HMD 2011 Musical Experiment (Primary)

This activity uses the Untold Stories from the SS St. Louis as the inspiration for students to create a musical soundscape and perform it for an audience.

Using the case study as a guide, share the story of the refugee passengers with the students. Try to tell the story in your own words. You might find the script in our primary assembly or the St Louis presentation helpful.

Challenge the students to recreate Untold Stories from the ship in a soundscape which uses pictures and music. Talk through some of the scenes in the story and ask everyone to think about the sounds which might have been heard (eg when the St Louis was in Hamburg harbour we might have heard seagulls crying or the sound of luggage being dragged over stones. When the ship reached Cuba we might have heard the hooters of smaller boats. When the ship was turned away we might have heard a passenger crying, when asylum is offered there may have been a cheer). List all the possible sounds on the board.

Direct the students to work in groups of between three and six. Divide the sounds between the groups. Each group should work on up to three sounds. Give each group three blank A5 sized cards. Explain that they are going to design a set of pictures to match their sounds. Each sound picture can be either a drawing of what made the original sound eg the ship’s bell or groups can invent a new symbol to represent the sound.

You can download the complete lesson plan below. Please don’t forget to order our free Campaign Pack which will assist you in your activities for HMD 2011. The pack contains free posters, a film, advice and hand out material.

• Musical Experiment (Primary) (PDF: 203540 KB)

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