Surprise Symphony (Haydn) | Free Music Lesson Plan (Listening)

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Zany and fun, this music lesson plan delivers! Rated by students as "Mega-Wow!" Your students will never listen to Haydn's Surprise Symphony in the same way again!

Level

Grade 2-4

Objective

Students will learn about Franz Joseph Haydn by reading a short biography. They also will be introduced to his Surprise Symphony through a fun-filled listening/activity lesson. This lesson is designed to fulfill Standard #6 of the National Standards for Music: listening to, analyzing, and describing music.

Materials

Haydn's Surprise Symphony Recording
Haydn's Surprise Symphony | Listening Map and Lesson


Lesson

Step 1
Distribute the Hey Kids, Meet Franz Joseph Haydn free printable biography.

Step 2
Ask students to raise their hand if they would like to read a paragraph of the biography. Ask the class to read along with the student reader. Ask the student reader to pick the next reader.

Step 3
Quiz the students on what they read and then collect the biography.

Step 4
Tell students, "This is a listening map of Haydn's Surprise Symphony. It is a picture of what the music sounds like. I would like you to follow along as we listen to the recording the first time. The next time we listen to the recording you will have a listening map of your own."

Step 5
Play recording.



Step 6
Distribute the free printable Franz Joseph Haydn Surprise Symphony Listening Map to paired students.

Step 7
Tell students, "Do your best to follow the listening map. If you need help you can follow along on my map."

Step 8
Play recording.

Step 9
Quiz the students on what they read about Franz Joseph Haydn.

Step 10
Tell students, "It's midnight, and just before you went to bed your mom finished frosting a chocolate cake and placed it in the refrigerator. It looked delicious!"

"I would like everyone to stand up and form a circle. We are going to sneak downstairs to get a piece of chocolate cake."

Step 11
Demonstrate movement for the listening activity. Start the recording with students following your lead, moving in a circle. Don't tell the students about the scream the first time - surprise them. Tell them that the loud note is the moment when mom finds us in the kitchen taking that first bite of the chocolate cake.

Tip-Toe, Tip-Toe, Tip-Toe, Look... (pause and look from side to side),
Tip-Toe, Tip-Toe, Tip-Toe, Look... (pause and look from side to side),
Tip-Toe, Tip-Toe, Tip-Toe, Look... (pause and look from side to side),
Tip-Toe, Tip-Toe, Look..., Look...

Tip-Toe, Tip-Toe, Tip-Toe, Look... (pause and look from side to side),
Tip-Toe, Tip-Toe, Tip-Toe, Look... (pause and look from side to side),
Tip-Toe, Tip-Toe, Tip-Toe, Look... (pause and look from side to side),
Tip-Toe, Tip-Toe, Look..., SCREAM!

Step 12
Quiz the students on what they read about Franz Joseph Haydn.

Step 13
Students perform the movement with the recording to demonstrate understanding. Tell students, "When mom finds you in the kitchen I want you to scream as loud as you can!"

Step 14
Quiz the students on what they read about Franz Joseph Haydn.