Go Away Big Green Monster!

Ed Emberly is one of my favorite artists- so many fun books! I first found him when I bought the fingerprint book - if you don't have this, it is a great gift for the younger than 10 age! Here is the book:
















Today's post is all about Ed Emberley's book, "Go Away, Big GREEN Monster!".  The book is available here.  This is SUCH a cute book and so much fun for fall and Halloween without ever mentioning "Halloween".  The boldly colored pages reveal increasingly scary features of a big green monster.  "You don't scare me!" reads the caption after the monster is fully revealed.  As each page is turned, the scary features disappear, as does, of course, the monster. "And don't come back! Until I say so,".  
The activity below comes as a pdf with choices in how to present the speech/rhythm as notation only, text only, or rhythm and text.  

Process:

•Print cards and cut apart. Choose which “set” to use – the next 3 slides use the words and the rhythm, the next 3 have words only, the final 3 have rhythmic notation only.

• Read book, begin by speaking piano gradually crescendo, at “Big green scary face”, descrescendo at “Until I say so”.

•Discuss story and volume of voice; speaking voice vs. shouting voice; introduce/reinforce the four voices, introduce/reinforce dynamics of loud/quiet, very loud/very quiet and getting louder/getting quieter.

•Read again, speak rhythm parts of story (two big yellow eyes, etc.) students echo using speaking voice/volume and clap rhythm of words.

•Discuss/review unpitched percussion instrument timbres; what instrument would work for “two big yellow eyes”?  What about for “Big green scary face”?

•Show cards, students decide instruments for each part.

•Divide into 6 small groups, one for each card; assign instruments to groups.

•Small groups practice, add repeat - students perform each card twice with instruments, perform with book.

Extension:  Small Groups create a short 8 beat movement piece with scarves or other props.

Here are some of the slides for the activity- email me at musicquilt@hotmail.com for the full pdf!

Hope  you enjoy this one!