Poetry and Music

Jessica Cundieff Grade 6

Standards:

Music Standard: MU: Pr4.3.6a- Perform a selected piece of
music demonstrating how their interpretations of the elements of
music and the expressive qualities (such as dynamics, tempo,
timbre, articulation/style, and phrasing) convey intent.

ELA Standard: RL.6.7 Compare and contrast the experience of
reading a story, drama, or poem to listening to or viewing an
audio, video, or live version of the text, including contrasting
what they "see" and "hear" when reading the text to what they
perceive when they listen or watch.

Objectives: After listening to various versions of the same song
students will select their own songs and perform them changing
the rhythm and tempo.

After comparing and contrasting songs students will create a
poem that will be recited in two ways, facilitating multiple
meanings. Good objectives.

Materials:
Songs: Me First and the Gimme Gimmes Dont Cry for Me
Madonna Dont cry for me
Local H Team
Lorde Team
The Fray Heartless
Kanye West Heartless
Obadiah Parker Hey Ya
Outkast Hey Ya
Tupac Letter 2 My Unborn
Venn diagram for comparisons
Peer Feedback Worksheet

Background for teachers:

This lesson would need to follow a unit on music and poetry.
The students would need background knowledge on how music
and poems are constructed, that they have rhythm and tone.
A letter would need to go home to the parents explaining we are
going to explore various types of poetry to include the works of
Tupac Shakur. The instructor would need to have a discussion
with the class prior to the lesson, explaining that some of the
language in the spoken word poetry and songs is not appropriate
classroom language.
This lesson is meant to be taught over multiple days. Giving the
students a chance to explore music, develop poems and
presenting them.

Steps in the lesson:

Introduction/Building Background Knowledge:
Day One:
The instructor would begin a lesson by reciting, Letter 2 My
Unborn the instructor would then open the lesson by asking
what the tone of the piece is, what message it conveys. The
students would then listen to Letter 2 My Unborn in its
original composition. They would then write a comparison of
how its original context differs from the latter.

Body: (Step-by-step scaffolding that includes teacher
modeling, guided work, and independent work)
Day Two:
1. The instructor will start a discussion on what makes a piece
of music have the feeling it does. What about a piece of
music makes you feel the way you do when you hear it?
2. The instructor will make a play list of the listed songs and
play them for the students. The instructor will go over the
first song with the students, filling out a Venn diagram on
the board. She may list items like timber, tone, melodic
content as suggestions for similarities and differences. My
only suggestion here is you may want to do a little guided
practice here. Do a Venn with them on the board for the
first one, so they get the idea for what you are looking for.
(Your peers did fine with this, but 6
th
graders might need
more help.)
3. While the students listen they will fill out Venn Diagrams
of all of the songs, explaining the similarities and
differences, and what the songs have in common.
4. After each song the class will discuss the qualities the
different versions of the songs do and do not share.
5. Students will be given time to explore songs on their own,
for presenting to the class.
6. Homework- Students will be asked to go home and practice
reciting their selected songs, changing tone, tempo,
articulation, phrasing etc. to convey a different message
from the original.
Day Three:
7. Students will present their new versions of the songs they
selected. This step will be done in groups of three or four.
8. The rest of the students will give written feedback forms on
what they think the presenter changed and how the intent of
the song changed.
Day Four:
9. The instructor will facilitate a writing workshop for the
students to compose their poems to be presented the next
day. During this time students will be encouraged to
research poetry in class books and online, to help guide
them on their creations.

Closure:
The students will present their poems, twice. Changing the tone
of the poem the second time conveying a different message.
The students will write a short paper reflecting on the
experience. The paper will include what they learned from the
assignment. What aspects of a poem or song give the message
the author was trying to go for. How can you change a poem or
song to make the message different? Good. Very effective.

Assessment (linked directly to objectives):
Portfolio: including comparison of the two versions of Letter 2
My Unborn Venn Diagrams, peer feedback forms, and
reflection.
Performance assessment: Rubric attached.

Adaptations/Extensions:
English Language Learners could present a song or poem in
their native language and explain how the intent of the selected
piece changes when translated.

Rationale: I think it is important for students to explore various
types of poetry. It is also important for them to recognize poetry
in different genres of music. Students benefit from
understanding how tone and inflection convey a different
message, when altered from the original work. With the
exploration of poetry and music I want the students to be able to
create poetry that conveys different meanings when being
presented differently. I think it will show the students individual
voices.



Next Steps/ Connections to Other Subjects:
A follow on lesson would be to develop the intent of musicians
and poets throughout history and influences society may have
had on them. Would the songs and poems if made today still
have the impact they did when they were written, or if they were
presented in a different country. How does German rap differ
from American rap? This lesson could be developed by country
or continent, or to pick a period of time worldwide.
























PEER FEEDBACK FORM

Name: _____________________
Presenter: ___________________

What was the original intent or message of the song?









How did the altered performance of the song change the intent
or meaning?








How would you change the song to convey a different message
then the original?





ORIGINAL SONG MODIFIED SONG











Unit Rubric
Exceeds
16-20 points
Meets
11-15 points
Approaching
6-10 points
Falls Far Below
0-5 points
Portfolio Student presents
all required
Student presents
all required
Student presents
most of the
Student does not
present most of
work, song
comparison
Venn Diagram,
Peer
Reflections,
and final
Reflection.
All work is
presented free
of grammatical
errors.
Final reflection
answers all the
questions
completely,
using complete
sentence. And is
at least five
sentences long.
work. There are
a few
grammatical
errors in the
reflection. Final
reflection
address most if
not all of the
questions, and is
at least four
sentences long.
required work.
There are some
grammatical
errors. Final
reflection
address most of
the questions,
and is at least
three sentences
long.
the required
work. They are
numerous
grammatical
errors. Final
reflection does
not address the
questions, or is
not at least three
sentences in
length.
Performance
of Song
Student picks a
song that is
appropriate for
the class and
grade level. The
intent of the
song is very
clear, and the
adaptation of
the song
changing the
feeling. It is
clear what the
presenter is
trying to do, this
is verified by
the student
feedback forms.
Student is well
prepared for the
reading and
doesnt make
errors when
presenting the
song to the
group.
Student picks a
song that is
appropriate for
the class and
grade level. It is
somewhat clear
what the
original intent
and adaptation
of the song was
trying to
convey. The
student
feedback forms
for the most part
verify what the
presenter was
trying to
convey. Student
may make one
or two errors
when presenting
the song.
Student picks a
song that is
below or above
grade level. It is
a bit unclear
what the
original
message of the
song is, or what
the presenter
was trying to do
when modifying
the song. The
student really
didnt practice
the song and
this is displayed
by the lack of
tone or
inflection
change, or they
dont seem
familiar with the
song.
Student picks a
song not
appropriate for
grade level,
whether it be
too young or
contain content
not appropriate
for the grade.
The student
presents the
song the same
way the original
song was
presented,
without any
change. The
student just
seems to be
reading a script
and does not
attach and
emotion to it.
Poem
Student writes a
poem that has a
clear message.
The poem is
Student writes a
poem that does
not convey a
clear message. It
well developed
and has clear
line breaks that
allows for the
poem to be read
and the message
of the poem be
clear. When
reading the
poem a second
time the poem
conveys a
different
message.
is not a well-
developed poem
and doesnt
have a clear
message. When
reading the
second time the
student reads
the poem the
message seems
the same as the
first.