Comprehensive Visual Arts, Dance and Music Lesson Plans Integrated with Spanish and Latin Culture

Duration
10-20 one hour class sessions

General Objective
The goal of this unit is to introduce the students to the multicultural influences inherent in Latin Music and Dance, by demonstrating the various styles of Latin music and dance that incorporate influences from African, Arabic, Cuban and Native American cultures. Students will learn about the contemporary music and dance of Latin America, in specific Cuba, Dominican Republic, Argentina, Colombia, and Jamaica, as well as African rhythms, traditional Native South-American tunes, and Spanish Flamenco music. Students will explore the visual art's ability to represent the essence of dance and music, as well as how the art elements are influenced by culture, and how the elements of art were used to express mood and emotion.

Outline
Students will learn about the history of Latin Music and Dance by comparing diverse Latin rhythms presented to them from CDs, and Latin Dances presented to them from videos. The students will learn the history of Salsa music as well as the basic steps from the teacher. The students will then work in groups to research different rhythms from Latin-America to later present to their peers. Afterwards, the students will learn about the Clave rhythms, their history, how they apply to the studied\ rhythms, as well as learn how to play the Salsa and Reggae clave on Latin percussion instruments, such as the guiro, claves, conga and bongo drums, and maracas. The students will learn to sing the refrain to Guantanemera (Cuban traditional song) in Spanish, with the clave as musical accompaniment. Finally, the students will analyze paintings which portray Latin Dances, African Dance, and Flamenco, contrasting their characteristics, and evaluating the artists' success at representing the dance, music, and cultural spirit of the studied rhythms. To conclude, the students will create their own painting representing what they think about Latin Dancing.

Connections
Arts & Humanities

Visual Arts
Music

Dance
Social Sciences

Geography

History
Foreign Language

Spanish
Sources
ArtEdge - Kennedy Center
http://artsedge.kennedy-center.org/
Lesson: Baila! Latin Dance in the Spanish Classroom
Teacher Talk - Center for Adolescent and Family Studies

http://www.indiana.edu/~cafs/

Lesson: African Clave Rhythms and Popular Music
Young Audiences of Easter Pennsylvania - Arts for Learning

http://www.arts4learning.org

Lesson: Building Cultural Bridges - Latin Fiesta
Clarita Corona â€" Honda Dream Lab - Arts for Learning

http://www.arts4learning.org

Lesson: The Flamenco Tradition! - Origin of the Drum
Webquest

http://www.webquest.org

Lesson: How does it make you feel? A personal look at art

Resources
http://www.latinsheetmusic.com/classroom.html
Sheet music for Latin pieces, glossary of Latin American musical terms, free downloadable and for-sale CDs of Clave Workshops, history, educational materials, and more!

http://lafi.org
Website of The Latin American Folk Institute, offering articles, photographs and histories pertaining to the music, dance and folk arts of Latin American countries.

http://www.cdnow.com
Plenty of good CDS under Latin Music, including Bachata, Samba, Salsa, Latin Jazz, Mambo, Merengue, and Tango.

http://www.Salsaroots.com
http://www.Salsaweb.com
Information on the history of Salsa

Books
Austerlitz, Paul, Merengue: Dominican Musica and Dominican Identit, Temple University Press, Philadelphia, 1997.
Pacini-Hernandez, Deborah, Bachata: A Social History of a Dominican Popular Music, Temple University Press, Philadelphia, 1995.
Daniel, Yvonne, Rumba: Dance and Social Change in Contermporary, Indiana University Press: Bloomington, Indiana, 1995.
Aparicio, Frances, Listening to Salsa: Gender, Latin Popular Music, and Puerto Rican Cultures, Wesleyan University Press, Hanover, 1998.
Muñoz, José Esteban and Fraser Delgado, Celeste, Everynight life: Culture and Dance in Latin/o America, Duke University Press: Durham, NC, 1997.
Galan, Natalio, Cuba_y_Sus_Sones: Pre-textos/Musica, Valencia, Spain, 1983.
Leon, Argeliers, Del_Canto_y_el_Tiempo, Editorial Letras Cubanas, Havana, 1984.
Rodriquez, Olavo Alen, Generos de la Musica Cubana: Primera Parte, Ministry of Education, Havana, 1977.
Morales, Ed, The Latin Beat: The Rhythms and Roots of Latin Music from Bossa Nova to Salsa and beyond, Cambridge, MA : Da Capo Press, 2003. 2003.
PBS Special "Roots of Rhythm", starring Harry Bellafonte and Desi Arnaz, directed by Gene Rosow and Howard Dratch.

