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Gustav Holsts
The
Planets
Delaware Symphony Orchestra
Explorer Concerts
April 26, 2012
Teacher Study Guide
An integrated approach
Grades 48
Written by Katie Martinenza

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Dear Fellow Music Educators and Classroom Teachers,

I am thrilled to have had the opportunity to write and compile this study guide to help
prepare your students for the Delaware Symphony Orchestras spring Explorer Concert.
I have enjoyed researching and learning more about this magnificent piece of music!
I understand our students have a wide range of abilities. I encourage you to tailor the
activities in this guide to meet the needs of your students.
The study guide is broken into four lessons with supplemental materials found in the
appendix. I am sensitive to the fact that we all have different time restraints and see our
classes at different frequencies. I have designed the lessons in a way that no one
lesson is dependent upon the other. This way, if you can only afford to devote time to 2
of the 4 lessons, you can select the ones that you feel are most important.
I teach music for grades 15 and include a variety of activities in my lessons. In my
classroom youll find us moving, singing, playing the instruments, composing, and
improvising.
This lesson guide takes an integrated approach, making these lessons accessible and
userfriendly to classroom teachers as well. If you are a music teacher using these
plans, please feel free to add more music making. I also attempted to gear the
lessons/activities to upper elementary/middle schoolaged students, since the show is
for grades 48.
I hope you find this study guide helpful and educational as you prepare your students
for the show.
Please refer to the website provided by the DSO for listening excerpts:
http://www.desymus.org/ExplorerConcert/Explorer_2011-12_Holst.html
This study guide was designed to coordinate with the excerpts on that website.
Some lessons reference using whole movements. Many public libraries have the CD
and there are many recordings available on iTunes and Amazon for a very reasonable
price.
Have fun!
Katie Martinenza
Music Teacher, Olive B. Loss Elementary
Appoquinimink School District
[email protected]

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Table of Contents
Pages Content
4

Standards

About The Planets

About Gustav Holst

Vocabulary List and Definition

8-9

Lesson #1 - Our Solar System

10-16

Lesson #2 (1) Mars, the Bringer of War & (2) Venus, the Bringer of
Peace

17-19

Lesson #3 (3) Mercury, the Winged Messenger & (4) Jupiter, the
Bringer of Jollity

20-21

Lesson #4 (5) Saturn, the Bringer of Old Age, (6) Uranus, the
Magician, & (7) Neptune, the Mystic

22

Final Assessment

24-30

Appendix

41

Sources

Notes
The full score can be accessed at: http://imslp.org/wiki/The_Planets,_Op.32_(Holst,_Gustav)
The following abbreviations are used in this lesson plan:
o T refers to Teacher
o S refers to Students
I have created a Notebook file for the Smart Board that can be used as a visual guide through this
study guide. I have also added a PDF of this document in case you do not have the Notebook
software.
o You can access the Notebook file on my music homepage at:
http://www.olivebloss.org/apps/pages/index.jsp?uREC_ID=42298&type=u&termREC_ID=
&pREC_ID=192976
o Or follow these steps: type this website in your browser http://www.olivebloss.org/ click
on Classes, then Related Arts, then MusicMrs. Martinenza, then Katie Martinenza, then
select the DSO Explorer Concert Guide web page.
o If you have any questions please contact me.

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Music
Standard 5: Reading and notating music.
Standard 6: Listening to, analyzing, and describing music.
Standard 7: Evaluating music and music performances.
Standard 8: Understanding relationships between music, the other arts, and disciplines outside the
arts.
Standard 9: Understanding music in relation to history and culture.

Visual Arts
Standard 6: Making connections between visual arts and other disciplines.

Physical Education
Standard 5: Exhibits responsible personal and social behavior that respects self and others in physical
activity settings.

ELA
Informational Text: Key Ideas and Details
College and Career Readiness (CCR) Anchor Standard 1: Read closely to determine what the text
says explicitly and to make logical inferences from it; cite specific textual evidence when writing or
speaking to support conclusions drawn from the text.
CCR Anchor Standard 2: Determine central ideas or themes of a text and analyze their development;
summarize the key supporting details and ideas.
CCR Anchor Standard 3: Analyze how and why individuals, events, and ideas develop and interact
over the course of a text.

Integrate & Evaluate Content

CCR Anchor Standard 7: Integrate and evaluate content presented in diverse formats and media,
including visually and quantitatively, as well as in words.

