Title III Technology Literacy Challenge Grant

Learning Unit

LU Title: Sing Me a Story!	Author(s): Laurie E. Spoon
Grade Level: 6	School : Ridge Mills School
Topic/Subject Area: General Music	Address: 7841 Rome-Westernville Rd. Rome, N.Y. 13440
Email: lspoon@rome-mills.moric.org	Phone/Fax: (315) 334-7380

OVERVIEW

Prior to this unit, students will have completed a unit on song writing and will know that the words of a song are called the lyrics, and, when separated from the melody, read as a form of poetry. They will need to be able to recognize the beginning and end of musical "sentences", that these are called phrases, and will learn to tap out the number of beats in each phrase.

Through the study of contrasting lyrical material, students will know that there are various rhyme schemes employed in song composition, and that some songs have no rhyme.

Students will have taken simple nursery rhymes, and set them to simple tunes that they already know, matching tunes with the same number of beats per phrase, with poems that have the identical number of beats per line.

CONTENT KNOWLEDGE

Declarative	Procedural
Some songs tell stories. These songs are called ballads.	List the highlights of a simple children's story in their own words.
Each line of lyrics in a song/ballad must have a melodic line conaining a comparable number of beats.	Re-write these highlights in poetic form.
The same story can be told using different wording.	Decide on whether or not to use a rhyme scheme in the writing of a ballad, and if so, determine a scheme that will work in their situation.
Some ballads are based on true stories, some on legends, some on imagination.	Determine and use a consistent number of beats per line.
A person who writes the words to a song is called a lyricist.	Choose a melody they already know, which has the same number of beats per line, to which their lyrics may be sung, or create an original melody which fits the requirement.
Most stories can be re-told as a poem.	Present their children's story and original lyrics, and sing their new ballad to the class.
A lyricist must determine the number of beats in each line.	Use Microsoft Works or a similar Word Processing program to make a final copy of their work that has a professional appearance.
Some sets of lyrics can be placed in any melody with the same number of beats per line. Others need special melodies because they are metrically unusual.
A refrain is a repeated set of words. Some ballads have a refrain.
Lyrics can be printed out in the form of poetry using a word processing program in a computer.

ESSENTIAL QUESTIONS

In what ways can re-telling a story in different words have an impact on that story?
What place do ballads hold in our lives?
Why might a person choose to be a lyricist?
Why are lyrics, their construction and content, important in music?
Why might it be difficult for a lyricist to perform his/her own work

CONNECTIONS TO NYS LEARNING STANDARDS
List Standard # and Key Idea #: Write out related Performance Indicator(s) or Benchmark(s)

The Arts

Standard 1: Creating, Performing, and Participating in the Arts

Students will actively engage in the processes that

Constitute creation and performance in music and

participation in various roles in music.

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 music in various roles.

Mathematics, Science, and Technology

Standard 2: Information Systems

Students will access, generate, process, and

transfer information using appropriate technologies

Standard 5: Technology

Students will apply technical knowledge and skills

to design, construct, use, and evaluate products

and systems to satisfy human and environmental

needs.

English Language Arts

Standard 1: Language for Information and Understanding

Students will present information clearly in a

variety of oral and written forms.

Students will use the process of pre-writing,

drafting, revising, and proofreading to produce

well constructed informational texts, basic writing

conventions, as well as sentence structures

appropriate to written forms.

Standard 2: Language for Literacy, Response, and Expression

Students will read aloud accurately and fluently,

using phonics and context clues to determine

pronunciation and meaning.

Standard 3: Language for Critical Analysis and Evaluation

Students will recognize that the criterion one

uses to analyze and evaluate anything depends

on one's point of view and purpose for the analysis

INITIATING ACTIVITY

(one class period)

"The Story of the Stories"

Choose two ballads from available classroom musical repertoire. Have the class read to themselves the lyrics of the first ballad. Then, choose one student at a time to tell, event by event, the story outlined in the song. Divide class into groups of 4. Have each group read the lyrics aloud together, snapping on the beat. Their assignment is to determine how many beats are in each lyrical phrase. Sing the song together as a class.

Turn to the other ballad. Repeat the same process. At the end of the class, have students compare/contrast the two songs, including subject matter, style, rhyme scheme, number of beats per phrase, tempo, etc. .

LEARNING EXPERIENCES
In chronological order including acquisition experiences and extending/refining
experiences for all stated declarative and procedural knowledge.

