The document provides instructions for a lesson on John Williams' music for the Harry Potter films. It includes links to listen to excerpts and learn about musical elements like timbre, tempo, and motifs. Students are asked to create ostinatos based on characters and explore how composers use music to represent different characters, places, and themes.

1. John Williams

2. Kahoot! – What do you know?
Use your FIRST NAME and Room number (eg.
Emily05) to log onto Kahoot and
answer the questions – I want to know what you
know!
https://kahoot.it/challenge/01922415?challenge-
id=ce60d496-ba87-4a98-8f9f-
b22cb73f436b_1586403901108

3. John Williams is a film music composer
(someone who writes music).
He wrote the music for the first three
Harry Potter movies.
A suite is an ordered set of orchestral
pieces of music.
There are many different shorter pieces of
music to accompany the Harry Potter
films which join together to form the Harry
Potter Symphonic Suite.

4. What have the instruments in each section got in common?

5. SeeSaw Activity
Head onto SeeSaw and sort the instruments into
the sections of the Orchestra.

6. Hedwig’s Theme
Strings - Tap your Shoulders Percussion – Tap your Knees
Woodwind – Tap your Head Brass – Tap your elbows
Piano – Tap your Toes

7. Think – Pair - Share
Did you like
the music?
Why? Why
not?
Describe
the music?
What did you
think of when you
listened to the
music? How did
the music make
you think of this?

8. https://safeYouTube.net/w/9sM7
Click the link to learn about the
musical element Timbre.

9. Match the music to the section of the orchestra
playing:
1 2 3 4

10. Now listen to the piece of music again. This time
listen to the different sections of the orchestra
and when they come in. This is the timbre of the
music.

11. Composers use different musical
features to portray different things
in music.
Timbre: describes what instruments are used.
 What section of the orchestra would you use for music to
accompany a little mouse?
 Would you use the same section of the orchestra to
accompany a big heavy elephant?
Tempo: describes the speed of the music, if it is fast or
slow.
 What type of music would accompany a snail?
 What type of music would accompany a cheetah?
Dynamics: describes how loud or soft the music is.
 What type of music would suit a warm sunny day?
 What type of music would suit a wild storm?

12. Watch Potter Puppet Pals
https://safeYouTube.net/w/0zM7
Click the link to Watch Potter Puppet Pals
This is an example of an Ostinato!

13. Ostinato Activity
An Ostinato is a
melodic or rhythmic
pattern that repeats,
usually without
changing.
Choose one Harry
Potter Character and
use their name to
create an Ostinato
(Musical Pattern) like
in the video.
o Rubeus Hagrid
o Kingsley Shacklebolt
o Dobby the House Elf
o Fawkes the Phoenix
o Cornelius Fudge
o Tom Marvolo Riddle
o Draco Malfoy
o Minerva McGonagall
Continue 

14. Ostinato Activity
Find an ‘instrument’ to play
and say your Ostinato out
loud.
Your instrument can be
anything: markers, pots and
pans, tin cans, plastic tubs,
or simply clapping your
hands.
Record your Ostinato
using symbols and words
and share on SeeSaw in the
Performing Arts Folder.

15. Thursday
https://safeYouTube.net/w/iCM
7
Click the link to watch
‘Harry Potter in 99 Seconds’
to gain an understanding of the
characters/plot line and how a
story can be communicated
through music.
*Contains Spoilers*

17. Motifs
A motif is a short musical idea or piece of music.
You may hear a motif a number of times through a
work of music.
Each motif in the Harry Potter Suite represents a
different place or part of the story.
Williams changes the dynamics, timbre and tempo
along with other musical features to represent the
different places or stories.
Discuss in your groups what tempo, dynamics and
timbre would suit each of the following motifs…

18. Fluffy is a three headed dog who guards
the chamber of secrets and can only be
calmed by a playing harp. In this piece of
music, we hear the big dangerous dog who
is calmed by the soothing harp.
Quidditch is the most popular sport in the
wizarding world. In this piece of music John
Williams shows the colour and excitement
that occurs at a game of Quidditch.
Diagon Alley is a wizard alley and shopping
area where Harry and his Hogwarts friends
buy their school supplies. In this piece the
composer portrays all the hustle and bustle
of the busy shopping
street
Hedwig is Harry’s pet, a
snowy owl. Hedwig not only
delivers Harry’s mail but is
also an important
companion. In this piece of
music John Williams shows
the majesticness of this
white bird in flight.

