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Songwriting as Story Telling: Celebrating Indigenous Cultures Through Poetry and Music

 

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Curriculum Level: K-5

By Joanne Van Eycke, Parkwood Elementary School, Onslow County Schools, North Carolina

OVERVIEW OF LESSON:
Students will demonstrate their understanding of what it means to be Indigenous and Native Peoples and that many of these cultures and First Nations continue to be vibrant and thriving communities to this day. They will be able to identify a variety of First Nations around the world by describing some of their commonalities and differences. Students will focus on three First Nations by which they are inspired to create original poetry. The goal is to shine a spotlight on Indigenous Peoples and their cultures and their positive attributes and contributions to their Peoples.

SUGGESTED GRADE LEVEL: Grade 5

SUBJECTS: Music, English Language Arts

CORRESPONDING NATIONAL AND/OR STATE OF NORTH CAROLINA STANDARDS:

North Carolina Music Standards 
5.MR.1.2 Use music terminology in explaining music, including notation, instruments, voices, and performances.

5.ML.3.2 Create compositions and arrangements within specified guidelines.

5.MR.1.3 Exemplify appropriate behaviors as a participant and observer of music in relation to the context and style of music performed.

5.CR.1.2 Understand the relationships between music and concepts from other areas.

North Carolina ELA Standards
RL.5.4 Determine the meaning of words and phrases as they are used in a text, recognizing specific word choices that contribute to meaning and tone.

RI.5.6 Analyze multiple accounts of the same event or topic, noting important similarities and differences in the point of view they represent.

RI.5.7 Draw on information from multiple print or digital sources, demonstrating the ability to locate an answer to a question or to solve a problem efficiently.

W.5.1 Write opinion pieces on topics or texts, supporting a point of view with reasons

L.5.3 Use knowledge of language and its conventions when writing, speaking, reading, or listening. information.

ESSENTIAL QUESTIONS: 

  • What commonalities and differences are there among Indigenous and Native Peoples?
  • What positive attributes or contributions have Indigenous and Native Peoples accomplished that you find interesting?
  • How do poetry and music help to convey information and emotion?

LESSON OBJECTIVES:

  1. Students will be able to identify three different Indigenous Peoples/ First Nations positive attributes or contributions they have or have made.
  2. Students will be able to write three different rhyming couplets.
  3. Students will be able to perform their poetry either sung or rapped in time to music.

RESOURCES TO EXPLORE FURTHER:

Resources for Teaching About Indigenous Peoples  | NEA

To find out what ancestral lands you are living on visit: Native-Land.ca | Our home on native land

For resources and examples specific to the state of North Carolina visit the following website: 2023 American Indian Heritage Month Toolkit (to be used every month) from the NC American Indian Heritage Commission

For inspiration on combining music and the topic of Indigenous Peoples view and listen to the Indigenous Peoples Day Song For Kids by the musician and educator Fyutch. This demonstrates how one may respectfully discuss and share information on this topic while being culturally responsive.

SPECIFIC STUDENT STRATEGIES & ACTIVITIES:
This lesson is separated into three parts: research on Indigenous Peoples, poem writing using rhyming couplets, and songwriting. The intention is to work through all three parts to create a deeper understanding of the topic; however, each part requires 90 minutes and may also stand alone.

Part 1 Indigenous Peoples/First Nations Research

INTRODUCTION: What does it mean to be Indigenous and Native Peoples? It is a common misconception that indigenous cultures are no longer around, but did you know that many of these cultures and First Nations continue to be vibrant and thriving communities to this day?  In this lesson, we will identify a variety of First Nations and look at some of their commonalities and differences.

DIRECTIONS:

  1. Activate prior knowledge – What do students know about Indigenous Cultures? Can they identify any First Nations? Mention Indigenous Cultures specific to your state or country to align with the local curriculum. This can be done by using your school address to find out what First Nations inhabited the land your school is on with the website Native Land Digital. For example, Jacksonville, NC shares land with the Lumbee Nation and then perhaps broaden the search to all of NC to identify more options.
  2. Teacher will model how to execute the research worksheet using the information gained from the land search. As a class, they will list three Indigenous cultures and then put each respective one in its own research box on the worksheet. Next, they will research and list three facts about each culture using the school library. Once the facts are listed then draw connecting lines to denote any similarities.
  3. The teacher will share with the class the expectations for completing their research and the rubric.
  4. Next, pass out the research worksheet to the class and have each student complete their worksheet.
  5. As students complete their worksheet, they may sit in small groups to share what they have learned including discussing any similarities and differences between their research subjects.
  6. Teacher collects and grades worksheets according to the rubric.

