Music Activities: Vivaldi

Here's my plan for the week:

1) Introduce Vivaldi through listening to the Classical Kids tape (we did it in the car!).

2) Play Vivaldi's music every morning as they wake up and come down to breakfast. You can hear the entire score by clicking here (There are commercials between movements; you'll have to minimize the page to keep listening to it while you read.)

3) Print out the sonnets Vivaldi wrote to accompany The Four Seasons and let the older children read them (or read them out loud) before you play each section. They can refer back to them as they listen.

4) Listening activity: Have them really listen to The Four Seasons. See if they can point out the musical descriptions (birds chirping, thunderstorms, etc.) while they're listening.

5) Print out this musical activity sheet to do while you listen to "Spring".

To integrate Vivaldi's The Four Seasons into your classical curriculum further, you might want to add these suggestions in during the week:

Science: Talk about the weather changes that occur within each of the seasons. How do these changes affect your environment, and how do they affect you? What are your favorite activities during each season? How do you dress for each season? Which one is your favorite? Why?

Older children could find out why the earth's seasons change as our planet orbits around the sun, and the effects that temperature changes have on various living things.

Arts integration: As you listen, paint one picture that shows something relating to each of the four seasons. Include plants, animals, activities and clothing.

Older children, while they're listening, can paint in response to the music. Focus on abstract marks, color and mood more than exact representations. Compare the work you made while listening to "Summer" to that of "Winter". How are they different? Similar?

Poetry: Write a poem about each of the different seasons after reading Vivaldi's sonnets and listening to his music, or assign one season to each child. Mount their poem along with their picture in a prominent place in your home to display your wonderful integrated arts education program!

Questions for discussion:
What was Vivaldi's full name?
Did Vivaldi have a nickname? If yes, what was it?
When and where was Vivaldi born?
What was his family's musical background?
At what age did Vivaldi begin his musical training?
What kind of jobs did Vivaldi have before becoming a composer?
What kind of work did he have as a composer?
What instruments did Vivaldi play?
Into what musical era does Vivaldi fit?