Comprehension and Collaboration

College and Career Readiness (CCR) Anchor Standard 1: Prepare for and participate effectively in a
range of conversations and collaborations with diverse partners, building on others' ideas and
expressing their own clearly and persuasively.
CCR Anchor Standard 2: Integrate and evaluate information presented in diverse media and formats,
including visually, quantitatively, and orally.
CCR Anchor Standard 4: Present information, findings, and supporting evidence such that listeners
can follow the line of reasoning and the organization, development, and style are appropriate to task,
purpose, and audience.
CCR Anchor Standard 5: Make strategic use of digital media and visual displays of data to express
information and enhance understanding of presentations.

Science
Standard 1: Nature and Application of Science and Technology
Standard 4: Earth in Space

Math
Standard 1: Make sense of problems and persevere in solving them.
Standard 5: Use appropriate tools strategically.

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About The Planets

The Planets (Op.32) is a seven-movement orchestral suite written by Gustav Holst between
1914 and 1916. The first complete public performance of The Planets took place in London on
November 15, 1920, with the London Symphony Orchestra conducted by Albert Coates.
Each movement of the suite is named after a planet in the solar system and its corresponding
astrological character as defined by Holst. While you might think Holst was thinking about the
solar system when he wrote The Planets, he was actually thinking about astrology. He was an
amateur astrologer and based each movement of the work on what astrologers thought about
the planets and the Roman God associated with each planet.
The planets that Gustav Holst uses in his work are:
1. Mars, the Bringer of War
2. Venus, the Bringer of Peace
3. Mercury, the Winged Messenger
4. Jupiter, the Bringer of Jollity
5. Saturn, the Bringer of Old Age
6. Uranus, the Magician
7. Neptune, the Mystic
All planets are represented with the only exceptions being Earth (which is not observed in
astrological practice) and Pluto (which had yet to be discovered at the time of composition and
has since been deemed a dwarf planet).
The Planets is written in a musical style called Romantic. One feature of Romantic music is the
use of a large orchestra with many instruments. Holst wrote The Planets to include some
instruments not often heard in an orchestra such as the bass oboe, contra bassoon, bass
clarinet, celesta, organ, and lots of percussion.
The influence of Stravinsky and Schoenberg is very prominent in The Planets. In 1913,
Stravinsky premiered The Rite of Spring, sparking riots in Paris and caustic criticism in London.
A year later, Holst first heard Schoenbergs Five Pieces for Orchestra, an ultra-modern set of
five movements employing extreme chromaticism (the consistent use of all 12 musical notes).
Although he had earlier lampooned the stranger aspects of modern music, the new music of
Stravinsky and Schoenberg influenced Holsts work on The Planets.
Some contemporary composers have used themes from The Planets in music you may have
heard. Music from The Planets can be heard in Star Wars Episode VI: Return of the Jedi, at the
beginning of the scene when Luke Skywalker is trying to get Darth Vader into a shuttle craft and
off the Death Star, which is on the verge of destruction. The theme from the Jupiter movement
was used in a TV commercial for Reeses peanut butter cups in 2007.

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About Gustav Holst

Gustav Holst was born in England in 1874. He died in
1934. As a child, he learned to play the piano, the
organ, and the trombone. His family was very
musical. His father played the piano and his mother
was a singer. Gustav Holst studied music composition
at the Royal College of Music in London and later
taught there. He was also a professional trombonist.
In 1904, he began teaching at St. Pauls Girls School
in Hammersmith. Because he was busy teaching, it
took him 2 years to write The Planets.
In 1895, while attending the Royal College of Music in
London on a scholarship, he met fellow student and lifelong friend Ralph Vaughan
Williams, whose own music was quite different from Holsts, but whose praise for his
work was abundant. Holsts music is well known for its unconventional use of meter
and haunting melodies, which are especially present in The Planets. The two men
shared an interest in the English vocal and choral tradition (folk song, madrigals and
church music). Holst had hoped to partly build his career as a pianist, but stricken with
a nerve condition that increasingly affected the movement of his right hand from
adolescence; he eventually gave up the piano for the trombone.
During the first two decades of the 20th century, musical society as a whole (and Holsts
friend Vaughan Williams in particular), became interested in old English folksongs,
madrigal singers, and Tudor composers. Holst shared in his friends admiration for the
simplicity and economy of these melodies, and their use in his compositions is one of
his musics most recognizable features. This influence is clearly heard in Holsts
compositions for wind band, his two Suites for Military Band. These works, though
relatively small in number, guaranteed him a position as the mediums cornerstone, as
seen in innumerable present-day programs featuring his two Suites for Military Band.
These may be recognizable to students involved in wind ensembles.