Dance (and Music) Lesson Plan

Objectives
1.
Students learn the history and cultural context of Merengue.
2.
Students learn the basic steps for Merengue.
3.
Students learn the history and cultural context of Salsa.
4.
Students learn the basics steps for dancing Salsa.
5.
Students learn about the history, country of origin and cultural context of other Latin music rhythms such as mambo, rumba, cha cha (Cuba), bachata (Dominican Republic), tango (Argentina) and samba (Brazil) through research, and oral group presentations on the dances and their country of origin.
6.
Students learn the basic steps and/or observe videos of the dance forms that accompany the researched musical rhythms.
7.
Students apply the elements of dance to descriptions of particular Latin dances.
8.
Students create and give oral presentations about a Latin dance and its country of origin.
9.
Students write reports about their assigned Latin rhythm.
10.
Students compare and contrast two Latin dances.

Context
The students have previously learned the elements of dance through simple movements. The students understand time signatures (2/4, and 4/4), and tempo. This is part of a larger unit on Hispanic Arts and Culture, which in turn is part of a unit on Ethnic Groups.

Materials
Materials for oral presentation (i.e., markers and poster board, transparencies, etc.)
Computer with Internet access and digital projector and/or TV and DVD/VHS player
CD player
Overhead projector
Music CDs
Dance Videos
Copies of the Elements of Dance hand-out
Copies of the Latin Dances Research Guide hand-out
Assessment Rubrics

Procedure
A. Introduction 1
Present to the students the following material, utilizing visual aids (such as a map, pictures of the instruments or the actual instruments talked about, pictures of the musical and video production presented, etc.):
Salsa is a Hispanic (specifically from Central American and the Caribbean) social dancing (as opposed to performance dancing), performed in most cases by two partners of the opposite sex. All Latin Dances share this dance format and a characteristic cadence. Nevertheless, there are many different dances, each with its own musical beat and rhythm, including Domenican merengue and bachata, Jamaican reggae, Brazilian samba, Colombian cumbia, Cuban son, conga, mambo, rumba, cha-cha-cha, danzon, etc. (Show the countries on the map as mentioned.) All these music forms are the result of the mixture of European and African rhythms. Some, such as Puerto Rican bomba and plena are distinctively African-rooted percussive styles; while others, such as Argentinean tango, are hardly distinguishable as dance forms with African origins, and lean more towards the European dance forms, such as a waltz. Each and every one of this dance forms come from popular music bred by the working class. In the late 1960's in New York Hispanic musicians began reinterpreting and fusing several of these rhythms with jazz elements into what we now call Salsa. There are many and diverse theories of how Salsa emerged, but it is widely accepted that it is rooted in "son", a rhythm originated in the 1800's in the mountains of the Cuban province of Oriente. Son originated from the "changui", a Central-West African music form brought to Cuba by the slaves, mixed with Spanish guitar styles. In the early 1900's Son had become a sort of national creole music that appealed to Cubans of both Spanish and African origins. In the 1920's, Havana's touristic nightlife featured a "water-downed" version called "son conjunto" which included, besides the maracas, bongos, claves, and tres (the folkloric Cuban 6 or 9 string guitar), a string bass, three voices, and trumpets. During the 1930's there was a return to the African roots of son with innovations that formed what is now called "son montuno", which in turn formed the basis of the 1940's Mambo craze. By this point the son and mambo had also spread to Puerto Rico where musician incorporated it to styles of their own, such as bomba and plena. As Cuban and Puerto Rican musicians immigrated to the US, especially New York, they took those styles with them, forming Cuban/Puerto Rican rhythms. African-American big-band jazz stimulated the formation of Latin orchestras in the late 40's,with violins and timbales. Cubans, Puerto Ricans, and African-Americans joined to play a style which integrated the compositional concepts of the big-band horn sections with the Afro-Cuban rhythm sections, eventually evolving into the New York Latin sound, mostly played by Puerto Ricans. Big band leaders, such as Puerto Rico's Tito Puente and Tito Rodriguez and Cuba's Machito, expanded the mambo section of the son, creating its own style and form, the first major "cross-over" from Afro-Carribbean music. The cha-cha-cha and the mambo, both internationally popular, were also incorporated into this style, forming the foundation for "salsa." The popular usage of the word "salsa" for danceable Latin music began in 1933 when Cuban song composer Ignacio Pinerio wrote the song Echale Salsita. He got the idea after tasting food which lacked the Cuban spices. It was a protest against tasteless food. The term "Salsa" remained dormant until 1962 when Secco Records released Joe Cuba's Stepping Out LP. In Jimmy Sabater's tune Salsa y Bembe, vocalist Cheo Feliciano wants his main squeeze to add salsa to the bembe (dance) when she dances. The lyrics suggest that there is a request for the dancer to liven up or spice up her performance. Until the US severed diplomatic relations with Cuba in 1962, the New York and Cuban musicians continually interacted, forming parallel Latin music styles. After 1962, New York-based music began incorporating the inspiration of the world around them, forming a distinctively New York style. with the incorporation of the Colombian cumbia and the Domenican merengue, and other Latin-American peoples living in New York. "The term ``salsa'' began to circulate in the late 1960s as a cover term describing a range of popular Latin musical styles in New York City. In 1963, Alegre Records released Charlie Palmieri's charanga LP Salsa Na Ma. In the Henry Alvarez tune Salsa Na Ma, the chorus of Victor Velasquez and Willie Torres suggest that when they dance with their partners it is "Salsa na ma', que cosa rica (a joy)." On November 20, 1964, the Cal Tjader Quintet plus 5 finished recording a an album named Soul Sauce (Salsa del Alma), to express music which was fiery, exciting like a well seasoned sauce. Four years later, Carlos Santana's Oye Como Va attracted youths of all ethnic backgrounds to his music, and conga drums were sold like never before across the United States. On August 26, 1971, the Fania artists congregated at El Cheetah nightclub in midtown Manhattan for a concert and dance which resulted in the movie "Our Latin Thing"; Thus, the worldwide Salsa craze started. Ultimately, "Salsa" is primarily a commercial tag for contemporary Latin pop music. It connotes a feeling as well as a variety of redefined/reinterpreted styles and traditions.