Part 2 Couplet Poem

INTRODUCTION: A couplet poem uses rhyming words and rhythm. Couplet comes from the term couple which means two. It is the simplest form of poetry. Descriptive words are used to create a fun image. The pattern uses rhyming words at the end of each of the two sentences to form a couplet. The two lines should rhyme and complete one thought, action, or sentence. Several couplets can be joined together to make a longer poem.

DIRECTIONS:

  1. Teacher will model how to execute the couplet worksheet. Have the class choose a positive attribute or contribution from a First Nation Peoples that they identified on their research worksheet or come up with one together. Using rhyming words, compose 3-4 couplets about the attribute or contribution to form a couplet poem.
  2. The teacher will share the expectations for completing a couplet poem and share the rubric with them.
  3. Next, pass out the completed research worksheet and the couplet poem worksheet to the class.
  4. Have students write their own couplet poems.
  5. Teacher collects and grades poems according to the rubric.

POEM TIPS:

  1. Use a thesaurus to find different words or synonyms that might be easier to rhyme
  2. When writing your couplet, think of things that include sights, sounds, or movements that are part of the attribute or contribution.
  3. Write about something personal that you enjoy using or incorporating into your own experiences based on First Nation Peoples.

EXAMPLE COUPLETS:

“It’s hard to see the butterfly                         “I made the cupcakes one by one

When it floats across the sky”                         Now I’ll wait until they’re done”

Part 3 Poetry & Background Track

INTRODUCTION: A background track is a musical composition created specifically to accompany a product and can be used to help convey or heighten a mood. For this lesson, we will create tracks to accompany the poems. Think about the mood and tone of the poem for which you will be using this track. The loops and instruments you use should help to convey the information in the poem.

DIRECTIONS:

  1. The teacher will use the example created by the class from Part 2 of this lesson or a poem of your choosing to use as an example to model the assignment for the class.
  2. The teacher will model how to use technology (such as Incredibox, Beast Box, GarageBand, Chrome Music Lab) to create background track by adding loops and creating music to compose the track. Here is a great tutorial for Incredibox which is very user-friendly Incredibox 11 – Composition (youtube.com) to help get you started.
  3. Have the class speak the poem to the beat of the track.
  4. Pass out the students’ previously created poems or chosen poems. Use the poems to complete the background track worksheet.
  5. Students work independently to complete their own track.
  6. As students complete their track, assign them to a small group to perform and assist each other with their compositions.
  7. Students perform for the class and assess each other using the attached rubric.

BACKING TRACK TIP:  Sometimes less is more. Remember that the track is used to help convey the mood and shouldn’t overpower the speaker.

ASSESSMENTS:
Utilize the following rubrics to assess each section of the lesson.

LEARNING EXTENSIONS:
In addition to creating and performing for the class, this lesson could be extended by performing for the students’ families at an assembly. Students could also record their music to create either an audio file or a video. An art activity to visually represent the music would also be a creative way to extend this lesson.

MATERIALS:

  • Whiteboard
  • Smartboard
  • All handouts and rubrics provided here including:
    Research Worksheet, Couplet Poem Worksheet, Poetry & Background Track Worksheet, Research Rubric, Couplet Poem Rubric, Poetry & Background Track Rubric
  • Student laptops with access to internet
  • Library or books from the library about Indigenous Cultures
  • Pens, pencils and/or drawing supplies

REFERENCES:

Goodman, K.  (2017). Native American Cultures for Kids. The English Reading Tree.

Kid Thesaurus LLC. (2023, March 10).  Kid Thesaurus – Search for Kid Friendly Synonyms.   https://kidthesaurus.com/aboutus/

Music Will. (2023, April 29). Incredibox 11: Composition/Tech Lesson Incredibox 11 – Composition (youtube.com)

Native-Land.  (2023, March 10). Our Home on Native Land. https://native-land.ca/

NC American Indian Heritage Commission. (2023, November 01).  2023 American Indian Heritage Month   Toolkit.   https://aihc.nc,gov/ncaihc-american-indian-heritage-month-toolkit

NEA.  (2023, March 10).  Resources for Teaching About Indigenous People  https://www.nea.org/professional-excellence/student-engagement/tools-tips/resources-teaching-aboutindigenous-peoples

Sorell, T.  (2021, April 20).  We Are Still Here! Native American Truths Everyone Should Know.  Charlesbridge Publishing.

Teen Vogue. (2016, November 29).  6 Misconceptions About Native American   People.  YouTube. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GHdW_LVfn28

Yasuda, A.  (2013). Explore Native American Cultures:  With 25 Great Projects!.  Nomad Press

World View, a public service program at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, equips K-12 and community college educators with global knowledge, best practices and resources to prepare students to engage in our interconnected and diverse world.

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