Possible Activity:
In small groups, read the biographical information and make 3-5 key points. This could
be used as a group activity or sharing activity for the class.

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VOCABULARY LIST & DEFINITIONS

Baton A thin tapered rod used by a conductor to lead an orchestra or choir.
Brass The principal orchestral instruments of the brass family, from highest to
lowest, are: trumpet, French horn, trombone and tuba. Other brass instruments
commonly used in concert and marching bands include cornet and euphonium.
These instruments all have cupshaped mouthpieces attached to a length of metal
tubing that flares into a bell at the end. A column of air is set vibrating by the tightly
stretched lips of the player.
Concertmaster The concertmaster/mistress (from German Konzertmeister) is the
leader of the first violin section of an orchestra.
Conductor Person who, by means of gestures, leads performances of musical
ensembles, especially orchestras, bands or choruses.
Percussion Instrument made of metal, wood, stretched skin or other material that
is made to sound by striking, shaking, scraping or plucking. The many varied
percussion instruments fall into two basic categories: pitched (such as timpani and
xylophone) and unpitched (snare drum, bass drum, cymbals, triangle, tambourine).
Strings The members of the string family include two types of instruments: bowed
and plucked. The standard bowed string instruments, from highest to lowest, are
violin, viola, cello and double bass. The harp and guitar are common plucked string
instruments. String instruments often play special effects, including trill, pizzicato,
harmonic, and arpeggio.
Symphony An extended piece of music in three or more movements written for
symphony orchestra.
Theme The melodic subject of a musical composition.
Woodwinds The woodwind family is less homogeneous in construction and sound
production than the strings; it includes the piccolo, flute, oboe, English horn, clarinet
and bassoon. The saxophone is a more recent woodwind instrument that is
frequently heard in jazz.

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LESSON #1 Our Solar System

Materials:
o Question Worksheets
Make copies of the question sheet
(APPENDIX A)
Each student will need his/her own
copy.
o 16 Solar System/Holst Cards (APPENDIX B)
o Tape and Scissors
o Pencils
Vocabulary:
o Solar System

o Planets

Essential Question(s):
o What are the nine planets in our solar system, their order, and a key
characteristic of each one?
o How do music and history influence each other?
o What inspires someone to create a piece of music?
Activating Strategy:
o Solar System/ Holst Scavenger Hunt
o There is a Solar System Scavenger Hunt found at:
http://www.superteacherworksheets.com/space/solarsystem-scavhunt_WMTTD.pdf, but this scavenger hunt does not include any facts about
the solar system.
Procedure/Teaching Strategies:
o Hide the fact cards around your classroom where kids will be able to find
them. You can stick them on your computer keyboard, on the whiteboard,
chalkboard, on the sides of student desks, on chairs, on the chalkboard, on
the back of your classroom door, walls, or wherever you like.
o Give S a copy of the question worksheet. (APPENDIX A) They have to
search the room and find all of the fact cards to answer the questions.
o After they have completed the question sheet, you can go over the answers
together with the class using the smart board.

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Summarizing Strategies/Check for Understanding:

o S answer Lesson Essential Question
Accommodation/Differentiation ideas and tips:
o You may want to make the scavenger hunt a silent activity so students don't
share answers with each other.
o You can have the kids work alone or with a partner.
o Don't be afraid to hide the facts in tough places. Kids think it's more fun
when they have to search around a little.
o Examples of good hiding spots might include:
the back of the classroom door
laying flat on the bookshelf
on the side of your computer monitor
o Have a plan for students who finish early. You may want to have an
assignment for them to complete when they're done, or you may have them
help other students find fact cards.
Additional Activities
In even groups students will research one of the seven planets within the suite to
create a tourism brochure for visitors traveling to that planet.
If your school has a computer lab, students could conduct a web search to answer
the questions below. If not, a one page planet bio could be distributed.
o Here is a web search that is already set up:
http://www.nisk.k12.ny.us/birchwood/links/scavengerFacts/solarsystem_thirdg
radenew.html
o Planet facts sheets can printed from one of the following websites:
http://kids.nineplanets.org/intro.htm
http://nssdc.gsfc.nasa.gov/planetary/planetfact.html
http://www.firstschoolyears.com/science/solar/solar.htm

