Max Found Two Sticks/ Rhythmic Sticks Lesson Plan

Intern Name: Iryna Chernitska

Day/Date/Time: Thursday/ March 8th, 2018/10:30am

Grade & Subject Area(s): 2nd Grade/Language Arts

Curriculum content Stanards:

RL.2.4 Describe how words and phrases (e.g., regular beats, alliteration,
rhymes, repeated lines) supply rhythm and meaning in a story, poem, or
song.

RL.2.7 Use information gained from the illustrations and words in a print
or digital text to demonstrate understanding of its characters, setting, or plot.

Goal(s)
During this lesson, students will:

 be able to use their personalized rhythm stick to use and or create non-sense
words that represent rhythmic playing to their own choice of a story or poem as
well as record a part of their individual project to show to the class

 write in their journals using information and illustrations from the story Max
Found Two Sticks to demonstrate understanding of characters, setting, and plot

Group Dynamics: Students get to work in a whole classroom setting (read aloud &
discussion) as well as individually and in pairs (final projects).

Instructional materials:
 2 paper towel tubes
 Newspaper
 Duct Tape
 Markers
 Glitter
 Stickers
 Paint
 Max Found Two Sticks (Book)

Activities for Day 1: 60min

Step 1: English Language Arts

Invite students to sit on the carpet in their assigned spots. Read the book, Max Found Two
Sticks by Brian Pinkney. Before you read the story ask the students, “What do you think
the boy is doing with the sticks?” and “Have you ever done that?”. Give time for
students to share their ideas about what will Max do with the sticks. As we read the story,
I want you to look for the different ways Max uses his sticks to make music on different
surfaces?

Step 2:
After the read aloud do a mini lesson reminding students that there are short and long
sounds in rhythms. Have students watch this video about rhythms.
https://youtu.be/KUtEg8Qxuxk What kind of rhythm patterns did we see Max make in
the story? Ask the students to write down the rhythm patterns that they remember hearing
and seeing Max create with his two sticks in their writing journals. Ask the students to
think about the setting...where did Max hit his sticks to make music and how did he make
those rhythms. *He hit his pants/ thighs, a bucket, hat boxes, soda bottles, and garbage
can lids. Have students pair and share what they have written down with their side buddy
and then ask students to share the patterns. It is okay if students have written down key
words or just ideas and not full sentences. *Patterns are listed below activities for day
two.

Step 3: Allow for students to create their own rhythm sticks following the directions
given below. Students can decorate their rhythm stick in any way that they would like but
encourage students to decorate the stick as it would represent them as a person. Ask
questions such as, “What does the stick tell me about you as a person when it’s done?”
Tell them to include their favorite things such as pictures of families or pets, use favorite
colors, stickers of hobbies or sports, anything that tells me about them.

Directions: Tear strips of newspaper and stuff them into paper. The newspaper
should already be in strips before given to each individual student. (Teacher will prepare
the day before). Have students fill the tubes completely with newspaper and seal the ends
with tape. Use makers and other art materials provided to decorate the outside of the
rhythm stick. Allow for the sticks to dry on the drying rack overnight.

Activities for Day Two: 60min

Step 1:
Teach and model the patterns to students using the two personalized
rhythm sticks that you have created. Emphasize that the three dots
represent a pause of rest. Here are some patterns that the teacher can
teach and model for the students...these are also the patterns that students should have
identified in their writing journals from the book. Choose at least three patterns one from
each colored area to model for the students.

Ti-ti
Ti-ri-ti-ri
Pat...pat-tat.
Pitter-putter...pat-tat
Tap-tap-tap
Tippy-tap...tat-tat
Dum...dum-de-dum
di-di-di-di...dum-dum
dong...dang...dung...
cling...clang..da-BANG!
A-cling-clang...DA-BANGGG!

Step 2:
Invite students to practice the non-sense word patterns and read them rhythmically as a
whole class. First model the pattern...pat...pat-tat and then have students repeat the
pattern using their own rhythm sticks that they have created from the day before. Try
doing a few different patterns with the students to see if the students are understanding
how to use their sticks. The students that are struggling can be pulled aside after group
time for more practice while the other students head back to their desks and journal about
how the rhythm gave meaning to the story. Students can draw what they saw or heard as
well as write key words and ideas. How did the rhythmic words help us hear, visualize
and understand the story better? Students should write/ draw ideas about how it helped us
understand the different sounds that sticks were making when they were hitting different
surfaces and without the patterns we wouldn’t be able to understand the difference and
the meaning it gave each individual phrase and word in the story.

Step 3:
The students that have shown an understanding of at least two patterns can start to think
and share with their assigned partner of a poem or story that they would like to use a beat
with. Students can also work with their partner on creating their own beat for the story or
poem they have picked. The teacher will provide stories and poems read in the classroom
from earlier in the year as resources. Students will be able to choose to bring a story or
poem from home, pick a book or poem from the classroom library. The teacher will
provide poems for students to pick from that we have studied in class prior to this lesson
plan.

Activities for Day 3/4/5: 45 minutes each day

*Teacher will model a beat that she has created for a poem called: Sea Fever

I must go down to the seas again, (thum, da, thum)

to the lonely sea and sky. (shushhh shushh) (Rub the sticks together to make a wave
sound)

On day three students will work on practicing their beat to their choice of story or poem.
Days three and four, will be used for students to finish up practicing and start recording
themselves preform their poem/ story with a non-sense rhythm pattern. The students will
only be instructed to show a short portion of their story or poem (1-4min). Students will
be using app/website called Go-React to record their videos which will be monitored by
the teacher. Students will be taught how to record their videos prior to this lesson plan.
Throughout the week, the teacher will be sharing between one and three student videos
during reading/writing time. The teacher will use a rubric for each students’ video to
assess their knowledge and understanding of using non-sense words that represent
rhythmic playing to their own choice of a story or poem. *See rubric attached.

