Creating a Compelling Story From Music

CREATING A COMPELLING STORY FROM MUSIC

CREATING A COMPELLING STORY FROM MUSIC

Learning Description

Encourage your students to exercise their imaginations and write with courage and conviction. Using music from a wide variety of cultures, students will develop good listening skills and write from the heart using their own voices. This aural exercise will help students think creatively.

 

Learning Targets

GRADE BAND: K-1
CONTENT FOCUS: MUSIC & ELA
LESSON DOWNLOADS:

Download PDF of this Lesson

"I Can" Statements

“I Can…”

  • Compose an original story inspired by a piece of music.

Essential Questions

  • Essential Question: How can music be used to inspire narrative writing?

 

Georgia Standards

Curriculum Standards

Kindergarten:

ELACCKW3 Use a combination of drawing, dictating, and writing to narrate a single event or several loosely linked events, tell about the events in the order in which they occurred, and provide a reaction to what happened.

 

Grade 1:

ELACC1W3 Write narratives in which they recount two or more appropriately sequenced events, include some details regarding what happened, use temporal words to signal event order, and provide some sense of closure.

Arts Standards

Kindergarten:

ESGMK.RE.1 Listen to, analyze, and describe music.

 

Grade 1:

ESGM1.RE.1 Listen to, analyze, and describe music.

 

South Carolina Standards

Curriculum Standards

Kindergarten:

K.MCC.3.1 Use a combination of drawing, dictating, and writing to narrate a single event or several loosely linked events, to tell about the events in the order in which they occurred, and to provide a reaction to what happened. 

 

Grade 1:

1.MCC.3.1 Explore multiple texts to write narratives that recount two or more sequenced events, include details, use temporal words to signal event order, and provide a sense of closure.

Arts Standards

Anchor Standard 6: I can analyze music.

 

Key Vocabulary

Content Vocabulary

Character - A person, or animal or other entity that has human characteristics, in a story.

Setting - Where and when a story takes place.

Event - A happening, something that occurs in a story.

Detail - A small, interesting part of a larger whole.

Title - The name of a creative work.

Arts Vocabulary

Dynamics - The volume of sound; how loud or soft it is.

Pitch - How high or low a note sounds.

Tempo - The speed at which a musical piece is played; how fast or slow.

Duration - The length of time a sound lasts; how long or short.

Timbre - The quality of a sound (round, brassy, sharp, bright).

Form - The structure or pattern in music; how the sounds are put together.

Rhythm - A pattern of sound which can be repeated to a regular beat.

 

Materials

  • Pencils
  • Crayons
  • Paper
  • Audio recordings
  • Sound source (CD Player, iPod, etc.) - 3-5 selections of instrumental music
  • Photographs and prints (optional)

 

Instructional Design

Opening/Activating Strategy

Warm-Up:  Moving to Music

  • Tell the students they are going to have a chance to move to music.  In order to stay safe, remind them to stay in their own personal space.  Have students stand by their desks or tables, or spread them around the room.  Have them keep their feet in one spot, and then stretch out their arms all around; if their hands or arms touch each other, reposition them, or have them reposition themselves, so that each student has ample personal space.
  • Tell students you are going to play instrumental music – just instruments, no words or singing - and as they listen they can sense how it makes them feel, and then move accordingly.  Remind them they must stay in their assigned places, and move only in their own personal space.
  • Put on a selection of instrumental music, possibly from another culture.
  • Model different ways of moving to the music, describing as you do (e.g, “I am waving my arms slowly,” or “This part makes me want to go up on my toes”) and encourage students to move in their own ways.  Possibly, use observational language to comment on some student choices (e.g., “I see Arianna swaying gently,” “Terrence is shaking his knees very quickly”).
  • After the activity, reflect by asking the students how they felt moving to the music, and why they made some of the movement choices they made.  Ask if the music made them imagine particular kinds of people, animals, places, times of day, weather, landscapes, etc.  Perhaps share some ideas of your own (e.g., “I imagined a teenage girl in a long blue dress.  I imagined a big rock along the seashore.”)

