Antarctica Antarctica: The Heart of the World By Coral Tulloch Antarctica is the highest, driest, windiest, coldest, cleanest, most isolated and most peaceful continent on Earth. It is a continent of wilderness, a place of enormous size and energy, of constant change and of great and rare beauty. To enter into Antarctica is to enter into a powerhouse, into the very heart of our Earth. Children can undertake their own journey to Antarctica with this comprehensive and highly illustrated guide. Structure Listen to simple raps (Teacher: check out words first to ensure they are suitable for children) Identify what makes a rap different from a song. Brainstorm words, concepts and phrases children have learned about Antarctica. Create a class rap about Antarctica, incorporating information about Antarctica within the structure of a rap. Add beat box accompaniment A very simple example of a rap could be: Vocal accompaniment used as introduction and coda, and repeated rhythmically throughout the rap: An-­‐TARC – tica, An – TARC – tica, etc. Suggestion of a Rap: Antarctica is very cool, I’d rather be there than at school! I’d play with the penguins, swim with the whales, Look out to sea as the iceberg sails But the ice is melting, the snow is soft, We can help, turn the power off, Climate change, we learn at school, Is making Antarctica anything but cool! Duration Add beat box accompaniment Dynamics Work out which sections could be loud and which soft Tone Colour If appropriate, add instruments to the beat / rhythm / or to represent the lyrics Movement Add movements, either to represent the lyrics, or rap movements Practice the rap and share with another class. Deirdre Russell-Bowie; ArtsMMADD.com
Extension: Divide into groups and have each group create their own rap about Antarctica and video the performances. Resources Antarctica: The Heart of the World by Carol Tulloch Downloaded information about writing raps (for teacher) Eg. http://www.lessonplanspage.com/MusicWriteRapSong68.htm http://www.ehow.com/how_2032353_write-­‐rap-­‐song.html http://www.wikihow.com/Write-­‐a-­‐Rap-­‐Song Chalkboard /white board / Interactive whiteboard Graphic Scores (Structure, Tone Colour, Dynamics) • Allocate instruments for each flashcard Create a graphic score using flashcards about Antarctica Conductor points to flashcards one at a time as class plays the score Global warming and its possible effect on Antarctica • Allocate instruments to each of the flashcards/icons on the graphic scores (Flashcards and Graphic Scores form artsmmadd.com) • Antarctica Score: The conductor moves their pointer from left to right, starting loudly (forte) with instruments playing when pointer touches their icon, and finishing softly (piano) to indicate the decline of wildlife and the ice shelf throughout time. • Global Warming Score: The conductor moves their pointer from left to right, starting softly (piano) with instruments playing when pointer touches their icon, and finishing loudly (forte) to indicate the increase of the causes of, and of global warming throughout time. • Two together: Put one score above the other and play them together to reinforce that as global warming increases, so the wildlife and ice in Antarctica decreases. Deirdre Russell-Bowie; ArtsMMADD.com