Language Arts

Copland: Life Then and Now

Posted Aug 15, 2009 by Bonnie Redfern

Copland, an American maverick, becomes a storyteller as he writes about life in the early years of America. His Appalachian Spring helps students understand how people, places and things change over time, while his musical sketch reinforces the six traits of writing.

Share and Discuss > View Lesson Plan (PDF 0.3MB)

GRADE LEVEL
PK-2

SUBJECT
Language Arts, Performing Arts-Music, Social Science

COMMENTS
0

TAGS
America, Composer, Copland, Dance, History, Reading

Second Graders - Take Five!

Posted Aug 15, 2009 by Heidi Doyle and Joanne Sweet

Students learn that it is possible to use some of the same strategies for understanding music that we use to understand literature. Students have an opportunity to identify a musical theme when played by in a variety of styles.

Share and Discuss > View Lesson Plan (PDF 0MB)

GRADE LEVEL
PK-2

SUBJECT
Performing Arts-Music, Language Arts

COMMENTS
0

TAGS
Beethoven, Biography, Reading, Story

Scheherazade’s New Tale: Strong Introductions

Posted Aug 15, 2009 by Kristin Machamer

Students will use the music of Rimsky-Korsakov’s Scheherazade to inspire a strong introduction to a story. By assuming the role of Scheherazade, students will write an introduction and collaborative story about Sinbad the Sailor. They will then take a comparative look at their own creations and the original story by Rimsky-Korsakov.

Share and Discuss > View Lesson Plan (PDF 0MB)

GRADE LEVEL
3-5

SUBJECT
Performing Arts-Music, Language Arts

COMMENTS
0

TAGS
Reading, Story

Native American Instruments and Nature

Posted Aug 13, 2009 by Andrea Crisp

Students will understand the relationship with nature reflected in Native American music. Students will understand that instruments have different voices that reflect these relationships.

Share and Discuss > View Lesson Plan (PDF 0MB)

GRADE LEVEL
9-12

SUBJECT
Performing Arts-Music, Language Arts

COMMENTS
0

TAGS
America, History, Instruments, Reading

Movement of the Animals

Posted Aug 13, 2009 by Sue Swenson

Students will understand that music can interpret movement as they focus on how the movement of animals may be best represented by music. Through their knowledge of tempo and dynamics, the instruments of the orchestra, and knowledge of the physical attributes of animals in the wild, students will create a short musical composition to interpret what they have learned about the movement of animals.

Share and Discuss > View Lesson Plan (PDF 0MB)

GRADE LEVEL
3-5

SUBJECT
Performing Arts-Music, Language Arts

COMMENTS
0

TAGS
Animals, Dynamics, Instruments, Orchestra, Tempo

Looking at Music Through the Six Traits Lens

Posted Aug 13, 2009 by Rebecca Cardon

This lesson provides students an opportunity to use classical music to deepen their understanding of the Six Traits of Writing. Through listening and responding to music, the students make associations and draw conclusions that contribute to their ability to produce strong writing.

Share and Discuss > View Lesson Plan (PDF 0.6MB)

GRADE LEVEL
3-5

SUBJECT
Performing Arts-Music, Language Arts

COMMENTS
0

TAGS
Dynamics, Reading, Rhythm, Story, Tempo

Listen to the Stories of the Four Seasons

Posted Aug 13, 2009 by Sheng-Yin Lin

Students will use their understanding of narratives (character, plot, setting, beginning, middle, and end) to create their own descriptive stories inspired by the music of Vivaldi’s Four Seasons, and his words to his Sonnets.

Share and Discuss > View Lesson Plan (PDF 0MB)

GRADE LEVEL
3-5

SUBJECT
Performing Arts-Music, Language Arts

COMMENTS
1

TAGS
Art, Story

Learning Literary Terminology Through Music

Posted Aug 13, 2009 by Stefanie Friesen

While gaining exposure to a wide range of music – from classical to contemporary - students will understand that music and literature share a common language. Students will understand that hearing the language of music helps us to understand the language of literature.

Share and Discuss > View Lesson Plan (PDF 0MB)

GRADE LEVEL
6-8

SUBJECT
Performing Arts-Music, Language Arts, Visual Arts, Performing Arts-Other

COMMENTS
0

TAGS
Literature, Story, Vocabulary

Beethoven's Thoughts

Posted Aug 13, 2009 by Sherry Matic

Students write a descriptive essay explaining their thoughts and feelings while listening to Beethoven’s 5th Symphony, learning how to describe the musical elements that cause them to feel this way, and transpose these feelings into a watercolor art piece. The students will present their essay and art work orally, and act out their responses during a physical education exercise.

Share and Discuss > View Lesson Plan (PDF 1.4MB)

GRADE LEVEL
3-5

SUBJECT
Performing Arts-Music, Language Arts, Performing Arts-Other

COMMENTS
0

TAGS
Art, Beethoven, Composer, Reading, Vocabulary

Music and Me: Using My Song About Me to Better Understand Myself, Others and Music

Posted Aug 13, 2009 by Sonya Fergeson

Students use music they already know and love to learn about the language and expression of music. Students will select an autobiographical piece of music that represents who they are, what is important to them, what they value, and how they would like to be perceived by others.

Share and Discuss > View Lesson Plan (PDF 0MB)

GRADE LEVEL
6-8

SUBJECT
Performing Arts-Music, Language Arts

COMMENTS
0

TAGS
Biography, Song