PETER AND THE WOLF

TEACHER EXPLANATORY NOTES

This pack is designed for both Non-Music Specialist teachers and Specialist Music
teachers for ages 2-8 years old. Each activity is given a level of expertise ranging
from Low, Medium to High. The low level (L) is designed for 2- 4 year olds with a
non-music specialist teacher and the high level (H) is for 6-8 year olds with a
specialist music teacher with the middle level (M) sitting in between. Choose the
most appropriate level or activity for you and your group.
Activities are listed in order and approximate times are listed for each activity. It
is recommended that you split up the tasks over a number of lessons as it is more
beneficial to do little bits each day rather than too much in one day. Each theme
is played in each lesson engaging the children in a variety of ways so that they
become very familiar with the work. The aim is to have all students
knowledgeable of the story and instrumentation of Peter and the Wolf before
seeing the concert. It is not necessary to do every activity but it is useful to have
all students familiar with each theme and instrument.
Each activity has a teacher script as a guide only. Please do not feel that you have
to use the script verbatim, it is merely there as a guide to the types of questions
to ask your children.













Activity 1: Activity 1 and Activity 2 can be combined over a number of lessons
see Activity 2 explanation for more details. This activity is to be used to
introduce the children to the themes of each character in Peter and the Wolf. Two
different options are listed for introducing the themes: one is to play the themes,
discuss the characteristics and then act them out and the more advanced option is
to have the students hear the music and then guess which character it belongs to.
You may choose to do some one way, and the others another way for variety. You
may also choose to break up the themes introducing some in one lesson and the
others in another lesson. Each theme activity will take about 5-7 minutes.
Student Objective: Students will be able to identify each theme and the
character to which it belongs. Students will also be able to identify
characteristics of the music such as loud/soft (DYNAMICS), high/low (PITCH) and
fast/slow (TEMPO) and how it helps to depict a character.
Option No. 1: (L, M)
Peters Theme

Have students sitting quietly and play them Peters Theme. Teacher says:
That was the opening of a piece of music called Peter and the Wolf and
over the next few lessons we are going to hear the story of Peter. This story
is wonderful because it is told not only with words, but also with music. We
are going to have some fun today listening to and acting out the music.

Play Peters theme again and ask This section of the music is used to depict
Peter so we call it Peters Theme. Was the music soft, happy and bouncy or
loud, angry and stompy? (Student answer: soft, happy and bouncy). So do
you think Peter was skipping along, happy and carefree or stomping along
because he was angry and sad? (happy and carefree).

Listen again and students skip around the room like Peter, to the Peter
theme.
The Birds Theme

Teacher says, Imagine you are looking at a little bird fluttering around in
the sky and singing a happy tune. Do you think that the birds song is going
to be high and fast like this (use a high voice and twitter like a bird if you
have a finger puppet of a bird it would be great to use it and fly around
above your head) or slow and low like this (Use low and slow voice again a
large animal puppet prop would work well here). Students answer high and
fast. Listen to the bird theme and have students mime with hands (linked
at thumbs with fluttery fingers) the bird flitting around the sky while
listening.
The Ducks Theme

Is a duck graceful or a bit awkward in its waddling? (awkward a child

may like to demonstrate awkward waddling) So do you think that the music
will be fast or slow, graceful or a bit clumsy? ( Slow and a bit clumsy) Have
students waddle around like a duck to the music.
The Cats Theme

Now the cat in this story is very sneaky and sly. He is going to try to
surprise the bird by catching it unawares. Do you think the music is going to
be soft or loud if the cat is trying to sneak up on the bird? (soft). Listen to
the cats theme and imagine a cat sneaking along through the bushes very
quietly. (Teacher can use a cat finger puppet and sneak along with the
music).
Grandfathers Theme

I want you to listen to this theme. It belongs to Peters Grandfather.

