LESSON I.

Overview: This lesson is intended to focus students on how the meaning of a text can change with its presentation (musical or otherwise). This could be taught in a choral class or English class, but is probably best geared for a High School level group. II. Learning Objectives: At the end of this lesson students will be able to analyze a text for color words and understand how the text can be portrayed in several manners. They will also begin to understand how to give meaning to a text as part of a composition or musical setting. III. NYS Standards Addressed: Standard 2: Knowing and Using Arts Materials and Resources-Students will be knowledgeable about and make use of the materials and resources available for participation in the arts in various roles. Standard 3: Responding to and Analyzing Works of Art-Students will respond critically to a variety of works in the arts, connecting the individual work to other works and to other aspects of human endeavor and thought. Standard 4: Understanding the Cultural Dimensions and Contributions of the ArtsStudents will develop an understanding of the personal and cultural forces that shape artistic communication and how the arts in turn shape the diverse cultures of past and present society.

IV. Instructional Plan a) Preparation/Anticipatory Set: Begin with a discussion of their conceptions about poetry. Look for ways that they may be inclined to care about the text. How does it relate to the students? b) Procedure & Activities: List and describe each activity central to this lesson. Be specific and comprehensive. 1. Ask student to read the poem aloud. Every student will do this so there is no pressure. It also gives us several interpretations of the text. 2. Discuss color words. What are they? Have students find several of them and explain why they were chosen. 3. Ask the students to pick their favorite and perhaps sing it for everyone. 4. How would they set this piece to music and why? Chat in a group as though they were going to do it. Plan their composition.

What meter? Major or minor and why? What words should stick out?

c) Literacy and Metaphor/Analogy Links: Make concrete connections between the lesson and literacy instructional strategies, using course texts (see final project worksheet). This unit is essentially a study in extended metaphors exactly as Wormelli would want. In this unit, I am asking the students to make extended metaphors for pieces of music and their meanings. Begin a metaphor for a piece of music ie. the architecture of a piece and allow the students to build on that idea and see how they develop it. Where will it lead them? Now compare that metaphor to the text youre working with. Do they relate or is another one needed to make the text and music analogous? (Wormelli 102-104) Another exercise in exploring the music would be to offer students a set of words and have them develop them into a metaphor about the music (Wormelli 112-113). Can they create conceptual metaphors based on these words? Music is not finite, so this is a great way to see how creative your students can be. Music and metaphors go hand in hand, just as metaphors are part of literacy they are part of music as well. They can be the bridge between these two subjects so do not overlook them as a tool to connect disciplines. Cunningham and Allington are proponents for the adage The more different ways I teach, the more children I reach and I think that could not be more apropos for the music classroom. Using music as a way to teach literacy is a wonderful way to get students to look at reading in a new light. Traditional ELA classes are not effective because the idea of reading an extended work for pleasure has diminished particularly when we consider poetry. This lesson is a way to breathe a new life into reading. V. Assessment: Students will self assess and contribute to the overall discussion of the topic. As this is part of a larger project, the major assessment will come at the end of the unit in the form of a musical or literary composition. VI. Materials & Resources: Print out copies of Reconciliation CD Player VII. Research Support: Cardany, Audrey Berger. From Poetry To Music: Northern Lullaby. General Music Today 24.2 (2011):37-41. ERIC. Web. 2 Dec.2012.

From Poetry to Music: Northern Lights is the discussion of the use of childrens books/poetry as an aid in teaching music. The basis behind the article is that literature can be enhanced using music and it is even more effective when the students compose their own soundtrack. It asks them to have a deep understanding of the text so that they know how to set it for instruments. Cardany argues that Enhancing a child's reading skills and comprehension no longer remains exclusively within the purview of the classroom elementary teacher. Many schools require all teachers to make connections to English language arts and identify reading objectives in their lesson plans regardless of subject and using a combination of literacy and music to teach the skills needed to be a musician, kills two birds with one stone. Furthermore, reading comprehension strategies must occur before, during, and following reading so using the book first as literature and then as music helps go give a deep understanding of the text. Within the arts, there are multiple opportunities to enhance literature using music. I think that, even though it may become mandatory in public schools, we should use literature in the arts classroom simply because it helps to teach about music. In a chorus, you have opportunities to talk about literary vs. musical structure as well as poetry and prose. It only can benefit you in the long run and Cardany would agree with me.