The traditional story of The Little Fir Tree is told by Molly Rainford accompanied by members of the BBC Philharmonic Orchestra, with guest trumpeter Sean Chandler. Perfect for Christmas.
The video
Voiceover: Come to a magical place,of fairytales and adventureLet the music take you far awayto Musical Storyland.
Molly: Welcome to Musical Storyland with the BBC Philharmonic Orchestra.My name is Molly and these are my friends and their musical instruments.
Sean: Hello my name is Sean and I play the trumpet.
Rebecca: My name's Rebecca and I play the horn.
Zeynep: My name is Zeynep and I play the piano.
Kenny: My name's Kenny and I play the oboe.
Molly: Together we're going to tell the musical story of the Little Fir Tree.
There was once a pine forest and in a clearing stood the Little Fir Tree.
She was very young, but she wished she could be older and stronger like the other trees in the forest.
A wise old tree would always tell her, you are special, just as you are.Do not wish to be anything else.
But then one morning, the Little Fir Tree was woken by a loud noise.
The woodcutter had come to chop down a big tree.
The tree will be taken by boat across the great ocean, said the wise old tree,and will help build and a beautiful house.
How special said the Little Fir Tree.Will the woodcutter take me?
Not this time little one, said the wise old tree.
The Little Fir Tree wondered what her life would be likewhen she was a big strong tree.
It's a big wide world,
there's so much to see.
What's to come?
Will it be fun?
What's in store for me?
A few days later, the Little Fir Tree was woken once more by a loud noise.This time, the woodcutter had come to take down an old tree.
The tree will be taken on a train through the mountains, said the wise old tree.It will become paper for interesting books.
How exciting, said the Little Fir Tree.Will the woodcutter take me?
Not this time little one, said the wise old tree.
The Little Fir Tree wondered what her life would be like when she was an older tree.
It's a big wide world,
there's so much to see.
What's to come?
Will it be fun?
What's in store for me?
Later that year, the Little Fir Tree was once again woken by a loud noise.It was a man digging up the Little Fir Tree out of the ground.
It's my turn to be special, thought the Little Fir Tree.
Goodbye little one smiled the wise old tree,and remember you are special just as you are.
The man put the Little Fir Tree in a potand left her in a dark, lonely room.
Oh no, she thought, I'm nowhere special at all.
But suddenly there was a shout of surprise.
The Little Fir Tree was a Christmas tree, surrounded by the man's family.What a perfect tree, cried the children.The Little Fir Tree couldn't believe it. She beamed with pride as the family hung decorations and lights on her branches.
There were bells,reindeer,and a star.
For the next few days, the sparkling Little Fir Tree became the centre of attention.
As the Little Fir Tree watched the family open their presents on Christmas Day,she felt like the most special tree in the world.
One morning the Little Fir Tree was woken by a loud noise.
The family were taking down her beautiful decorations.
The man took the Little Fir Tree in her pot out to the garden.
She was surrounded by strong old treesas she felt like the least special tree all over again.
It's a big wide world,
there's so much to see.
What's to come?
Will it be fun?
What's in store for me.
The family must think you're very special, said a wise oak tree.
Every Christmas the people will take you inside and decorate youand when it isn't Christmas you'll live outside with us.
How wonderful, cried the Little Fir Tree, as she realised what life had in store.
I'm a beautiful, moveable, reusable Christmas tree.
She finally realised how very special she was.
Back in the forest the woodcutter had planted more little fir treesand they were beginning to wonderwhat their place in the world would be.
It's a big wide world,
there's so much to see.
What's to come?
Will it be fun?
What's in store for me?
It's a big It's a big wide world,
there's so much to see.
What's to come?
Will it be fun?
What's in store for me?
The Little Fir Tree
Presenter: Molly Rainford
Composer: Daniel Whibley
Instruments: Trumpet / Horn / Piano / Oboe
Synopsis
The Little Fir Tree stands in a pine forest wishing she could be older and stronger like the other trees in the forest. A wise old tree always tell hers, "you are special, just as you are."
One morning, the woodcutter chops down a big tree, which is taken across the ocean to build a beautiful house. The Little Fir Tree wonders what her life will be like when she is a big strong tree.
A few days later, the woodcutter takes down an old tree that will be used to make paper for interesting books. The Little Fir Tree wonders what her life will be like when she is an older tree.
Later in the year, the Little Fir Tree is woken by a loud noise. A man is digging up the Little Fir Tree out of the ground. The man puts the Little Fir Tree in a pot and leaves her in a dark, lonely room.
But then, 'surprise'! She is surrounded by the man's excited family. The Little Fir Tree is a Christmas tree, beaming with pride as the family hang decorations and lights on her branches. For the next few days, the sparkling Little Fir Tree becames the centre of attention - she feels like the most special tree in the world.
One morning, the man takes the Little Fir Tree in her pot out to the garden. She once again feels like the least special tree all over again. But a wise oak tree explains that she is very special, as every Christmas the family will take her inside and decorate her.
The Little Fir Tree realises that she is a beautiful, moveable, reusable Christmas tree.
Curriculum links
Music
The film and the accompanying Teacher Notes can be used to fulfil the following objectives of the Key Stage 1 music curriculum, which states that pupils should be taught to:
- use their voices expressively and creatively by singing songs and speaking chants and rhymes
- play tuned and untuned instruments musically
- listen with concentration and understanding to a range of high-quality live and recorded music
- experiment with, create, select and combine sounds using the inter-related dimensions of music.
English
The film and the accompanying Teacher Notes can also be used to target objectives from the Key Stage 1 English curriculum, particularly relating to Spoken language, Reading and Writing.
Resources
Teacher Notes. document
Download / print the Teacher Notes for this episode
The instruments. image
Click to display image full size
Vocabulary. image
Click to display image full size
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