Teaching Beethoven to 4th Graders

[ScrltOTara]

I've been giving the task to do a Music Box presentation to a fourth grade class on Beethoven. Basically, I have a CD that I will play, let the kids discuss Beethoven, and tell a bit about him. I'd like to make it fun for the kids, does anyone have any good ideas on how to teach it in a fun way, or some good exercises to have the kids do? Any help at all would be greatly apprecited.

Thanks!

[jman]

well I don't know if it's what you're looking for...but when I was in grade 5, I think, we watched 'Beethoven Lives Upstairs' as I think it was called...anyways, it's a movie about when Beethoven went to live in an upstairs apartment of a boy who didn't appreciate his genius while composing the Ninth Symphony...I don't know how historically reliable it was but I'd say it probably gives you an idea as to what Beethoven was about...

does that help any?!?!

[John Rasmussen]

This may do for a start: Fuer Elise is something almost everyone knows but not everyone has heard played well. See if any of your students can play the theme, then play a CD of the whole piece as played by a great Beethoven pianist such as Brendel or Serkin. Then switch to something utterly different like the Appasionata sonata or a symphony.