B. Method 1
Play Salsa Music.
Clap and count with the music, counting "1-2-3-4, 1-2-3-4." Point out that Salsa is a 4/4 rhythm.
Demonstrate and teach the Basic Salsa step to the sides, emphasize the relaxed knees, and the change of weight with consequential hip movements.
Once the students have mastered the Basic step to the side, demonstrate and teach the Basic step to the front and back.
Utilizing the front, side, and back Basic step demonstrate and teach the Cross.
Demonstrate and teach diagonal front and diagonal back Basic steps.
Put all learnt steps together in a small combination and perform to a Salsa Song.

C. Introduction 2

Explain that Merengue is a lively, festive dance originating from the island of Santo Domingo, which is located north of the Caribbean Sea. Show Santo Domingo to students on a map. Explain that people from both Haiti and the Dominican Republic have claimed that the dance originated in their countries. Point out these countries on the map. Point out to the students that these two countries share the same island of Santo Domingo.
Both Haiti and the Dominican Republic have legends that trace Merengue dance steps to a war hero with a limp who danced in a stepping motion. In the 1930s, Merengue was promoted by, then-president of the Dominican Republic, Rafael Trujillo, and it became the country's national music and dance.

B. Method 2
Demonstrate the Merengue step
Point out that the steps have a limping appearance.
Clap and count with the music, counting "1-2, 1-2, 1-2, 1-2."
Note that the tempo and rhythm is 2/4, similar to marching music, and all steps are on one beat.
Point out that up-and-out, down-and-in, motion of the hip is an important part of the dance. When a knee bends, the hip on that same leg should drop.

Tell the class that they'll be hearing more about other Cuban and Dominican culture and other dace forms, as well as music from other Latin-American countries, from their fellow classmates.

