Danse Macabre Music Listening unit, no prep, no tech, no instruments!

Halloween or year-round, Saint-Saens’ Danse Macabre is a classical favourite enjoyed by students! Engage your music pupils with this no-prep, print-and-go unit based on Danse Macabre. Perfect for classrooms with limited access to instruments, technology, or a dedicated music space, these general music lesson plans are designed to develop listening skills, foster music appreciation, and encourage creative thinking through a wide variety of activities. Introduce your students to this enthralling, spooky Romantic music masterpiece!

What’s included?
10 page printable workbook for students (PDF format)
Teacher instructions (PDF format)
UK and USA versions (bar/measure, crotchet/quarter note etc)

Listening Activities: focus on identifying instruments and musical features including symphonic poem, waltz and canon
Theory activities: written tasks based on 3/4 time signature, recognizing musical signs and symbols
Composer study: learn a little about the life and works of Camille Saint-Saens
Composition: students compose a short rhythm in 3/4 time
Opportunities for whole class, group and pair activities: encourage collaboration through discussions and shared tasks
Non-music exercises: allow your students to use their imagination, drawing in response to the music, and creating interview questions for the composer

Not included: the audio file for the recording of Danse Macabre is not included for copyright reasons. However, the timings are clearly noted in the teacher instructions and the piece is easy to find on all major streaming platforms. The only technology required is a speaker, CD player or computer to play the music on.

Tell me more!
This unit is flexible and ready-to-use! Ideal to fit into your regular curriculum, or to use for last-minute changes to your teaching circumstances. No instruments, technology, or special setup needed - just print the student booklets and students write directly on them. The tasks support key music education standards like active listening, analysis, theory, history and creativity.

As music teachers, we have to be flexible and adaptable to room changes, limited resources, disengaged classes, behaviour challenges and more! I designed these units with these circumstances in mind! Whether you’ve to teach some quiet lessons during exams, or you have no access to technology or instruments, or if you have a class who cannot be trusted with practical work, this unit will keep your students busy, engaged and learning! Despite the “no instruments, no technology label”, these lessons are not boring! They are packed with a range of short activities, mixing theory work, listening excerpts, written tasks and class discussions. The unit should last approximately 4 lessons for students age 10-13.

Similar units for are available - Mars and Purcell’s Rondeau from The Fairy Queen.