Synopsis Beethoven Lives Upstairs begins with the funeral of Ludwig van Beethoven.

The story is of a young boy (Christoph) who develops a relationship with the great composer. The story is told through an exchange of letters between Christoph and his uncle. After Christoph s father died! his mother decided to rent out his office space. "ne of the world s most famous composers Ludwig van Beethoven moves in above the family. #nitially! Christoph is annoyed at the eccentric and some$what strange behavior of Beethoven. %e is irritated at the amount of noise Beethoven ma&es! and is eye witness to what he believes to be crazy behavior. As time passes! Christoph and his uncle exchange several letters discussing the eccentricities of Beethoven. The uncle helps Christoph understand some reasons for Beethoven strange behavior. Through his own experiences! Christoph learns more about Beethoven and begins to appreciate and understand the composer. %e begins to see Beethoven in a new light. #t is when Christoph attends Beethoven s performance of the ninth 'ymphony! that he truly sees the magnificence of Beethoven s compositions and talent. Through his letters to his uncle Christoph admits his admiration and appreciation of Beethoven! and is (uite upset when he learns that Beethoven had died. Rationale: Beethoven Lives Upstairs is a wonderful story for various age groups. This story is good because it is not too complex! yet there is much that can be derived from it. #t would appeal to children because of its beautiful music! comic reactions! and the relatable characters that exist in the story. 'ome may be able to relate to Christoph who cannot seem to understand Beethoven! but at the same time! some may be able to empathi)e with Beethoven! who was often misunderstood. This story provides a good! albeit clich* message+ ,on t -udge a boo& by its cover. Although the story is not true! it does illustrate the true facts and characteristics of Beethoven is an effective way. This story would be useful to integrate into other sub-ects such as 'ocial 'tudies (history)! Art and Language Arts. This story would be a wonderful introduction to the research of the lives of many composers of that time. 1

Beethoven Lives Upstairs A Mini-Unit for a Grade Four Class Personal Goal: Classical music enriches and soothes the mind! body and soul. # hope to encourage appreciation of classical music and the magnificent talent of the many great composers. Classical .ids is a great way to expose students to classical music in a fun and non threatening way. 'tudents can relate to the characters! and will be able to en-oy the music and stories in an unforgettable way. Learning Outcomes !RP"s#: #dentify thoughts! images! feelings derived from a musical experience. Apply elements of melody! rhythm! and expression to demonstrate thoughts! images! and feelings in classroom repertoire ,escribe music from a variety of historical and cultural contexts. ,emonstrate respect for music from various historical and cultural contexts ,escribe and recount &ey ideas or information from various media "rgani)e information or ideas they had heard in the form of illustrations Pre Unit Acti$ity: %omewor&+ /ind out one fact about Ludwig 0an Beethoven. ,im the lights! light candles and play a well &nown piece of Beethoven s music (/ur 1lise). Allow students to relax and listen with their eyes closed. Listen again and have them write down! what they imagine when they listen to the piece2 thoughts! images! feelings. ,o they recogni)e this music3 %ave they heard it before3 As& students to share what they felt during the piece. ,o you recogni)e any instruments3 (Assuming they have been introduced to some already) ,o you &now who wrote this3 ,o you &now when3 4a&e a list of things we &now about Beethoven as a class. 1ach child gives the fact that they discovered about Beethoven. %&tension: Listen to another piece ('ymphony 5o. 6). %ave students write down images or feelings they get from the piece. ,iscuss the differences in the two pieces. %ave students perform movement pieces$ and have peers describe the differences (Tempo! ,ynamics etc.) 7atch ,isney s movie (or part of) Fantasia to see how Beethoven and other composers are still popular today.