C. Teaching Learning Process
Pass out and review the Elements of Dance hand-out to go over the main elements of dance: space, time, and energy, as well as dance terminology.
While looking at the Elements of Dance handout, ask students to describe Merengue using the dance terminology.
Ask students to describe Salsa utilizing the dance terminology they have learned.
Discussion questions:
Which movements are involved in Merengue?
Stepping in place similar to marching, hip movements
Which movements are involved in salsa? Steps forward, sideways, backwards and diagonal, always followed by a step back in place.
Which of these movements are locomotor?
Stepping in place is a non-locomotor movement. Walking would be a locomotor movement.
Does Salsa consist of mostly locomotor or non-locomotor movements?
Salsa consist mainly of non-locomotor movements.
What about Merengue?
The Merengue basic step can be locomotor when we perform little steps sideways, forwards or backwards.
How would you describe the tempo or pace? - fast, medium, or slow? Which dance has a faster tempo, Salsa or Merengue?
Are these dances performed at a low (on the ground), medium (kneeling), or high, level?
What are some similarities and differences between Salsa and Merengue?

D. Closure
Explain to the class that they will be preparing oral presentations about a particular Latin dance and its country of origin, and will teach the rest of the class what hey have learned.
Divide the class into groups of four. Pass out and refer to the Latin Dance Research Guide and go over the students' individual roles in the group.
Explain the expectations as outlined in the assignment sheet.
Inform students that you will be grading them on both their oral presentations and their written reports.
Assign one of the following Latin dances to each group: son (from Cuba), rumba (from Cuba), cha cha (from Cuba), mambo (from Cuba), samba (from Brazil), tango (from ragentina), cumbia (from Colombia), Bomba y Plena (from Puerto Rico) and bachata (from the Dominican Republic). Since four of the dances originate in Cuba, assign different aspects about Cuba for each group. For instance, one group can focus on culture and geography, another on people and lifestyle, and a third on economy and government.
Give students class time to coordinate with their groups and research their respective dances in the school library.
Be sure to have music and videos with the dances assigned and offer them to the student groups to utilize as parts of their presentation.
Encourage them to be creative in their presentations. They may wish to create posters or overhead transparencies, make food from the country of origin, dress in appropriate costumes, etc.

Assessment
A. Dance abilities
Utilize Dance Performance Scoring Rubric to assess student's coordination and motor development while dancing the Latin rhythms taught by the teacher and/or peers.
B. Written Reports
C. Final Presentations
Set up your stereo so students can play music during their speech.
Have each group present their research to the class. As each group gives their presentations, the rest of the class should take notes. Inform them that they will be quizzed on the material presented.
D. Quiz
The day after all the presentations have been given, ask students to take out a piece of paper for a quiz. Have them compare and contrast two of the dances they learned about, making sure to include information about the dance's country of origin.

Use the Assessment Rubric to evaluate students' work, in sections B through D.

Latin Dances Lesson Plan
Assessment Rubric

Student Name: ______________________________________________

The student is able to:
Advanced
Proficient
Novice
Comments
apply the elements of dance to descriptions of particular Latin dances.

create and give an oral presentation about a Latin dance and its country of origin.

write a report about a Latin dance and its country of origin.

successfully compare and contrast two Latin
dances in a quiz.

Latin Dance Lesson Plan
Dance Performance Scoring Rubric

Student Name: ______________________________________________

The student is able to:
Advanced
Proficient
Novice
Comments
Maintain a defined placement during non-locomotor step, and a steady pattern during locomotor steps.

Follow the music's tempo, and maintain it steady (no acceleration or deceleration).

Maintain concentration and focus.

Perform the taught steps with accuracy, precision, and coordination.

Music Lesson Plan

Objectives
1.
The students will be able to explain the origin of the clave rhythms.
2.
The students will describe how the clave became a part of American popular music.
3.
The students will identify the clave rhythms in examples of current popular music.
4.
The students will understand the musical notation of clave rhythms.
5.
The students will play Latin percussion instruments.
6.
The students will learn the lyrics and melody to Guantanamera's refrain
7.
The students will sing Guantanamera to the clave rhythm as musical accompaniment.

Context
The students have some previous knowledge of Spanish. Lesson can be adapted according to the students̢۪ previous music theory knowledge.
This lesson is part of a larger unit on Hispanic Arts and Culture, which in turn is part of a unit on Ethnic Groups.

Materials
"Salsa" tunes
"Reggae(ton)" tunes
Other popular music that uses the clave
i.e.
"Iko-Iko" by the Dixie Cups (Soundtrack from Rainman)
"I Just Want To Be King" (Soundtrack of The Lion King)
songs by Carlos Santana (i.e. Black Magic Woman and Oye Como Va)
Claves and/or other percussion instruments
Hand out with the lyrics to Guantanemera
Poster Board with Guantanamera's refrain.

