Hello all my imaginary followers!
Sure is lonely in here.
I've been hard at work making a Nutcracker unit to use this month. There are a lot of great things out there for you to use!
Primarily, I love this video of Jim Gamble using marionettes. It's short, has (almost) all the great music we love, and no one is asleep from watching ballerinas prance across the stage. (My students have not yet developed an affinity for that, but they are mesmerized by these puppets.)
This page has all of his video productions.
I usually get it out of our county's library, but I'm thinking about investing in it next year since the quality on the VHS is terrible!
I also found a quicktime version for you to use in a snap (How handy!)
I also love the original fantasia's versions for older students that may have already seen this video with me, or may be sassy & not like the cool puppets. AS far as I can tell, it's stuck in the vault. I bought a used copy from my local CD/Record/VHS/DVD store, but you may be able to find it in your library or *gasp* on youtube...
Conveniently, Jim gamble also made a DIY hand puppet for the kiddos to make in centers after the video is over. With younger students, this may be the only thing you get to, but if you are lucky enough to have extra time, you can have them march around with their puppets to the "March" or the ladies can prance to the "Sugarplum Fairies."
Nutcracker Puppet
Other centers I love,
I got a short book out of the $1 bin at target, students can partner read this.
Make a quick little CD for your listening station and have them respond using forms like these...
This is a slide chart that I made. You'll need to assemble enough for your students. You can find instructions for that in the Description.
This is a basic coloring & short response form that I found on colorinmypiano.com up for younger kiddos.
This blog has two GREAT listening response forms for older kiddos (one may need more guidance than the other.)
I made a Vocabulary Memory Match Game with words we discussed before, during & after the movie. Instructions are in the Description.
I also found in my extensive research of ideas this wonderful Nutcracker unit from a homeschooler's blog. Wow she really did her research, saved me some time. I love the last 2 pages of the PDF file with the writing prompts.
Lastly, I had my older classes listen to the podcasts from classicsforkids.com about "Ballet" & "Tchaikovsky" and make anchor charts in their groups. This took about 20 minutes but it was a great activity for my 5th graders. My 2nd & 3rd graders do one class wide with me on the PPT screen (what I wouldn't GIVE for a smartboard!!).