Children listen. Do you think that Grandfather is happy and fun, or a bit
grumpy and strict? (If necessary children can listen again and teacher can
cue the children by facial expression and pretending to stomp along).
Students answer grumpy and strict. What in the music tells you that? (the
music is low and slow like a someone who is stomping along strict and
firm). Have students listen again and walk around the room like Grandfather
trying to stomp along on the beat (if possible) with a strict look on their
faces.
The Wolfs Theme

Now Im going to introduce you to the wolf. This wolf is feeling a certain
way in the story and I want you to listen to the music and tell me if you
think that the wolf is running happily through the meadow enjoying the
sunshine or do you think he might be hunting for something to eat? After
listening to the theme ask the question again maybe adding Is he friendly
or scary? (Students answer scary) Why? (the music is loud and scary).
The Hunters Theme

The final characters in the story are the Hunters. They are hunting the
wolf. Do you think that this is running music or marching music? (Marching
music). Students can march around the room pretending to look out from
behind trees etc. as they are hunting the wolf.


Option No. 2 For Introducing the Themes: (M, H)

Have students sitting quietly and play them Peters Theme. Teacher says:
That was the opening of a piece of music called Peter and the Wolf and
over the next few lessons we are going to hear the story of Peter. This story
is wonderful because it is told not only with words, but also with music. This
piece was written by a man called Sergei Prokofiev and he is very clever
because he used the instruments to help to tell the story.

In front of each student have a picture of the 7 main characters used in the
story Peter, The Bird, The Duck, The Cat, Grandfather, The Wolf and The
Hunters. Depending on the size of your group, you may want to do this
activity in small groups or it can be done individually. Say This man
Prokofiev did a wonderful job of depicting each character in the music and I
am going to see if you can guess which music belongs to each character. In
your group (or individually) have a look at each character (do a quick review
of who they have in front of them). I am going to play a theme here and it
belongs to one of the characters in front of you. You might like to briefly
discuss some characteristics they would be listening for in each character
happy, scary, sneaky, flighty, awkward, strict, marching etc. Think who it
might be and then hold it up/ push to the front etc which you think it is.
The Birds Theme

Firstly play the theme of The Bird. Students hold up which they think it is.
Ask them to explain why they think it is the bird (choose someone who got it
right). Answers might be because its high and fast like a bird fluttering and
tweeting. You might then ask so do you think that a bird could be
depicted using a low, slow sound? why or why not? Identify this high and
low now using the musical term PITCH and fast and slow using the musical
term TEMPO.
The Ducks Theme

Next play The Duck. Go through the same process as above. Why did you
think this was the duck? Answers could be because it sounded like a duck
(the oboe has quite a nasal sound). It was quite slow, like a duck waddling.
The Wolfs Theme

Next play The Wolf. Why the wolf it sounded scary and loud introduce
the word DYNAMICS to discuss louds and softs in music.



Peters Theme

Next play Peter. If children are finding it difficult to identify the characters
now, it doesnt matter, just let them have a go at it first and allow them to
discuss why they thought it was a particular character. If they are right,
great, if not, then simply tell them the correct answer and discuss as a class
the characteristics used in the theme.
Grandfather, The Cat and The Hunters Themes

After Peter play Grandfather, then The Hunters and then The Cat. Each
time discuss what characteristics the children heard that helped them to
identify a character.


Activity 2: (L, M, H)
This activity can be used alongside Activity 1 if you want to break up the lessons.
For example, you may choose to only introduce two or three themes in each lesson
and make the puppets for only those characters. Playing the piece in the
background while the children are making their puppets is a great way of having
the students become familiar with the work. (10 minutes each puppet)

In your pack are black line masters of all of the characters. Students can
colour in the pictures and stick on to paddle pop sticks to make a puppet of
each of the characters to use over the next few lessons as well as in the
concert.











Activity 3: (L, M, H)
In this lesson students will listen to the story with the music for the first time. (30
minutes). This can be split in two if necessary to have a To Be Continued. if you
are short on time. L, M and H activities are set out below.
Student Objective: Students will be able to aurally identify each theme and the
character to which it belongs.

(L) - Revise with children the name of the work they have been listening to
Peter and the Wolf. Children listen to the entire work with the story
commentary. Each time they hear a theme, they hold up the character
puppet to which the theme belongs. Allow children to have the chance to
work it out themselves but the teacher can also model which character
puppet it is.