Procedure
A. Introduction
Hook: Explain that the word Clave [Klah'-Vey] has two different meanings: 1) One or a pair of cylindrical hardwood sticks that are used as a percussion instrument (show them the instruments); and 2) a kind of rhythm.
Introduce students to the origin of the clave rhythm: African music. Demonstrate the clave rhythm.
Talk about how slaves were brought from Africa to the U.S., South America, and Caribbean countries during the 18th and 19th Centuries. The slaves brought with them their culture and their music. Music was an important element of the slave's culture and religion. Drumming was an important element of the slave's music. The clave rhythm was usually expressed through drumming.
Many slave owners in this country suppressed drumming because they wanted to suppress the slave's cultural ties. Also, drumming was a method of long-distance communication and many slave owners wanted to eliminate contact between their slaves and the slaves of other owners.
On the other hand, slaves' drumming in some South American countries, such as Brazil, and some Caribbean islands, such as Jamaica, was not suppressed. This was also the case in some places like Congo Square in New Orleans. In these places, the slaves expressed their music, including the clave rhythm. The rhythm soon found its way into the local music. In this way, African music (especially the clave rhythm) began to influence Latin music (much of Latin music comes from Brazil), Jazz (Much of Jazz originated in New Orleans), and even Reggae music (from Jamaica).

B. Method
Have the students become familiar with the clave rhythm. They can express it by clapping, using claves, or using other Latin percussion instrument available.
Once they are familiar with the clave rhythm, students can begin to identify this rhythm in popular music. Play Salsa music from CDs and guide students in clapping or playing the rhythm to the tunes.
Explain to the students that they have mastered the best-know clave rhythm, the salsa clave, which is often referred to as "la clave"/"the clave". Nevertheless, each of the Latin rhythms that we have been studying has their own specific clave.
Demonstrate and teach the reggae clave. Once the students have learnt it, explain that you will now play "Reggaeton", the newest Latin popular music which started by a mix of Reggae and Merengue under the profound influence of American hip-hop music. Have the students identify and play to the reggae clave in Reaggeton.

Clave rhythms are extremely difficult for non-musicians to notate, but if the students have superior previous music theory and notation knowledge, they are useful in teaching syncopation.

C. Teaching Learning Process
Discuss the following questions with the students:
How does Reggaeton compare to the previously studied rhythms of Dominican Merengue and Jamaican Reggae? Is it very much like popular American hip-hop music? How is it different?
How are the Salsa and the Reggae clave similar or different? They all have 5 accented beats, but the accents are placed differently, and the notes are different (shorter versus longer notes/ 1/8 and 1/4 notes). All of the Salsa clave's 5 beats are repeated continuously, while only the last four beats of the Raggae clave are repeated in continuation (if students are advanced enough in musical knowledge another example of a 5th beat become the 1st beat of the next bar, and therefore the rhythm effectively becoming a 3/4 instead of a 4/4 is the Ragga clave.)

D. Closure
Divide the students in two groups.
Have the first group listen to a danzon, merengue, bachata, or rumba piece with a clearly marked claves, and recognize and clap to the clave rhythm of the song.
Meanwhile, teach the second group the reversed salsa clave, further divide in two groups, and have the practice performing a forward over a reverse salsa clave for the second group.
Have the second group do the listening activity to a different song while you have the first group practice performing a salsa clave over a reggae clave.
Have each group perform what they learnt for the other group.

Assessment
Evaluate the students' performance according to the rubric.
Give out a quiz.

GUANTANAMERA
Original music by Jose Fernandez Diaz
Music adaptation by Pete Seeger & Julian Orbon
Lyric adaptation by Julian Orbon, based on a poem by Jose Marti

Yo soy un hombre sincero
De donde crecen las palmas
Yo soy un hombre sincero
De donde crecen las palmas
Y antes de morirme quiero
Echar mis versos del alma

Chorus:
Guantanamera
Guajira Guantanamera
Guantanamera
Guajira Guantanamera

Mi verso es de un verde claro
Y de un carmin encendido
Mi verso es de un verde claro
Y de un carmin encendido
Mi verso es un ciervo herido
Que busca en el monte amparo

Chorus

Cultivo la rosa blanca
En junio como en enero
Qultivo la rosa blanca
En junio como en enero
Para el amigo sincero
Que me da su mano franca

Chorus

Y para el cruel que me arranca
El corazon con que vivo
Y para el cruel que me arranca
El corazon con que vivo
Cardo ni ortiga cultivo
Cultivo la rosa blanca

Chorus
Con los pobres de la tierra
Quiero yo mi suerte echar
Con los pobres de la tierra
Quiero yo mi suerte echar
El arroyo de la sierra
Me complace mas que el mar

Chorus

Ã'©1963,1965 (Renewed) Fall River Music, Inc (BMI)
All Rights Reserved.

