Camille Saint-Saëns’ Carnival of the Animals is a fantastic way to teach music concepts through movement, listening, and singing. Each movement represents a different animal, making it the perfect way to introduce young learners to musical expression. In this post, I’ll share three engaging activities that bring this classic piece to life in your elementary music classroom! These activities are part of my Virtual Field Trip. If you would like a ready to go and easy way to implement these ideas with the visuals and videos already created for you, check out this resource over in my TpT shop!
🦁 March of the Lion – Movement Activity
Start your lesson with the “March of the Lion” movement. This piece is powerful, bold, and a fantastic way to introduce musical form and expression through movement.
Step 1: Active Listening & Discussion
Begin by having students listen to the opening movement. Ask them:
- “What instrument do you hear featured in this piece?” (Answer: Piano!)
- “What do you think the lion is doing in the music?”
Once students identify the piano, you can point out that it mimics a lion’s roar with bold, strong chords.
Step 2: Learning the Form
This movement follows a clear structure:
➡ Intro – A grand entrance for the king of the jungle
➡ A Section – A royal march
➡ B Section – A dramatic moment
➡ A Section (Repeat) – The royal march returns
➡ Coda – A final majestic roar
Step 3: Moving Like a Lion
Now it’s time to embody the music! As each section plays, have students move accordingly:
🎵 Intro – Wake up and stretch like a lion greeting the morning sun.
🎵 A Section – Walk proudly around the room like royalty, showing off your lion’s mane.
🎵 B Section – Make a fierce roaring face (but stay silent—let the music do the roaring!).
🎵 Coda – One final big roar, then freeze in a regal lion pose!
This movement activity helps students connect music with storytelling while reinforcing form recognition in a fun, interactive way.
🐘🐔 The Elephant & Hens – Teaching Tempo
Tempo is one of the easiest music elements to teach with Carnival of the Animals, and these two contrasting movements—“The Elephant” and “Hens and Roosters”—make it even more fun!
Step 1: Compare & Contrast Listening
🎧 Start by playing “Hens and Roosters” for your students. Ask them:
- “How would you describe this music?”
- Guide the discussion toward tempo—hopefully, someone will say, “It’s fast!”
🎧 Next, play “The Elephant.” Again, ask:
- “What do you notice about this music?”
- Encourage students to recognize that it’s slow.
Step 2: Exploring Opposites
Now that students have identified fast vs. slow, ask them:
- “How are these two pieces opposites?”
- “Why do you think the composer wrote the elephant’s music as slow and heavy? And the hen’s music as fast and frantic?”
This is a great opportunity to introduce the concept of tempo and how composers use speed to reflect movement and character.
Step 3: Tempo Egg Game 🎶
To reinforce the concept of fast and slow, try the Tempo Egg Game!
- I created a digital game where students pick an egg which will lead to a listening example
- Play the mystery music selection inside the egg.
- As a class, students decide: Is the music fast like the hens? Or slow like the elephant?
- Students will decide is it Fast 🐔 or Slow 🐘
This interactive game builds aural recognition of tempo in a fun and engaging way!
🫏 The Wild Donkeys – Singing Activity
Let’s shift gears from movement and listening to singing with the “Wild Donkeys” movement! This piece is energetic, playful, and perfect for reinforcing characterization in music.
Step 1: Watch & Listen
Play a video of “The Wild Donkeys” that shows the two piano players in action. The rapid, running notes perfectly capture the image of wild donkeys darting around. Ask your students:
- “How does this music make you feel?”
- “What do you imagine when you hear this?”
This helps them connect sound to imagery and storytelling.
Step 2: Learn a Hilarious Round
To add a singing element, teach your students the fun and silly round “Donkeys Are in Love with Carrots.” Find the notation here.
- You can even divide the class into groups and try it as a round, just like the donkeys running in different directions!
Step 3: Pair with a Funny Book 📖
Want to take it to the next level? Pair this activity with the hilarious book The Wonky Donkey!
- Read the story aloud before or after the song.
- Ask students to compare how the book’s character matches the wild donkey’s music.
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