(M) - Revise with the children the name of the work they have been listening
to Peter and the Wolf. Children are seated in a circle where they can each
clearly see the teacher. As the children hear each theme, they hold up the
appropriate puppet. Have students bounce the puppet along with the BEAT
of each theme teacher model this and make the beat very obvious with
their puppets so the students can follow.

(H) - Revise with children the name of the work they have been listening to
Peter and the Wolf. Students listen to the work without the story
commentary and create their own story based on the music. Share some
select stories with the class. This could also be a group activity where the
students then act out their story in front of the class. This would take
another entire lesson. Follow this activity in the next lesson by having
students listen to the real story and see how they compare.










Activity 4: (L)
This lesson will introduce the instruments of the orchestra to the children. (20-30
minutes). Again, this lesson can be broken up over a few lessons depending on time
and focus.
Student Objective: Students will be able to identify by sight the instruments of
the orchestra used for each theme and mime the playing action.

Who can tell me the name of the piece of music which tells a story that we
have been listening to over the last few lessons? (Peter and the Wolf). This
story was written by a man named Sergei Prokofiev and it uses an orchestra
to help tell the story. Does anybody know what an orchestra is? An orchestra
is a large group of people who all play a variety of different instruments and
together they can play a piece of music and make an amazing sound. Soon
we are going to see a real orchestra play Peter and the Wolf in real life. It
will be very exciting!

As you play each theme again, some children may know what instrument is
playing so always allow them the chance to see if they are correct by asking
what they think it might be. Hold up a picture of each instrument as each
theme is played and talk about what they look like big or small, are they
blown, bowed/plucked or hit.

Show children how they are played by miming the action (actions are listed
below). Ideally if you know of anybody who plays any of the instruments,
have them visit the school and play for the children. All children mime
playing each instrument as the themes are played again.

Peters theme: violins left arm out as if holding violin under chin and right
arm bowing up and down

Bird: Flute arms out from mouth to the right side of the body with the left
arm closest to your mouth with palm cupped towards you and right hand
next to the left hand but with palm cupped away from you. Blow and move
fingers up and down as if covering over the holes.

Duck Oboe and Cat Clarinet. You may need to hold up the clarinet and
oboe side by side to have children identify the differences as they are the
most similar to look at. The main difference is the top of the instrument
the oboe has a double reed sticking out of the top, whereas the clarinet has
a single reed and it is encased within the mouthpiece. Arms down from the
body (like playing a recorder) imitate blowing and moving fingers over the
keys.

Grandfather Bassoon. Hands down like playing the clarinet but instead of
having hands down from the mouth have hands diagonally across the body to
the right side. The left hand should be about chest level and the right hand
should be down around hip level. Blow and move fingers.

Wolf French Horns. Left hand down from mouth as if pushing down the
valves and right hand like it is pushed into the bell holding the instrument.

Hunters Woodwind including clarinet, oboe and bassoon but the big action
here is playing the kettle drums (timpani) for the gun shots. Mime banging
the drums as they hear them played in the theme.
Activity 4 cont.: (M, H)

Who can tell me the name of the piece of music which tells a story that we
have been listening to over the last few lessons? (Peter and the Wolf). This
story was written by a man named Sergei Prokofiev and it uses an orchestra
to help tell the story. Does anybody know what an orchestra is? An orchestra
is a large group of people who all play a variety of different instruments and
together they can play a piece of music and make an amazing sound. Soon
we are going to see a real orchestra play Peter and the Wolf in real life. It
will be very exciting!

As you play each theme again, some children may know what instrument is
playing so always allow them the chance to see if they are correct by asking
what they think it might be. Hold up a picture of each instrument as each
theme is played and talk about what they look like big or small, are they
blown, bowed/plucked or hit.
Some sample questions you might like to ask for each instrument as you show the
picture are as follows:

Bird flute. Is the flute high or low in pitch? Does anyone know which
section of the orchestra the flute belongs to? (the WOODWIND section). How
do you make a sound on the flute? (you blow). What are the holes in the
instrument for? (when you put your fingers over each of the holes and blow
the pitch changes)

Duck oboe. How do you make a sound out of the oboe? (you blow). What
does it sound like? the musical term for sound quality is TIMBRE
(pronounced Tamber) The oboe has a nasal quality about it good to depict
a duck. This is also a member of the WOODWIND family.