 

Work Session

  • Ask students to describe, in general, what we hear when we hear music, and how pieces of music are different from one another (e.g., some are faster, some have loud drums, some are sad, some have quiet parts).  Lead them to discussion of various elements of music – dynamics, tempo, pitch, duration, melody, etc.  Talk about the extremes in each (loud/soft, fast/slow, etc.)
  • Explain that students will listen to another piece of instrumental music.  This time, they will not move, but should listen for the musical elements, and think about the images these elements create in their minds.
  • Play a different piece of instrumental music, ideally one that contrasts the piece used in the opening activity.  Encourage students to listen with their eyes shut.
  • Tell students that they will be creating/composing original stories in response to the music.  Post and review with the students the following questions:
    • What is the title of my story? 
    • Where does my story take place? 
    • When does my story take place? 
    • Who are the characters? 
  • Give students paper and writing/drawing utensils.  Depending on the teacher’s goals and the students’ skill level, students can write and/or draw to create their stories.
  • Play the music again.  Ask the students to listen carefully again and to write or draw answers to the questions.
  • Repeat the process with two or three more contrasting pieces of instrumental music.  Have students create an idea page for each.
  • Have each student choose their favorite piece of music and compose a story that includes the title, setting, characters, and events inspired by the music.  Encourage them to include details.
  • Have students share their stories in pairs or trios.  Possibly, have volunteers share their stories in front of the entire class.  If they can speak loud enough, possibly play the selection of music softly as they are reading/telling their story.

 

Classroom Tips:

  • A wide range of music is best (e.g. Native American, Scandinavian, African, Asian, Latin American, flute, international jazz, violin, saxophone, harp); avoid using music familiar to or easily identified by students.

Closing Reflection

Ask students:  How did the music inspire story ideas in your mind?  Which elements of the music were most important to you in creating your story?  What did you like about this activity?  What was easy or hard about this activity?

 

Assessments

Formative

  • Students participate actively in the warm-up.
  • Students cite the elements of music in their reflections on their music-listening and story composition.
  • Students use their time efficiently to write or draw ideas for their stories.

 

Summative

Student stories as written or drawn show clear evidence of having characters, settings, events, and titles.

 

Differentiation

Acceleration: 

Add in the concepts of conflict/problem (“a challenge that the main character faces and must resolve”) and/or protagonist and antagonist (“the main character in the story,” and “the character who is opposed to or in conflict with the main character”) as elements that the students must clearly develop in their stories. 

Remediation: 

Work as a full class to develop the first story.  Then develop more stories as a full class, or have students work in small groups. 

Take care to choose musical selections that are not too challenging or jarring.

 ADDITIONAL RESOURCES

  • Putumayo World Music can be accessed at Putumayo.com, or accessed through streaming services like Spotify or Apple Music.
  • Longer loops in GarageBand or similar apps can be useful.
  • A search of “World Music” will bring up links to YouTube videos that feature varieties of multicultural instrumental music.

*This integrated lesson provides differentiated ideas and activities for educators that are aligned to a sampling of standards. Standards referenced at the time of publishing may differ based on each state’s adoption of new standards.

Ideas contributed by:  Janice Akers
Modifications, Extensions, and Adaptations Contributed by: Peggy Barnes, Candy Bennett, Lindsey Elrod, Jennifer Plummer, Vilma Thomas, and Barry Stewart Mann.

 Revised and copyright:  Date updated @ ArtsNOW

The Shades of Monster Emotions 2

THE SHADES OF MONSTER EMOTIONS

THE SHADES OF MONSTER EMOTIONS

Learning Description

Using the book The Color Monster: A Story About Emotions, by Anna Llenas, students will investigate story elements and dive into the world of emotions and colors. They will actively explore emotions using their faces, bodies, and voices.

 

Learning Targets

GRADE BAND: 2
CONTENT FOCUS: THEATRE & ELA
LESSON DOWNLOADS:

Download PDF of this Lesson

"I Can" Statements

“I Can…”

  • I can make connections between emotions and colors.
  • I can use my body, face, and voice to convey emotions and colors.

