5E Lesson Plan: Expressive Arts

Teacher: David Knapp

Date:
Subject/grade level: music & social studies/grade 3
Materials:
Literature:
Cesare, R. (1991). Songs of Hispanic Americans:
Teacher's resource book. Van Nuys, CA: Alfred Pub.
From the internet
CultureGrams (http://online.culturegrams.com/world )
(2015). ProQuest. CultureGrams Online Edition.
Retrieved from http://online.culturegrams.com/kids/

5E Lesson Plan: Expressive Arts

Music:

Un, dos tres que hora es?(1,2,3 what time is it?) -Telling the
time/Hispanic countries performed by
Stephane Husar from the Album 1,2,3 Salsa: Songs For Learning
Spanish

La Bamba performed by Ritchie Valens

from the Album Ritchie Valens

Manipulatives:
Writing pencils/pens
Adaptive materials (pencil grips, slant boards for writing, etc.) as needed
Arts Areas:
Visual Arts: maps, text & illustrations
Drama/Theater Arts: music video (extension activities)
Dance: movement to music
Music: identify music as part of culture, recognize musical elements of rhythm and melody
Multiples Intelligences:
Visual-Spatial text illustrations, maps
Bodily-kinesthetic movement to music
Musical music part of energizer, exploration/activity
Interpersonal understanding social norm/expectations of interacting with others while working/moving
Intrapersonal - understanding one's own interests; awareness of personal interpretation in dance/movement
Linguistic - listening to/understanding text, using words effectively in discussion
Logical -Mathematical N/A
Naturalistic N/A
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5E Lesson Plan: Expressive Arts

Curricular Area(s):
Social Studies (history and geography): culture study
Musical Elements and Concepts: rhythm, melody; Music Processes: listening
Language arts: listening & reading to understand text(s)
Research folktales (example: What cultures have them? What purpose do they serve?)
Lesson objective(s):
Students will learn about the influence of music on culture.
Students will use provided resources to research the culture (including its music) of a country where Spanish
is the official language and report on it.
Students complete musical arts activity cooperatively with peers and then verbally share their experience
with peers in class/ small group setting

Standards:
Music:
National Standards for Music (Cornett, p. 318)
#6. Listening to, analyzing, and describing music.
#9. Understanding music in relation to history and culture.
Grade Level:
Melody
(3)M.3.s Sing songs from a variety of cultures, historical periods, and styles.
Expressive Qualities
(3)EQ.2 Identify music styles of world cultures and historical periods.
(3)EQ.2.s Perform songs from different cultures, historical periods, and styles.
(3)EQ.2.l Listen to authentic examples of music from varied cultures, historical periods, and styles.
(3)EQ.10 Explore the role of music and dance in daily life.
Social Studies (history & geography):
Geography 6.0 - Places & Regions - Students understand the physical and human features of places and use
this information to define and study regions.
G6.3.3 Identify ways people express culture.
H1-4.3 History
History 1.0 - People, Cultures, and Civilizations - Students understand the development, characteristics, and
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5E Lesson Plan: Expressive Arts

interaction of people, cultures, societies, religion, and ideas.
H1.3.3
Learn about individuals around the world and discuss their contributions.
Language Arts Standards:
Reading Literature (RL)
RL.3. Key Ideas and Details
Ask and answer questions to demonstrate understanding of a text.
RI.3.4-Determine the meaning of general academic and domain specific words and phrases in a text relevant
to a grade 3 topic or subject area.
RI.3.7- Use information gained from illustrations and words in a text to demonstrate understanding of the
text (e.g., where, when, why, and how).
Speaking and Listening (SL)
SL.3.1
Engage effectively in a range of collaborative discussions (oneonone, in groups, and teacherled) with
diverse partners, building on others ideas and expressing their own clearly.
a. Follow agreedupon rules for discussions (e.g., gaining the floor in respectful ways, listening to
others with care, speaking one at a time about the topics and texts under discussion).
b. Ask questions to check understanding of information presented, stay on topic, and link their
comments to the remarks of others.
c. Explain their own ideas and understanding in light of the discussion
Differentiation strategies to meet diverse learner needs:
Pencil type grips, slant boards for writing, etc. as needed
Options for task completion (for example: recording research versus writing)
Anticipatory Set/Energizer/ENGAGEMENT
Music Response Journals (Listening) (Cornett, p. 350)
Play different folksong at different parts of the day and ask students to write about thoughts and feeling
triggered by the music: (1) Create a song title, (2) Sketch or list the instruments you heard, (3) List adjectives
to describe the sounds or emotions, (4) Write a short story or poem that matches the music and/or
(5) Draw or describe images that you see/ imagine when you hear the music.

