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

Music Lesson Plan

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

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

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

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

Step 5
Play the recording for the class.

Step 6
Distribute the 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 at the front of the room."

Step 8
Play the recording a second time.

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

Step 10
Tell the students, "Pretend it’s midnight. Just before you went to bed, your mom finished frosting a chocolate cake and put it in the refrigerator. It looked delicious! I'd like everyone to stand up and form a circle. We're going to sneak downstairs to get a piece of that cake!"

Step 11
Demonstrate the movement for the listening activity. Start the recording with students following your lead as you move 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 students about Franz Joseph Haydn again once the excitement settles down.

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 one last time.