Twinkle, Twinkle, Changing Star | Free Music Lesson Plan (Theme & Variations)

Big Idea

How does a famous composer turn a simple nursery rhyme into a masterpiece? This free, no-prep music lesson plan introduces Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart's Ah, vous dirai-je, maman in theme and variations form. Your students will actively listen and record what they hear with simple illustrations that express the mood of each variation.

Grade Level: 2-4
Activity: Listening & Analysis Worksheet
Skill: Identifying Theme and Variations Form

Students will demonstrate an understanding of theme and variations form by describing musical changes through a guided listening activity.

This lesson is designed to fulfill the 2014 National Standard for Music:
Demonstrate and explain how the expressive qualities (such as dynamics and tempo) and primary musical elements of music (such as form) are used in performers’ decisions to convey expressive intent. (Responding - MU:Re9.1.3a)

Recording of Ah, vous dirai-je, maman
Twinkle, Twinkle, Changing Star | Free Worksheet
Crayons and Pencils

Music Lesson Plan

Twinkle Twinkle Changing Star Music Lesson

Step 1
Tell students, "We will be learning about theme and variations by listening to a famous piece by Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart. It's called Ah, vous dirai-je, maman."

Step 2
Tell students, "I'm going to play the theme for this piece. As soon as you recognize the melody, raise your hand." Start the recording.

Step 3
Tell students, "Correct! The theme for this piece is the melody for Twinkle, Twinkle, Little Star. Mozart didn't write this theme. It was already a popular French folk song when he was a boy. He did, however, write the brilliant variations that follow. In fact, he wrote them so well that this is one of the most popular piano pieces ever written."

Step 4
Explain that theme and variations is a musical form. The theme is the main melody. A variation is a restatement of that theme in a different way. "Variation" simply means to change. The composer may choose to change the notes of the melody, the harmony, the rhythm, or the instruments used.

Step 5
Tell students, "As we listen to Mozart's piece, we will describe each variation with a picture. If the variation sounds happy, you can draw a happy face on a star on your worksheet. If it sounds excited, you can add a smile, raised arms, or dancing shoes! Be creative." Show the worksheet to the class.

Step 6
Before listening, ask the students to help you make a list of words on the board that could describe a piece of music (e.g., fast, slow, smooth, jumpy, sad, playful).

Step 7
Start the recording. Stop the music after each variation to give students time to complete one star for each section they hear.