Arts Every Day integrated lesson
Grade Level
3
Descriptors:
Standards
Content Integration
Music/Language Arts
Title of Lesson
Describing Character Through Music and Language
using Carnival of the Animals
Essential Question
How can the sounds in music and language be used to describe character?
Integrated Student Objective
Students will be able to describe character through
music, movement, graphic drawings, and words.
Content Area 1
Music
4.3 Describe how specific musical elements communicate particular ideas or
moods in music.
Content Area 2
Language Arts
3.3
Determine what characters are like by what
they say or do and by how the author or illustrator
portrays them.
2.2
Write descriptions that use concrete sensory
details to present and support unified impressions of
people, places, things, or experiences.
1.7
Use clear and specific vocabulary to
communicate ideas and establish the tone.
The learners will understand that the sound of
language, like music, can express emotion and
character
Formative Teacher Observation; Summative
Evaluation of Diamante Poems
Student Objectives
Learners will understand that classical music can express emotion and
character
Assessment
Formative Teacher Observation
Key Knowledge:
Prior Knowledge
New Concepts
New Vocabulary
Key Skills
Prerequisite Skills
New Skills
Music expresses emotion
Music has tempo, dynamics and pitch; Repeated listening to music deepens
the experience
Tempo (Adagio-slow, Allegro-fast) Dynamics (Forte-loud, Piano-soft) Pitch
(high/low)
I can listen carefully to music.
I can listen to music in different ways and describe it using different
vocabulary.
Able to compare with Venn diagrams; Vocabularynoun, verb, adjective, character
Character can be described in many ways through
movement, drawing, and words
Diamante
I can identify a "character" in a story. I know the
terms noun, verb, and adjective.
I can describe character through words, drawings,
and movement.
(Adapted from the Los Angeles County Office of Education/Los Angeles Unified School District template)
Arts Every Day integrated lesson
Materials/Resources
Carnival of the Animals – "The Rooster" and "The Swan" and 'Wild Horses"
Drawing paper; pencils, markers or crayons
Diamante poem generator available at http://www.boobis.com/students/poetry/diamante.html
Phase
Opening (5 mins)
Warm-up (5 mins)
Exploring/Creating
SELECTION 1
(Roosters)
(15-20 mins)
Exploring/Creating
SELECTION 2
(The Swan)
(15-20 mins)
Sharing/Reflecting
(15-20 Mins)
Culmination
Extensions
Connections
Differentiation
Learning Sequence
Leading question: "What is a "character" in a story? What are different ways we can describe a character?"
Students "warm-up" by practicing drawing "character" lines on paper.
Students then match tempo and dynamics terms to lines they have drawn with short example of music
(Wild Horses).
FIRST LISTENING: Students open their ears and minds and "Just Listen" to music Selection 1 from Carnival of the Animals
(Roosters) In partners, they discuss what they heard and try to guess who the character is.
SECOND LISTENING: Students "Quick-Draw" by drawing "character lines" that match what they are hearing
THIRD LISTENING: The students hear the beginning poem that reveals the name of the piece and describes the character. They then
move to the music as "Mirrors" with one student leading and the other following.
FOURTH LISTENING: Students "Quick-Write" by writing descriptive words that describe what they hear in the music
FIRST LISTENING: Students open their ears and minds and "Just Listen" to music Selection 1 from Carnival of the Animals
(Roosters) In partners, they discuss what they heard and try to guess who the character is.
SECOND LISTENING: Students "Quick-Draw" by drawing "character lines" that match what they are hearing
THIRD LISTENING: The students hear the beginning poem that reveals the name of the piece and describes the character. They then
move to the music as "Mirrors" with one student leading and the other following.
FOURTH LISTENING: Students "Quick-Write" by writing descriptive words that describe what they hear in the music
Students work in small groups (or entire class) to develop a Venn Diagram comparing the two characters as they were reflected in the
music. They can refer to their drawings and to their "Quick Writes" to complete the Venn Diagram
Students use the Venn Diagrams to write "Diamante Poems" based on the two characters with "Rooster" and "Swan" These poems
may be written by small groups or individuals.
Students read their poems aloud or publish poems in a class book
Choose characters from literature or Reading Books and match to selections music from Carnival of the Animals; Write Diamante
poems related to characters from readings;
Music, Visual Arts, Language Arts, Dance, Theatre Arts
Multiple Intelligences; Multiple Learning Modes; Descriptive Language
(Adapted from the Los Angeles County Office of Education/Los Angeles Unified School District template)