Essential Questions: How can music tell a story? How can music teach a lesson?

How do words express rhythm? Student Roles: Interpreter, performer, composer Phase 1: Children will work in small groups in the library choosing their favorite books Each class we will read a few books and discuss our generative questions Students will engage in discussion about the lesson and morals taught through literature As a class students will decide on their favorite books and discuss the rhythm and meter of the stanzas of text Dr. Seusss rhyming books are a great choice! Phase 2: Students will collaborate to compose a class song Students will rehearse and critique song every day Students will write program notes in small groups Primary A New Seussical National Standards: 1. Singing, alone and with others, a varied repertoire of music. 2. Performing on instruments, alone and with others, a varied repertoire of music. 3. Improvising melodies, variations, and accompaniments. 4. Composing and arranging music within specified guidelines. 6. Listening to, analyzing, and describing music. 7. Evaluating music and music performances. 8. Understanding relationships between music, the other arts, and disciplines outside the arts. Phase 3/Exhibition: Students will perform their class song as a mini musical. The song will demonstrate the lesson learned from the story. Before the performance students will introduce the piece with their own program notes

Dispositions: Critical Thinking, Creativity, Cooperation, Work ethic, Responsibility, Compromise, Acceptance, Risk Taking, Confidence, Trust, Curiosity

Collaboration: librarian, parents, administration

Essential Questions: How can music save the world? How can music make us greater than ourselves? Student Roles: Songwriter, performer, poet, activist, conservationist, super-hero Phase 2: composing theme songs- chord progressions, instrumentation, etc. students will work in groups to collaborate and critique each others work what makes a singable melody how do you set a pre-written text to music why do poems fit into musical structure National Standards: 1. Singing, alone and with others, a varied repertoire of music. 2. Performing on instruments, alone and with others, a varied repertoire of music. 3. Improvising melodies, variations, and accompaniments. 4. Composing and arranging music within specified guidelines. 5. Reading and notating music. 6. Listening to, analyzing, and describing music. 7. Evaluating music and music performances. 8. Understanding relationships between music, the other arts, and disciplines outside the arts. 9. Understanding music in relation to history and culture.

Elementary This Is How We Save The World!

Phase 3/ Exhibition: School Earth Day Celebration Students will collaborate with the science department and groundkeeper to plant a tree, on the schools campus Sing songs around tree

The Gandhi School district is a moderately sized suburban school district serving approximately 2500 students district wide.

Dispositions: Critical Thinking, Individuality, Creativity, Cooperation, Adaptability, Work ethic, Responsibility, Commitment to task, Time management, Compromise, Decision making, Accuracy, Risk Taking, Confidence, Curiosity

Collaboration: science teachers (classroom teachers), groundskeepers, possibly community members

Mission Statement:The primary focus of education should surround the idea of students developing the essential 21st century skills. In order to give the student the best educational experience we must utilize collaboration between teachers, learners, families, and the community as a whole. We must motivate each student to become aware of his or her individual capabilities of being a continuous life-long learner who has the potential to be an imaginative and innovative leader. We encourage students to think and speak their minds and to explore and accept ideas that are new to them. A K-12 curriculum that is focused on the students learning and development, with balances of small group, large group, and individual work as well as traditional and progressive methods of teaching. Students will be taught to take pride in their work, to be responsible and accountable for their actions, and to foster individual selves that they can be proud of. Students will build both knowledge and skill bases to serve them throughout their formal schooling and lifelong learning.

Essential Questions: What is an anthem? How do countries choose their national anthems? What do anthems represent to citizens of a country? How can a single person have their own anthem? How can music represent people? How can music connect people? How can music represent me, personally? Student Roles: = Composer, lyricist, ethnomusicologist

The Gandhi School District

Phase 1: Research foreign national Anthems, Alma Maters, Anthems in pop culture Characteristics of country and of songs Characteristics and strengths of yourselvesbrainstorm Anthem from Chess. Leonard Cohen Anthem. Personal Anthem. What is important to you? Chess Anthem: http://youtu.be/s7pSwltTDyc Leonard Cohen Anthem: http:// www.youtube.com/watch?v=_e39UmEnqY8 I am Woman http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mmifO2sKT7g Phase 2: Actually write anthems Option of a cappella, piano accompaniment, guitar, etc. Lyrics not necessary, could be done for solo instrument or with electronic music. Then, if I dont want to use words, how do I bring myself out in the sound of the instrument. Program notes or explanations after pieces. Poetry combined with instrumental solo. Real notation if possible, or rote learning and performance. Students collaborate and ask each others opinions in weekly "studio" type settings Students discuss how they want to share their composition (concert, informance, in class, on the announcements, etc.)

Middle
My Personal Anthem!

National Standards: 1. Singing, alone and with others, a varied repertoire of music. 2. Performing on instruments, alone and with others, a varied repertoire of music. 4. Composing and arranging music within specified guidelines. 5. Reading and notating music. 6. Listening to, analyzing, and describing music. 7. Evaluating music and music performances. 8.Understanding relationships between music, the other arts, and disciplines outside the arts. 9.Understanding music in relation to history and culture.

Phase 3/ Exhibition: Students perform their Anthems in a commencement activity that they choose and feel comfortable with.

Dispositions: Critical Thinking, Individuality, Creativity, Cooperation, Work ethic, Responsibility, Commitment to task, Time management, Decision making, Acceptance, Risk Taking, Confidence, Trust, Curiosity

Essential Questions: How can music portray a message? How does music reflect or influence society? Student Roles: Songwriter, composer, filmmaker, producer, performers, choreographers Phase 1: Activities to set the stage for the project: Watch/research videos with political undertones. Research context- what event/ standpoint Give list of examples, political songs and videos. (Goodnight Saigon, marches during war, the Beatles, etc) Talk to parents/family members about their experiences with political songs or political events. Culmination/checkpoint: Choosing topic Phase 2: : Activities that engage students in learning (field trips, explorations, visiting experts) Engage with history and technology teachers, learn basic skills- how to use iMovie, facts about the historical event they are dealing with. Apply the skills- Compose music for video- Leave options open- suggestions include Spoken word with background music Score Write new lyrics to pre-existing song Write a song Rehearse, perform, record National Standards: 2. Performing on instruments, alone and with others, a varied repertoire of music. 3. Improvising melodies, variations, and accompaniments. 4. Composing and arranging music within specified guidelines. 5. Reading and notating music. 6. Listening to, analyzing, and describing music. 7. Evaluating music and music performances. 8. Understanding relationships between music, the other arts, and disciplines outside the arts. 9. Understanding music in relation to history and culture. Phase 3/ Exhibition: showing music videos before model congress or debate Dispositions: Critical Thinking, Individuality, Creativity, Cooperation, Adaptability, Work ethic, Responsibility, Commitment to task, Time management, Compromise, Decision making, Acceptance, Precision, Accuracy, Risk Taking, Confidence, Trust, Curiosity, Democracy, Negotiation

High
Music in Politics: a Dynamic Collision!

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Collaboration: community members, administration, history teacher,