HOUSE:ED 2013
Swing Baby,
Swing!
Teache
r
s’ Reso
u
rces
Early
Stage 1
& Stag
e1
INTRODUCTION
These teachers’ notes have been designed to assist you with classroom preparation in relation to the
performance of Swing Baby Swing. We hope that this resource will assist your students to further
enjoy and enhance their performing arts experience back in the classroom. The activities are designed
for students from Years K – 2.
The activities included in this resource, provide opportunities for students to explore elements of Jazz
Music through the musical concepts in performing, organising sound and listening.
NSW Board of Studies Syllabi has been used as guides for the planning of these activities. You should
adapt the activities to suit the student age and stage of your class and the curriculum foci and
outcomes used in your school.
Some websites are suggested throughout this resource. It is recommended that you first visit the sites
and assess the suitability of the content for your particular school environment before setting the
activities based on these.
PERFORMANCE DESCRIPTION AND SYNOPSIS
In Swing Baby, Swing!, students will join stage legend Wayne Scott Kermond and pick up some toocool-to-be-true dance steps. As the Primary Proms Big Band plays some of the classics of the jazz and
rock’n’roll era, Wayne will introduce students to the instruments of the jazz band.
Students will learn about the unique musical style of jazz, as they listen to, feel and move to the
rhythms of swing.
CLASSROOM CONTEXT & CURRICULUM LINKS
This performance provides the classroom teacher with opportunities for learning activities that link to
the following curriculum areas:
Music:
Performing (Singing, Playing and Moving), Organising Sound and Listening
SWING BABY SWING
EARLY STAGE 1:
OUTCOMES AND INDICATORS
MUSIC
PERFORMING
MUES1.1
Participates in simple speech, singing, playing and
moving activities, demonstrating an awareness of
musical concepts
ORGANISING SOUND
MUES1.2
Creates own rhymes, games, songs and simple
compositions
LISTENING
MUES1.4
Listens to and
responds to music
INDICATORS
• performs simple speech rhymes and songs maintaining a sense of beat and rhythm based on nursery rhymes, children’s games
and playground chants
• moves to music maintaining a constant beat
• performs music using body percussion, percussion instruments and self-made sound sources
• explores simple aspects of musical concepts in their singing, playing and moving activities;
• creates simple songs, rhymes and games, with a sense of spontaneity, that are variations on known
material
• explores ways of varying known songs, rhymes and games through using musical concepts
• identifies simple musical features of the music they perform and listen to
• listens to music and responds by moving to the beat, doing simple actions when different sections
are played
• responds to music through movement
STAGE 1: OUTCOMES AND INDICATORS
SUBJECT
PERFORMING
MUS1.1
Sings, plays and moves to a range of music,
demonstrating an awareness of musical
concepts
INDICATORS
• sings songs developing a sense of beat, pitch, tone colour and structure
• moves to music maintaining a constant beat, identifying structure, identifying changes in pitch
• plays music using body percussion, percussion instruments and self-made sound sources to explore
the concepts of duration, dynamics, tone colour and structure
• explores simple aspects of musical concepts in their singing, playing and moving activities
ORGANISING SOUND
MUS1.2
Explores, creates, selects and organises sound in
simple structures
MUS1.3
Uses symbol systems
to represent sounds
MUS1.4
Responds to a range of music, expressing likes
and dislikes and the reasons for these choices
• creates simple musical compositions, with a sense of spontaneity, that are variations on known
material and material that is new
• explores ways of varying known musical material
• devises symbols to represent sounds
• identifies simple musical features of the music that is performed and listened to
• shows preference for particular pieces of music or styles of music and discusses what features of the
music are appealing or are not appealing.
SWING BABY SWING
LESSON
TEACHING AND LEARNING ACTIVITIES
RESOURCES
PRE-SHOW ACTIVITIES
1
2
Introduction to Jazz music.
Introduction to Jazz music.
Brief definition to read to the class.
Jazz Music is a style of music that is known for its particular beat and rhythm, and also the types of instruments that are used. The
musicians who play these instruments usually play musical features that make it sound “jazzy”;
Listen to a piece any of Jazz Music and discuss the overall sound of the music; instruments; tempo; and rhythm. Ask the students if
they have heard Jazz before and what they like about it.
