Feast of Ideas Week 10 - Camille Saint-Saens

Camille Saint-Saens was born October 9th, 1835 in France. He demonstrated perfect pitch by the age of 3 and by age 10, had his first public concert. He was an excellent music student and church organist but as a teacher, he definitely ruffled some feathers. He liked to use (gasp) modern music to teach his piano students. His most famous piece, the Carnival of the Animals, was not allowed to be published until after his death. Saint-Saens was afraid that this comedic work would ruin his reputation as a composer. However, Carnival, was very well received and now is known as his most famous pieces.

Please check out the following resources to learn more about Saint-Saens…

  • Activity Packet: (CLICK HERE)

  • Click HERE to read more about Saint-Saens

  • French RECIPE: Macrons (nut free)

  • Books

    • Carnival of the Animals by Jack Prelutsky (contains a CD with the music and poems to go along with beautiful artwork LINK)

    • The Story Orchestra: Carnival of the Animals by Katie Flint (Link)

  • Music: check out the following Saint-Saens pieces

 
 

 

 

Looking to integrate your Music lesson with Science, Art, Literature, and History into your Homeschool week? Follow these steps

The Composer Study Activity Packet (CLICK HERE)

2) Gather needed materials such as books, food, artwork, computer links, music (This week’s recipe: French: RECIPE: Macrons (nut free))

3) Complete activities throughout the week (can do as many or as few as you want). Open up YouTube and search for Saint-Saens, have the music playing in the background as you complete the activities each day.

Day 1

  • Listen to Song while coloring the doodle page

  • Eat the food from their country while reading the living book

  • Discuss & cut out the concurrent people, places, inventions, and events that occurred during the composer’s lifetime.  Paste onto Map page. 

Day 2

  • Complete the Sequencing worksheet

  • Geography

    • Locate France on a map; draw France, color in the French Flag

    • Research France at National Geographic for Kids

    • Listen to the French National Anthem (Here)

    • Read Aloud: Books set in France

      • Madeline by Ludwig Bemelmans Book

      • Anatole by Eve Titus Book

Day 3

  • Complete the Copywork Worksheet

  • Literature - Last of the Mohicans was written during Saint-Saens lifetime. Here is a link to a children’s version of this American Classic BOOK

  • Art

    • The Noisy Paint Box - this excellent living book is about the painter Kandinsky, who rose to prominence during Saint-Saens lifetime. Kandinksy brought to light the experience of synesthesia in which he saw color when he heard sounds. What a neat connection to explore, the connection between sound and color.

Day 4

  • Complete Braille Decoding worksheet

  • Science - Build an Eiffel Tower: Ideas

Day 5

  • Complete the Rhythm Matching worksheet

  • History - Crimean War

    • Learn about the Crimean War HERE

    • Learn about Mary Seacole, the Mother of the Army HERE

    • Read Aloud: Mary Seacole: Bound for the Battlefield by Susan Goldman Rubin

 
Beth Smith