Devin+Anderson-Ruddon

= Unit Title = Auditory Companion: Telling Stories with Music

=Name= Devin Anderson-Ruddon

=Grade Level= 9-12

=Estimated Timeline For Teaching= Six consecutive class periods of fifty minutes = = =Unit Overview=
 * Have the students utilize a pre-existing “Biographical Narrative’ they have created about an important occurrence in their lives, then re-work it into a new medium.
 * By studying musical structure and the poetic/literary aspects of song lyrics, the students will go back and make a musical soundtrack to accompany their tale. They will learn to convey emotions, scenes and turning points within their stories through music. The mood they were initially trying to portray in the narratives will be re-represented, manipulating their prior work into something completely new.
 * Have the students create a ‘companion piece, a few paragraphs describing their choices and explaining how they conveyed a literary point through musical tools.

In the end, they will have a project that crosses many genres and opportunities for presentation. The completed project will include
 * 1) A companion piece to further accentuate their biographical writings
 * 2) A Soundtrack-The students ‘musical story,’ offering the utilization of different mediums.

Theory to Practice
“We need to think about what happens when we really invent…offer students, and ourselves, opportunities to do new things in new ways, taking advantage of the unique capacities of the multi-modal tools now at our fingertips.”-Sara B. Kajder //Unleashing Potential with Emerging Technology// -It is becoming more and more apparent that we need to utilize emerging technologies in our classroom to keep children interested in literature. By mixing component of the ‘old’ with the new, we can better reach our students and provide them with a creative outlet that they are perhaps more comfortable with.

“We //feel// because our experience is enriched when we have emotional connections; we seek beauty and understand better when leaning includes aesthetic journeys” Ellin Oliver Keene, //The Essence of Understanding// -By having the students analyze component of a ‘Biographical Narrative,’ they are looking into something very personal. When a student looks into their work, they are reflecting on their own life with a new perspective. This allows for new viewpoints, new ways of looking at ones life.

“The brain’s genius is its gift for reflection…it unites us at a fundamental level, as nothing else can.”-Ackerman -By having the students reflect on their work, they are exercising not only their ability for self-reflection, but also a new way to connect en masse with their peers. This connection through communication is a valuable skill in any avenue in life, as they will be attempting to gain connections wit a world outside of themselves. = = =Student Objectives= · Students can identify emotions within music · Students can identify key literary points within their own narratives and others · Students begin to think of telling a story across multiple medium · Students critique the meaning/messages held within lyrics and musical compositions. · Show ability to edit and arrange song lyrics into sentences/a coherent story. · Students look at grammatical choices and the effect they have on a piece of writing. · Students exercise their ability to identify grammatically incorrect phrasing and change it to a more ‘appropriate’ conjugation. · Students analyze their Literary Narratives/Auditory Companions with peers and on a personal level, allowing for two moments of reflection and revision · Students advance their Presentation Skills through practice · Students create and develop reasoning for editorial choices.

Daily Lesson Plans**
 * Michigan Content Expectations**
 * CE 1.1.2-1.1.7, C.E. 1.2.2- 1.2.3, C.E. 1.3.1, C.E. 1.3.4-1.3.5, C.E. 1.4.5, C.E 1.5.2-155**
 * Instructional Plan