19. Work to decide which piece of music matches each
title. Think about the timbre, dynamics and tempo!
Think about the timbre, dynamics and tempo that John Williams

20. Ostinato Activity
Choose a different Harry Potter Characters and use their
name to create a second Ostinato.
Change the dynamics to Crescendo (get louder) or
Diminuendo (get softer) throughout the Ostinato, try to match
the dynamics to the characters.
Hag-rid the Gi-ant ♫ ♩ ♩ - ♩ (Would a giant be loud or soft?)
King-sley Shac-kle-bolt ♩ - ♩ ♫ - ♩ (How is Kingsley feeling?
Does this change his dynamics?)
Dob-by the House Elf ♫ ♩ ♩ ♩ (Would an elf be loud or soft?)
Fawkes the Phoe-nix ♩ ♩ ♫ Z (Would Fawkes sound different
if he was transforming?)
Find an ‘instrument’ and say your Ostinato out
loud. Record your Ostinato using symbols and words and
share on SeeSaw.

21. https://safeYouTube.net/w/JAO7
Click the link to learn about the
musical element Tempo.
While Mr. Henry is explaining, find some space
and listen to the music, moving fast when the
music tempo is fast and moving slow when the
music tempo is slow.
Answer the quiz and (optional) share on SeeSaw.

22. Ostinato Activity
Choose one or two different Harry Potter Characters
and use their names to create a third or fourth Ostinato.
Change the tempo of one of your Ostinato, to speed up
or slow down throughout the ostinato.
Find an ‘instrument’ and say your Ostinato out loud.
Record your Ostinato using symbols and words.
Continue 

23. Ostinato Activity
Use a Voice Recording App or
normal video camera to record
each of your Ostinato.
Record them individually (by
themselves) and then try
playing one of the recordings in
the background while you play
a different ostinato at the same
time. (It’s ok if you are unable to
record at the same time as
listening with your technology.
Garage Band, Jam Looper are
good Apps to use).
Share your Ostenato
recordings on SeeSaw! Have
fun!

24. List of References:
Anonymous ‘Diagon Alley’ [photograph]. Available from
http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/2/20/Diagonalley.jpg [accessed 1st December 2013].
Anonymous ‘Fluffy the Three Headed Dog’ [picture]. Available from:
http://farm6.static.flickr.com/5203/5286936105_918aef6588_o.jpg [accessed 1st December 2013].
Anonymous ‘Harry, Hermione and Ron’ [photographe]. Available from:
http://images1.wikia.nocookie.net/__cb20110714002808/harrypotter/images/7/72/Hermione-granger-ron-weasley-harry-potter-
hp4-study-6x4.jpg [accessed 1st December 2013]
Anonymous ‘Harry Potter Logo’ [picture]. Available from: http://bewarethemath.webs.com/photos/Harry-
Potter/Harry_Potter-logo_90894o2.jpg [Accessed 1st December 2013].
Anonymous ‘Hedwig Flying’ [picture]. Available from: http://thecollectorzone.com/images/products/4785_l.jpg
[accessed 1st December 2013].
Anonymous ‘Sections of the Orchestra’ [picture]. Available from:
http://website.lineone.net/~rupert.kirby/martyn/pics/layout.jpg [accessed 1st December 2013].
Anonymous ‘Sparkles’ [picture]. Available from: http://severinghaus.org/gallery/d/2316-
2/DSCF1742_sparkles_dt.jpg [accessed 3rd December 2013].
Anonymous ‘Quidditch’ [photograph]. Available from: http://cdn.fansided.com/wp-
content/blogs.dir/277/files/2013/09/quidditch.jpg [accessed 1st December 2013].

25. Unknown (2011) ‘BBC National Orchestra of Wales – Brass’. [video online] Available at:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yE0aSxziNdY [Accessed: 2 Dec 2013].
Unknown (2011) ‘BBC National Orchestra of Wales – Percussion’. [video online] Available at:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xGKpngesISI [Accessed: 2 Dec 2013].
Unknown (2011) ‘BBC National Orchestra of Wales - Strings.’ [video online] Available at:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MP2_6OLummA [Accessed: 1 Dec 2013].
Unknown (2011) ‘BBC National Orchestra of Wales - Woodwind.’ [video online] Available at:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KEt1Mm8sSkA [Accessed: 1 Dec 2013].
Unknown (2011) ‘Harry Potter East London Brass.’ [video online] Available at: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Owu5BKD62n4
[Accessed: 1 Dec 2013].
Unknown (2009) ‘Harry Potter Themes - Wind Quintet.’ [video online] Available at: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Zv5-BooE9E8
[Accessed: 1 Dec 2013].
Unknown (2009) ‘John Williams - Harry Potter Symphonic Suite.’ [video online] Available at:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AaMqnYvzE2Q [Accessed: 2 Dec 2013].
Unknown (2012) ‘Lake Dallas High School Percussion Concert 2012 Harry Potter.’ [video online] Available at:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=D_c1oXXIQh8 [Accessed: 1 Dec 2013].
Unknown (2013) ‘WC Woodwind Ensemble’. [video online] Available at: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4CpSIH5CogE [Accessed:
1 Dec 2013].
List of References cont.: