ARTS EDUCATION TEACHER HANDBOOK

MUSIC :: HIGH SCHOOL LESSON PLAN

HIGH SCHOOL LESSON PLAN

 

Submitted by Jim D. Kirkpatrick, Winston-Salem/Forsyth Schools

Lesson Title:
Connecting Literature, Writing and Music

Grade Level or Course:
Instrumental Music (Band) IV

Time Allotment:
2 lessons (90 minutes each) (Block periods)

Targeted Goals and Objectives from the 2000 North Carolina Arts Education Standard Course
of Study and Grade Level Competencies, K - 12:

  • 2.01 Play instrumental literature of an appropriate and increasingly difficult level, with expression and technical accuracy.
  • 2.03 Play a varied repertoire of instrumental music representing diverse styles, genres, and cultures.
  • 2.04 Show respect for the instrumental playing efforts of others.
  • 6.02 Demonstrate extensive knowledge of the technical vocabulary of music.
  • 6.03 Analyze and describe the elements of music in a given work that make it unique, interesting, and expressive.
  • 6.04 Demonstrate the ability to perceive and remember music events by describing in detail significant events occurring in a given aural example.
  • 6.05 Demonstrate perceptual skills by conducting, moving, answering questions about, and describing aural examples of music.
  • 6.06 Show respect while listening to and analyzing music.
  • 7.01 Apply specific criteria for making informed, critical evaluations of the quality and effectiveness of performances, compositions, arrangements, and improvisations and apply the criteria to one's personal participation in music.
  • 7.02 Evaluate musical works by comparing, contrasting, and summarizing them in relation to similar or exemplary models.
  • 7.03 Apply rules of standard English in written evaluations of music.
  • 7.04 Evaluate a given musical work in terms of its aesthetic qualities and explain the musical devices it used to evoke feelings and emotions.
  • 7.06 Show respect for the musical efforts and opinions of others.
  • 8.01 Compare and contrast using main ideas and supporting details to organize and communicate information about the uses of characteristic elements, artistic processes, and organizational principles among the arts areas in different historical periods and cultures.
  • 8.02 Generalize ways in which the concepts and skills of other content areas outside of the arts are interrelated with those of music.
  • 8.04 Compare and contrast the roles of creators, performers, and others involved in the production and presentation of the arts.
  • 8.05 Demonstrate the character traits of responsibility, self-discipline, and perseverance while informally or formally participating in music.

 

Alignment with NC High School Exit Exam:

Communication:

1-apply rules of standard English to written text.
2- use main ideas and supporting details to organize and communicate information.
3- evaluate ideas and information to make informed decisions.
4- listen carefully and thoughtfully to understand, record, and synthesize information
5- evaluate information in order to recognize the author's purpose, draw conclusions, or make informed decisions.
7- follow instructions to draw conclusions or make informed decisions.

Processing Information:

10- use patterns, relationships (e.g., cause and effect relationship), and trends to draw inferences and make predictions concerning environmental and social outcomes.
11- synthesize information from several sources to apply that information to a new situation.
12- organize tasks to accomplish an objective
13- evaluate information, explanations, or ideas by identifying and applying criteria to draw conclusions or make predictions.

Problem Solving:

15- plan logical steps and organize resources to accomplish a task within a given time frame
17- assess consequences of personal actions to determine legal, economic, political, environmental, and social impact.
18- analyze the roles of the executive, judicial, and legislative branches of the US government to make informed choices as a productive, contributing citizen.

Using Numbers and Data:

26- use relationships among fractions, decimals, and percents to demonstrate understanding of mathematical and scientific concepts

 

Lesson Objective(s):

  1. Students will develop an understanding of programmatic music by comparing original writings of Rosa Parks and a musical portrayal of Rosa Parks.
  2. Students will reflect and write answers to questions related to ten different "themes" as titled in each chapter of the book Quiet Strength.
  3. Students will use a rubric for written compositions and cite connections of each theme in "A Movement for Rosa."
  4. Students will discuss historical significance of Rosa parks as a Civil Rights Heroin.
  5. Students will discuss incidents of discrimination in present day life.
  6. Students will describe musical ways Mark Camphouse creates imagery and emotion through music.
  7. Students will draw conclusions on the significance of music as a means of expression.