Cat Clarinet. Does the clarinet look more like the flute or the oboe?
(Oboe). Lets compare the clarinet and the oboe what are the similarities
and differences? They are both long and black with silver keys but the top of
the instrument is different. The oboe has a double reed sticking out of the
top of the instrument (you can get a sound out of just blowing through the
double reed without it even being attached to the instrument) whereas the
clarinet has a single reed and it is encased within the mouthpiece. What
family of instruments do you think that the clarinet belongs to given that it
is made out of wood and you blow into it to make a sound? (The WOODWIND)

Grandfather Bassoon. Is the bassoon as high pitched instrument or a low

pitched instrument? (low) We also blow this one and it is also made of wood
so which orchestral family do you think it belongs to? (WOODWIND) Do you
know why it is so much lower than any or the other instruments in the
woodwind family? - It is the biggest instrument. The bigger the instrument
the lower the pitch.

Wolf French Horn. Tell students that this belongs to a different

instrumental family called the Brass family. Show Students a picture of the
brass family and show them that all of the brass family are gold in colour.
Does anyone know how to make a sound out of a brass instrument? (blow
through the mouthpiece). Point out that brass instruments only have three
valves (or keys) and that in order to get different pitches the person playing
the instrument also changes the shape of their mouth and lips to change the
pitch higher or lower.

Peter String section. Ask the students what stringed instruments they
know? How do you play a stringed instrument? (By bowing or plucking the
string). There are no keys on stringed instruments so pitches change by
placing fingers on the string.

Hunters Woodwind and Timpani. The guns are represented by the kettle
drums also known as Timpani. Does anyone know what orchestral family
the drums belong to? (The Percussion family). How do you play the drums?
By hitting them.

Activity 5: (M,H)
Student Objective: Students will be able to re-tell the story of Peter and the
Wolf by organising a storyboard into the correct order or by creating their own
Freeze Frames of the storyboard.

(M, H) - Students cut up their story board into squares and then paste each
square in the correct order according to the story. This activity can be done
individually or in groups. Children may also like to colour in their storyboard
when it is complete either in class or at home. (10 minutes)

(H)- Students can create Freeze Frames of the story eg. select one
storyboard square and have the students work in a group to become each
character and then Freeze in the same way as the picture on the storyboard.
(10-20 minutes depending on if you want to perform them for the class)

(H) - Students may like to create and draw their own storyboard and Freeze
Frames based on their storyboards. (30 minutes)





Activity 6: (M, H)
In this activity, children are asked to use their ears to see if they can aurally
identify the shape (or musical contour) of each theme and match it to the correct
graph under a picture of each character.
Student Objective: Students will be able to pitch pattern and aurally and
visually recognise the melodic contour of each theme.

(M) - Listen to each theme again and this time have students pitch pattern
the melody of each. Pitch patterning requires the students to point in the air
in the shape of the melody eg. if the tune is going up, the children will use
their finger to also draw in the air going upwards and if the tune goes down
they will in turn go down with their fingers. (15 minutes)

(H) - Students will be given a copy of a picture of each character with two
melodic shape graphs and two instruments underneath the character. Place
these on the ground in front of them.

(H) - After each theme, have students turn their attention to the correct
picture in front of them and see if they can identify which shape matches
the contour of each theme. Put a circle around the correct melodic contour
shape and correct instrument. (20 minutes)

Activity 7: (H)
Student Objective: Students will be able to hear that The Cats theme is moving
in 4s and devise a 4 beat body ostinato to accompany it.
Students will learn how to conduct in 4.

Choose The Cats theme and ask students to identify which theme it is.
Model a lap-shoulders-head-shoulders body ostinato and ask the students if
they felt that any beat was stronger than the others or were they all even
strength. (Model by making the downbeat obviously stronger than the rest).
Ask students if they felt the music was moving in 2s, 3s or 4s? Class listen
again and use this 4 beat body ostinato to feel that the music is moving in
4s. (7-10 minutes)

Teach the 4 beat conducting pattern and have students conduct the theme
in 4. (5-10 minutes)

In a separate lesson, students can devise their own 4 beat body ostinato to
play with Peters Theme.