Students are responsible for finding the following information:

(Feel free to omit or add as you see necessary)
1. Orbit, diameter, mass, volume (in metric)
2. Any mythology
3. History (When was it discovered? Who discovered it?)
4. What materials is the planet made of?
5. What does it look like? (Include pictures and descriptions)
6. Are there any words that describe the planet that you dont know? What
are they? Define them.
7. Any other interesting information that you may run across
Develop an alien that could inhabit your planet. What would it look like? What does
your planet have, or not have, that would contribute to vital alien characteristics?

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LESSON #2 (1) Mars, the Bringer of War & (2) Venus, the Bringer of
Peace
Objective: This activity is designed to introduce students to the movements Mars
and Venus and to give students the experience of conducting one of the pieces from
the concert. Students will start by echo clapping rhythms in 5/4 time. Following a
listening map for Mars will allow students to become familiar with additional themes
and instruments used in this piece. Conducting Mars from The Planets will allow
students to gain a kinesthetic understanding of the 5/4 time feel and a better
understanding of the role of an orchestral conductor. The listening activity will allow
students to compare and contrast two pieces from The Planets discussing
similarities and differences in music.
o Please Note: This lesson could easily take more than one class period.
Prior Knowledge and Skills: Students should already be introduced to basic
conducting technique as well as basic 2/4, 3/4, and 4/4 beat patterns.
Materials:
o Rhythm instruments (such as rhythm sticks or egg shakers)
o Smart board
Vocabulary:
o Conductor
o Time signature
o Meter
o Asymmetrical

o
o
o
o

Rhythm
Ostinato
Compare
Contrast

Essential Question(s):
o What do the numbers in a time signature mean?
o How can we show the meter of Mars?
o Why is it important for musicians to learn to read music or understand musical
notation?
o How can we compare and contrast two pieces of music?
Activating Strategy:
o Rhythm echo between Teacher and Students

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Procedure/Teaching Strategies:
o Teacher asks students to echo various rhythms patterns in 5/4 meter. (This
can be done on a neutral syllable bah or using rhythm syllables: Du-ba-bi
Du Du Du-de Du.) Instruments such as rhythm sticks or egg shakers can be
used if they are available.
o The 5/4 pattern used in Mars is made up of a triplet, two quarter notes, two
eighth notes, and one last quarter note. Teacher writes the notes on the
board for the class to see.

o Additionally, the phrase Fourth from the sun is pla-net Mars fits nicely with
the rhythm pattern because of its similar rhythm. Teachers write this phrase
underneath the notes you have written for the class.
o With a little quick practice to the recording, the teacher and class will be able
to repeat this phrase aloud to the music as it plays. Have the class practice
saying the phrase to the music until they demonstrate mastery of the rhythm.

Conducting Activity:
o This particular movement of The Planets is in 5/4 which requires several
special considerations when deciding how to conduct it. 5/4 differs from triple
or duple time in that it can be subdivided as 3+2 or 2+3. For this reason, 5/4
is considered an irregular or asymmetrical time signature. Lets begin by
practicing a 5/4 conducting pattern:

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o This beat pattern is divided into a section of 3 and a section of 2, since it

begins with 3 beats to the left (from the perspective of the conductor) and
then 2 beats to the right. Another way to divide the pattern is into a section of
2, then a section of 3:

o Practice both of these patterns a couple of times until they feel comfortable.
o Now its time to do a bit of score study to decide which of these patterns will
fit best with Mars.

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o As a class, clap the ostinato on the bottom line of the score. Then, look at
the part right above it. Decide where the stresses in the ostinato pattern
should be.
o Teacher guides students to determine if a 2+3 or 3+2 pattern makes the
most sense.
o Have students try conducting both along with a recording.
o Then, as a class, decide which one works best and explain why to another
student.
o Holst uses a 3+2 grouping of the beat division.

o Teacher shares information about Mars:

o Mars is the god of War. In Greek mythology, he
is known as Ares.
o The planet probably got this name due to its red
color;
o Mars is sometimes referred to as the "Red
Planet."
o The name of the month March derives from
Mars.
o Mars is the fourth planet from the Sun, and the
seventh largest of the nine planets.

