This winter activity for children aged 4 to 8 focuses on dynamics and the skill of interpretation. It can be done with any instrument in the classroom, including body and voice. You can easily incorporate concepts of rhythm, timbre, sound means, pitch, tempo, and the skill of invention.
The large snowball corresponds to the loud dynamic (forte), and the small one to the soft one (piano).
At the teacher's choice, each snowball can represent a single sound or a rhythmic ostinato.
The loud sounds can be associated with a specific timbre/instrument/pitch/rhythm, and the soft sounds with another, for example: loud = wood, soft = metal; loud = struck instruments, soft = shaken instruments; loud = low-pitched sounds, soft = high-pitched sounds, etc.
In large groups
The teacher places the snowballs and asks the group to interpret them.
The teacher randomly selects a student who comes forward to place the snowballs as they wish. The group then interprets the score. A new student is then chosen.
Children can also create a rhythmic ostinato associated with each snowball.
In workshops
Children compose and interpret their own snowball scores.
I colored blue highlights on my snowballs, laminated them, and added magnets to the back. The children really enjoy coming to the board to compose their scores and hear the group interpret them!