Activity 8 (H)
Student Objective: Students will be able to clap the rhythm and beat of The
Hunters Theme.
This will only be able to be done if students have a prior understanding of
beat and that rhythm is the way the words go and hopefully they will be
able to shift their understanding to knowing it is also the way the melody goes
when there are no words.

Listen to the opening of The Hunters Theme and ask students to identify
which theme it is.

Listen to the whole theme and tap the beat on laps. Ask a student to define
what the beat is and clarify if necessary.

Listen to the theme again and this time the teacher models clapping the
rhythm. Ask students What am I doing in my hands? Am I clapping the beat
again? Students answer No Clap theme again this time singing the melody
with hands clapping up near mouth to exaggerate the fact that you are
clapping the melody. Student answers or you explain that you are clapping
the Rhythm not the Beat.

Have students clap the rhythm of Hunters Theme. (10 minutes)

Other beat and rhythm activities which can be used:

Have half the class clap the rhythm of a theme and the other half clap the
rhythm.

Choose a pair and have one partner tap the rhythm on the other partners
knee while the other partner taps the beat on the other partners knee ie.
they will be tapping one thing but feeling another on their body.

Extension: Have children put the beat in their feet and the rhythm in their
hands difficult for this age group but possible by a talented few.
Activity 9 (H)
Student Objective: Students will be able to perform The Hunters Theme as an
ensemble.

Students clap the rhythm and beat of The Hunters Theme. Divide the class
into groups: Group 1: on tambour and drum type instruments playing the
beat
Group 2: on woodblocks or claves tapping the rhythm
Group 3: on Xylophones playing pillar tones
Teacher: Playing theme on piano or children can play along to the
CD






Activity 10 (H)

Older students who have prior knowledge of the instruments of the
orchestra may like to answer questions on this listening guide, rather than
Activity No.1

Listen to this programmatic piece of music which tells a story using
particular instrument from the orchestra to play different characters.
Answer these questions as you listen.

1. Which group of instruments is associated with Peter? strings
2. Which instrument represents the bird? flute
3. Which group of instruments accompanies it? Violins pizz.
4. Is Peter Present? How do you know? Yes, the theme is being played under
the flute
5. Which instruments represent the Duck? oboe
6. Who else is present? How do you know? Bird- the flute is playing
7. How is their arguing represented in the music? Flute and oboe in dialogue
getting faster, strings accompany in short chords
8. Which instrument represents the cat? clarinet
9. Which technique is used in the strings to accompany the cat creeping along?
Pizzicato plucking the string
10.Which instruments represents Grandfather? Bassoon
11.How do you picture grandfather? Old, stern
12.What characteristic in the music tells you this? Low, plodding
13.Which instruments represent the wolf? Horns
14.Which technique in the strings is used to heighten the tension here? Tremolo
15.What technique is used on the brass instruments when he catches the duck?
Big, Loud chords
16.Which percussion instrument is prominent when the wolf is prowling at the
bottom of the tree? Timpani, cymbals
17.Describe the music to distract the wolf in terms of pitch (high/low) and
tempo (fast/slow) High, Fast
18.Which percussion instruments are used when the wolf tries to escape? Snare
drum, bass drum, cymbal
19.Which three woodwind instruments represent the hunters at the beginning
of the theme? Flute, oboe, clarinet
20.Which instrument takes up the theme? trumpet
21.Which percussion instrument is very prominent here? Timpani - shots


Peter and the Wolf Storyboard
Frame 1 Peter in the meadow
Frame 2 Bird in tree and duck in pond
Frame 3 Bird on ground arguing with duck in the pond
Frame 4 Cat crawling through the grass behind the bird
Frame 5 Bird in tree, cat looking up hungrily
Frame 6 Grandpa taking Peter home
Frame 7 Wolf emerging from the forest
Frame 8 Wolf chasing the duck
Frame 9 Peter in branch with rope, bird circling wolfs head
Frame 10 Peter with rope around wolfs tail. Hunters emerging from forest
Frame 11 Peter leading procession to zoo. Peter followed by hunters with wolf,
bird flying above, cat and grandpa at the back