Jazz Music – The Music
THE SWING RHYTHM
Teachers can refer to a description of the swing rhythm through the link:http://www.myjellybeansmusic.com.au/jazz A typical
gallop is the swing rhythm.
- The teacher claps the swing rhythm for the students to echo: first clapping, then their choice of body percussion, then small
percussion instruments. Students can then march in a circle (or around the room) to the beat, whilst clapping the swing rhythm.
-Listen to the musical example ‘Swinging on a star’ (Frank Sinatra version) http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-L87vsqSiXM, to
accompany the movement activities listed below. All students are to gallop to the music (try and encourage the correct swing
rhythm) in the following sequence: i)All students to form a circle and gallop around in a circle, first from side to side, then
forwards around the circle; ii) In pairs and holding hands (moving side to side only) down the room; iii) With the entire class, start
at the back of the room in rows of pairs, holding both hands and facing each other. Each pair is to gallop once down the room
facing each other, then gallops away from each other (backs facing, and letting go of the front hand), then repeat until the end of
the room, then the pair is to go back down the room and gallop again.
- Run around the room to the music with a scarf, and make the scarf dance to the music. (N.B. you can use a tissue, sword, wand or
any other object in the room)
Typical Instruments of Jazz
- Play the youtube clip ‘Buddy Rich and Animal’ from the Muppets, featuring the drum kit.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=n_BmeBfV-O4
-Go through the youtube clip http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=o6tvEiztZLI that covers most jazz instruments that you will hear
in the concert, except for the voice and the trombone. Pause at the:
Clarinet; Drums; Guitar; Keyboard; Saxophone; Trumpet (can add trombone discussion here); Double Bass (Walking Bass
description on the clip). For each relevant instrument: Name the instrument; Describe the sound; Teacher to describe the
instrument (see table below); How do you make a sound? (By, hitting, blowing or scraping); Pretend you are playing the
instrument (if you have time you can look up musical examples that feature this instrument).
Jazz Music examples:
http://www.youtub
e.com/watch?v=XHZ
p6VN6ibU
‘Take the A Train’
(Duke Ellington)
http://www.youtub
e.com/watch?v=cb2
w2m1JmCY
Small percussion
instruments
‘Swinging on a star’
(Frank Sinatra
version)
http://www.youtub
e.com/watch?v=L87vsqSiXM
Scarf, tissue, or
any other object.
‘Buddy Rich and
Animal’ clip,
http://www.youtu
be.com/watch?v=
n_BmeBfV-O4
Jazz instruments:
http://www.youtu
be.com/watch?v=
o6tvEiztZLI
REGISTER
Instrument
Description of
sound
Describe the instrument
Clarinet
Mellow sound
Double bass
Drums
Strong deep
sound
Harsh
Guitar
Light/ calming
Keyboard
Light, short
Saxophone
Warm
Trombone
warm
Trumpet
Harsh, majestic
Voice
Varies
Cylindrical instrument with a
flaring bell. Musician blows
through a reed to produce
sound.
A large string instrument to be
played on a stool or standing up
A collection of drums and
cymbals (and/or percussion
instruments)
Constructed of wood and
strings, where the strings are
strummed or plucked
A long instrument with a bank
of keys to press
Made of brass with a bell at the
bottom that flares up. Musician
blows through a reed to
produce sound.
Played with a slide to produce
the various notes
Has three valves where the
notes are created with various
combinations
Main Vocal Types: female
(soprano/alto); Male (tenor/
bass)
How the
sound is
made on
instrument
Blowing
Instrumental Family
Scraping/
Bowing
Hitting
Strings
Scraping/
strumming
Strings
Hitting
Keyboard
Blowing
Brass
Blowing
Brass
Blowing
Brass
Blowing / with
air
Wind
Woodwind
Percussion
Jazz Line-up
-Jazz Musicians usually have particular roles that each instrument falls into. The roles consist of MELODY (the main tune);
HARMONY (the chords accompanying the melody) and the RHYTHM (giving the piece its style and strong beat).
