Whale Songs
Did you know that whales make music? They do. The whales around Antarctica have been known to sing whales songs. Some people think they are singing just to sing and others think the whales are communicating with one another or even with humans.
Take a look at the video on the right and notice the whale sounds and movement.
Now imagine that the whales are speaking their very own language. Can you create a secret language that you could teach someone and use it to communicate? Start with just three words and teach them to a friend or a family member. Can you write and sing a song in your very own language?
Directions
- Take out a sheet of paper. Write your name, date, and grade on the first three lines. Title your paper secret Language Song.
- Using the previous information and videos, create a song using a secret language.
- Turn your paper over on the back. Write a ‘Key” to your secret song so that those singing or reading your lyrics can decipher it.
The Music of Antarctica
Cheryl Leonard is a composer, that means she writes music. However, Cheryl Leonard takes it one step further and makes music out of things she finds like rocks, shells and bones. She then takes these materials and creates instruments. Next, she uses these instruments to mimic, or copy, the sounds of Antarctica. For example, to mimic the cracking sound of the ice on Antarctica, she knocks penguin leg bones against rock slabs and limpet shells.
Learn more about Cheryl Leonard and her music at the link below.
Watch the video titled "Greater Than 20 Knots".
Now, what can you do? Try to go and collect some things from your environment such as rocks and sticks, even some empty containers. See if you can follow in the footsteps of Cheryl Leonard and create some music out of some found objects.
- Take out a sheet of paper. Write your name, date, and grade on the first three lines. Title your paper Sounds All Around.
- Skip a line and write out a list of sounds you would need to mimic in order to represent your environment?
| Don’t forget to place this completed activity/product into the pocket of your white Journey into Reading envelope. |