Essential Questions

  • How are emotions like colors, and how can colors represent emotions?
  • How does talking about and exploring our emotions help us?

 

Georgia Standards

Curriculum Standards

Grade 2:

ELAGSE2RL1 Ask and answer such questions as who, what, where, when, why, and how to demonstrate understanding of key details in a text. 

ELAGSE2RL7 Use information gained from the illustrations and words in a print or digital text to demonstrate understanding of its characters, setting, or plot.

Arts Standards

Grade 2:

TA2.PR.1 Act by communicating and sustaining roles in formal and informal environments. 

  1. Use imagination and vocal elements (e.g. inflection, pitch, volume, articulation) to communicate a character’s thoughts, emotions, and actions. 
  2. Use imagination and physical choices to communicate a character’s thoughts and emotions. 
  3. Collaborate and perform with an ensemble to share theatre with an audience. 
  4. Explore character choices and relationships in a variety of dramatic forms (e.g. narrated story, pantomime, puppetry, dramatic play).

 

South Carolina Standards

Curriculum Standards

Grade 2:

2.RL.MC.5.1 Ask and answer literal and inferential questions to demonstrate understanding of a text; use specific details to make inferences and draw conclusions in texts heard or read. 

2.RL.MC.5.2 Make predictions before and during reading; confirm or modify thinking.

Arts Standards

THEATRE

Anchor Standard 3: I can act in improvised scenes and written scripts.

VISUAL ARTS

Anchor Standard 5: I can interpret and evaluate the meaning of an artwork.

 

Key Vocabulary

Content Vocabulary

Emotion – A state of feeling such as: angry; sad; excited; nervous; happy. 

Theme – the lesson of the story

Arts Vocabulary

Color - a component of light which is separated when it is reflected off of an object.

Actor – This is a person who performs a role in a play, work of theatre, or movie. 

Facial Expression – how an actor uses his or her face (eyes, cheeks, mouth, chin, nose) to convey meaning. 

Gestures –any movement of the actor’s head, shoulder, arm, hand, leg, or foot to convey meaning.

 

Materials

  • The Color Monster. A Story About Emotions, by Anna Llenas. 
  • Color list (below, or comparable by teacher choice)
  • Emotion list (below, or comparable by teacher choice)

 

Instructional Design

Opening/Activating Strategy

Colors

  • Lead a discussion about colors.  What are colors?  Discuss how light reflects off of things in different ways, and that’s how our eyes see colors.  How do colors make you feel? What do they make you think of?  What is your favorite color, and why?  Option: show the list of colors attached below, discuss any that are unfamiliar, and compare different colors that are similar, e.g., silver and gray.  Ask what other colors they can think of that are not on the list.

Emotions

  • Lead a discussion about emotions.  “What are emotions?  How do different experiences make us feel different emotions?  How do our emotions change?  How do we express emotions?” Show the list of emotions attached below, discuss any that are unfamiliar, and compare different emotions that are similar, e.g., sad and lonely.  Ask what other emotions they can think of that are not on the list.

Connecting Colors and Emotions

  • Lead a discussion about the connection between colors and emotions.  “Can you think of any phrases that connect colors with emotions?(e.g., ‘green with envy,’ ‘seeing red,’ or ‘feeling blue,’ or ‘rose-colored glasses.’)”  Do certain emotions make you think of certain colors?  Or do you associate different colors with different emotions?  If so, why?”  Honor whatever connections the students might make, even if they seem unconventional.

 

Work Session

The Color Monster

Explain that the class will read a book that connects colors with emotions.  Discuss this connection as the theme of the book – it is the main idea or concept.  Show The Color Monster.  Explain that the author, Anna Llenas, has thought a lot about this question, and she connects certain colors with certain emotions.

