Lesson

#2 Aboriginal Music/Game; Rain (30 minutes)

Grade Level:

Subject:

Arts Education

Prepared By: Kelsey Graff

Date:

Overview & Purpose: 1. The students will learn what Aboriginals on the north west coast did for fun. 2. This lesson shows students how Aboriginals incorporated nature into many things that they did. 3. The students will be working collaboratively to make a rhythm (rain). PGG goal(s) addressed: - 1.1 Ensures the participation and success of all students All the students will be participating together in this lesson. - 6.3 Incorporates First Nations, Inuit and Mtis content and perspectives across all teaching areas This lesson incorporates Aboriginal ways of life. Teacher CH1.2 Identify traditional arts expressions of First Nations and Mtis artists. CP1.5 Create music expressions. CP1.6 Demonstrate understanding of patterns and the elements of music.

Broad Areas of Learning: Cross Curricular Competencies: - Developing Social Responsibility: the students will be working together during this lesson.

Outcome:

Students Indicators: a. Explore and identify First Nation art forms that incorporate elements from nature (e.g., recognizes and represents patterns in nature). b. Identify own contributions to a collaborative process. c. Use movement and body percussion to investigate and represent music patterns and concepts.

Procedures: Motivational Set: Have a discussion about rainstorms with the students.

1. Explain to the students that they will be learning about a game that Aboriginal people used to play in the northwest coast. Show the students where the northwest coast is on a map of Canada. - Explain that the Aboriginal people often played games that reflected their environment or where they lived. It rained a lot in the northwest coast so they often played a game called Rain. - We will be learning how to play this game today. We are going to work together to create our own rain storm. - Mention that it is a sound pattern. 2. What often comes before rain? - The wind often gets stronger. - Make circular motions with your hands on the floor to create a windy sound. - Have the students imitate your actions. 3. How does rain usually start out? - The rain usually starts with small drops of water.

1. Arrange the students in a circle on the carpet.

Materials Needed: - Hard surface - Map of Canada

2. The students will continue to sit in a circle and answer the questions posed and follow my actions.

3. The students are continuing to follow my actions.

- Lightly tap the floor with just your fingertips (gradually tap a little harder). - Remind the students to not stop doing the actions or it will not sound like a real rainstorm. 4. What happens after the small drops of water have been falling for a while? - The raindrops fall even harder and faster making it louder. - All the fingers on each hand hit the floor. Make this action faster than the previous raindrops. 5. Now we are going to make the loudest part of the rainfall.
- Hit the floor with each hand quickly (mostly use the palm of your hand).

6. Now that the storm is full force we need to go backwards. - The rest of the game is played in reverse order as the storm passes. 7. Once the first set of rain is finished and the students are more familiar with the actions, they can try closing their eyes and do it a second time. - Variations of the rain game can be tried: put wind in between the different types of rain. - Ask the students if they would

6. The students will follow me as I do the actions in reverse order. 7. The students will do the actions again with their eyes closed to imagine that it is actually a rainstorm. - The students can think of a different order to do the actions in.

like to try doing the different actions in a different order and have them make it up themselves. 8. If there is time at the end of the game, read the students Waiting Out the Storm. - Macken, JoAnn Early. (2010). Waiting Out the Storm. Somerville: Candlewick Press.

Accommodations/Modifications

- Make sure that [student] does not get scared of the loud noise. Observational assessment: Are the students all participating in the game? Are the students able to answer the questions posed?

Assessment (Steps to check for student understanding must assess outcomes.)

Other Resources HYPERLINK:

www.wetheteachers.com/pdf/cr eatepdf.php?id=442

Closure (Reinforce the lesson)

Quickly review: Why did the northwest coast Aboriginals play this game? It rained a lot there. What type of pattern did we just do? A sound pattern. Rain is a sound pattern. What types of sounds did we make with our actions? Loud and quiet sounds. Why did our actions sound like rain? We did them all together and worked co-operatively with each other.

- The students will answer the questions posed.

Reflections (What went well; what could be improved)

- The students were very engaged during this lesson. It sounded like a real rainstorm! I did not lose their attention and they were more than excited to drum on their very own homemade drums. The students seemed to understand the importance of the drum in Aboriginal culture.

Additional Notes