The musicians of Bremen This history is presented in one of the books I ve chosen (English Round About) that s gives me samples, exercises or activities. The main reason to tell stories in my opinion is to promote children s attention, to sustain their motivation and of course because they love it; so I think this story can be easily presented even in different degrees of classes because, as teacher, I can decide the different structures, vocabulary or activities I need to face. In this case it s a animal story, very beloved by Childs, and using the guide of the book I can give them a little script to act this story. I imagine to introduce this story in a fourth class, pupils will see the picture of this story at the end of the unit, and a CD will read it to them. Usually children ask to listen again and in this case I will read for them using body gestures and by miming the different animals. Later I show them some pictures concerning the story, which they have to put in the right order at the blackboard, then I ask them to draw the right sequence on their own exercise books. It is also possible to ask them to prepare a little booklet or a poster of this story and also add the picture of the some instruments which are concerned. Then I think I need to spare pupils in as many groups as are the characters, so that, at the end, each group would be able to perform the story (the Characters are: a donkey, a dog, a cat, a hen, two burglars and a house owner plus a narrator) using these groups I prefer to act the story directly in class where is also possible to change the role of the characters. Vocabulary: donkey, dog, cat, rooster, musician, road, I m old and tired, can you play? I can play, I can t, guitar, trumpet, triangle, drums, robbers, I m hungry, thirsty, sad, cold, tired. This vocabulary can be enlarged by reminding some more words concerning for example: food, house furniture, prepositions, various stuffs. SCRIPT: THE BLUES BREMEN MUSICIANS BROTHERS Characters: Two narrators A farmer
The farmer s wife A donkey An horse A dog A cat A hen A rooster A rabbit A cow A duck Three mice Three robbers One house owner Three Policemen SCENE 1: Introducing song: Blues Brothers: She Caught the Katy Then song: Old MacDonald had a farm [performed by guitar] Narrator, three mice, farmer and farmer s wife Narrator: This is the story of some animals of a farm. they are old and tired and one evening they were listening their masters talking through the windows. Three mice, with childish voices: Yes, they listen to their masters. Farmer: Dear wife, we are very poor farmers, we have no food to eat, what can we do? F.Wife: Dear husband to earn some money we can sell our old donkey, and our old horse to the baker, and later, if we need to, all the animals of the farm. F: Yes dear it is the only thing to do. Donkey: Oh no, my masters are going to sell us to the baker, they are going to kill us, oh no it s terrible, I must advise all the others animals of the farm SCENE 2: Narrator, mice,donkey,horse, dog, cat, rabbit
Narrator: Now it s night and the donkey is in the barn talking to his friends Three mice: Yes talking to his friends Donkey: Dear friends I ve just heard that ours masters want to sell us to the baker and to kill us Noises from the group of animals Donkey: I m a donkey. Yes, I m old and tired but I can play the guitar. Listen. I can go to Bremen to be a musician. Horse.: I m a horse, I m old and tired but I can play the harp. Listen. I can go with you to Bremen to be a musician Dog.: I m a dog, I m old and tired but I can play the drums. Listen. I can go with you to Bremen to be a musician. Cat: I m a cat, I m old and tired but I can play the triangle. Listen. I can go with you to Bremen to be a musician. Rabbit.: I m a rabbit, I m old and tired but I can play the trumpet. Listen. I can go with you to Bremen to be a musician Cow: I m a Cow, I m old and tired but I can play the clarinet. Listen. I can go with you to Bremen to be a musician Donkey & Horse: well, now we are six animals who want to be musicians, WE ARE A BAND, WE ARE A BAND Cat, Rabbit, Cow & three mice: WE ARE A BAND, WE ARE A BAND SCENE 3: Narrator: Mr. Donkey, Mr. Horse, Mr. Dog, Mr. Cat and Mr. Rabbit start walking to Bremen, along the road they meet Mr. Duck Three mice: oooohhhh Mr. Duck Song: Peter Gun theme Donkey: Hello, Mr. Duck. How are you? Duck: I m a duck. I m old and tired Donkey: Can you play a musical instrument?