-The instruments that you have just discussed typically fall under the following categories: MELODY – saxophone; clarinet;
trumpet; voice; HARMONY – trombone; double bass; guitar; piano; RHYTHM – drums (double bass). Show a picture or clip here to
visually show the line-up; Watch the ‘Sing,Sing,Sing’ (Gene Krupa), http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=j9J5Zt2Obko
‘Sing,Sing,Sing’
(Gene Krupa),
http://www.youtu
be.com/watch?v=j
9J5Zt2Obko
-Refer to the Bobby Mcferrin website through this link: http://bobbymcferrin.com/dont-worry-be-happy-song/ and create a song
(on an interactive whiteboard, or even a regular computer) and learn about the roles of melody, harmony and rhythm. Allow the
students to have a play too, after you have created the song by dragging each section to the blank stave.
http://bobbymcfe
rrin.com/dontworry-be-happysong/
3
PrimaryProms repertoire list
Become familiar with the ‘PrimaryProms: Swing Baby Swing!’ repertoire through the following brief activities; For each listen to
the recording or watch a clip, and follow the activities for each.
Little Brown Jug
-March to the beat around the room
Recordings of:
Little brown jug; It
don’t mean a thing
if it ain’t got that
swing; When the
saints go marching
in.
-Using Kodaly solfa hand signs, or hand actions to represent the notes and the shape of the melody, sing the song to “La”; The
section of the melody is descending; the students can crouch down, and then back up again for the repeat of the tune.
- It on’t Mean a Thing if it !in’t Got That Swing
(Try and find a vocal version that has the “do wah” section sung)
-Listen to ‘It don’t mean a thing if it ain’t got that swing’ and students to sing the “doo-wah” section as a class;
Solfa hand signs
-Students to listen to the song where each section has different hand actions, as follows:
Section
A
A
B
A
Lyrics
It don’t mean a thing if it ain't got that swing
do wah, do wah, do wah, do wah, do wah, do wah, do wah,
do wah.
Well it don’t mean a thing all you got to do is swing
do wah, do wah, do wah, do wah, do wah, do wah, do wah,
do wah.
It makes no difference if its sweet or hot
Just give that rhythm everything you got
It don’t mean a thing if it isn’t got that swing
do wah, do wah, do wah, do wah, do wah, do wah, do wah,
do wah.
Action
Swing hands from side to side
Hands in the air
Swing hands from side to side
Hands in the air
Marching and clapping to the beat
Swing hands from side to side
Hands in the air
When The Saints Go Marching In
-March to the beat of the music around the room.
-Assign a leader with a baton style conductor’s stick, and students to follow the leader in a circle;
-Repeat the activity with a small percussion instrument each, playing and marching to the beat.
-Using Kodaly solfa hand signs, or hand actions to represent the notes and the shape of the melody, sing the song to “La”;
Solfa hand sign
http://www.classicsforkids.com/teachers/training/handsigns.asp
Oh,
when the
saints
Do
me
far
sol
go
marching
in
Do
me
far
sol
Oh,
when the
saints
Do
me
far
sol
go
marc- hang
in
me
do
me
re
I
want to
be
in
that
num
beer
Me
do
do
me
sol
sol
sol
fa
When the
saints go
marc hang
in
Me
far
sol
me
do
re
do
-Watch the youtube clip and sing as a class, then split class in half (two groups) and sing as a round.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=opyYud1uuic
Twinkle Twinkle Little Star
-Refer http://www.first-school.ws/activities/nrhymes/twinkle.htm and follow to link to the song with lyrics. (Other activities on
this page if you have time or want to extend)
-Sing ‘Twinkle twinkle little star’ as a class using hand actions, or puppets or stars; Students may like to make their own stars in
class.
-May like to add a few students playing one note per line on a barred percussion instruments like a metallophone.
‘ute’ and ‘Sing, Sing, Sing’
Watch the clips of ‘Cute’ and ‘Sing, Sing, Sing’ and discuss all the points in the table below (answers provided)
CUTE: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Nb5jDWROk5k
SING,SING,SING: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=j9J5Zt2Obko
http://www.youtu
be.com/watch?v=
opyYud1uuic
http://www.firstschool.ws/activitie
s/nrhymes/twinkl
e.htm
metallophone
CUTE:
http://www.youtu
be.com/watch?v=
Nb5jDWROk5k
SING,SING,SING:
http://www.youtu
be.com/watch?v=j
9J5Zt2Obko
- Discuss the following:
Discuss the<;
1.
