Teachers.Net Lesson Plans

#18. Beethoven's Symphony Number 9

other, level: elementary
Posted by Kyle Yamnitz (kyle@coe.missouri.edu).
The Lesson Plans Page
University of Missouri, USA
Materials Required: Artworks with thin and thick texture, recording of Beethoven's Ninth Symphony
Activity Time: 1 class period
Concepts Taught: Music and Art, Texture in Music and Art

Song: "Beethovenâs Symphony Number 9"

Concept to Teach: Texture in artworks

Grade Level: Third

Concept: Students will see a difference in actual texture in two paintings. They will also

experience this difference in texture in music to reinforce their understanding.

Objectives: The students will:
Look at an oil painting and notice how the actual texture is thick compared to a

watercolor painting.
Listen to portions of Beethovenâs Ninth Symphony with thick and thin texture.
Experience texture in two different forms.

Materials:
An artwork with thin texture (watercolor or similar painting)
An artwork with thick texture (oil painting with the paint applied thickly to create

texture)
A recording of Beethovenâs Ninth Symphony or some other music that will

contains both thick and thin texture

Preliminary Procedures:
The teacher will have already discussed simulated texture in artworks (detail which makes the artwork look real, provides depth, or three-dimensionality. Now, introduce the concept of actual texture in artworks; texture that is real and stands out on the page physically.

Procedures:

1. Provide the students with the two paintings and pass them around the room for them to get a good look at the differences in texture. Tell students that one has thick and the other has thin texture. Ask them which they think has each.

2. Once they see the differences in texture, their understanding can be enhanced by listening to different textures in music.

3. Ask students to listen carefully to the music and ask them what they notice when you play the first piece that has thin texture.

4. Then play the musical piece that has thick texture and ask what the difference is.

5. Finish up by returning to the paintings and ask students again which has thick and which has thin texture.

Evaluation:
Students are able to identify which painting has the thick and which has the thin texture after listening to the music. They will also be able to describe why the one painting has thicker texture.

Follow-up:
A follow-up activity would be to present other paintings and music and ask students to identify what has thick and what has thin textures.

Teaching of a Musical Element:
The musical element that I would teach would be texture. I would teach it in the same way as I had for art, except reversed. I would introduce the music first and have the artworks to enforce the musical texture.