An Undersea Tour of the Titanic
CD Rom>Epilogue>Epilogue
In this short movie, memories of the Titanic are recalled. These are introduced through the hands of a pocket watch, stopped at 2.20am the time Titanic sank.
The following KS2 musical activity provides material for a series of lessons, leading to composition and performance of an imaginary tour of the Titanic wreck. It is one of a number of composition activities based on the Titanic, and is inspired by the example of the late David Bedford, a tireless supporter of musical composition in schools.
A 'prequel' Building the Titanic interprets Harland and Wolf's Belfast shipyard in sound, and imagines a visit by Bruce Ismay, chairman of the White Star Line, and Thomas Andrews, Titanic's designer. This may be found in the curriculum resources at www.thewreckofthetitanic.com
Background
The discovery of the wreck of the Titanic two and a half miles under the Atlantic was made possible through new underwater technology. In 1986, a remote controlled robot called Jason Junior (JJ) swam around and inside the wreck taking still pictures and video.
Objectives
• Explore, choose, combine and organise musical ideas within a musical structure suggested by JJ's tour of the Titanic
• Use ICT to capture and change sounds
• Combine and organise musical elements
• Record, and perform their music with a graphic score
Starter
• Introduce the activity with images of the wreck of the Titanic today. Excellent video content may be found at http://www.bbc.co.uk/northernireland/titanic/the_journey/exploring_the_wreck/
• Children to imagine visiting the Titanic wreck. What will they encounter at those depths? (pitch black/intense cold/intense pressure)
• Why are underwater robots used to explore the wreck in place of divers? (divers and their equipment could not withstand the enormous pressures at these depths)
• Find out about some of the objects that have been/might be discovered. These include
a) rusticles
b) boiler
c) chandelier
d) Titanic's three tone whistles
e) Musical box
Main Activities
• Discuss the objects the robot camera meets as it explores the Titanic. Consider ways of describing these through sound. The children will work in groups, each exploring one of the objects. Possible starting points are suggested for each of these:
Titanic's Whistles
The Titanic's three enormous whistles were audible over great distances. Children might suggest these with recorders, other wind instruments, or appropriate electronic keyboard sounds. Try recording these with appropriate sound editing software (e.g. Audacity) lowering the pitch to suggest the deeper toned whistles of the Titanic, Consider adding other effects, like echo. (See David Ashworth's article at www.thewreckofthetitanic.com for further starting points, and ways of using Audacity)
Rusticles
Rusticles are strange stalactite-like growths on iron formed by the oxidising action of bacteria. Spectacular growths can be seen on Titanic's anchor. Would children expect rusticles to make dull or ringing sounds if struck? Will the length of rusticles affect their pitch? Can children select instruments or soundmakers to suggest these?
Morse Key
The SOS distress ... _ _ _ ...consisted of three short sounds/ three long sounds /three short sounds tapped out on a morse key. Practise this pattern on single chime bars using the side of the thumb to damp the vibrations when playing short sounds. Try passing the message from player to player. Try playing it together (this presents quite a challenge!)
Boilers
As the Titanic sank, the heavy boilers ripped through the hull of the Titanic, ending up scattered over the Debris field. Explore drums and large tambours to create hollow, resonating sounds. Compare different qualities of sound made by using fingers/different beaters.
Chandelier
As the Titanic struck the iceberg, first class passengers reported that the glass chandeliers shivered. Explore language, and a range of instruments to describe their movement and sound (Bell sprays, windchimes, etc). In the wreck of the Titanic, surviving chandeliers are moved by underwater currents.
• Each group goes on to record their music with a graphic score. Some children may need help with representing their ideas clearly.
Putting it all Together
• Think about the way the robot submarine camera travels around the wreck of the Titanic. Discuss the quality of movement (eg. rapid and jerky or smooth, gliding movements). Compose a short, repeated musical phrase (ostinato) to suggest the robot camera exploring Titanic's wreck. This could be an opportunity to use chime bars to explore interesting melody patterns available with whole tone scales (C D E Fsharp Gsharp B flat (or A sharp) C')
• Imagine that the Robot camera is vising the Titanic, and viewing each object in turn. Begin with the 'exploring music' (outlined above), then follow this with the music for one of the musical episodes (eg boiler music) As the remote camera travels to the next object, resume the exploring music, following with music forv the next object encountered and son on.
• Practise and refine the performance of the Undersea Tour of the Titanic
Follow Up
• Children could record The Undersea Tour of the Titanic using Audacity.
• They could on to incorporate this as the soundtrack to a photostory presentation.
Assessment
• Do compositions exhibit clear musical structures and imaginative use of sound?
• Are musical elements (dynamics/tempo, etc) explored appropriately and effectively?
• How effectively do graphic scores represent the music?
