Toni the Platoni

Description:

The Kindergarten children at Rodion Pedia write and sing about “Toni the Platoni”, a rare deer of Rhodes

With the opportunity of the competition of messages and songs on the radio, named “Make It Be Heard 2018”, we put the rare deer of Rhodes, Toni the Platoni, into the learning process.
At first, the pupils of kindergarten watched the animated videos of an environmental team, named “Ethria”, which takes care of the wild animals of Rhodes. The pupils familiarized themselves with the Platoni deer carefully watching the video on YouTube (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DZkbFVmu7e4). They also learned about the dangers that the animal faces, why Rhodes became famous as “Elafousa”, and other useful information.

In the meantime, forest rangers of Rhodes visited us and spoke to us about the Platoni, its characteristics, ways to protect its natural environment and the intrinsic value of wild animals. The children created their own Platoni with plasticine, bringing to life our hero and sharing their own stories.

Based on the actions that preceded, and after creating the appropriate educational framework, we started composing the musical piece.

We brainstormed and wrote key words about the Platoni with the children that they would like to hear in their songs. The words were: Rhodes, love, Platoni, horns, friends, care, protection, hunters, fast running, snakes, the forest, fire. We read the words to the children so that they could create a connection amongst them. The beginning was quite difficult, and for this reason, we suggested that our song start as an enigma. The children happily agreed since they are familiar with enigmas… and so the song began to be built. We read every verse and asked the children to find words that matched and created rhyme. Words that didn’t fit were also acceptable. We searched for words highlighting the last syllables, for example: protecting-dancing, scaring-shouting, etc. We read the whole verse, and then the children would realize that another word would fit better.
“In Rhodes it stays, in Rhodes it dwells, it runs like lightning to hide from the hunters”.

We did not use all the key words, because in the end the children themselves excluded them, but they showed an insistence on the words freedom, caring and love.

After the lyrics were ready, we asked the children to suggest a melody that they thought would fit. At this point, the music teacher of the school played various versions with the guitar and the children decided which version was the best. The children, during their school activities (works, paintings and drawings, and free activities), sang the musical piece. After two weeks, the teachers brought the recording equipment and started the registration process in two phases, so that all the kindergarten children could participate.

The whole experience was great fun for the children! Toni the Platoni is waiting for you to meet him!

The kindergarten children who worked on the composition and recording of the song are:
• “Magic pencils”: 20 students. Teacher: Stavroula Marantou
• “The angels of the shells”: 19 students. Teacher: Polyxeni Mastromichalis

Music-composition: Nektarios Avgenikos
Sound-orchestration: Giorgos Xanthopoulos
Recording room: “Rodion Pedia” Kindergarten

School: ΙΔΙΩΤΙΚΟ ΝΗΠΙΑΓΩΓΕΙΟ ΡΟΔΙΩΝ ΠΑΙΔΕΙΑ