Teachers Name: Allison Griffiths Grade: age 8-12; Unit1 (ecological thinking and respect for life) Plan:

what learners will Be able to do (behavioral objective): At the end of the lesson, students in the elementary general music class will be able to identify the main points of the Childrens Appeal to World Leaders (of the Rio Declaration) with a success rate of 85%. Understand (cognitive objective): As a result of this lesson, students will be able to apply the themes presented in the Appeal to the creation of an original musical composition within the genre of Brazilian folk music. Encounter (experiential objective): As a result of this lesson, students will create an original song based upon themes of environmental conservation and peace. Perceive Differently (critical objective): By the end of the lesson, students will realize the role that music has in communicating and enlightening international policy and will be empowered to communicate their own ideas on issues pertaining to the environment and peace.

Date: 11/10/13 Title: The Voice of Children

Partner: (Honor THEIR world by beginning with an experience students bring to the classroom. Include time for collaboration through sharing and dialogue.) *Prior to the childrens arrival in class, acquire and display several items of garbage that can be used as instruments (e.g. bottles, hub-caps, garbage can lids, etc.). 1.) Have children sit in a circle in the center of the classroom 2.) Begin singing one of the Brazilian folk songs learned in the previous class (e.g. Pirulito) and invite the children to join in. 3.) As the kids continue singing, stand up and go to the instrument table and pick up a garbage instrument. Begin playing an improvised rhythmic ostinato with/on the instrument. 4.) Keep the singing going and tap each of the children (slowly and one at a time) and have them grab a garbage instrument. Have them improvise an ostinato as well (while maintaining yours). 5.) Once everyone has had the chance to play and sing, loop the song one last time and cut the group off. 6.) Debrief with a discussion about what the children just experienced. Pose the following questions: what was unusual about these instruments? What was challenging about these instruments? Why would we use these instruments instead of traditional ones? Discuss the answers as a group, emphasizing that no one answer is correct.

Focusing Question: in what ways will students (complete the sentence) In what ways can music communicate and illustrate the ideals of ecological thinking and greater peace as they are presented in international policy (e.g. the Rio Declaration)?

Present: (Sequence of the lesson steps. Take the learning from THEIR world to the world of the classroom. Present the information and allow time for students to practice. Engage critical thinking, problem posing and problem solving.) 7.) After allowing ample time for discussion, split the children into smaller groups (of 46). 8.) Give each child a copy of the Childrens Appeal to World Leaders, explaining that it was written by children just like them in reaction to the events of the Rio Declaration (explain the basic environmental issues that the Declaration deals with). To connect to the last lesson on Brazilian folk music, ask students what kinds of music people from Rio might listen to? 9.) Bring the Appeal up on the Smartboard and read the Appeal aloud as a class. Have volunteers switch off reading and encourage students to pay attention to what they think the main points of the Appeal are. 10.) After the class finishes reading, ask if there are any questions. Once questions are answered, have the children brainstorm as a whole class what they thought the major points of the Appeal were. Write the ideas on the board. 11.) After solidifying a list of 4-5 main points, assign one point per group. Allow (brief) time for groups to discuss their feelings about the point they are assigned. Monitor discussions to keep children on-task and to ensure respectful discussion. 12.) Explain to the children that they are to create an original song (as a group) that represents the point they were assigned. The song (to be performed) must be in the style of a Brazilian folk song (take time to review the stylistic characteristics of the genre if necessary) and must use at least 2 of the garbage instruments. Pose the following question: how do the garbage instruments relate to the Appeal?

Assessment: Formative: Informal assessment; monitor students progress throughout the discussion, creation, and performance processes. Summative: Final performances will serve as the final grade for the project, based upon a rubric that takes musical content, creativity, and participation into account. Each student should be graded on their work within the group as well. I.e. there will be two grades that come out of this project: one for the entire group, and one for each individuals contribution to the success of the scene. Materials: Garbage instruments (and a table to put them on) Smartboard Copies of the Childrens Appeal to World Leaders (one per child) Finale Software (and usable computers) Staff paper

Personalize: (Make the learning personal to the student. Provide opportunities for creativity and for students to be musicians. Encourage creativity and innovation.) 13.) Allow plenty of time, assistance, and supplies (e.g. Finale, garbage instruments, staff paper, etc.) for groups to compose and experiment. (This may take several class periods.)

Perform: (Communicate and share the new learning through performance, demonstration or exhibition.) 14.) Provide time for an in-class performance of each groups song. Allow time after all performances are complete for discussion, commentary, and critique (ask students about the instruments they chose and why; ask fellow classmates to guess what point in the Appeal the song illustrated, etc.). (These performances will serve as the final grade for the project, based upon a rubric that takes poetry, musical content, creativity, and participation into account. Each student should be graded on their work within the group as well. I.e. there will be two grades that come out of this project: one for the entire group, and one for each individuals contribution to the success of the scene.) 15.) Allow time after all performances and related discussions are complete to debrief the Appeal. What have we learned? What do we think? If we were to write an appeal to world leaders what would it look like? This lesson was adapted from the Suggested Learning Activity presented by the United Nations peace education curriculum. The original source for the activity is: Smith, David C. and Terrance R. Carson, Educating for a Peaceful Future, Toronto: Kagan and Woo Limited, 1998, pages 231-237.

Process: After the lesson, take time to reflect. Monitor children during the Partner phase to maintain a calm and safe learning environment. Take time to review elements of Brazilian folk music to guide students through the composition process. Because these ideas may be new to students, allow plenty of time for questions and discussion throughout all steps in the lesson. Encourage (and demand) respectful and open discussion among the whole class and the individual groups. If it becomes an issue, stop the class to discuss listening and communication strategies that will help move the process along (connect to the proceedings that gave birth to the Rio Declaration).