Lesson Goals
Students will understand that there are different settings for musical performances and different purposes (Classical Music Concert, School Performance, Rock or Pop Concert, Ballet).
Students will improvise at least two different ways to show performance with different setting pictures and music genres playing in the background.
Jump into the musical scene through green screen technology for Kindergarteners to show that music is performed in a variety of settings and for a variety of purposes.
Materials
4 iPads
1 downloaded Application: Green Screen by Do Ink ($2.99)
Pre-chosen pictures for background pictures (at least 3 rock concert, 3 ballet, 3 school stage pictures, 3 classical music pictures – within the 3 pictures chosen you should be able to see the stage, the performer, the audience)
2 green table cloths taped on the wall as the green screen
Music examples: a classical music example, a rock music example, a ballet music example and a children’s song example from a school performance
Activities
1. Have students close their eyes and think a place that they have heard music. Have them touch their head when they have a place in mind. (You can even help by saying, house, movies, car.)
2. Have students then open their eyes and share with a partner. Walk around as they are sharing.
3. Once they are done, ask them why do they think music was playing? Was it to entertain, teach/inform, background noise, help tell a story?
4. Have them touch their head when they know.
5. Have the kids share out.
6. Then proceed to tell them that music is performed live in many different places (this is important as they most likely have heard music in recorded form) and for different reasons like the ones they have already shared.
7. Then share with them 3 different pictures of a rock concert. Ask them what instruments they see: (guitar, drums, piano/keyboard – if you can see them in a picture), Ask them what else they see on stage: (lights, microphones, speakers), Ask them do they think it will be loud or quiet based on the pictures (loud) How do you know? (big speakers, singer is jumping up and down) What is the audience doing? (clapping their hands, hands in the air, jumping, pointing etc.) What is the performer doing? Why do you think they are performing music? (entertainment, inform/teach, help tell a story?)
8. Have the students listen to an example of Rock Music. Have them choose to either act as the performer or the audience.
9. Repeat 7-8 with classical music and concert hall
10. Repeat 7-8 with ballet and auditorium
11. Repeat 7-8 with school performance/gym
12. Now divide them into 4 groups – tell them to decide who will be the audience – who will be the performers – they are going to improvise their parts whenever I play one of the musical genres already played.
13. Everyone will practice but one group at a time will do the activity in-front of the green screen while I record them using a separate iPad for each group and the Green Screen by Do Ink App (Hint: Be sure to change the sensitivity/contract so the background actually shows up green). Only do about 15 seconds and only choose two settings (example – ballet and rock concert). When they move into the green screen space – press play on a ballet song – they should act out how they would act in that setting, then change to the rock song and there should be a change).
14. Once everyone has had a turn in front of the green screen – show each of the pictures and have the groups come to a consensus about which picture they want in the background. The teacher will put them in quickly for each group or have a higher student add them in. The students will have a chance to share their videos with the group through plugging up to projector or mirroring the iPad screen to the computer or even a Gallery Walk – where each group goes around and watches each other’s video on the iPad.
Differentiation Approaches
Group them with a strong buddy, Assign their part (audience or performer), The entire group can choose to act out the same part, and you can minimize their choice options for pictures instead or 3 choices – only 2.
Assessment
Videos – are the students acting appropriately for the setting and music being shown and played. Did the students choose an appropriate background picture?
Questions at the end of sharing: Where are you (location: auditorium, arena, amphitheatre, concert hall, school stage) in the video? Why are you performing like that? What is the purpose of that performance?
Follow Up and Extension Ideas
This lesson could be adapted to art to further explain entertainment vs. informative. For example you could say: Draw a picture that is entertaining vs. one that tells a part of a story.
Additional Details
- Grade Level: Kindergarten
- Arts Content Area: Music, Theatre Arts
- Non-Arts Content Area: English Language Arts, Technology
