Teaching Musical Articulation

Learn Staccato, Legato and Marcato with Carnival of the Animals

© Angela England

Feb 16, 2008

This is a fun lesson plan for teaching children about the musical concepts of staccato, legato and marcato using Camille Saint-Saëns famous collection of songs, The Carnival of the Animals.

Supplies Needed for Carnival of the Animals Lesson Plan

1. Photo of a swan
2. Photo of a kangaroo
3. Photo of an elephant
4. CD of The Carnival of the Animals
5. Boombox or CD Player
6. Plenty of room for the children to move freely

Teaching Legato and Staccato

Have all the children sit down and first teach them the musical terms being covered in this lesson, staccato, legato and marcato. Have them repeat the words back to you to make sure they can say them.Next, using "The Swan" and "The Kangaroo" movementsof The Carnival of the Animals by Camille Saint-Saëns:

1. Explain that legato means smooth and connected, the way a swan swims on the water.
2. Show the children what a swan looks likes and describe the way a swan moves.
3. Ask the kids to stand up and move carefully in their space like swans – show them how to slide their feet across the floor so they aren't stomping but rather gliding like swans – legato.
4. Then have all the children sit down again and explain to them that staccato means short and disconnected notes, like a kangaroo hopping about.
5. Show the children the photo of the kangaroo and describe the way it moves.
6. Ask the kids to stand up and move carefully through their space like kangaroos – show them how to hop so both feet come off the ground in short, quick movements.

Practicing Musical Terms

Have the children hold very still and tell them you are going to play a song that either sounds like a swan swimming legato or a kangaroo hopping staccato. Play "The Swan" movement from The Carnival of the Animals. Tell the kids to say either legato or staccato and once they guess correctly have them move like legato swans like the music. Then have them hold still again and play "The Kangaroo" movement. When the kids say staccato let them move like staccato kangaroos like the music.

Introducing Marcato

1. Have all the children sit and explain to them you have more animals to talk about.
2. Explain that marcato means heavy and with accent like an elephant with big heavy steps.
3. Show the children the photo of the elephant and describe the way it moves.
4. Ask the kids to stand up and move carefully through their space like elephants – show them large, exaggerated steps.
5. Let the music of "The Elephant" movement play while the kids continue moving like elephants.

Practice switching between the pieces of movement and let kids shout out either staccato, legato or marcato and move like the animal described in the piece of music.

Musical Concepts Follow-up Activity

Once the children understand the concept of legato, staccato and marcato, try selecting a familiar song they all know. Tell them you are going to play the song in a special way and to listen closely to whether the song is staccato, legato or marcato.

Play the song staccato first as that is usually the easiest articulation for the children to distinguish. Let them move like kangaroos. Then switch the song to a slurring, exaggerated legato and let them move like swans. Then try marcato and make the notes very heavily accented to help the children hear the difference.

Elephant Suite Can be Used to Teach Marcato

Kangaroos Can Help Children Understand Staccato

Swans Can Teach Musical Concepts of Legato

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