  • Read the book aloud.  During the read aloud, have students add sound and body to express the characters and repeat key lines or phrases after you read them. Encourage them to become the characters with their face, body and voice.
  • After reading aloud, review the colors and emotions in the book (yellow = happy; blue = sad; red = anger; black = fear; green= calm; pink=love).  Discuss if those connections make sense to students.  Ask, “What other colors and emotions would you connect?”
  • Discuss the concept expressed in the book about feeling mixed emotions, and putting emotions into separate containers.  Ask, “What does this mean in real life?  How can we put emotions into different containers?”

Coloring Our Emotions

  • Tell the students that you will call out an emotion and they will use their bodies and faces to convey that emotion.  Start with a simple emotion like happy, sad, or scared.  Tell them they can use facial expression, body position, and gestures to convey the emotion.
  • Ask them to express what color they connect with that emotion.  (e.g., “I’m scared and it feels pink” or “I’m bored and it feels gray.”)
  • Ask them to add sound to their faces and bodies.  Ask, “Does this emotion make you use a loud or soft voice?  High or low?  How would you pronounce your words with this emotion?”  Allow different students to have different interpretations, and acknowledge that sometimes when someone is angry they could be loud or quiet, or that when someone is happy, their voice could get very high or very low.
  • Call out several more emotions from the list, and have the students repeat the process.
  • Give volunteers the opportunity, when conveying an emotion with body, face and voice, to articulate why someone might feel that emotion (e.g., “I’m angry that my sister won’t play with me, and it feels bright red,” or “I’m happy that we’re going to have ice cream, and it feels light green.”)

Finding Emotions from Our Colors (Optional)

  • Explain that now the process will be reversed.  A color will be called out, and students can respond with a connected emotion.  Tell students that they may connect the emotion directly with a color, or they may think of something the color reminds them of and find the emotional connection that way.  E.g., blue might make a student think of a swimming pool, invoking excitement; red may make a student think of a stop sign/caution; or orange may make them think of fire, invoking fear.
  • After calling out a color, allow students to use their bodies and faces to show the emotion; then ask volunteers to use their emotional voice to name the emotion they are thinking of and explain the connection, if any.

Extension

  • Have students draw a picture connecting a color with an emotion.  Have them start from either an emotion or a color.  If they start from an emotion, have them choose the color that they think goes with it.  If they choose a color, have them decide which emotion they connect with it.  Using a single color, have them write the emotion word (with guidance as needed) and draw images, lines, and shapes that convey the emotion (e.g., The drawing could include squiggles, zigzags, curves and solid shapes, as well as representational images such as a football player, two friends arguing, a piece of jewelry, or a butterfly).
  • Then have them write a paragraph describing the emotion in terms of the color and the elements they included in their illustration.  The paragraph can begin, “When I feel ______ (emotion), everything looks ________ (color) because . . .”

 

Closing Reflection

Ask, “What is the connection between emotions and colors?  How can colors help us think about emotions?  How do colors make us feel?  How did we express emotions using our bodies, facial expressions, and voices?“

 

Assessments

Formative

  • Students demonstrate understanding by using their bodies, faces, and voices. 
  • Students use emotion and color words to describe what they are enacting.
  • Students articulate situations or scenarios that make sense for the emotion they are conveying.

 

Summative

Students’ illustrations and paragraphs convey their understanding of the connection between emotions and color.

 

Differentiation

Acceleration: 

Explore the concept of mixed emotions implied in the book.  Have students choose two different, seemingly conflicting emotions connected with  two different colors, and have them enact them together.  Have them articulate a scenario that might lead to conflicting emotions (e.g., getting together with a close friend who is moving away).

Remediation: 

Work through the emotions according to how they are portrayed in the book, maintaining a one-to-one correspondence to avoid confusion.

ADDITIONAL RESOURCES

Books with a similar theme:

     My Many-Colored Days, by Dr. Seuss

     What Color Is Your Day?, by Camryn Wells

*This integrated lesson provides differentiated ideas and activities for educators that are aligned to a sampling of standards. Standards referenced at the time of publishing may differ based on each state’s adoption of new standards.