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Listening Map Activity:

o Have students start in the lower left hand corner of the map at the launch
pad.

o Additional activity: After listening to Mars, students may wish to draw one
picture that represents one of the scenes described on the listening map.
o These could then be placed in sequence on a bulletin board.

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Listening Compare/Contrast Activity: (this could be done in partners or individually)

o Describe how the movement Venus contrasts with Mars.
o Complete the Venn diagram included with this packet. (APPENDIX B )

Here are some suggestions for what students might include in their map.
Mars
o 5/4 - irregular meter - provides a feeling of discomfort which mirrors the chaos of
global war
o 5/4 march-like ostinato played by different instruments further evokes this feeling
of war
o loud brass and percussion accents
o tempo: allegro
Venus
o evokes the feeling of hope and peace
o the sound of the glockenspiel enhances a feeling of lightness
o the lightness of the woodwinds and upper strings is featured
o Teacher shares some information about Venus
Venus is the Roman goddess of love and beauty. She is known as
Aphrodite in Greek mythology.
The planet is so named probably because it is the brightest of the planets
known to the ancients.
Venus is the second planet from the Sun, and the sixth largest of all the
nine planets.

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Summarizing Strategies/Check for Understanding:

o Answer LEQs with students
o Students should be able to demonstrate correct conducting patterns
Accommodation/Differentiation ideas and tips:
o If you are not yet comfortable with the 5/4 conducting pattern, take a step
back and first review the 2/4, 3/4 and 4/4 beat patterns.
o One way to look at the 5/4 pattern is as an extension of 4/4. Look for
similarities between the 4/4 pattern and the 2+3 5/4 pattern.

Extension activities: Once students are comfortable with the 5/4 time signature, you
might try putting them in groups to read the rhythms found below. Once completed
successfully with body percussion and voice, instruments may be added. This will
help reinforce the meter, and also characteristics of Mars.

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LESSON #3 (3) Mercury, the Winged Messenger & (4) Jupiter, the
Bringer of Jollity
Prior Knowledge and Skills:
o Students are familiar and comfortable with moving in the classroom in
response to music.
o Students know Italian dynamic terms.
Materials:
o Recordings of Mercury & Jupiter
o Paper

o Pencils
o APPENDIX D & E

Vocabulary:
o Predict
o Dynamics
Essential Question(s):
o How can we describe music?
o How can we move to show what is happening in the music?
o What techniques do composers use to express certain feelings/moods in
music?
o How do changes in dynamics affect the mood of the music?
Activating Strategy:
o Prediction
Procedure/Teaching Strategies:
o PREDICTION
Using the title and what you already know about Mercury, PREDICT
how you think this music will sound before you listen. Use the chart in
APPENDIX D to write down your prediction and what really happened.
Your mission is to listen to this music inspired by Mercury and to fill up
the sun with as many words as come to mind from the music. Write
your descriptive words while you listen. Use as many as you can to
describe music terms.

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o Teacher shares some information about Mercury. (This can occur before or
after listening.)
Mercury is the smallest planet in the solar system and the planet
closest to the sun.
Mercury does not spin on its axis as the
Earth does. Therefore one side of Mercury
is always facing the sun. The temperature
on the lighted side gets very, very hot
indeed!
It is named after the Roman god who was
the swift-footed messenger.
This planet takes only 88 earth days to
travel around the sun. So the year on
Mercury is very short by our standards, and
it passes swiftly.
o Movement Activity:
As you listen to the music, imagine if you landed on the hot surface of
Mercury, got out of your space craft, and stepped on the surface. How
would it feel? Watch yourself move around on that very hot surface.
Let the music help you envision how your movements would look. Do
your movements match the quality of the music? Choose a movement
that you saw in your imagination while listening.
Pick a partner with whom you can work productively. Perform your
original movement for your partner. Then watch as your partner
performs his/her original movement for you.
Discuss how your movement shows the qualities of the music as well
as the hot temperature. Learn each others movements and practice
them until you can perform as a duet to the music.
Then make up a new Mercury movement with your partner and
practice until you both can perform it with confidence.
o Teacher shares some information about Jupiter.
Jupiter, the Bringer of Jollity - Jupiter, the
fifth planet from the sun, is the largest in
the solar system.
It is named after a Roman god who ruled
over all of the other Roman gods.
Jupiter contains a famous British hymn
tune called I Vow to Thee My Country.
This chorale was played to commemorate
the death of Princess Diana in 1997.