CONTENT KNOWLEDGE

Some songs tell stories. These songs are called Ballads.
Most stories can be re-told as a poem.

Some ballads are based on true stories, some on legends, some on imagination.

DETAILS

(one class period)

Students will review the word ballad, and will be given the assignment for the unit. The assignment is as follows:

Choose a partner. Each class member must be working with someone he/she feels comfortable with.
Select a SIMPLE childrens' story book that DOES NOT rhyme, watching that it has a story line that seems easily adaptable, with good illustrations.
List the main events that occur in the story using their own words.
Taking that list, re-write the story as a poem, incorporating a rhyme scheme that their team agrees on.
Use the same number of lines per verse, and the same number of beats per line.
Add a refrain, if desired.
Set your words to a simple tune you already know, or make up your own tune for extra credit.
Practice reading the book, lyrics, and singing the song together before presentation.
Read the book to the class, using expressive voices, and taking time to show the illustrations. Each team member must take equal part in reading the story aloud, but the way in which the reading is divided will be decided by the team prior to presentation. Next, read the lyrics to the class as a poem, each team member sharing equally in the reading.
Each team will sing their ballad to the class. All team members will sing together. (Rap will not be allowed, as the assignment is specifically to write a SONG).

The class will go to the school library (make arrangements in advance!) and each team will select a simple childrens' story book to use for their unit project. Books should be selected based upon interest level of the story subject, quality of illustrations, and agreement among group members as to ease of re-writing the story events in poetic form. One student on each team will check out the book. All books will remain in the possession of the music teacher, in case of student absence.

CONTENT KNOWLEDGE

The same story can be told using different wording.
Most stories can be re-told as a poem.

DETAILS

(one class period)

Teams will get their books, and together, on lined paper, students will list the main events that take place in the story in their own words. This will include names of places, characters, and correct sequence of story line. Initially, they will try to structure their list so that each line is approximately the same length.

Team members will choose a rhyme scheme that they feel will best fit their event list, and begin work on verse one.

CONTENT KNOWLEDGE

Each line of lyrics in a song/ballad must have a melodic line containing a comparable number of beats.
A person who writes the words to a song is called a lyricist.
Lyricists must decide on a rhyme scheme.
A lyricist must determine the number of beats in each line.
A refrain is a repeated set of words. Some ballads have a refrain.

DETAILS

(three class periods)

Team members will continue, for the next three classes, to slowly turn their event list into a set of verses that incorporates the correct number of beats per line/phrase (to be determined by students). Each verse should have the same number of lines, and adhere to the same rhyme scheme if one is employed. Team members will decide whether they wish to include a refrain in their ballad. Students will try to remain true to the original story in the content of their verses, but may incorporate details they see in the illustrations if they wish. Students will periodically check with the teacher for input as to appropriateness of verse construction, and to be sure they are fulfilling the unit requirements.

CONTENT KNOWLEDGE

Some sets of lyrics can be placed in any melody with the same number of beats per line. Others need special melodies because they are metrically unusual.

DETAILS

(two class periods)

Students will take their finished lyrics, now in poem form, and each team will choose a simple song based on the same number of beats per line as their work. With simple rhythmic adjustment due to word structure (number of syllables in a word), they will fit their lyrics into the melody they have selected. In the event that they have written verses which have an unusual number of beats per line/phrase (for example, 3 in lines one and three, 4 in lines two and four), they will have to make up their own original tune, or adapt a familiar melody in some way to make it work. Teams will practice singing their ballad, and reading their book and poem aloud as per the assignment. Unless previously arranged, all teams will sing unaccompanied when they present their finished product to the class.

CONTENT KNOWLEDGE

Lyrics can be printed out in the form of poetry, using a word processing program in a computer.

DETAILS

(two class periods)

Guiding Question: What value does having a professional appearance

add to written work?

Using Microsoft Works (or a comparable word processing program), each team will type out their verses. They will have a header that includes their names as well as the title of the book they used and the author. They may select the font and size of font they prefer, and may add clip art to dress up their work if they wish. The music teacher or qualified staff member will assist them in overcoming problems they encounter while entering their work on the computer.

They will take turns typing and will save their work prior to printing, in case a problem arises.

When the entire set of lyrics has been entered and saved, each team will print out a final copy of their ballad to submit after presentation.

