Lesson Overview:
In this lesson, students will learn about the Russian composer Peter Ilyich Tchaikovsky and his visit to the United States. They will discover what he thought about America through his diaries, and will learn about the diary form. This lesson is geared towards students learning English as a second language. Through various activities, they will compare Tchaikovsky's experiences and impressions with their own experiences in a new world.
Length of Lesson:
Seven 45-minute periods
Instructional Objectives:
Students will:
- analyze what Tchaikovsky thought of America.
- compare their own experiences in America with those of Tchaikovsky.
- recognize Peter Ilyich Tchaikovsky and his contributions to classical music.
Supplies:
- Colored pencils
- White paper
- Manila folders (or large sheets of construction paper folded in half to make folders
- Book: Tchaikovsky Discovers America (see Teacher References section for complete bibliographic information)
- CDs of Tchaikovsky’s music (see Teacher References section for suggested recordings)
- Sound System
Instructional Plan:
Teacher Background and Notes
The following suggestions may aid in teaching this lesson:
- arrange for one period in the computer lab, which students will utilize on Day Six of this lesson plan.
- collect in individual folders all student work each day as it is completed for further reference and editing.
- keep student work in the classroom.
Day One
Have a CD recording of familiar music by Peter Ilyich Tchaikovsky playing when the class period begins. Sleeping Beauty, The Nutcracker, and The 1812 Overture are good choices, and recordings are readily available. (See Sources section for suggested recordings.)
Discuss the definition of the word composer. Give students some background information about Tchaikovsky. Note that he lived from 1840 to 1893 and that he was probably the most popular 19th century Russian composer. He wrote such famous works as the ballets, Swan Lake, Sleeping Beauty, and The Nutcracker. He also wrote The 1812 Overture.
Have students access the NSO Interactive Timeline Worksheet and answer the preliminary questions about Tchaikovsky. (Note: Preview the video and the questions to ensure that it is compatible with the students' language abilities. Encourage students to listen for key words and to draw conclusions based on what they can understand.)
Read aloud the entire book, Tchaikovsky Discovers America. Explain to the students that this book tells about Tchaikovsky’s visit to America in 1891. Preview the book by showing a few pictures, particularly the one of the scene from Swan Lake, fetured in the centerfold.
Explain that the format of the book is that of a diary. The diary entries in the book are supposed to have been written by Eugenia (Jenny) Petroff, a fictional girl living in New York. Her parents came from Russia, but she and her brother were born in New York City. Note that Tchaikovsky, like Jenny, kept a diary. Note common conventions in a diary, such as the use of “I” and references to specific dates.
Give each student a manila folder or have them fold a large piece of construction paper in half to make a folder. Have them put their names on these folders, which will hold their work for the unit.
Give students the Uncle Fydor handout, which contains a diary excerpt from the book. Review the excerpt with the class, making sure students understand the reading and all of the vocabulary. Explain the assignment, in which students write about something they bought in the form of a diary entry. Review the components of a diary, such as the inclusion of the date and writing in the first person. Write the assignment on an overhead or on the board. Have students begin to write in class, with unfinished work assigned for homework.
All diary entries are to be accepted in first draft form. In the third lesson of this unit, the entries will be edited and the final drafts will be published.
Day Two
Reread Tchaikovsky Discovers America aloud to the class. Before beginning, ask students for a summary of what they remember about the book from the previous lesson. Make sure students know that this book tells about the visit to America by the famous Russian composer, Tchaikovsky.
Give students the Tchaikovsky Discovers America Questions. Have them take out their colored pencils. Make sure the students understand directions on the handout.
Orally, give students additional information that they need to complete their map. To familiarize students with new place names, write "Baltimore," "Philadelphia," and "Washington, D.C.," on the board or on an overhead. Give students the American Impressions: Diary Activities handout. Read the diary entries with the class, checking for comprehension. Begin work in class on the activities, and all incomplete work should be assigned for homework.
Day Three
Give students a copy of the Niagara Falls handout. Talk about Niagara Falls, one of the world’s most memorable natural sights, with the students. Tell them that it is a great waterfall on the Niagara River in western New York and southeast Ontario, Canada. It has two falls: The Canadian, or Horseshoe, on the Canadian side and the American on the American side. Inform them that the falls were formed over 12,000 years ago when glaciers retreated to Canada. Niagara Falls is a great tourist attraction, and millions of people visit every year. You may want to display a picture of the falls, such as Barbara Bosworth's photograph from the National Museum of American Art site.
Read aloud the Tchaikovsky diary entry on the Reflections on Niagara Falls handout to ensure that the students understand all of the vocabulary, then have students complete the activity.
Day Four
Lead a class discussion on why Tchaikovsky made his trip to America in 1891. (He came to conduct the opening concert in Carnegie Hall.) Ask the class if they would like to share why they came to America.
Pass out the Reflections on Fear handout, and read the selection on the handout with the students. Make sure they understand the reading and the vocabulary. Explain the handout activities to the students, and have students complete these activities.
Day Five
Give students the Andrew Carnegie Biography handout. Note, again, that Tchaikovsky came to America to conduct the opening concert at Carnegie Hall. Tell students that they will learn more about the man who gave this famous concert hall its name. Read Carnegie's biography with the students, then explain the timeline activity, using examples of different kinds of timelines. Have students complete their timelines.
Day Six
Give students the NSO Interactive Timeline handout. Read the directions of the activity, and make sure they understand the activity. Take the class to the computer lab to complete the activity.
Assessment:
Refer to the Assessment and Answer Key to evaluate student performance.
Extensions:
Have students take a closer look at Tchaikovsky and his music. For example, they could read the stories of the ballets The Nutcracker, Sleeping Beauty, and Swan Lake before watching videos of ballet performances. Students could then engage in writing activities, in which they discuss favorite characters, costumes, and music, as well as make comparisons between the stories and the ballets.
Have students learn about the places that Tchaikovsky visited in America besides New York City and Niagara Falls. (He visited Baltimore, Philadelphia, and Washington, D.C.) Students could read his diary for his reactions to and description of these cities. They could then read about these cities today.
Sources:
Print:
- Brown, David, et al. The New Grove Russian Masters, Vol 1. New York: W. W. Norton & Company, 1997.
- Fernandez, Laura, and Rick Jacobson. Tchaikovsky Discovers America. Illustrated by Esther Kalman. New York: Orchard Books, 1994.
- Hammond, Susan. Tchaikovsky Discovers America. Teacher’s Notes. Based on the original work by Douglas Cowling. Pickering, Ontario, Canada: The Children’s Group, Inc., 1998.
- Tchaikovsky, Peter Illych. Ballet Music. Orchestra of the Royal Opera House, Covent Garden. Sir Colin Davis. Philips 422 845-2.
- Tchaikovsky, Peter Illych. The Nutcracker. Kirov Orchestra. Valery Gergiev. Philips 289 462 114-2.
- Tchaikovsky, Peter Illych. “1812” Overture. Berlin Philharmonic Orchestra. Herbert Von Karajan. D. G. 423225-2.
- Tchaikovsky, Peter Illych. The Sleeping Beauty. Royal Concertgebow Orchestra, Antal Dorati. Philips 446 166-2.
- Tchaikovsky, Peter Illych. Swan Lake (excerpts). Philadelphia Orchestra. Eugene Ormandy. Odyssey CBS 42252.
Web:
Authors:
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Phyllis Gron, ESL Teacher
Fairfax County Public Schools
Alexandria, VA
