EDU276 Lesson 5 - Multiple Intelligences and Learning Styles

Assignment: Write a Lesson Objective and Activities to Meet Learning Styles

Grade Level: Fourth Grade

Content Area: Elementary Music and Dance

Lesson Objective: Create and perform an original four sequence dance pattern based on a famous classical composition, The Nutcracker.

Activity 1

Play a total of 4 different movements from Tchaikovsky’s The Nutcracker, namely, 

March of the Children, Nutcracker Suite, Op. 71a, Dance of The Sugar Plum Fairy, Trepak, the Russian Dance, and the Chinese Tea Dance.

Prepare students to differentiate between the stylistic mood and timbre of each movement. Pass out paper and instruct students to write down short phrases or one-word adjectives to describe their first impressions and immediate reactions to each movement. For example, if a student feels a movement gives a feeling of playfulness, the student should write down playful. If Chinese Tea Dance reminds a student of an emperor, the student should write down emperor. 

Play 30 seconds of each movement, one at a time, giving time in between to respond to each movement separately. Playing the music will appeal to auditory learners. The writing of short phrases and adjectives will appeal to visual learners. 

Activity 2

Instruct students to keep their original impressions in mind and to compose a position that would best fit the music and their thoughts. Beginning with the first movement have students stand and freeze in a position that reflects their thoughts. For example, if the March of the Children inspired a student to think of a solider, a student may freeze in a position that looks like a soldier saluting. 

Engage students in a group discussion, identifying different positions that look interesting. Discuss why. Encourage peer collaboration by choosing one specific student pose for all students in the classroom to mirror (imitate). Then give that position a name. Again, using the first movement as an example, the name of the position might be soldier. 

Repeat this activity for each movement. Here are some possibilities. The Sugar Play Fairy position could be called arabesque. The Trepak position could be called babushka, and the Chinese Tea position could be called emperor.

Without music, the teacher will call out different positions by name. The sequence may or may not be in order. Performing each position will appeal to the tactile kinesthetic leaners. Hearing and responding to the position names will appeal to the auditory learner.

Activity 3

This activity will appeal to all three learners as it combines the first two activities into one culminating performance. The students will perform their original four sequence dance pattern based on the famous classical composition, The Nutcracker.

Instruct students that music will be played again. Students will be encouraged to free dance to the music until the teacher calls out a position name. At that point, students will freeze in each position, in order, as called out by the teacher. The students may conclude their original four sequence dance with a curtain like bow and a round of self applause.