Need activity ideas to go with movie...

[Wee Pip]

I'm teaching a class at co-op about movies for 6 year olds and older. The next class is The Sound of Music. I usually print off coloring pages and word searches for the kids to do while we watch bits of the movie. I can't find ANYTHING out there for The Sound of Music. The best I could come up with was 1 coloring page with a girl wearing Austrian style clothes, or a map or flag of Austria. Any other ideas? I haven't seen the movie since I was 10, but will be watching it tomorrow...all 3 hours of it (groan) LOL.

[Aurelia]

Can you find some kind of activities that just deal with music, maybe a word search with different musical terms? Would any activities that go with Heidi match, since they both feature the Alps?

[shanvan]

Put a line from the song at the top or bottom of the page and use some scrollwork or other decorative border around edges. As an option, if time allows, have volunteers share at the end of class one day as a simple public speaking and listening opportunity.

Shannon

[shanvan]

Any way you can break it into 2 viewings with seperate activities? Or possibly take a break at intermission for a quick exercise activity. Running in place, or some kind of movement activity related to the movie??

Maybe the co-op schedule won't allow for this, but I'm thinking of the 6 year olds I know from our old co-op, and 3 hrs of a movie would invite behavior problems and ruin the movie for those kids who are really interested.

We love The Sound of Music. We own it and have seen it many times. I think you might have better success with more students enjoying it if you can break it up.

When planning lessons I always like to look ahead and avoid possible problems. These are just my thoughts. I don't know if they will fit your situation.

Shannon

[Jen3boys]

Maybe something to do with the characters in the movie? Didn't the von Trapps end up in the U.S.?

[laughing lioness]

Could you teach the kids one of the songs? Have them illustrate or act out one of the songs?

[Kristiana]

Are you a singer at all? You can teach them to sing in solfege which is using Do Re Mi Fa Sol La Ti Do for the notes of the major scale, which I never knew until I was a music major in college. I thought it was made up just for that song!

You could talk about WWII, but not sure of what would be appropriate for the ages involved.

Can you find a picture of edelweiss flowers?

There's always making play clothes out of the curtains. :D

Seriously, I really like having them draw a picture of their favorite things that was already mentioned.

[Ellie]

Any dancer parents in your group? Y'all could learn the dance that Maria and Georg do.

You could make some marionette puppets and put on a show.

You could make a relief map of Austria, and find Austria in a map of Europe.

[Loupelou]

I really like the favorite things discussion and pictures. Also, music sounds great, children love to sing. I would think the historical significance of the movie is a little over the heads of most 6 year olds, other than a light discussion of it being during World War II, and benign reasons for needing to flee. I know my 6 year old just loves the music, we haven't gotten into a discussion concerning the Nazi occupation.

Also, I really like the suggestion of doing something at intermission to break up the time and get rid of wiggles!

[Wee Pip]

Thanks for the suggestions! We'll actually only watch about 30-40 mins of the movie, with discussion beforehand. I think the Favorite Things idea will work out perfectly! Also, I'll dig around for music type print outs. Thanks again! You guys are such a blessing:)