Tempo
Questions
-What is the speed (tempo)?
Fast/medium/slow
-Is there a regular beat?
(Early stage one can march to the beat)
-Is the pitch high/low?
-Which instruments are high and which
instruments are low?
2.
Pitch
3.
Structure/form
-Same/different melody: students to put
up their hand when they hear the melody
repeat.
4.
Dynamics
-Is the piece loud/medium or soft?
-Does the volume change?
5.
Tone colour/timbre
-What instruments can you see and/or
hear?
-Describe the sound and instrument, how
is the sound made?
-Pretend you are playing the instrument.
LIKES/DISLIKES
-Students to put up their hands if they
either like, in the middle, or dislike the
piece of music.
-Encourage a musical reason why for
each. Questions that may help them may
be, because the piece is loud, fast, likes the
sound of the instruments.
POST-SHOW ACTIVITIES
4
Post-Show Discussion
-Students to discuss the performance with aspects they enjoyed the most.
-Ask students what part of the performance they remembered the most
-Ask students their opinion of Jazz Music
-Discuss the instruments that they heard
Answers
(Cute)
Medium
Answers (Sing,Sing,Sing)
Regular Beat
Regular Beat
Medium Pitch
High (flute)
Low (trombone/
saxophone)
‘Head’ melody
repeats throughout
High (trumpet, saxophone,
clarinet)
Low (double bass, trombone,
guitar, piano)
Drums rhythm repeats
throughout.
Instruments have different
melodies.
Loud
Medium volume
No
Piano
Double Bass
Guitar
Drums
Trombone
Flute
Saxophone
N/A
Fast
No
Drums
Guitar
Trombone
Trumpet
Saxophone
Clarinet
Double Bass
Piano
N/A
5
Improvisation
-In a circle, students to clap a steady beat, whilst a small percussion instrument is passed around the circle for each student to
improvise a rhythm, like the drummer improvises in Jazz Music.
-Students to repeat the improvisation varying the version by playing, louder, then softer, then faster, then slower.
-Scat Singing – definition: to sing different notes on nonsense syllables. Students to scat sing as a class first, whilst a steady beat is
played by the teacher, then individual students to volunteer to scat on their own.
6
Rhymes
-Divide the class into groups of four and create a rhyme (one verse) about: Jazz and Swing.
-Brainstorm words that rhyme with Jazz and Swing, then what other words could they use in their rhyme
-Each group says their rhyme to the class
-Sing the rhyme to the class whilst the class march a steady beat.
-Sing the rhyme to the class whilst the rest of the class claps the swing rhythm.
TEACHER’S OVERVIEW AND UNIT EVALUATION
REFERENCES AND RESOURCES
ACTIVITY 1 – Jazz Music




Jazz Music examples:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XHZp6VN6ibU
‘Take the ! Train’ (Duke Ellington) http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cb2w2m1JmCY
Swing Music
‘Swinging on a star’ (Frank Sinatra version) http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-L87vsqSiXM,
JellyBeansMusic, resources for Primary Music Education
http://www.myjellybeansmusic.com.au/jazz (extra lesson plan included)
(http://www.myjellybeansmusic.com.au/jellybeans/Jellybeans-Home)
Reference to some Australian Jazz Musicians:
- James Morrison: www.jamesmorrison.com.au
- Emma Pask: www.emmapask.com
- Allan Browne: www.jazzhead.com/cms-artists/allan-browne.phps
- Dale Barlow: www.dalebarlow.com
- Sydney All Star Big Band: www.ralphpyl.com/The_Sydney_All_Star_Big_Band.htm
- Tim Oram Big Band: www.timoram.com/bigband.html
- Swingcity Big Band: www.swingcity.com.au
ACTIVITY 2- Typical Instruments of Jazz



Introduction to some Jazz Instruments:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=o6tvEiztZLI
Buddy Rich and Animal (The Muppets Clip: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=n_BmeBfV-O4
Bobby Mcferrin Website:
http://bobbymcferrin.com/dont-worry-be-happy-song/