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o DYNAMICS CHART:
Listen to excerpts demonstrating dynamic contrasts. Jupiter has
dynamic changes early in the piece.
Lead the class in a discussion around techniques used by composers
to express feelings or a mood. Responses should include use of
dynamics, different instruments and how they are played.
Review list of dynamics. (APPENDIX E)
Listen again to excerpts and have them list the dynamic level changes
as the piece is played. This may take several listens. Share their
dynamic charts with the class.
o Writing Activity:
Listen to a recording of Jupiter.
On a piece of paper have students write down as many adjectives as
they can think of to describe this piece.
Have students pick 3 adjectives that they believe describes the piece
the best.
Students listen to the piece a second time and write why they believe
those adjectives describe the piece using musical terms (e.g. joyful =
the melody line ascends in a bright and accented way).

Summarizing Strategies/Check for Understanding:

o Students accurately completed Sun prediction chart.
o Students accurately completed Dynamics chart.
o Students accurately complete the Jupiter writing activity.

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LESSON #4 (5) Saturn, the Bringer of Old Age, (6) Uranus, the Magician,
& (7) Neptune, the Mystic

Materials:
o APPENDIX F
o Calculator (for optional math activity)
Vocabulary:
o Compare and Contrast
o Tempo
Essential Question(s):
o How do changes in tempo affect the mood of the music?
o What techniques do composers use to express certain feelings/moods in
music?
o Why do composers use specific tempo markings in their music?
o Why do composers choose to use certain instruments in their compositions?
Activating Strategy:
o Hand-clapping game
Students of every age enjoy hand clapping games.
Students can feel successful because there are varying levels of hand
clapping, from the simple: clap, pat (with a partner), clap, pat, clap, etc.
to the more challenging: shoulders (arms crossed), knees, clap, right,
clap, left, clap, together, shoulders, knees, clap, etc.
Choose a song that students know and can sing. I recommend Miss
Mary Mack (Most students know this song.)
Have students work in partners to keep the beat at varying tempos
while singing and hand clapping.

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A recording of Miss Mary Mack with changing tempos can be found in

Silver-Burdetts Making Music Grade 2 book. It is a simple song, but
again, everyone knows it so it works.
Procedure/Teaching Strategies:
o Tempo review - Write your chosen terms and their meanings on the board (or
use the notebook file for the Smart board), or give the students a handout
with the terms, and go over them with the students.
Italian Term

English

Largo, Lento

Very Slow

Adagio

Slow

Moderato

Moderately

Andante

Walking Tempo

Allegro
Presto

Fast
Very Fast

After a brief review, Teacher distributes handout or uses the Smart

board to slide to complete the form as information about the planets is
shared and students listen to song examples. (APPENDIX H)

o Teacher shares information about Saturn:

In Roman mythology, Saturn is the god of agriculture.
He is known as Cronus in Greek mythology.
Cronus was the father of Zeus (Jupiter).
Saturn is the root of the English word Saturday.
o Listening: Saturn
Tempo: adagio
o Teacher shares information about Uranus
Uranus is the ancient Greek god of the Heavens - the earliest supreme
god.
He was the father of Cronus (also known as Saturn in Roman
mythology) and of the Cyclopes and Titans (predecessors of the
Olympian gods).

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Uranus is the seventh planet from the Sun and the third largest of the
nine planets (in size). Uranus is larger in size but smaller in weight
than Neptune.

o Listening: Uranus
Tempo: allegro
o Teacher shares information about Neptune:
In Roman mythology Neptune was the god of the Sea.
He is known as Poseidon in Greek mythology.
The planet was probably named after the sea gods because of its deep
blue color.
Neptune is the eighth planet from the Sun and the fourth largest (by
size) of the nine planets.
Neptune is smaller in size but it is heavier than Uranus.
o Listening: Neptune
Tempo: andante
o OPTIONAL Math Activity - Your Weight in Other Worlds:
Students will use the worksheet found in APPENDIX F to determine
their weight on other planets using a Mathematical formula
If a smart board and internet access are available, this same activity
can be done as a class by going to this website:
http://www.exploratorium.edu/ronh/weight/index.html

Summarizing Strategies/Check for Understanding:

o Students worked in pairs to show changes in tempo.
o Students completed worksheet.

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FINAL ASSESSMENT:
A Sample Summative Assessment can be found in APPENDIX G.