Ideas contributed by: Susie Purcell and Barry Stewart Mann

Revised and copyright:  June 2023 @ ArtsNOW

Exploring Writing through Still Life K-1

EXPLORING WRITING THROUGH STILL LIFE

EXPLORING WRITING THROUGH STILL LIFE

Learning Description

Students will build a still life composition, explore the space with their senses, draw what they see, and write from the point of view of one of the objects in their still life focusing on spatial relationships and descriptive words.

 

Learning Targets

GRADE BAND: K-1
CONTENT FOCUS: VISUAL ARTS & ELA
LESSON DOWNLOADS:

Download PDF of this Lesson

"I Can" Statements

“I Can…”

  • I can describe a still life.
  • I can create a still life drawing.
  • I can write from the point of view of an object in my still life drawing.

Essential Questions

  • What is a still life?
  • How can I use a still life as an engaging writing prompt?

 

Georgia Standards

Curriculum Standards

Kindergarten: 

ELAGSEKW2 Use a combination of drawing, dictating, and writing to compose informative/explanatory texts in which they name what they are writing about and supply some information about the topic.

 

Grade 1: 

ELAGSE1W2 Write informative/ explanatory texts in which they name a topic, supply some facts about the topic, and provide some sense of closure.

Arts Standards

Kindergarten: 

VAK.CR.1 Engage in the creative process to generate and visualize ideas by using subject matter and symbols to communicate meaning.

VAK.CR.2 Create works of art based on selected themes.

VAK.CR.3 Understand and apply media, techniques, and processes of two-dimensional art.

VAK.CN.2 Integrate information from other disciplines to enhance the understanding and production of works of art.

 

Grade 1: 

VA1.CR.1 Engage in the creative process to generate and visualize ideas by using subject matter and symbols to communicate meaning.

VA1.CR.2 Create works of art based on selected themes.

VA1.CR.3 Understand and apply media, techniques, and processes of two-dimensional art.

VA1.CN.2 Integrate information from other disciplines to enhance the understanding and production of works of art.

 

South Carolina Standards

Curriculum Standards

Kindergarten: 

ELA.K.C.2.1 Use a combination of drawing, dictating, and writing to compose informative/explanatory pieces about a topic with supporting details.

 

Grade 1:

ELA.1.C.2.1 Write informative/explanatory pieces to name a topic and provide information about the topic. When writing: a. introduce a topic; b. provide information with details to develop the topic; and c. provide a concluding statement or idea.

Arts Standards

Anchor Standard 1: I can use the elements and principles of art to create artwork.

Anchor Standard 2: I can use different materials, techniques, and processes to make art.

Anchor Standard 5: I can interpret and evaluate the meaning of an artwork.

Anchor Standard 7: I can relate visual arts ideas to other arts disciplines, content areas, and careers.

 

Key Vocabulary

Content Vocabulary

  • Informational/descriptive writing - A type of writing that aims to educate or inform the reader about a specific topic
  • Point of view - The perspective from which the story is told

Arts Vocabulary

  • Still life - A painting or drawing of an arrangement of objects, typically including fruit and flowers and objects contrasting with these in texture, such as bowls and glassware.
  • Composition - The placement or arrangement of the visual elements, such as figures, trees, and so on in a work of art, as distinct from the subject or the style with which it is depicted. It can also be thought of as the organization of the elements of art according to the principles of art.
  • Balance - How the elements of art (line, shape, color, value, space, form, texture) relate to each other within the composition in terms of their visual weight to create visual equilibrium.
  • Shape - In the visual arts, shape is a flat, enclosed area of an artwork created through lines, textures, colors or an area enclosed by other shapes such as triangles, circles, and squares.
  • Form - A three-dimensional composition or object within a three dimensional composition.
  • Color - Present when light strikes an object and it is reflected back into the eye, a reaction to a hue arising in the optic nerve.
  • Texture - One of the seven elements of art; it is how something feels or looks like it would feel

 

Materials

  • Flowers, pots, plants, fabric or any other interesting elements
  • Paper
  • Pencils
  • Colored pencils, crayons, or other coloring materials
  • Printed pictures of still life artwork (see “Additional Resources” below)

 

Instructional Design

Opening/Activating Strategy

Classroom Tips: Set up two spaces in the room to build each still life with access all the way around the composition.

