The Can Caravan: Music Ideas 

Music Activity Ideas Related to "The can caravan
by Richard O'Neill 

Read Aloud

Read and discuss the story "The can caravan" by author Richard O'Neill

Talk and Discussion:

• Revise the book.
• Discuss how Janie's friend and neighbour Mrs Tolen may have to move out of her caravan and into a house after she breaks her hip. Janie is desperate to help and comes up with a great idea when her school visits a local recycling plant. Through imagination, help from the community, and lots and lots of hard work, Mrs Tolen's old caravan is transformed into a safe and secure new home!

I wonder:

• What does it sounds like to live in a caravan? Is it different to a stone house? 

Video:

• Watch the video to hear what rain falling on a caravan sounds like.
• Was this sound surprising to the children, why?

 Group Work / Pair Work/ Class:

• Ask the children (in pairs or groups) to create a sound similar to what they heard.
• One group could work on the sound of rain falling on a caravan while the other on the sound of wind blowing against the caravan or snow falling. 
• Can the children use their voices to mimic the sound/s? 
• Engage and experiment with clapping, finger clicking, stamping, knee patting, tongue clicking, and chest tapping -do any of these make similar sounds?
  

Instrument and sounds in the environment exploration:

• If you have instruments, the children could explore the sound potential of instruments in making these sounds and share their discoveries with each other. 

Reflecting back on the story:

The children, working collaboratively, create a soundscape or musical narration of aspects of the story for example,

• What sounds would Janie hear inside the caravan when she is relaxing on the couch and heavy rain is falling outside? 
• What sounds would they hear as Janie and everyone use recycled metal products to make Mrs Tolen's caravan safe and accessible? 

Performance:

• The children can perform their soundscape to each other.