MUED 324 DRL Assignment

Title (interesting and eye catching): Interpretation of The Lark Ascending

Brief Class Description (contextual information including type of music class, age/grade level,
approximate number of students, and special accommodations):
High school orchestra ages 14-18. ~60 students

Lesson Topic: Using imagery to relate a poem to string instrument improvisation

Prior Knowledge (How do you know the students are ready for this lesson?): Strong technical
understanding of their own instrument (enough to improvise melodies).

Alignment:
https://static1.squarespace.com/static/5b62f7232487fd03344fb77d/t/5c3cc06aaa4a994017468e5f/
1547485292308/Music+Standards+Grades+P-12.pdf
(*NOTE: Primarily pages 1-9.)

Maryland State Music Indicator Expectation Activities

Standards -
1. Creating I:9-12:1: Conceptualize E:9-12:1: Evaluate and 2)b., 4)b., 5)a., 6)a.
Grades 9-12: and generate musical refine personal musical
works for varied ideas in response to
Anchor Standard 1 contexts, and artistic feedback and document
Anchor Standard 3 purposes with revisions.
advancing use of
compositional
techniques, including
effective use of
available technology.
2. Presenting I:9-12:3: Describe and E:9-12:2: Interact 2)a., 3)b., 4)a., 5)a.,
Grades 9-12: explain how creative effectively with the 6)a.
intent is communicated audience and other
Anchor Standard 4 through interpretation performers to convey
Anchor Standard 6 in a variety of musical the artistic purpose of
styles, contexts and the piece as well as
genres, including intended interpretation.
expressive aspects and Reflect with the
musical elements. listeners in discussion
or other activity
appropriate to the
context.
3. Responding I:9-12:1: Analyze E:9-12:2: As self- 2)a., 3)b., 4)a., 6)a.
interpretations of the directed learners, use
Anchor Standard 8 creative intent and analytical evidence to
Anchor Standard 7 meaning of musical support and
works, citing as communicate the
evidence the treatment importance of structure,
of the elements of musical elements, and
music, contexts, context when listening
compositional to music.
techniques, and
research.

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MUED 324 DRL Assignment

Materials Needed (Must include complete bibliographic citations, following APA format:
Meredith, G. (1881). The Lark Ascending. https://www.bartleby.com/246/680.html
Richard Brittain. (2010, September 1). Vaughan Williams ~ The Lark Ascending [Video] YouTube.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZR2JlDnT2l8

Procedures

Prepare the classroom with chairs but no stands.

1) Introduction (This first part must include teacher language, such as giving instructions, explaining
reasoning, or connecting lesson parts.):
a. Instruct the class to take their seat and prepare their instrument
b. Explain that we will be starting a new piece, the piece Lark Ascending by Vaughan
Williams
i. The piece is an interpretation of the poem Lark Ascending by George Meredith

2) Readiness (Activity integrating motivation, background knowledge, music element/concept, and

purpose for lesson.):
a. Ask the class how they would “interpret” a poem or other piece of art by using their
instrument (Using Imagery)
i. Provide the idea of improvising a melody that captures the expressions of the
piece of art
b. Ask the class if they have ever improvised on their instruments before
i. If there is time, do an activity where the students one-by-one improvise a 4-bar
melody on their instruments one at a time for the entire class
c. Project the poem excerpt that Williams put in the program for the piece on the overhead
projector
i. Supplement this with handouts that have the entire poem by George Meredith on
it.

3) Silent ‘Reading’ Activity (Students must be actively engaged – underlining, annotating, audiating,
etc., while reading.):
a. The students will now read the entire poem, underlining sections that they think express a
specific emotion and writing their explanation for that choice in the margin of the paper
b. Spend another five minutes having the students brainstorm ideas on how to incorporate
the feelings they underlined into an improvisational melody on their instrument (Using
Imagery)

4) Discussion / playing their instrument (any type of student engagement) Activity :

a. Have some students share one of the spots in the poem that they thought expressed a
strong, specific emotion, but not their idea on how they would make it into a melody
b. Repeat activity 2)b. with 8 bars instead of four for each student. Each student should try
to incorporate an emotion that they felt from the poem they read. (Using Imagery)
i. While others are playing, have students select one or two performances from
other students to analyze in their head: “why did they do that for their
improvisation?”, “What part of the poem could they be referring to when they
played that?”, “What emotion are they trying to convey exactly?”

5) ‘Re-reading’ Activity (Students must be actively engaged. Does not imply silent reading but can
mean skimming or focusing on one portion of the text or doing another reading strategy.):

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MUED 324 DRL Assignment

a. Have the students review the poem and try to find places where other students cited from
for their melodies. What did those other students do in their melody to convey the
emotion from that part of the poem (or just in general)? (Using Imagery)

6) Follow-Up Writing Activity (closing activity) (Must be connected to the lesson and use an exit slip,
so serves as a formative assessment.):
a. Write one paragraph about how three different, general emotions could be each conveyed
through improvisation on your string instrument. Cite one line from the poem and explain
how you would address the emotion being conveyed in that line on your instrument (ex.
what did you do for your in-class improvisation and why)? (Using Imagery)

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