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This
unit is
©Copyright 2004 by Cindy Downes. All rights
reserved.
Permission is given to homeschooling
parents to use these units free of charge in their own homeschool
only. These units may not be reprinted in any other form,
for any other purpose (commercial or otherwise) without permission
from Cindy Downes. Contact her at contact@oklahomahomeschool.com.
The
Christmas season is a great time to learn about Georg Frideric
Handel and his Oratorio, "Messiah." Here's a
short unit on Handel that that I created using The
Checklist as a planning guide. The items in bold are taken
from The Checklist.
1.
Composers and Musicians of the World - Georg Frideric Handel,
Germany, 1685-1759 (page 172).
Websites:
Picture
of Handel.
Arts
Alive biography
of Handel.
Wikipedia
- biography of Handel.
Classics
for Kids - Handel.
Handel's
last will and image.
Timeline of
historical events at the time of King George II (page
62 - write in) and Handel's Messiah.
Activities:
Reading:
George
Handel
(Getting to Know the World's Greatest Composers) by Mike
Venezia. An easy-to-read biography of George Frideric
Handel. ISBN: 0516445391. Gr. 1-5
Reading:
Handel
and the Court of Kings
and by Opal Wheeler. A wonderful children's book about
Handel written in the 1940s. It is currently out of print.
If you can find a copy, you'll want to get it for your
library!
Composition
- write a report or biography of Handel. Use Famous
Person Report, if desired.
Complete
the Classics
for Kids activity sheets. 
Just
for Fun: The
Handel's Messiah Family Advent Reader
by Donna W. Payne. The 'Handel's Messiah Family Advent
Reader' provides daily readings that are biblically-based
and culturally rich. With intriguing stories explaining
well-known Christmas customs, each reading features a
different portion of the libretto from Handel's Messiah
and offers a spiritual insight that links the story to
an important principle. Includes a CD with portions of
Handel's Messiah. ISBN 0802455743.
2.
History of Music - Baroque Period (page 171)
Websites:
Baroque
Period.
Baroque
Architecture.
Baroque
Art.
Activities: Listens
to Music of All Types (Music Appreciation), page 170
Listen
to Baroque
music samples.
3.
Culture Study: Modern England (pg. 57) 
Websites:
England:
Country
Reports and Fact
File on England.
History
of London (page 60).
Activities:
Country
Report: England. Create a country report on Modern England
using The Checklist (page 57) as a guideline
as to what to include in the report.
Jigsaw
Puzzle of London.
Print
out maps for Germany, Italy, and England. Label the
capital, major mountains ranges, waterways, & cities.
Include a compass rose and map key.
England
Outline Map.
Italy
Outline Map.
Germany
Outline Map.
4.
Map Skills - Countries of the World & Major Religions
(pg. 75): Germany and Italy
Websites:
Germany
country Reports.
Italy
county reports.
Activities:
Print
map
of Europe. Label Germany, Italy, and England.
Germany
Quiz.
Label
Me Printout, Germany.
Label
Me Printout, Italy (must subscribe $20/yr).
Draw
and color the flag
of England.
Draw
and color the flag
of Italy.
Draw
and color the German
flag.
Play
Geo
Spy. Select Countries Game and then move Crossbar
over the area of Europe.
Create
a "Global
Pumpkin." Paint the countries of
England, Germany and Italy, red.
4.
Musical Instruments and Their Families, Keyboard Instruments:
Piano, Accordian, Organ (page 170, write in "clavichord"
and "harpsichord")
Websites:
Harpsichord.
Clavichord.
Organ.
Piano.
Accordian.
Activities:
Listen
to a Harpsichord.
Listen
to an Organ.
Listen
to a Piano.
Answer
the question: Which one do you like best? Why?
Field
Trip: Go to a live concert featuring one of these instruments.
5:
Music Forms - Oratorio (write in)
Oratorios
are basically operas without costumes and scenery. In them,
a chorus of singers tells a story by singing it to the audience.
Usually the story is taken from the Bible. Messiah is Handel's
best known oratorio):
Website.
Messiah.
Audio of Handel's Messiah.
Hallelujah
Chorus.
Hallelujah
Handel
by Douglas Cowling.Thomas, 48 pages. A read aloud picture
story of a street child with a beautiful voice and Handel's
Messiah. ISBN 0439058503. Gr. 1-5.
6.
God's Purpose for Music.
Look
up the terms "music, song, sing" in a topical
Bible.
Answer
the question, why did God create music?
How
does Handel's "Messiah" achieve God's purpose?
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