 

 

Work Session

  • Explain to students that artists have painted and drawn still lives for centuries.
    • A still life is a painting or drawing of an arrangement of non-living objects. Still lives typically include fruit and flowers and objects contrasting with these in texture, such as bowls and glassware.
  • Divide students into small groups or partners. Pass out printed images of still lives to each group or partner (see “Additional Resources” below).
    • Ask students to describe what they see in each still life. Ask students to describe the colors, shapes, and textures that they see.
    • Ask them to use directional language like “next to”, “above”, “in front of”, etc. to explain how the objects are arranged.
    • Provide time for students to share about their still lives.
  • Explain to students that they will be creating their own still life to draw as a class.
    • Place a few objects on each table. Ask each group to choose one object to contribute to the still life.
    • Once groups have selected. Create two different still life arrangements for students to choose to draw (alternately, assign students one of the still lives to draw).
    • Have students arrange themselves around still life.
  • Now that the still life arrangements have been formed, ask students to describe what they see–what shapes, colors, and textures are there?
    • Ask them to use directional language like “next to”, “above”, “in front of”, etc. to explain how the objects are arranged.
    • Ask students how their perspective is different based on where they are sitting. For example, one student may be able to see a whole banana in the arrangement, but another student may only be able to see part of the banana.
  • Pass out paper and drawing materials. Allow time for students to draw their still life. Encourage students to use the whole space on their paper.
  • Once students have finished their artwork, explain that they will be writing from the point of view of one of the objects in their still life drawing.
    • Remind students that point of view is the way someone views the world, so, the point of view of each of the objects in the still life will be different.
    • Project the still life from the opening activity. Model how to select one of the objects and write from that object’s point of view using descriptive details.
      • Choose what you would like your students to focus on in their writing.
        • It could be spatial concepts, such as “next to”, “above”, “in front of”, etc.
        • It could be descriptive words/adjectives like colors, textures, and shapes.
        • It could be sensory words like textures, sights, and smells.
    • Students will then choose an object from their own still life drawing and write from the object’s point of view using descriptive details.
      • For younger students, providing sentence starters will be key to success.
      • Examples:
        • I am an _______ (apple).
        • I am _______ (red) and _______ round.
        • I am sitting on the _______ (table). it is _______ (hard).
        • I can see _______ (the vase) in front of me and the _______ (banana) beside me.

 

Closing Reflection

Within their small groups, students should share their still life drawings and writing. Encourage students to notice how each person’s drawing is different based on where they were observing the still life arrangement.

 

Assessments

Formative

Teachers will assess students’ understanding by observing students’ participation in the activator, contributions to class and small group discussion, work on still life artwork, and conferencing with students during the writing process.

 

Summative

CHECKLIST

  • Students can describe a still life.
  • Students can create a still life drawing.
  • Students can write from the point of view of an object in their still life drawing.

 

DIFFERENTIATION 

Acceleration: 

  • As an extension, students can pair up and write a dialogue between their object and someone else's object in the still life.
  • Students can write a narrative using the items in the still life as characters.

Remediation: 

  • Provide either fill-in-the-blank or sentence starters to support student writing.
  • Allow students to dictate their informational writing rather than write it.

 ADDITIONAL RESOURCES

Still life examples to show students:

Technology Extension:

Technology Resources:

*This integrated lesson provides differentiated ideas and activities for educators that are aligned to a sampling of standards. Standards referenced at the time of publishing may differ based on each state’s adoption of new standards.

Ideas contributed by: Shannon Green. Updated by: Katy Betts.

Revised and copyright:  July 2024 @ ArtsNOW

 

Carnival of the Animals K-1

CARNIVAL OF THE ANIMALS

CARNIVAL OF THE ANIMALS

Learning Description

Students will expand knowledge about music vocabulary through exploration of The Carnival of the Animals, composed by Camille Saint-Saëns. Students will be able to use key music terms in discussions with their peers and in persuasive writing.