Here are some additional possibilities for a final assessment.

Give students an opportunity to listen to an excerpt from each of the movements.
Ask students to write a few words to describe each movement.
o Answers might include:
Mars 5/4 time, loud and heavy, lots of brass, strings hit with wood
of bow.
Venus quiet and serene
Mercury jumpy
Jupiter time, happy, solemn, regal
Saturn March, clashing bells
Uranus loud, brass chords
Neptune quiet, mysterious, singers
Writing Prompt:
o If Holst had composed a movement for Earth, what would it sound like?
Create a melodic line that describes Earth.
Provide a description as to why you wrote what you did and how
your melody symbolizes Earth.
What kinds of instruments would you use? Tempo? Dynamics?
Meter?

P a g e | 24

APPENDIX A Sample Questions

Name: ________________________________
Date: __________________
1. What instruments did Holst learn as a boy?
2. When did Holst first start to compose?
3. How many sections or movements is The Planets?
4. What instrument did Holst first write The Planets for?
5. How many years did it take for Holst to compose the complete work?
6. What planet is not included in this work?
7. Is The Planets about outer space?
8. How far away is the sun?
9. What is the hottest planet?
10. What is the coldest planet in our solar system?
11. Which planet has the most volcanoes?
12. How many stars are in our solar system?
13. What were the names of the first two people to walk on the moon?
14. What does a Mars rover do?
15. What is Jupiter's Great Red Spot?
16. Name all of the planets that have rings.
17. Name all four Gas Giants.
18. Why isn't Pluto considered a planet anymore?
19. Name all five dwarf planets in our solar system.
20. How long does it take light to travel from the sun to Earth?

P a g e | 25

APPENDIX B Solar System Fact Cards

Scavenger Fact Card # 1:

Scavenger Fact Card # 2:

As a boy he learned to
play the piano and the
violin.

At the age of 12.

Scavenger Fact Card # 3:

Scavenger Fact Card # 4:

Seven sections

Holst wrote the music to

be played by two
musicians playing the
piano.

Scavenger Fact Card # 5:

Scavenger Fact Card # 6:

Two

Earth

P a g e | 26

Scavenger Fact Card # 7:

Holst's The Planets is not
really about the actual
planets. It is a set of
pieces that describe a
certain moods. Holst used
astrology's ideas about
how the planets influence
on our lives to provide the
mood for each movement.

Scavenger Fact Card # 9:

Scavenger Fact Card # 8

The sun is 93-million

miles away from Earth.
This is equal to 146million kilometers.

Scavenger Fact Card # 10:

Mercury is the closest

Uranus is the coldest
planet to the sun, but it is planet in our solar system.
not the hottest. Venus is
the hottest planet because
it has many clouds that
trap in heat.

P a g e | 27

Scavenger Fact Card # 11: Scavenger Fact Card # 12:

Venus has more
volcanoes than any other
planet.

There is only one star in

our solar system - the
sun. Our galaxy has
millions of stars.

Scavenger Fact Card # 13: Scavenger Fact Card # 14:

Neil Armstrong and Buzz

Aldrin were the first
people to walk on the
moon.

Scientists have sent

robots, called rovers, to
explore Mars. The rovers
drive around the surface
of Mars, take pictures,
and send them back to
Earth.

P a g e | 28

Scavenger Fact Card # 15: Scavenger Fact Card # 16:

Jupiter, the largest planet,

has a Great Red Spot.
The red spot is a huge
wind storm.
Scavenger Fact Card # 17:
Jupiter, Saturn, Uranus,
and Neptune are known as
Gas Giants because
they're made of mostly
gas.
Scavenger Fact Card # 19:
There are five known
dwarf planets in our solar
system. Their names are
Pluto, Ceres, Haumea,
Makemake, and Eris.

Saturn is famous for its

bright rings, but it isn't
the only planet with rings.
Jupiter, Uranus, and
Neptune also
have them.
Scavenger Fact Card # 18:
Pluto used to be
considered a planet.
Scientists decided it was
too small to be a real
planet, so it is now a
dwarf planet.
Scavenger Fact Card # 20:
It takes light eight
minutes to travel from the
sun to Earth. The sunlight
you see outside right
now, actually left the
sun's surface eight
minutes ago.

[Date]

[Subject]

[Class or Teacher]

[Type Your Name Here]

[Mars]
[Both]

[Venus]

P a g e | 29

APPENDIX C

P a g e | 30

APPENDIX D

PREDICTION P

What really happened?