Lesson ' (
O)*ecti$e: 'tudents will imagine what it is li&e to have Beethoven as a guest in their home. 'tudent will write letters to a relative discussing how Beethoven s

presence affects their daily lives. 'tudents will develop (uestions that they might have for Beethoven. !ntroduction: 8ecall+ 7hat do we &now about Beethoven3 (8eview chart from yesterday) 7hen did he live3 7hat did he do3 7e are going to listen to a story about a boy and his relationship with Beethoven. Christoph is one of the main characters. Ludwig van Beethoven moves in above Christoph s family. Christoph writes letters to his 9ncle telling him about the man who lives above him (write characters on board). Through these letters we learn much about the great composer. Throughout the story we will hear music by Ludwig van Beethoven. Let s see what more we can learn about Beethoven. Also+ lets see if we can recogni)e any of the songs throughout the story. 7e listened to one yesterday$ :/ur 1lise; (and<or 'ymphony 5o. 6) =6 minutes> +e$elopment: ?lay C, Beethoven Lives Upstairs Trac&s @$6 =@6 minutes>

,uestions to stimulate discussion: @. 7hat does Christoph thin& of 4r. Beethoven3 A. 7hy does Christoph thin& this3 ,oes he have good reason3 B. 7hat &inds of things did 4r. Beethoven do that made Christoph upset3 =stood na&ed in the front window! trac&ed mud! made noise etc> C. 7hy is 4r. Beethoven living upstairs3 =Christoph s father had died2 his mother is renting his office out for money. This would have been possible. As Beethoven got older! he was relatively poor and neglected> 6. 7hat does Christoph s uncle thin& of Christoph s situation3 =believes that there are reasons for the way that 4r. Beethoven acts> D. 7hat did we learn about 4r. Beethoven3 =deaf! lonely! is a famous composer! does strange things (pouring water over his head)! messy> E. 7hat does Christoph li&e to do3 =be outside2 en-oy the (uiet! the river> F. 7hy do you thin& this story starts with a prologue (flash$forward)3 =answer$ the prologue establishes an important moment in history$ Beethoven s death. The city stood still for his funeral$ %e must have been a very important figureG> H. ,o you thin& that the ?rince is actually afraid of Beethoven3 IAdd any new information that we learnt about Beethoven to the class list. =6$F minutes>

Follo- Up Acti$ity: 8ecall what &inds of things Beethoven did. %ow did he act3 7hat &inds of things did he do that upset Christoph3 #magine what it would be li&e to have Beethoven as a guest in your houseG %ow would your sisters<brothers! parents! pets react3 %ow would you react3 7hat &inds of things might go on in your house3 7rite your thoughts and concerns in a formal letter to a relative of your choice. 1xplain how Beethoven s presence is affecting your life (and your families) at home. %ow do you thin& you should handle his presence3 ,o you have any (uestions for 4r. Beethoven3 I9se aged paper to write letters on. 5eeds to be prepared the day beforeG (see attached) 1arly finishers might illustrate their -ournal. =A6 minutes> Closure: %ave students finish their letters (for homewor& if necessary) so that they are prepared to share their letters with a class mate during the next session. As a class! ma&e a list of (uestions that students might have for 4r. Beethoven. .eep the list up for the remainder of the story to see if we can find the answers! or possible answers. =6 minutes> =Total 1stimated Time$ DJ minutes> %$aluation: 'tudents will attempt to relate to Christoph by pretending that Beethoven lives in their house. They will demonstrate their comprehension of Beethoven s strange behaviors through formal letter writing. ?roper letter writing style will be considered. 'tudents will be evaluated on how they related the circumstances (Beethoven) to their own lives.

Lesson ' .
O)*ecti$e: 'tudents will experience what it is li&e to be involved in activities without being able to hear. 'tudents will discuss how the loss of hearing would affect their lives. They will also discuss how Beethoven s hearing loss affected his music and musical abilities. !ntroduction: %ave students read their letters from the previous lesson to each other. %ave them discuss<review Beethoven s behavior. (#f time allows! have children read a portion of their letters aloud to the class) 8ecall with the class+ 7hat has happened so far3 %ow did Christoph feel about Beethoven3 7hat sorts of things did Beethoven do to ma&e Christoph thin& he was cra)y3