Materials/Equipment Needed:

Band Composition: "A Movement For Rosa" by Mark Camphouse
Full Instrumentation of Wind Band
Paper
Pen or Pencil
Compact Disc Player
Compact Disc recording of "A Movement for Rosa"
Quiet Strength; author, Rosa Parks
Dry erase board and markers

 

Lesson Procedure:

Introduce the concept that music can be created for more than entertainment purposes alone. Describe how music can often times depict emotions, events or ideas. Have students listen to a recording of "A Movement for Rosa" and write non-musical words to describe each section of the piece citing measure numbers for reference. After listening, have students volunteer measure numbers when they felt a sudden change of mood and style, list those measures on the board in column format.As a class, teacher directed, organize a consensus of exact measures where there is a change in mood. Have students list words that describe the mood change under each column. Introduce the book, Quiet Strength, by Rosa Parks, and name out loud the different names of the chapters (many of the words listed on the board will be in the book). Identify where the chapter titles can fit directly into the form of the composition. Discuss composition techniques (dissonance, dynamic contrast, change of key, rhythm, articulation, voicing, instrumentation, etc.) Mark Camphouse used to evoke different moods. To set the tone, read two chapters, "Fear" and "Defiance" out of Quiet Strength. Assign students to answer the following questions for homework:

Fear: Explain what fear means to you. What are your fears? Where do you think they originated? Do you feel that you fears have changed over time, how so? Is there one fear that has not changed or you think will never change over time?

Defiance: Explain what injustice means to you. Name two or three instances of defiance that you see every day at school. Why do you think these acts of defiance occur? When have you acted out of defiance? Did something tell you not to do it, if yes why did you follow through?

Injustice: Explain what injustice means to you? Have you ever seen acts of injustice around you cite specific instances. Interview five people, ask all five people the following question exactly as written: "What is the most memorable or sever act of injustice that you have personally seen in your life and when did it happen?"?

Person #1 (Graduated no later than 1993, but no earlier than 1988)
Person #2 (Graduated no later than 1987, but no earlier than 1979)
Person #3 (Graduated no later than 1979, but no earlier than 1971)
Person #4 (Graduated no later than 1970, but no earlier than 1962)
Person #5 (Graduated before 1961)

Character: What does character mean to you? Where does the concept of character fit into your ideals? How does it fit into your family's ideals? How would you like people to perceive you?
Role Models: Who is your #1 Role Model? What makes that person your role model? Do you feel that you have ever been a role model to someone? Do you think it is important to have role models?
Faith: In one word explain what faith is to you.
Values: Explain some of your values. Is it okay for people to have different values? How do you feel when you meet people who's values are opposite of your own? If there were one value that you wish the entire world would share, which one would it be?
Determination: What is determination to you? Think of a time when determination was an important factor for you to reach a goal. Who is someone who taught you what determination can be? Is there something in your life when determination is always in the picture?

Lesson #2

Have students come together and discuss responses in small groups (teacher assigned to guarantee a diverse response to each question). At the end of the small group session, have students come together as a large group and share their responses, voluntarily, for each writing prompt.
Read one more chapter out of Quiet Strength to bring conclusion to the use of the book. Review composition techniques of Mark Camphouse to portray the personality of Rosa Parks. Continue to rehearse "A Movement for Rosa" using written exercises as rehearsal strategies for students to begin emoting the music as Camphouse intended.
Have students turn in written responses.

Assessment:

Assessment of individual's writing will be based on a rubric of organization, thoughtfulness, the range of their responses, and whether or not they complete all the questions. Participation of small and large group conversations will be assessed based on participation.

Special Considerations:

Before starting this lesson, students should have at least a moderate ability to play the piece of music. It is important that the students be able to listen to the piece of music and perform the music to have a complete musical correlation between Rosa Parks as a person and Mark Camphouse's composition portraying Rosa Parks. This lesson is based on working in a 90-minute class period; it may be necessary to split the lesson more if the class period is shorter.

 

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