P a g e | 31

APPENDIX E

Symbol

Italian Term

English Meaning

pp

Pianissimo

Very Soft

Piano

Soft

mp

Mezzo Piano

Medium Soft

mf

Mezzo Forte

Medium Loud

Forte

Loud

ff

Fortissimo

Very Loud

cresc.

Crescendo

Gradually becoming louder

decresc.

Decrescendo

Gradually becoming softer

P a g e | 32

APPENDIX F
Name: _____________________________________

Date: _______________________

Use this chart to compare Earths gravity and years with that of the other planets. The
figures for gravity change because of the differences in the size of each planet. The
figures for years change because of the difference in each planets orbit around the sun.

Mercury
Venus
Earth
Mars
Jupiter
Saturn
Uranus
Neptune
Pluto

Gravity time earth

0.38
0.91
1
0.38
2.54
1.08
0.91
1.19
0.05

Earth years per planet years

0.20
0.62
1.00
1.88
11.86
29.46
84.01
164.79
247.69

Use the chart to calculate your weight and age on the planet of your choice. Do the
work with a calculator.
To compute your age, use this formula:
(your age in Earth years) = (your age on the planet of your choice)
(planet years)
To compute your weight, use this formula:
(your weight on Earth) x (planet gravity) = (your weight on planet)

Finish this sentence:

If I lived on the planet __________________________, I would be _________ years old
and weigh __________ pounds.

P a g e | 33

APPENDIX G

Name: _____________________________________

Date: _______________________

FINAL SUMMATIVE ASSESSMENT

1. Please circle one: True or False

The Planets are based on what astrologers thought about the planets and the
Roman God associated with each planet.

2. How many years did it take for Holst to complete The Planets?

a. 2

b. 3

c. 5

d.7

3. How many movements are there in The Planets?

a. 2

b. 5

c. 7

d.9

4. All planets are represented EXCEPT: ____________________________

5. Mars is based on:

a. peace

b. wealth

c. war

d. marching

b. wealth

c. war

d. marching

6. Venus is based on:

a. peace

7. In the movement Mars, what grouping of the beat division does Holst use?

a. 2+4

b. 2+3

c. 3+2

d. 5+1

P a g e | 34

8. How many instrument families are there in the orchestra?

a. 3

b. 4

9. Please circle one:

c. 5

d.6

True or False

Saturn, Uranus, and Neptune all have similar tempo markings.

10. Short Answer: What techniques do composers use to express certain

feelings/moods in music?
___________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________

P a g e | 35

APPENDIX H
Name: _____________________________________

Date: _______________________

PLANET
Saturn

Uranus

Neptune

TEMPO

MOOD

INSTRUMENTS

P a g e | 36

APPENDIX H

P a g e | 37

P a g e | 38

P a g e | 39

P a g e | 40

P a g e | 41

SOURCES
http://isisweb.8m.com/holst/planets.htm
Excellent website! It has a chart for each movement, which includes the tempo,
orchestral highlights, notes about the piece, and where you may have heard it
before.
http://edhd.bgsu.edu/~sbanist/611/final/melinda/Planetsunit.pdf
http://isisweb.8m.com/holst/planets.htm
This website tells the year written, order composed, tempo, orchestral highlights,
notes about the piece, and where you may have heard it.

http://files.tso.ca/PDF/Youth/1011_Intermediate_Senior_Study_Guide.pdf
This website includes Blast Off, the Toronto Symphonys Intermediate/Senior
Level Student Concert Guide to Holsts The Planets and other orchestral works.

http://www.bullheadschools.com/UserFiles/Servers/Server_9253295/File/Parent%20Lea
rning%20Calendars/Science%20Resources/PlanetFactSheet.pdf
Provides a nice outline of the planets with a few short facts about each

http://music-theory.ascensionsounds.com/rhythm-and-meter-irregular-beat-divisionsand-complex-meters/
Provides some theory analysis of Mars

http://www.freeimages.co.uk/galleries/space/planets/index.htm
Images of space and planets
http://www.exploratorium.edu/ronh/weight/index.html
Determine your weight on other planets through an interactive website.
http://www.nasa.gov/audience/forkids/kidsclub/flash/index.html
NASA Kids Club
http://www.bso.org/media/15173/ThePlanetsResKit.pdf