Tell Me a Story Activity Page
Episode 2:
Tell me a Story is a
Literacy-based Program on CAT-TV
Produced by the Bennington Free Library
Sponsored by the Greater Bennington Tell Me a Story Project with Funding from the Vermont Humanities Council
Books featured in Episode 2:
* The Remarkable Farkle McBride by John Lithgow * Mama Don't Allow by Thacher Hurd
* The Penguin Quartet by Peter Arrhenius * Max Found Two Sticks by Brian Pinkney
The Remarkable Farkle McBride
by John Lithgow
Illustrated by C.F. Payne
Young Farkle McBride is a musical genius: He plays the violin, the flute, the trombone, and the drums with incredible skill. But he’s never satisfied: Something is missing until… he discovers the conductor’s baton!
Concerts for young people are so much fun– if you can, catch the Vermont Symphony Orchestra on tour or attend a special concert at one of your local schools.
Watch the conductor—they use gestures, or body language, to get their message across. They often use the right arm to show each beat & the left arm to give gestures. Each conductor has an individual style—some wave their arms while others hardly move.
For certain effects, a conductor might use these gestures:
Arms overhead, big beats: Play loudly
Finger to mouth like a whisper: Play softly
Precise, smaller beat movements at chin level: Play together carefully.
Careful pointing to a player & a signal to start: Your turn to play.
Being a good conductor is much more complicated than waving your arms. You must understand how each instrument is played and listen carefully to each part of the orchestra.
See how carefully you can listen!
Mama Don’t Allow
by Thacher Hurd
Too loud! What a racket! Unbearable! Not only Miles’ parents, but the whole neighborhood has had enough of his new saxophone. When Miles teams up with 3 other musicians to form the Swamp Band-the alligators yell “We love that Swamp Band music!
Make your own musical instrument & join in the fun !
Tube Horns
You will need: a cardboard tube, a piece of construction paper or file folder, masking tape
Shape the paper into a funnel with a hole just big enough for the tube to fit into .Tape the funnel to the tube.
How to Play: First, practice making your lips buzz. Press your lips up to tube & buzz away! Making your lips buzz faster & slower. You’ll soon discover that if your buzz your lips just right, you’ll get the best sound from the horn.
Variations: Try different lengths of tube.
Change the tightness of your lips and blow harder or softer.
Use other kinds of tubes. Try garden hose, shower hose or flexible tubing.
The Penguin Quartet
By Peter Arrhenius
Illustrated by Ingela Peterson
How would you like to stand in the snow all day watching over an egg? For four penguin dads named Herbie, Charlie, Miles and Max, it no fun at all. What’s a dad to do? Form a jazz band, of course! Just like the penguin dads, make your own instrument & groove to some jazzy music.
Penguin Bass
You will need: 2-pound coffee can
hammer & nail
5-foot piece of heavy string
craft stick
utility knife
long stick (yardstick)
With an adult’s help, make a small hole in the bottom of the coffee can (center). Tie one end of string around middle of the craft stick. Thread the free end of the string through the hole in can so that craft stick is inside the can. Ask an adult to make a small hole in one end of the long stick & a wedge-shaped notch in the other end of the stick, using the utility knife. Set the long stick on the bottom of the can so that the notch is over the rim. Pull string taut & tie it to the stick through the hole in the top. Play your bass by plucking the string while holding the can down with one foot. Make different sounds by changing the string’s tension.
Max Found Two Sticks
By Brian Pinkney
What do you do when you don’t feel like talking to anyone? You could pick up two sticks just like Max does in this story filled with city rhythms and sounds.
Cling...clang...da-BANG…Make yourself a drum or bottle cap rattle & tap out your own rhythms.
Drum
You will need: oatmeal box
empty coffee can w/lid wooden beads
unsharpened pencils or dowels
markers, paper, colored tape
Use oatmeal box or coffee can for drum. Decorate with paper, markers & tape. For drumsticks, tape wooden beads onto the end of pencils or dowels.
Bottle Cap Rattle
You will need: metal bottle caps or
tar paper buttons
1” thick dowel
hammer & nails
Hammer nail holes into caps or buttons. Slip 2 or more caps/buttons on each nail & hammer into dowel. Leave a section free of nails for the hand hold. To play, gently tap the bottom on a tabletop, floor or hand.
More Books & Videos
to Share:
*Ah, Music!
By Aliki
*Come On Everybody,
Let’s Sing
by Lois Birkenshaw-Fleming
*I Live in Music
by Ntozake Shange
*M is for Music
by Kathleen Krull
*Making Musical Things
by Ann Sayre Wiseman
*Marsalis on Music
by Wynton Marsalis
*Music, Music for Everyone
by Vera B. Williams
*My First Music Video
CVC 158
Click for Episode 1 Activity Page
Click for Episode 3 Activity Page
Click for Episode 4 Activity Page
Click for Episode 5 Activity Page