CULMINATING PERFORMANCE
Include rubric(s)

Each team will, in turn, come to the front of the class and complete the assignment by reading their book to the class(making sure to read expressively and show illustrations), then they will read their lyrics as a poem. Finally, they will sing their ballad together in unison. In addition, the Music Teacher may incorporate the use of either an audio or video recorder to tape the final products, so that the teams can listen to/view their work and assess their own results, noting what they feel were their strengths/weaknesses in presentation, as well as have class suggestions as to ways to improve the project.

RUBRIC

Elements Scale	Lyrical Construction	Melodic/Lyric Cohesion (flow)	Presentation	Final Copy

4	Students have all lines with the same number of beats. The flow, with or without rhyme, is steady and smooth all the time. There are no missing parts in the story.	Students select/create a melody that is metrically perfect for the lyrics they have created. All lines contain the proper number of beats. The words flow smoothly with the melody.	Students read their book with a great deal of expression and enthusiasm. Their lyrics are also read with expression and easily understood. The melody is consistent and stable throughout the presentation.	Students choose an excellent font. Their verses are neatly spaced. There are rarely spelling errors. The paper looks balanced and neat. If there is a refrain, it is clear where it is used. The paper is easy to read. There is a graphic well placed on the page to add to the appearance.
3	Students have most lines with the same number of beats. A rhyme scheme or natural flow is clearly evident most of the time. There are few holes in the story.	Students select/create a melody that sometimes is metrically correct for their lyrics. Some words sound jumbled or don't fit. The flow is choppy in places.	Students read their book with good expression. Their lyrics are clearly heard when they read them. The melody of the song is discernable most of the time.	Students choose a font that is somewhat the wrong size/style for the assignment. There are some spelling errors. In some places, the verses are not in alignment, making it off-balance. If there is a refrain, it is sometimes unclear where it is used. A graphic may be in a poor spot.
2	Students have some lines with the same number of beats. There is a sketchy rhyme scheme. Major parts of the story are included, but there are holes.	Students select/create a melody that rarely is metrically correct for their lyrics. The words are hard to understand. There is no flow.	Students read their book with a little expression. Their lyrics are understandable when they read them. The melody of the song is evident some of the time	Students choose a font that is difficult to read. There are many spelling errors. The verses are sometimes typed like paragraphs, making their beginning and end unclear. The placement of any refrain is often unclear. A graphic may not fit with the lyric content.
1	Students rarely have verse lines with the same number of beats. There is little or no rhyme scheme. Major portions of the story are missing.	Students are unable to select/create a melody that is at all metrically correct with their lyrics. It is impossible to feel any melodic cohesion or flow.	Students read their book with little or no expression. They mumble when they read their lyrics. The melody is lost in the singing because most of the time they say, instead of sing, the verses.	Students do not choose a font, they go with the default font. Spelling errors are common. There is no attempt at verse form, so the lyrics look like paragraphs. There is no graphic.

PRE-REQUISITE SKILLS

Ability to recognize beginning and ending of musical sentences(phrases)
Ability to correctly tap out the number of beats in a phrase.
Experience taking simple nursery rhymes and setting them to tunes they already know, based on beats per phrase.

MODIFICATIONS

In the event that a class has members in it who require assistance, these students may be placed on a team whose members have a good understanding of the assignment and may assist them with reading, writing, singing and typing required to complete the project. During presentation, the other team members may also help these students to take part in as much as they are able. If there is a Teacher Assistant assigned to a student, the TA may modify the activity at their discretion as modeled in the regular classroom of which the student is a member. The Music Teacher must okay any modified activity. The Rubric will be adjusted to fit the individual who requires assistance at the discretion of the Music Teacher.

If gifted/talented students are present, they will be allowed to write more than one ballad based on any non-rhyming books they choose to use. The same Rubric will be used for each ballad they create.

UNIT SCHEDULE/TIME PLAN

Each content lesson has a number of classes included in the details. This unit is based on 40 minute classes. Time can be adjusted to fit the individual needs of the music class participants at the discretion of the Music Teacher. Depending on class size, the final presentations can take several class periods. Usually, each presentation takes an average of about 10 minutes. This varies with the length of the chosen book. A larger class (24) can take up to twelve music classes to complete the project through all the final presentations.

TECHNOLOGY USE

Microsoft Works or comparable Word Processing Program

Printer

Optional Audio Tape Recorder/Microphone

Optional Video Camera and VCR/TV for class viewing