CD Rom>Epilogue>Epilogue
In this short movie, memories of the Titanic are recalled. These are introduced through the hands of a pocket watch, stopped at 2.20am the time Titanic sank.
The following KS2 musical activity provides material for a series of lessons, leading to composition and performance of an imaginary tour of the Titanic wreck. It is one of a number of composition activities based on the Titanic, and is inspired by the example of the late David Bedford, a tireless supporter of musical composition in schools.
A 'prequel' Building the Titanic interprets Harland and Wolf's Belfast shipyard in sound, and imagines a visit by Bruce Ismay, chairman of the White Star Line, and Thomas Andrews, Titanic's designer. This may be found in the curriculum resources at www.thewreckofthetitanic.com
Background
The discovery of the wreck of the Titanic two and a half miles under the Atlantic was made possible through new underwater technology. In 1986, a remote controlled robot called Jason Junior (JJ) swam around and inside the wreck taking still pictures and video.
Objectives
• Explore, choose, combine and organise musical ideas within a musical structure suggested by JJ's tour of the Titanic
• Use ICT to capture and change sounds
• Combine and organise musical elements
• Record, and perform their music with a graphic score
Starter
• Introduce the activity with images of the wreck of the Titanic today. Excellent video content may be found at http://www.bbc.co.uk/northernireland/titanic/the_journey/exploring_the_wreck/
• Children to imagine visiting the Titanic wreck. What will they encounter at those depths? (pitch black/intense cold/intense pressure)
• Why are underwater robots used to explore the wreck in place of divers? (divers and their equipment could not withstand the enormous pressures at these depths)
• Find out about some of the objects that have been/might be discovered. These include
a) rusticles
b) boiler
c) chandelier
d) Titanic's three tone whistles
e) Musical box
Main Activities
• Discuss the objects the robot camera meets as it explores the Titanic. Consider ways of describing these through sound. The children will work in groups, each exploring one of the objects. Possible starting points are suggested for each of these:
Titanic's Whistles
The Titanic's three enormous whistles were audible over great distances. Children might suggest these with recorders, other wind instruments, or appropriate electronic keyboard sounds. Try recording these with appropriate sound editing software (e.g. Audacity) lowering the pitch to suggest the deeper toned whistles of the Titanic, Consider adding other effects, like echo. (See David Ashworth's article at www.thewreckofthetitanic.com for further starting points, and ways of using Audacity)
Rusticles
Rusticles are strange stalactite-like growths on iron formed by the oxidising action of bacteria. Spectacular growths can be seen on Titanic's anchor. Would children expect rusticles to make dull or ringing sounds if struck? Will the length of rusticles affect their pitch? Can children select instruments or soundmakers to suggest these?
Morse Key
The SOS distress ... _ _ _ ...consisted of three short sounds/ three long sounds /three short sounds tapped out on a morse key. Practise this pattern on single chime bars using the side of the thumb to damp the vibrations when playing short sounds. Try passing the message from player to player. Try playing it together (this presents quite a challenge!)
Boilers
As the Titanic sank, the heavy boilers ripped through the hull of the Titanic, ending up scattered over the Debris field. Explore drums and large tambours to create hollow, resonating sounds. Compare different qualities of sound made by using fingers/different beaters.
Chandelier
As the Titanic struck the iceberg, first class passengers reported that the glass chandeliers shivered. Explore language, and a range of instruments to describe their movement and sound (Bell sprays, windchimes, etc). In the wreck of the Titanic, surviving chandeliers are moved by underwater currents.
• Each group goes on to record their music with a graphic score. Some children may need help with representing their ideas clearly.
Putting it all Together
• Think about the way the robot submarine camera travels around the wreck of the Titanic. Discuss the quality of movement (eg. rapid and jerky or smooth, gliding movements). Compose a short, repeated musical phrase (ostinato) to suggest the robot camera exploring Titanic's wreck. This could be an opportunity to use chime bars to explore interesting melody patterns available with whole tone scales (C D E Fsharp Gsharp B flat (or A sharp) C')
• Imagine that the Robot camera is vising the Titanic, and viewing each object in turn. Begin with the 'exploring music' (outlined above), then follow this with the music for one of the musical episodes (eg boiler music) As the remote camera travels to the next object, resume the exploring music, following with music forv the next object encountered and son on.
• Practise and refine the performance of the Undersea Tour of the Titanic
Follow Up
• Children could record The Undersea Tour of the Titanic using Audacity.
• They could on to incorporate this as the soundtrack to a photostory presentation.
Assessment
• Do compositions exhibit clear musical structures and imaginative use of sound?
• Are musical elements (dynamics/tempo, etc) explored appropriately and effectively?
• How effectively do graphic scores represent the music?
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