Sounds of Learning Lesson Plan
Lesson Objective: Students will be able to identify Carmina Burana “O Fortuna” in various pop culture settings and understand the history to the piece
Length Opening Activity Notes
Carmina Burana’s opening movement “O Fortuna” has been used in many types of media throughout pop culture and has been named one of the most famous classical pieces. Take a listen to it, and be prepared to answer the following questions:
1. What mood/emotion does this piece show?
2. How would you describe this piece?
Youtube link: https://www.youtube.co m/watch?v=VImp5EcN5 TQ
Length Activities Notes
3 min The Role of Fortuna and Her Role in the Middle Ages:
• People in the middle ages believed that Goddess Fortuna and her Rota Fortunae (wheel of fortune) dictated luck, fate, and destiny.
O Fortuna English
Translation: https://www.classicfm.c om/composers/orff/ofortuna-carmina-buranalyrics/
• Carl Orff, the composer of Carmina Burana, was influenced by both the poem O Fortuna and this greek mythology history.
10 mins This piece is found all through out popular culture. From TV shows to commercials, this music is used to tell many different kinds of stories. While you watch these, consider the question “how are they using this music to tell their story?”
1. Excalibur (Film - 1981 - watch the clip here)
2. Glee (Television show - watch the clip here)
3. Cheaper by the Dozen (Film - 2003 - watch the clip here)
4. The X Factor (Television Series - watch the clip here)
https://www.operaphila. org/backstage/operablog/2022/opera-incommercials/
5. Domino’s (Super Bowl XLIX Commercial - watch the commercial here)
6. Flash Mob (watch the clip here)
7. G-Force (Disney movie - watch the clip here)
8. Carlton Beer Draught (Commercial - watch the commercial here)
9. Britain’s Got Talent (Television Series - watch the clip here)
10. Gatorade (Commercial - watch the clip here)
5 mins Discussion: if you were going to create a commercial using O Fortuna as the music, what would you be selling?