 

Learning Targets

GRADE BAND: K-1
CONTENT FOCUS: MUSIC & ELA
LESSON DOWNLOADS:

Download PDF of this Lesson

"I Can" Statements

“I Can…”

  • I can use musical vocabulary to describe music I hear.
  • I can use musical vocabulary to share my opinion about music.

Essential Questions

  • How can you write to describe and share your opinion about music you hear?

 

Georgia Standards

Curriculum Standards

Kindergarten:

ELAGSEKW1 Use a combination of drawing, dictating, and writing to compose opinion pieces in which they tell a reader the topic or the name of the book they are “writing” about and state an opinion or preference about the topic or book (e.g., My favorite book is…).

 

Grade 1: 

ELAGSE1W1 Write opinion pieces in which they introduce the topic or the name of the book they are writing about, state an opinion, supply a reason for the opinion, and provide some sense of closure.

 

WIDA English Language Proficiency Standards:

Standard 1: English language learners communicate for Social and Instructional purposes within the school setting. 

Standard 2: English language learners communicate information, ideas, and concepts necessary for academic success in the content area of Language Arts.

 

Arts Standards

Kindergarten:

MKGM.6: Listening to, analyzing, and describing music.

MKGM.10: Moving, alone and with others, to a varied repertoire of music.

 

Grade 1:

M1GM.6: Listening to, analyzing, and describing music.

M1GM.10: Moving, alone and with others, to a varied repertoire of music.

 

 

 

South Carolina Standards

Curriculum Standards

Kindergarten:

Standard 1: Write arguments to support claims with clear reasons and relevant evidence. 

1.1 Use a combination of drawing, dictating, and writing to state the topic and communicate an opinion about it.

 

Grade 1:

Standard 1: Write arguments to support claims with clear reasons and relevant evidence. 

1.1 Explore print and multimedia sources to write opinion pieces that introduce the topic, state an opinion, give a reason for the opinion, and provide a sense of closure.

 

 

Arts Standards

Anchor Standard 6: I can analyze music.

Benchmark GM.R NL.6 I can identify contrasts in music.

Benchmark GM.R NM.6 I can identify the elements of music. 

Anchor Standard 7: I can evaluate music.

GM.R NL.7.1 I can listen and respond to music.

 

 

Key Vocabulary

Content Vocabulary

  • Opinion writing - A form of writing in which the author expresses their personal views or opinions on a particular topic or issue; it is characterized by the use of persuasive language and supporting arguments to convey the author's stance

Arts Vocabulary

  • Tone color (Timbre) - The quality of sound; component of a sound that causes different instruments to sound different from each other
  • Pitch - Relative highness or lowness of a tone in relation to other tones
  • Tempo - The speed at which a music piece is performed
  • Dynamics - Volume of sound (loudness, quietness
  • Movement - A self-contained part of a musical composition or musical form

 

Materials

    • Recording of The Carnival of the Animals composed by Camille Saint-Saëns
    • Book illustrating The Carnival of the Animals
    • Writing paper
    • Chart paper
    • Marker
    • Large pictures of each animal
    • Pencils
    • Pitched percussion instruments (xylophone, tone bars, etc)

     

     

    Instructional Design

    Opening/Activating Strategy

    • As a group, have students brainstorm animals they might find at a carnival. If needed, project an image of a carnival for students.
    • Discuss what a carnival is and what animals you might see there. 
    • Have students turn and talk to their neighbor to discuss their favorite animal.

