Read about art, music and traditions
key notes :
šØ Art
- Art is a way of expressing feelings and ideas using colors, shapes, lines, and materials.
- Different cultures have unique styles of art, like Indian rangoli, African masks, or Chinese calligraphy.
- Art can be found in paintings, sculptures, drawings, and crafts.
- Artists use their imagination and creativity to tell stories or show emotions.
- Visiting museums or looking at pictures helps us learn about the history and culture of different places.
šµ Music
- Music is made by combining sounds and rhythms.
- Every culture has its own style of music, like folk songs, classical music, or tribal drums.
- Musical instruments vary across cultures ā like the tabla in India, djembe in Africa, or panpipes in South America.
- Music can be used in celebrations, ceremonies, and storytelling.
- Singing, dancing, and playing instruments are ways people enjoy and share music.
š Traditions
- Traditions are customs and practices passed down from generation to generation.
- They include festivals, clothing, food, language, and ceremonies.
- Examples: Diwali in India, Thanksgiving in the USA, Lunar New Year in China.
- Traditions help people feel connected to their families and cultures.
- Learning about different traditions helps us respect and understand others better.
š Why It Matters
- Art, music, and traditions are important parts of culture.
- They help us express who we are and learn about others.
- Reading about them makes us more open-minded and creative.
Learn with an example
Read the text about ‘Twinkle, Twinkle, Little Star’.
‘Twinkle, twinkle, little star . . .’ These words are part of a familiar song, but they were actually written for a poem first. Jane Taylor, an English author, wrote these words as part of a poem called ‘The Star’. The words of the song are just the first few lines of Taylor’s poem. There are four other sections of the poem that talk about how the stars light the sky at night.
Some people believe the famous composer Mozart wrote the music for ‘Twinkle, Twinkle, Little Star’. But that’s a myth. The truth is that the tune originated from a French children’s folk song written by an unknown musician. Mozart heard this early folk song. Then, he used the same tune to create a new piece of music. Mozart’s musical piece was a set of twelve variations for the piano. This means that the tune is repeated twelve times. Each time it is repeated, the song is changed by adding more notes or playing notes at different speeds. People enjoyed Mozart’s musical piece. Later, the words from Jane Taylor’s poem were set to the tune that Mozart had made popular.
Although Mozart did not write the tune for ‘Twinkle, Twinkle, Little Star’, he helped make the tune famous. The tune has become so well-known that it has been used in several children’s songs and nursery rhymes. You may even recognise it when singing ‘The Alphabet Song’ or ‘Baa, Baa, Black Sheep’.
Based on the text, what were the words ‘Twinkle, Twinkle, Little Star’ first written for?
- a poem
- a folk song
- a piece by Mozart
- a short story
Look at the text in bold below. It tells you what ‘Twinkle, Twinkle, Little Star’ was first written as.
‘Twinkle, twinkle, little star . . . ‘ These words are part of a familiar song, but they were actually written for a poem first. Jane Taylor, an English author, wrote these words as part of a poem called ‘The Star’. The words of the song are just the first few lines of Taylor’s poem. There are four other sections of the poem that talk about how the stars light the sky at night.
Read the text about Mona Lisa.
The Mona Lisa is one of the most famous paintings in the world. It was painted by the artist Leonardo da Vinci between the years 1503 and 1506. It is a painting of a woman with dark hair and a small, strange smile on her face. The Mona Lisa has been viewed by millions of people at the Louvre museum in Paris. It is widely seen as a work of great beauty. But there is another reason why the painting interests so many people: there are many mysteries surrounding the Mona Lisa.
First, people wonder who the woman in the painting is. Most people believe she is Lisa del Giocondo, the wife of a rich trader. But there are other theories. Some believe that Leonardo da Vinci painted her based on one of his students. Some think she is Leonardo da Vinci’s mother. There is even an idea that Leonardo da Vinci painted his own face on a woman’s body.
The woman’s smile is also a mystery. Her ambiguous smile is seen differently by many people. People standing close to the painting often see a happy smile. But other people standing farther away often see a frown or angry look. Because Leonardo da Vinci was often secretive about his work, no one knows if this visual trick was created on purpose.
Based on the text, what are two mysteries about the Mona Lisa?
- Who painted the Mona Lisa?
- Who is the woman shown in the Mona Lisa?
- Is the woman in the Mona Lisa smiling or frowning?
- How long did it take to paint the Mona Lisa
These are two mysteries about the Mona Lisa:
- Who is the woman shown in the Mona Lisa?The second paragraph states that people wonder who the woman in the painting is.
- IsĀ theĀ womanĀ inĀ theĀ MonaĀ LisaĀ smilingĀ orĀ frowning?TheĀ thirdĀ paragraphĀ statesĀ thatĀ someĀ peopleĀ thinkĀ theĀ womanĀ inĀ theĀ paintingĀ isĀ smiling.Ā ButĀ otherĀ peopleĀ thinkĀ theĀ womanĀ inĀ theĀ paintingĀ isĀ frowning.
let’s practice!