Key Vocabulary/Academic Language:

List key terms that need to be defined prior to or as part of instruction.

Pattern: repeated design or recurring sequence

Rhythm: a regular repeated pattern of beats, sounds, activity or movements
Pause of rest: a temporary pause or stop

Assessment Plan:
Learning Goal(s) Description of Assessment* Adaptations and/or
Accommodations
be able to use their The teacher will assess the students Students that have a hard time
personalized rhythm final project with a rubric; using a using a stick with non-sense
stick to use and or rhythmic stick to create or use a words to the book of their own
create non-sense created pattern with a story or poem of choice can record themselves
words that represent their choice. *See rubric attached using the patterns from the book,
rhythmic playing to below. Max Found Two Sticks.
their own choice of a
story or poem as well
as record a part of
their individual
project to show to the
class

write in their journals The teacher will assess the students Allow students to draw pictures
using information understanding of the characters, of the different sounds that the
and illustrations from setting and plot using a checklist. sticks were making...the events of
the story Max Found Students that receive a check in 3 of story and the main character
Two Sticks to the 4 boxes have meet expectations hitting the sticks on different
demonstrate and a 4/4 means the student has surfaces. Students can also listen
understanding of exceeded expectations. to a read aloud of the story to
characters, setting, hear the different sounds that the
and plot non-sense words make when Max
hits the sticks on those surfaces.

*Students that have a hearing disability can focus on creating patterns by focusing on the
visual words such as the ones provided above and using it with a text.
Students that are visually impaired can focus on listening to the sound patterns and focus
on creating their own pattern to a story or poem of their choosing.
Students with ADHD can also watch the read aloud video during class time instead of
participating in group discussion if distraction because too much.

https://youtu.be/vM_CxW7aB-k
Summary/Final Paragraph:

The article, Saying Yes to Music, written by Blecher and Burton explains how
incorporating music not only gives students a voice but it also enhances math, reading,
science, and writing instruction. Allowing students to use digital apps/websites such as
Go React (records audio/video) is 21st century media literacy because the students use
these tools in every day life from Facetiming their friends and parents to posting on social
media such as Instagram and Twitter. Integrating music, art, drama, dance, and poetry in
the curriculum requires students to employ all of their senses as they interpret the worlds
created by composers, writers, and artists. Fowler argued that, “As a form of human
expression, opera challenges students to reach beyond speaking and writing and to think
more comprehensively about their own ability to express and to communicate. It is
important for students to understand how words and phrases especially beats and rhythms
can help us understand the characters, setting, and meaning in a story. Students should be
able to use the illustrations and words in the printed texted to understand that they have a
point and serve meaning in the story. The inclusion of technology in the classroom helps
promote emergent literacy development as students are preforming their poems and
stories and later showing their work to other students. In this lesson, we are focusing on
understanding that rhythms can make different sound patterns and how those sounds are
meaning different things in a story or poem. Using 21st century media literacy in the
classroom helps students learn and understand important concepts by integrating
technology that the students use in their everyday life.

In this lesson plan students are able to think more critically about the purpose of
the words and phrases chosen in the story. Students are also able to express themselves
through art by creating their own rhythm sticks and applying their knowledge by
speaking and writing about the story as well as preforming their own project. The article
Literacies, Arts and Multimodality also states, “learners will begin to talk about visual
texts as they do literary texts”. Students in my lesson plan are able to create a rhythm
stick that represents them as a person meaning they are beginning to learn how to analyze
their own art work as well as the art work of other students. For example, students are
able to talk about why they choose certain colors, shapes, stickers and so on. This lesson
plan meets the needs of my students by incorporating art, music, reading and writing by
using a mix of non-digital texts and digital technology such as a recording app;
something that many students are familiar with outside the classroom. The lesson can be
modified for different learners by providing students with a pattern or recommending a
specific book as well making adaptations for students with ADHD, Visual, and Hearing
impairments.

The first objective is for students to be able to use their personalized rhythm stick
to use and or create non-sense words that represent rhythmic playing to their choice of a
story/ poem. This objective is supported by the reading language arts standards of
students being able to connect and understand how words and phrases such as rhythm
supply meaning in a story or a poem. Students are able to practice giving meaning to the
story of their choosing by creating their own non-sense patterns or using the ones
provided to give their story/poem meaning. The assessment is authentic because it gives
the student a choice on the type of book and or poem to use and allows them to create
their own non-sense word patterns.
The second objective is for students to write in their journals using information and
illustrations from the story Max Found Two Sticks to demonstrate understanding of
characters, setting, and plot. This learning goal is supported by the reading language
standard 2.7 as students use the illustrations and words in the book to demonstrate what
they understand about the characters, setting and plot in the read aloud book Max Found
Two Sticks. This is an authentic assessment because the teacher can evaluate the students
understanding through their journal entry which will look different for every student.
Each student has their own funds of knowledge and can show their understanding
through words, pictures, and diagrams.

Citations:

Albers, P. & Sanders, J. (2010). Literacies, the arts, and multimodality. Reading Arts
Reading Lives. National Council of Teachers of English.

Hovey, Stephen. Max Found Two Sticks. (2013). YouTube. YouTube.

Masefield, John. “Sea Fever by John Masefield.” Poetry Foundation, Poetry Foundation,
www.poetryfoundation.org/poems/54932/sea-fever-56d235e0d871e.

“Ohio's Learning Standards Extended.” Ohio Department of Education

education.ohio.govTopics/Special-Education/Ohios-Learning-Standards
Extended.

Rhythm Lesson. Singtolearn. (2012). YouTube. YouTube.