Art Forms, Towson, November 7, 2016

Stephanie Greene

Task 2: Create music to represent lesson reflection

Factors: Gives account of the experience, explains how the music showed
students understanding of the other subject

PreK Lesson What is in the garden? Apples

Library Media Essential Curriculum Objectives non-fiction picture book
1.0 Define and Refine Problem or Question: Students will be able to follow an inquiry
process to define a problem, formulate questions, and refine either or both to meet a
personal and/or assigned information need. (AASL 21st 1)
4.0 Interpret Recorded Data/Information: Students will be able to follow an inquiry
process to interpret recorded data/information to create new understandings and
knowledge related to the information need in an ethical manner. (AASL 21st 2)
Music Standards
MU:Pr4.3.PKa With substantial guidance, explore musics expressive qualities (such as
voice quality, dynamics, and tempo).

This was a fun lesson. We started out talking about some of our favorite fruits to eat.
Then we discussed where the fruit comes from. Then I read to them from a non-fiction
picture book talking about the life cycle of an apple.

Then, we pantomimed planting a seed, feeding the seed, growing into a seedling, more
food (water/sun), growing taller, flower blooming, apple growing, picking the apple,
eating the apple, finding a seed, and then starting over. We acted this out two times.

I then asked the question How quickly or slowly do each of these steps in the life cycle
take? Are some faster or slower? I showed them images of the process on my board. We
talked as a group about which steps we thought would be faster and slower. Then I
modeled rhythm clapping. Then we applied the rhythm clapping to our apple seed
growing process. We did this two times.

I did notice that they really enjoyed making the movements and clapping out the
rhythms. They smiled and participated (even those who are normally disruptive or
unengaged).

I feel that the experience of following the apple seed cycle with our bodies and by
creating music gave the little ones a better understanding of the life cycle. They were
able to feel that the life cycle does not just happen and that each step of the process
has its own value and pace.

If I were a braver person, or maybe with more experience, I may extend the lesson to
have the students work in pairs to make up their own rhythms, then perform them for
each other.

I will refer back to this lesson next week to see if they remember the life cycle process
before we do our apple art project.