A bright banner features a book cover for "I Believe I Can" by Grace Byers, with an illustration of two children. To the right of the book cover, text reads "Creativity Task Cards K-1" on a teal background, with a yellow and green backdrop.

Art Form: Music

 

Supplies Needed

I Believe I Can book

Vocabulary

Dynamics - loudness or softness of sounds

Soundscape - using a variety of sounds to represent words and assist in telling a story

Tempo - the speed of the beat

Volume - how loud or quiet the sound is

Pitch - the highness or lowness of sound

 

Instructions

1. After you read the book, go back and find words that make you think of sounds.
Example: Ocean “Woosh, woosh”

2. Create a sound or sounds to represent the action or feeling on each page of the book.

  • Use your voice or any materials that you can find around you.
  • Are the sounds at a high or low pitch?
  • How loud would the sounds be based on the setting, characters, and action on the page?
  • What tempo would the sounds be?

3. Now re-read your story and add in your sounds! Try using different
volumes, tempos, and pitches. How can you change the dynamics of your
soundscape?

Extensions

Use recycled materials that are around the house to make musical instruments. Examples: paper plates, empty cans, paper towel rolls, dried beans, rice

Compare/contrast two sounds in the story and tell how they are alike or different. Examples: long and short, high and low, fast and slow

 

Cover image of the book "I Believe I Can" by Grace Byers, illustrated by Keturah A. Bobo. The illustration shows a boy and a girl, both with brown skin, standing close together. The boy is wearing a yellow shirt, and the girl is wearing a turquoise shirt with a star, reminiscent of the vibrant style in "Omu!
Download the complete Creativity Task Card Here

About

The REimagining and Accelerating Literacy through Arts Integration (REALAI) grant supports the literacy achievement of 3,200 students and 170 teachers, media specialists, and literacy coaches across six schools in Georgia and South Carolina.

In addition to professional learning for educators, this project contributes significantly to school library collections through the purchase of developmentally appropriate and culturally relevant books.

This grant also includes parent events to provide families with access to books and other content about how to support their child’s reading development.