7here did we leave off3 =The ?rince came to see Beethoven. The ?rince did not want to disturb Beethoven. Christoph thought the ?rince must thin& Beethoven is cra)y tooGK =@J$@B minutes> +e$elopment: Listen to Beethoven Lives Upstairs Trac&s D$H =@B minutes>

,uestions to stimulate discussion: @. 7hat does the 9ncle say about the music in 0ienna3 =0ienna is &nown for its music$ it is everywhere! it inspired him> A. 7hat does 9ncle tell Christoph about Beethoven s childhood3 =he was an unhappy child! his father used to ma&e him play all night long> B. ,o you thin& that this helps to explain Beethoven s strange behavior3 C. 7hat does Beethoven use his bells for3 =some are to help him hear> 6. 4r. Beethoven moves up to B times per yearG %ave you moved3 ,o you li&e to move3 =Beethoven moved EE times in his lifetimeG> D. %ow many pianos does Beethoven have3 7hat is special about them3 =no legs! play sitting on the floor! he can feel playing through the floor> E. 7hy does 4r. Beethoven wor& so hard3 ,o you thin& :music can change the world3; F. 7here did Beethoven ta&e Christoph3 7hat do they have in common3 =both li&e the outdoors> F. ,o you see a change in the relationship of Beethoven and Christoph3 IAdd any new information about Beethoven to the class list. =6$F minutes> Follo- Up Acti$ity: %ave students divide into groups of four. 1ach student will try activities while having their hearing impaired. Live the groups a variety of items to muffle their hearing$ 1ar plugs and ear muffs. 'et up stations. Live 6 minutes per station and A minutes to discuss their reactions and experiences within their small groups. %ave students &eep trac& of reactions on paper to share with the class later. @. ?iano (if available) or other instrumentsM %ave students hold popsicle stic& between their teeth and hold it against the piano to feel vibrations! while other students play. A. Live students simple and complex sentences to say to one another. %ave the hearing impaired student try and lip read and ma&e out what they are saying. To ma&e this even more difficult have the student who is spea&ing turn their bac& while tal&ing (as if they are giving a lecture or doing something else while spea&ing). This will give students an idea of how difficult it must have been for Beethoven to understand what was going on around him all of the timeG B. ?lay a short game of soccer (or another similar game). %ow does hearing affect playing a game li&e soccer3

,iscuss as a class reactions to the stations. As&+ %ow did you feel when you couldn t understand what the :teacher; was saying3 %ave you ever misheard someone before3 7hat other difficulties did you come across3 %ave students to come up with other ways in which their lives might be different or difficult. =A6 minutes> Let s see how Beethoven felt about his experiences3 8ead letters that Beethoven had written regarding his hearing loss. (see attached) ,iscuss as a class+ 7hat was he feeling3 7as this similar to how you felt3 %ow would this affect his music3 %ow did it affect his life3 Closure: ,o you thin& Beethoven was a happy man3 ,o you thin& that Beethoven is sometimes misunderstood3 'how Cartoon (see attached) and discuss. %ave you ever felt misunderstood3 ,o you thin& you have ever misunderstood some one else3 I Chec& the board for (uestions that students had come up with previously! see if any have been answered in the discussion. Add other (uestions students might have. =@6 minutes> =Total 1stimated Time+ EJ minutes> %&tension: %ave students write a reflection about their experiences of being deaf. %ave them explain their feelings! frustrations and how their lives would be changed. %ave students write a poem about losing the ability to hear! the frustrations and sense of loss that a person would feel. %$aluation: 'tudents will attempt to relate to Beethoven s deafness. They will describe their experiences in small groups and as a class. Active participation in the activity and class discussion is necessary.

