Lesson Plan

1) Understanding statements: What will students learn ABOUT music (elements, dimensions, cultural connections, etc.)
through this experience? Why are these things important for learners in relation to lifelong music learning and making?

Students will learn how music can bring to life different aspects of the world around them. Students will dive deeper
into the idea that visual art and performing arts can go hand in hand, to tell a more in depth story. Students will practice
having conversations through the chance to give constructive feedback. Students will begin to notice how the beauty of
music and art is in the eyes of the beholder.

2) I can statements: What specific things will students be able to do (these are the skills and abilities).

I can collaborate with my peers

I can create a musical composition
I can connect music to visual arts
I can assess the work of others
3) What standards will this experience address? Use the Virginia (Links to an external site.) and/or the new National Core
Art Standards (Links to an external site.). Perhaps select 3-4 for each experience design.

6.9 The student will evaluate and critique music by examining and applying accepted criteria for evaluating
works of music, describing performances of music, using music terminology
6.10 The student will investigate aesthetic concepts related to music by identifying ways in which music
evokes sensory, emotional, and intellectual responses, including ways in which music can be persuasive
7.6 The student will create music through a variety of sound and notational sources by identifying
contemporary media and technology used to create music

4) Materials/Set-up: What will you need and how will you need to set up the learning space?

Students will need at least one computer per group with internet access. We will need a google doc with the information
available for the students to see the pictures and choose sound clips. We will need a hand out for the scoring sheets!
5) A thorough process. What specific steps will you take? What will you say/do? What will learners say/do? What questions
will you ask? Remember, try to get into the music first and avoid unneeded explanations. For each "step" in your process,
note the estimated time in minutes that it will take in order to keep you conscious of the overall time. Be very specific (most
of your work will be in this section).

1. Explain the activity to the students: Students will choose one photo out of six photos provided on the Google doc to
inspire a short musical composition. Students will be divided into groups of two to create a short 30-45 second
musical clip on Garageband using sound files that we have provided to musically illustrate their chosen photo.
2. Students will divide into assigned groups and go to a computer.
3. Students will pull up the Google doc and choose their photo.
4. Students will listen to the provided 10-12 second sound files on the Google Doc and choose several sounds that
they think best fit with the photo to use for their composition. Students may also use Garageband loops in their
composition.
5. Roughly 10 minutes will be allotted for students to complete their 30-45 second compositions.
6. Students will rotate to the computer beside them to assess one another group's composition using a rubric we
created, which includes scoring points out of 30, what they would have done differently, and what they enjoyed
about their peers' composition.
7. Students will receive their feedback and there will be a group discussion on why they gave the specific scores they
did. We will also discuss why the groups chose the sounds they did to create an aural representation of their picture.
8. Conclusion of activity
6) Assessments: How will you know if, when, and to what extent learners have made gains toward your Understanding
statements and I can's? Be specific and consider what you will do IF they get it and IF they don't get it. HERE IS A HINT:
For each "understanding" and "i can" statement, you should have a means and metric to assess the learner's growth.

Students will be assessed on their ability to work respectfully and cooperatively with others to create music.
Students will be assessed on the thoughtfulness and creativity of their 30-45 second compositions.
Students will be assessed on the level of connection between their chosen photo and their musical creations.
Students will be assessed on the thoughtfulness of their peer assessments and feedback. How constructive are their
criticisms and positive feedbacks? How music oriented is their feedback?

Adaptations:
Give students the option of working alone
Provide instructions clearly and slowly so that every student is on the same page before beginning the project
Allow students to have individual headphones for the project
Photos on the Google Doc enlarged
Other adaptations built into the project (use of computers, different colors for different sound tracks, working with others)
7) Extension: Where can you go next with this? What can you do if you run out of "things to do" in the class period? What
ways might you increase or decrease the challenge level throughout to make it inclusive and adaptable?

To extend this class we can have each group pick another picture and create another song. To make this more
challenging for the groups, we can create a rule that excludes sounds they (each specific group, not the class as a
whole) has used.
We could structure the class in a slightly different way, having it be more of a game than a quick composition task.
This game would follow the structure of the show Cupcake Wars and the students would be able to create and
compete against their peers.