The Story

'Under a warm tropical sun, a pod of whales swam in the shallow waters off a north Australian beach.

Now and then, one would dive, then suddenly burst out of the water in a spray of foam and bubbles.'

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Under a warm tropical sun, a pod of whales swam in the shallow waters off a north Australian beach.

Now and then, one would dive, then suddenly burst out of the water in a spray of foam and bubbles.

Themes and KEY IDEAS FOR THIS PAGE

The setting -

• expansive
• warm currents
• glowing afternoon sun
• sun glistening across the waves
• shallow waters
• warm sky
• sense of peace and harmony

The whales -

• playful
• joyful
• contented
• sense of community
• sense of family

Rhythms

• small waves on the beach
• warm currents out at sea, under the surface
• whales diving and rising
• bubbles rising
• spray of foam and bubbles

Poetry - TURN PICTURES INTO WORDS -

- combining ideas and images -

Playing in a warm ocean

Rolling and gliding,

Water and waves,

Warm and glowing,

Bubbles and spray,

Friends and family,

Playful and free,

Nature is laughing,

So is the sea

Turn ideas and pictures into sounds

In my imagination I can hear......... ( add an idea )

• ' the sound of cymbals, shimmering, played quietly with soft, furry mallets'
• ' the sound of low, slow piano arpeggios, in uneven patterns, repeating, rising and falling in volume'
• ' the high squeaks and low drones of whale songs'
• 'random group clapping as the whales jump and spray'

CLASSROOM SOUNDS WE CAN USE TO CREATE A SOUNDSCAPE FOR THIS PAGE -

CAN YOU SUGGEST MORE IDEAS FOR SOUNDS?

Waves sounds - (Distant waves, Close waves)

• Flat palms on a drum, a cardboard box, moving in circles at various speeds
• Tapping fingers on a box or drim, creatomg crescendos and diminuendos as the waves crash and breal

Sun Sounds - warmness

• A still string pad on a keyboard
• A repeated, slow, arpeggio, chord pattern on mid to low piano

Sun Sounds - glistening light on the water

High, random soft notes on piano or glockenspiel

WHALES UNDERWATER SOUNDS

- Rolling and gliding, diving and rising, graceful, playful, rhythmical

• Glissando on bass xylophone, varying tempo,
• low and slow woodwind sounds
• Deep, slow, drum sounds, large, soft mallet
• Bubble sounds using straws and half filled small water bottles - high putched hum to mimic a whale song

Whales leaping out of water

Scattered, clapping clusters

Quick drumming crescendo

Bubble sounds using straws and half filled small water bottles

Seagull sounds - around the whales, waiting for small fish

Use mouthpiece of a plastic descant recorder in a glass of water,

Vocal sounds

Activities

Grade Prep