Lesson Plan: Giraffes Can't Dance

The following is a lesson plan that I created for my Language Arts class. Please note that the standards are from Nevada state standards. Enjoy! 

Unit: Music & Reading
Lesson: Giraffes Can’t Dance
Grade: First Grade
Standards:
English Language Arts
2.1.1 Identify Author and Illustrator
3.1.5 With assistance, identify the effects of rhythm and rhyme.
7.1.3 Expand vocabulary through listening.
Music
9.3.1 Identify several styles of music from various cultures.
9.3.2 Identify various uses for music in daily experience. 

Materials: Giraffes Can’t Dance by Giles Andreae, Giraffe’s Cant Dance playlists, animal cards for students/small groups, handout.

Anticipatory Set: While handing out the animal cards, ask students, “Do you think animals dance?”, “Look at what animal you are, do you think that animal likes to listen to music and dance?” ... “We are going to read a book called Giraffes Can’t Dance, maybe we will find out!”

Purpose/Objectives:
✓    Students will become familiar with the layout of books & be able to tell the author & illustrator.
✓    Students will be introduced to the rhythm and rhyme in stories.
✓    Students will gain new vocabulary.
✓    Students will be able to identify new styles of music.

Input:
Explain to the students that they will be hearing different music styles that go along with the story. After the story, they will have a chance to identify the music styles.
The teacher will read Giraffes Can’t Dance, making a point to show all the parts of the book (cover, spine, title page, author, illustrator, etc...).
The teacher will stop reading when the story comes to any type of music (Waltz, Rock n’ Roll, Tango, Cha-Cha, and Scottish Real). During this pause, the teacher will play the corresponding song from the attached playlist. That animal student/group will get up and dance.
After reading the book, the teacher will tell the students that they will hear some music that is similar to the songs they just heard from the story. This is when the teacher will play the next song group in the playlist. Ask students to identify the music style. Do the first example with them.
The handout will be used to record their answers and get their feedback. Be sure to give them time to fill it out, this is their assessment and independent practice.

Modeling: Do the first example of identifying the music style with the students, talking about the similarities from the first piece and this piece. Also the teacher will give the students an example of how they use music in their life.

Check for Understanding: After the class does an example of identifying a song together, the teacher will ask them if they feel like they can identify some songs on their own. They will hold up one finger for yes and a fist for no/want another example.

Guided Practice: Work through the remaining four songs of the playlist. Asking students to identify which music style the song, have them write their answer on the handout, but review each answer as a class.

Assessment:
Formal: The handout will be turned in.
Informal: Teacher will see how well students respond to identifying the music styles and how much they contribute to the class discussion.

Independent Practice: The handout has a section where the students are asked how they can apply the knowledge they learned. How will they, or can they, use music in their life?

Closure: As the teacher is collecting the handouts then have some of the students share their ideas of how they can use music in their life.

Modifications: If the classroom has YouTube capability then the teacher could show the students how the actual dances are preformed for each music style. 

Extensions:
Make the animal and music words the vocabulary lesson of the week.
The teacher can use stuffed animals instead of the animal picture cards.
The use of small instruments to go along with each song (drums, tambourine, maracas, etc...).