Lesson ' /
O)*ecti$e: 'tudents will portray their thoughts! images and feelings of a portion of Beethoven Lives Upstairs through a A$, visual representation. !ntroduction: 8eview+ 7hat has happened in the story thus far3 =Christoph has had several interactions with Beethoven. 7e left off+ Beethoven and Christoph went on a wal& together> 6

7hat did we learn about being deaf3 %ave students share how they felt not being able to hear. 8eview a small portion of Beethoven s letters. 7hat is Beethoven wor&ing on3 =Hth symphony> 7hat do you thin& will happen next3 =6 minutes> +e$elopment: Listen to Beethoven Lives Upstairs Trac&s @J$@C =@D minutes> ,uestions to stimulate discussion: @. 7hat happened when Beethoven and Christoph went out together3 =they wal&ed down by the river and a storm came in! they hid under a tree for shelter> A. 7hy was everybody excited3 =Beethoven finished his H th 'ymphony> B. %ow did Christoph feel about the party upstairs3 =annoyed at first! then listened to the music in the hallways$ he li&ed it> C. 7hat do you thin& Beethoven means when he says :there are many princes! but only one BeethovenG; =proud of himself3> 6. 7hy do you thin& Beethoven has such :rough manners3; %ow does the 9ncle -ustify this3 =Beethoven slowly going deaf! very hard on him$ can t hear voices! music! or his own musicG> D. 7hy were there so many problems with the performers3 =the notes were too high! instruments are not nimble enoughG> E. %ave you ever been nervous for something3 (a performance3) F. %ave you ever been really excited for a concert3 "r performance3 Li&e Christoph3 H. 7hat did the crowd thin& of the performance3 =standing! cheering! clapping! four timesG> @J. 7hat did you thin&3 IAdd any new information about Beethoven to the class list. =6$F minutes> Follo- Up Acti$ity: %ave students listen to the 'ymphony scene again. %ave them re$create the theatre during the symphony on a large piece of paper! using a variety of mediums (cloth! paint! felt pens! spar&les etc.). 7hat do you imagine the concert to loo& li&e! feel li&e3 1xpress your thoughts on paper through art. Create it as if you were sitting in the crowd (li&e Christoph). %ang pictures of a variety of instruments for students to see (to replicate). 'how how an orchestra sits (see attached) %ang finished representations on the wall$ ma&ing Beethoven s 'ymphonyG %ave a large Beethoven conducting. =B6 minutes> (I 4ay need to use additional Art time to finish)

%&tension: %ave students ma&e B$, representations in a shoe box using many different mediums. %$aluation: /eelings and images should be expressed through color and different mediums. 5eatness and effort will also be considered. =Total 1stimated Time+ DJ minutes>

Lesson '0
Listen to conclusion of Beethoven Lives Upstairs =6 minutes>

@. %ow have Beethoven and Christoph s relationship changed3 =had a conversation about how each other was doing! expressed concern for each other2 compared to the shoulder s(uee)e! wal& in the country! giving tic&ets> A. 7hat have you learnt about Beethoven3 B. 7hat did we learn about people in general3 8eview and Nui) Assessment: 'tudents will be assessed based on their understanding of the story. This will be determined by whether or not the student was actively participating in the activities and class discussions. By showing involvement! students will also demonstrate a better understanding and appreciation of classical music and the composer. They will also be evaluated in part by a short Nui) at the end of the story. %&tensions: 7atch movie Beethoven Lives Upstairs Create a 8esponse Oournal$ listen to several pieces of Beethoven s &eeping trac& of the different responses to each piece. 8esearch pro-ects on other famous composers (4o)art! %andel! Tchia&ovs&y) 1oca)ulary: to )e used t2roug2out unit# @. orchestra A. symphony B. metronome C. soprano 6. eccentric D. ear trumpet 8

E. prologue F. epilogue H. courage @J. 'al)burg @@. 0ienna Resources: http+<<www.classicsfor&ids.com<teachers<lessonplans<beethoven<beethovenC6".a sp http+<<en.wi&ipedia.org<wi&i<Beethoven :Ludwig van Beethoven; by 4i&e 0ene)ia (#'B5 J$6@D$JC6CA$B) Teachers 5otes+ Beethoven Lives 9pstairs