Themed Lesson: Rain

GUIDED LISTENING ACTIVITY

1. Explain that you will listen to four pieces of music about rain. Many composers have captured the sound and feeling of rain through music. Be prepared to listen actively and use music vocabulary to describe what you hear. 

2. Do some pre-listening reflection about rain, using the following questions/prompts for journaling or discussion.

   • Does rain always sound the same, or does it sometimes sound different?

   • What are a few words that describe the sound of rain?

   • How does rain make you feel? Sometimes it might make you feel one way, and other times it might make you feel something else. Write down or say out loud some ways that rain makes you feel.

   • How do you think composers might try to capture or re-create the sound of rain through music?

3. Listen to this first piece, called Rain Tree Sketch II, by the composer Tōru Takemitsu. After listening, describe what kind of rain that music sounded like.

4. The next piece is by composer Frederic Chopin. It’s called the “Raindrop” Prelude. What kind of rain do you hear in this piece? Does it change, or is it the same kind of rain the whole time?

5. Here’s a piece about rain from a Disney movie. In this video, notice how sound matches up with the imagery of rain in the cartoon.

6. The last piece has lyrics about rain. What do you think the words of this song mean?

7. Extend learning using the listening grid in this worksheet to organize your thoughts and responses.

ALL SUGGESTED LISTENING

(Note that the Disney clip is not included in this playlist, but is embedded in the lesson.)