Duck: No I can t, but I can sing a song D. Mr. Duck come with us to Bremen to be in a Blues Band Narrator: Mr. Donkey, Mr. Horse, Mr. Dog, Mr. Cat, Mr. Rabbit and Mr. Duck walk to Bremen. Along the road they meet an Hen followed by her husband a Rooster. Three mice: Yes they meet a Hen Rooster : hey Henny come back here Hen: No I don t want to Rooster: Come back here, I said! Hen: No! no! Song [played by the Rooster]: Think Think (think) think (think) think (think) think (think) You think (think) think (think) think about it You better think (think) think about what youre trying to do to me Yeah, think (think, think), let your mind go, let yourself be free Lets go back, lets go back, lets go way on back when I didnt even know you, you couldnt have been too much more than ten I aint no psychiatrist, I aint no doctor with a degree It dont take too much high iqs to see what youre doing to me You better think (think) think about what youre trying to do to me Yeah, think (think, think), let your mind go, let yourself be free Oh freedom (freedom), freedom (freedom), freedom, yeah freedom Freedom (freedom), freedom (freedom), freedom, oh freedom Horse: Hello Mr. Rooster how are you Rooster: I m sad because my wife wants to go away Rabbit. Hello Mrs. Hen, how are you? Hen: Oh! By the way, I m always happy, but he, the chicken Song [played by the Hen]: Hot n cold You change your mind Like a girl changes clothes 'Cause you're hot then you're cold You're yes then you're no You're in and you're out You're up and you're down You're wrong when it's right It's black and it's white
We fight, we break up We kiss, we make up Horse: Mr. Rooster can you play a musical instrument? Rooster: Yes I can play a sax. Rabbit: Mrs. Hen Can you play a musical instrument? Hen: No I can t, but I can sing and dance, let me show you now Song: Shake a tail feather Twistin', shake it shake it shake it shake it baby Hey we gonna loop de loop Shake it out baby Hey we gonna loop de la Bend over let me see ya shake your tailfeather Bend over let me see ya shake your tailfeather Come on let me see ya shake your tailfeather Come on let me see ya shake your tailfeather Aaah Come on, come on baby Come on, yeah, come on babe, alright Do the twist Do the fly Do the swim And do the bird Well do the duck Aaah, and do the monkey Horse : Mr. Rooster and Mrs. Hen come with us to Bremen to be in a Blues Dancing Band Cat: Yes, two gost is mey che one! Narrator: Now: Mr. donkey, Mr. Horse, Mr. dog, Mr. Cat, Mr. Rabbit, Mr. Duck Mr. Rooster and Mrs. Hen are walking to Bremen Three mice: Yes they are walking to Bremen Song: Peter Gun theme
SCENE 4: Narrator: it s night Three mice: Yes, yes, it s night Donkey: I m hungry Horse: I m thirsty Dog: I m cold Cat: I m hot Rabbit: I m afraid Cow: I m worried Duck: I m angry Rooster. I m sad Hen: oh! I m happy thanks Donkey: look there s a light in the forest Horse: A light Duck: In the forest Cat: Look a light! Rabbit: It s a house Cow: In the forest Duck: Look a light!, it s a house Rooster: Let s go and see Hen: oh! I m happy thanks SCENE 5 Narrator: the nine friends. Three mice: The band, the blues dancing band Narrator: The band looks inside the house Donkey: look there s food on the table Horse. There is salad Dog: There are sausages Cat: There are tree mice Duck: There is pasta
Rabbit: and there are some people in the house Donkey: Oh! No. look they are robbers Rooster: and there s the owner, on the chair Hen: Oh! I m happy thanks SCENE 6 Narrator: the Blues Dancing Band wants the robbers to run away so: Mr. dog jumps on Mr. horse and Mr. donkey s back They make such a terrible noise that they catch the attention of three policeman that were looking for the burglars. Policeman 1: What s up?, What s up?, What s up?. Policeman 2: I don t know, I don t know, I don t know. Policeman 3: It s a monster cry Policeman 1: It s impossible Policeman 2: let s go and see Policeman 3: yes let s use the Gun. Yes I ve got a gunnn Song: Peter Gun theme Narrator: In the meantime the robbers are very scared Three mice: Yes, they are very scared Robber 1: What s that, What s that, What s that. Robber 2: It s a monster,, Robber 3: It s a ghost! Robber 1: It s an alien! Robber 2: It s a which! Robber 3: It s E.T. Robber 1: Oh! It s terrible! Robber 2: Look big teeth! Robber 3: Let s run away Robber 1,2,3: Help! Help! Help! Owner: What a wonderful idea! Thank you animals
[ the rubbers run away but they meet the Policemen] Policeman 1: Hey! you stop! hands up! Policeman 2: Or we use the gun Policeman 3: Let s go to the jail Three rubbers: Oh no! the police Donkey: I ve got an idea: let s play a song for this occasion Horse: Good idea Dog: Which song? Cat: A nice song Rabbit: A rock song Hen: Yeah! An Elvis song Duck: Oh yes! I agree Rooster and Hen: Yes: let s sing the Jailhouse Rock Song: Jailhouse rock The warden threw a party in the county jail. The prison band was there and they began to wail. The band was jumpin and the joint began to swing. You shouldve heard those knocked out jailbirds sing. Lets rock, everybody, lets rock. Everybody in the whole cell block Was dancin to the jailhouse rock. Spider murphy played the tenor saxophone, Little joe was blowin on the slide trombone. The drummer boy from illinois went crash, boom, bang, The whole rhythm section was the purple gang. Lets rock, everybody, lets rock. Everybody in the whole cell block Was dancin to the jailhouse rock. Owner: You are a really good band, why don t you sit at the table and have dinner? Please I m very happy! Eat and drink! Animals: It s OK, it s OK, it s OK Donkey: It s delicious! I love salad!
Horse: it s true! Dog: I love meat Cat: I love biscuits Pig: I like ice cream Cow: Yummy, delicious! I love chocolates Duck: Let s not go to Bremen Rooster: Good idea! Hen: We are happy here! Donkey: We ve got a house Horse: We ve got food Dog: We ve got money Owner: and you can play your musical instruments here! Animals: Let s sing now: Song : Everybody needs somebody to love Everybody needs somebody Everybody needs somebody to love (someone to love) Sweetheart to miss (sweetheart to miss) Sugar to kiss (sugar to kiss) in the morning when my souls on fire Sometimes I feel I feel a little sad inside When my baby mistreats me I never never never have a place to hide I need you Sometimes I feel I feel a little sad inside When my baby mistreats me I never never never have a place to hide