5E Lesson Plan: Expressive Arts

EXPLORATION
Explicit teaching of social studies content:
On the board, write the names of
Spanish is the official
Chile, Colombia, Costa
Dominican Republic,
Equatorial Guinea,
Mexico, Nicaragua,
Peru, Puerto Rico,
Venezuela.

the following countries where

language: Argentina, Bolivia,
Rica, Cuba,
Ecuador, El Salvador,
Guatemala, Honduras,
Panama, Paraguay,
Spain, Uruguay,

* Read the names of the

countries to students.

Demonstrate the use of the Culture Grams website specifically locating a chosen country (see list above),
then operating links to research: music, traditions, literature, famous people, common foods, etc.
Explicit teaching of music concept(s):
Demonstrate a how to identify and model reproducing varied rhythmic patterns heard in a piece of music
(including repetitions).
Discuss how elements of music expresses cultural and personal identity (Cornett, p. 309) and the process
of listening to identify features of a musical selection.
EXPLANATION
Students complete research on a chosen country with Spanish as the official language (report should
accurately represent key facts and include description of traditional music)
Students will share their work with peers. Display student products in classroom.
ELABORATION/APPLY
Musical Arts Activity : Using the Spanish song La Bamba (as a song representing a Spanish speaking
country became a part of our culture)
Playing the Song
Note: The objective is to help students attach meaning to what they hear, and encourage mental
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5E Lesson Plan: Expressive Arts

associations as they listen to the song for the first time
1 Play the song, at least 2 times from beginning to end.
2 Ask students to talk about what they heard:
A What images did they get from the song?
B Did any of the words sound familiar or similar to other Spanish words they know?
C Based on the rhythm and tone, what emotional state best describes the song?
1 excited
2 joyful
3 angry
4 sad
5 dreamy
6 - _______
D Which phrases stand out in the song?
E What is your favorite phrase or melody?
F Which sections are the fastest/slowest?

5E Lesson Plan: Expressive Arts

After:
Fun activities related to the song:
A Have a sing along
B Split the class into 2 or more groups, and have a COMPETING sing along, each group
singing alternate phrases
C Create skits based on the theme or words from the song
D Have students talk about what picture they would draw to illustrate different phrases and
concepts from the song Have them draw them.
E Have students write NEW lyrics to the music
F Have students create a music video for the song. This could include images with the song
on the audio track or having students lip sync lyrics and act out themes for song
EVALUATION
Teacher Observation: student participation discussing social studies concepts; students participation and/or
performance re: musical arts activities
Assessment Anecdotal Records
CLOSURE
Talk about culture, Latin music, different music styles (like salsa, merengue, vallenato, tango, mariachi,
bolero, flamenco, Andean, etc.), music videos, etc.
Discuss the following questions as a class:
What kind of instruments do you hear in these songs?
Do any of you play those instruments?
What do you like about this music? What dont you like?
Discuss Similarities among Cultures:
After completing the research and readings on this cultural lesson, discuss the similarities which exist
between Hispanic countries and our own.
** Music can help students identify with the language more, and develop more of an interest in Latino
culture.

5E Lesson Plan: Expressive Arts

References:

Cornett, C. (2011). Creating meaning through literature and the arts: Arts integration for classroom teachers (4th
ed.). Boston, MA: Allyn & Bacon/Pearson.
(2015). ProQuest. CultureGrams Online Edition.
Retrieved from http://online.culturegrams.com/kids/
Viney, Peter. A Time for a Song. Found on web:
http://www.viney.uk.com/resources/songarticle/songarticle.htm

5E Lesson Plan: Expressive Arts

Assessment:

Anecdotal Records

Suggestions for observations:

1. Listens to directions, follows verbal and nonverbal cues from teacher
2. Demonstrates awareness of and respect for others during peer presentations
3. Research on culture/country has facts correctly recorded
4. During music activities actively participates in listening and singing
5. Correctly reproduces rhythm patterns of song(s) listening to previously

Student Name: _________________________________

Date: _____________________________
Activity/prompt: ______________________________

Observation/ Notes:
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Teacher: ____________________________________________

5E Lesson Plan: Expressive Arts

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