again, and this time your children can fill in the form to the best of their ability.
- This piece is an example of Theme and Variations: Mozart took an initial theme (the Twinkle, Twinkle melody) and changed it 12 times. Find out more by reading this article.
*Some hints:
The DYNAMICS are varied. Lots of louds and softs in this piece.
THe RHYTHM is just as varied, although maybe your children can always pick out the basic Twinkle, Twinkle rhythm.
The INSTRUMENTATION is piano.
The MOOD of each of the variations is different. Discuss how some of the variations are happy and some are sad.
We found this performance (by an 11 year old) of the piece. Wow!
More resources about Mozart to extend learning:
- Mozart's biography for children
- Mozart: The story of a little boy and his sister who gave concerts - a free book by Thomas Tapper
- Mozart coloring page
- Mozart notebooking page
- Mozart Multi-book theme unit from Homeschool Share
- Mozart YouTube playlist
Have fun, and don't forget to check out the other SQUILT lessons I have available!