"Where Words Fail, Music Speaks:" Creating Mood, - - PDF document

"Where Words Fail, Music Speaks:"

Creating Mood, Reflection, and Connections with Literature Through Music

2016 UCTE Conference A Presentation by Cambria Demke and David Stone

Cambria: cdemke@murrayschools.org David: dstone@murrayschools.org Follow me on Twitter: @cambriademke Follow me on Twitter: @davewritestory

"Where Words Fail, Music Speaks:" Creating Mood, Reflection, and Connections with Literature Through Music

Music Responses:

Responding to music should be no different than responding to a text. Responses should be thoughtful and focused on how the music may connect to literature. Students’ responses should always include rationale and reflection. This is NOT a guessing game of “Name that Tune” or an activity that stems a debate about whether the song that was played was good or bad. Music played should prompt critical thinking about a book’s theme, mood, characters, setting, or other literary devices. By tying music and literature together, students will make personal connections and begin to think about literature and its themes as we as English teachers do, as a brilliant film being played inside their minds. So, how do we want them to respond to enrich class discussions?

Se Sentence St Starters to help stu tuden ents ts ref reflec lect:

• “I wonder . . .”
• “This song makes me feel . . .”
• “I think the mood is . . .”
• “I love the way . . .”
• “I think the character must feel . . .”
• “The setting of this story is probably . . .”
• “I notice . . .”
• “Why did . . .”
• “I realize . . .”
• “I am confused by . . .”
• “I like/don’t like . . .”
• “I cannot understand . . .”
• “I am surprised . . .”
• “This song reminds me of . . .”
• “I think this song connects to the story by . . .”
• “This song makes me feel . . .”
• “I imagine . . .”
• “If I were to pick a theme for today’s chapter, I would . . .”
• “The conflict in today’s chapter could be . . .”
• "I noticed a lyric repeated was . . .”
• “A connection I can make to this song is . . .”
• “A question I have is . . .”
• “What if . . .”

Music Journal Response Example:

Sh Short

• rt St

Stori

• ries

es SC SCORES S FOR MOOD

Directions: As we read our short stories, we will be listening to various score music to set the mood. Below, write down the title and artist of the song, your rating, your RESPONSE about the song, what images it conjures in your mind, and the mood you think it may be

• setting. You need to write 3-5 sentences per Song Response.

Song Title __________________________________________________________________________ Artist ______________________________________________________ Rating: 1 2 3 4 5 RESPONSE:

Creating a Playlist:

• What is your goal for your students? What do you want your students to reflect on? What

connections are you trying create?

• Characterization?
• Mood?
• Themes?
• Setting?
• Reaching student’s emotions?

What Playlists Could You Create? Other Places to Use Music in Class:

• Poetry
• Essays (Ms. Demke plays “Eye of the Tiger” before starting a large paper)
• During activity transitions in class
• Background Music (As a motivator)

Music in Narrative Writing:

“Boombox” Story”*

Student Assignment Directions: You are to pick a favorite song and write a 1-page TYPED story that goes with your song selection. The story can be a personal narrative or purely fictitious. It is up to you to write a story your song selection inspires you to create. Beginning on (date), we be reading our stories aloud in class and playing the song that inspired the story while displaying the lyrics from the song (Note: If you select a song that has explicit material, you must bring in an “edited” version of the song to play. Also, printed lyrics brought to present in class must be edited of all explicit words or questionable material. If a song seems highly questionable or you find there is no way to find an edited version or black out lyrics properly, pick a new song!). Lyrics must be TYPED. *Used with permission from Kathleen Dale, M.Ed. LMS