     

    Work Session

      • Have a recording preset to use the selections of The Carnival of the Animals you want students to hear. Place the large pictures of the animals on chart paper and hang up for students to see.
      • Have students sit in a circle on the floor.
      • Discuss that music has different qualities, including timbre, pitch, tempo, and dynamics. 
        • For example, small animals such as a bird or frog may make soft, high-pitched, thin or shrill sounds, while larger animals like an alligator may make loud, low-pitched, thick or rumbling sounds.
        • Play two different sounds that demonstrate the difference in high and low pitch (use pitched percussion instruments or recordings of pitched percussion instruments if possible).
        • Discuss the sounds that animals make using these musical terms. Playing audio clips may be helpful. 
      • After the students understand the different types of sound, play the first selection from The Carnival of the Animals.
      • Have students stand under the picture of the animal that they think matches the sounds. 
        • Have students move like the animal would move. 
        • Ask students to explain why they chose the animal that they did.
        • Ask students to describe the music using the terms timbre, pitch, tempo, and dynamics; write the words students say on chart paper.
      • After the animal has been identified, read the passage of the book that matches the animal and discuss qualities of the animal that are illustrated by the music.
      • Repeat this process for the other animals.
      • When all the music has been played, tell students to select their favorite animal from the music and book, The Carnival of the Animals
        • Kindergarten will use a combination of drawing, dictating and writing to convey their opinions. Encourage students to support their opinion with one to two reasons why they chose that animal.
        • First grade will convey their opinions through writing. Students should be sure to provide closure to their writing after they have stated their opinions and at least one reason for their opinions.
        • Students should use at least one musical term (timbre, pitch, tempo, and/or dynamics) in their opinion writing.

       

      Closing Reflection

      Allow students to share their opinions with the class. Establish agreed-upon guidelines for sharing and listening.

      Assessments

      Formative

      Teachers will assess students’ understanding by observing students’ responses during class discussion, students’ identification of the animals in The Carnival of the Animals using musical vocabulary, and students’ discussion of their favorite animals and reasons for their opinions.

       

       

      Summative

      CHECKLIST

      • Students can use musical vocabulary to describe music they hear.
      • Students can use musical vocabulary to share their opinions about music through drawing, dictating, and writing.

       

      Differentiation

      Acceleration: 

      • Students can choose a new animal and create a musical composition to represent its characteristics using musical vocabulary.
      • Once students have picked their favorite animal from The Carnival of Animals, they will conduct research (through internet or book resources) to gather factual information about their animal to include in their opinion writing. Gifted Assessments Students will use mechanics to develop persuasive writing that includes facts and opinions.

       

      Remediation:

      • ESOL Modifications and Adaptations: ESOL teachers will conduct a mini lesson on opinions and persuasion, allowing students to role play (ex: persuading their parents for an extra cookie or staying up later on a school night).
      • Special Education Modifications and Adaptations: Ask each student to name their favorite animal from the story. Record responses using a tally chart and ask students to identify the animal with the greatest number of votes. Work in small groups or as a whole to list attributes of the animal with the greatest amount of votes. Correlate the attributes to the musical vocabulary and then use the attributes to write or dictate two to three sentences about the animal.

       

      ADDITIONAL RESOURCES

      • Recordings and illustrated books of The Carnival of the Animals are commercially available. One example is Saint-Saens, C. & Turner, B. C. (1998). Carnival of the animals. New York, NY: Henry Holt and Co. 
      • Audio recordings of the various movements are available through streaming online music sites like http:// www.grooveshark.com (search: Carnival of the Animals).
      • Full recording and descriptions of each of the 14 movements: http:// en.wikipedia.org/wiki/
      • The Carnival of the Animals Animal Sound Clips from the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service: http://www.fws.gov/video/sound.html
      • Ballet company performances of The Carnival of the Animals: http://YouTube.com.

      *This integrated lesson provides differentiated ideas and activities for educators that are aligned to a sampling of standards. Standards referenced at the time of publishing may differ based on each state’s adoption of new standards.

      Ideas contributed by: Sandi Evans. Modifications, Extensions, and Adaptations Contributed by: Peggy Barnes, Candy Bennett, Lindsey Elrod, Jennifer Plummer, and Vilma Thomas. Reviewed by Emily Threlkeld. Updated by Maribeth Yoder-White.

      Revised and copyright:  June 2024 @ ArtsNOW