Quiz

What are the two different meanings of the word "clave"?
Which continent did the Clave rhythms originally come from?
How many beats are there in a typical clave rhythm?
Explain one difference and one similarity between the Salsa clave and the Reggae clave.
Optional: What is syncopation?

Clave Rhythms Lesson Plan
Music Performance Scoring Rubric

Student Name: ______________________________________________

The student is able to:
Advanced
Proficient
Novice
Comments
Accurately and precisely perform the rhythmic pattern.

Follow the correct tempo, and maintain it steady (no acceleration or deceleration).

Maintain proper dynamics (sound is clearly hearable but not disturbingly loud).

Successfully play the percussion instrument assigned to him/her, and/or clap his/her hands.

Visual Arts (and Dance) Lesson Plan

Objectives
1.
Students understand the expressive function of art
2.
Students understand the difference between realistic and abstract art.
3.
Students understand that (visual) art can express feelings and emotions.
4.
Students reflect upon the feelings and emotions paintings provoke in them.
5.
Students understand that art reflects elements of its culture of origin.
6.
Students write about how particular art pieces make them feel.
7.
Students visualize and understand the history of Hispanic Dancing by contrasting and comparing paintings of Spanish and African dances to those of Latin-American dances.
8.
Students compare paintings utilizing proper terminology.
9.
Students relate the cultural components present in ethnic dance forms to the particular emotions evoked by paintings coming from said cultures and depicting said dance forms.
10.
Students utilize painting and/or drawing techniques to express their personal opinions and emotions regarding the studied ethnic dance forms, what their concept of Latin Dance is, and how it makes them feel.

Context
The students understand the elements of art. This lesson must take place after the Dance and Music lessons. This lesson can be adapted according to the students' previous knowledge.
This lesson is part of a larger unit on Hispanic Arts and Culture, which in turn is part of a unit on Ethnic Groups.

Materials
Blank pages and painting materials, i.e. watercolors, crayons, etc. (medium depending on context, grade level, and students' previous experience with them)
Stapler(s)
Glue Sticks
Medium or large color printings of the following paintings:
Flamenco Dancer I by Caroline Gold
Tango Argentina by Misha Lenn
Cuban Dancers (anonymous)
African Dancers by Upjohn
Ebony Dancers by Romeo Downer
Latin Dance by Alfred Gockel
Or any other paintings of Spanish, African or Latin Dances
Materials for children to create their own paintings (medium depending on context.)

Procedure
A.
Introduction
Ask the students to form couples to work in. Have one person of each couple at a time assume the posture/position of the dancer(s) in one of the paintings. The other person should try to guess which painting his /her partner is embodying.
Invite the students to sit down and ask them what kind of music do they think the dancer in the painting by Caroline Gold is dancing to, do the same with several other paintings. If the students answer "flamenco" or "salsa" keep guiding their answers until they clap a salsa clave or the flamenco 12-beat rhythm, sing the melody of some of the music listened to in class before, or sing the refrain to the song Guantanamera learned in the Music Lesson Plan.
Point out that the painting by Alfred Gockel is not the realistic portray of a dancer, but an abstract painting (it does not try to recreate an image as close to reality as possible, it is distorted on purpose, and utilizes other elements, such as colors and forms, to express ideas or emotions). Yet, it also expresses what the author thinks and/or how the author feels about Latin Dance. That is one of the functions of art: expressive (to express emotions and ideas.)
B.
Method
Ask the students to write a three-paragraph project by:
Picking out one of the paintings and writing a paragraph explaining how that painting reflects the previously studied cultural aspects and dance elements of the depicted dance form.
Picking another two paintings and write a paragraph contrasting them utilizing the elements of art and principles of design.
Comparing the dance forms depicted in those two paintings based on what the paintings tell about the dance forms and the cultures they come from. Remind the students not to compare the two dance forms based on information previously learnt in class, but only information that can be deducted from the paintings.
Give out the painting materials and ask the students to create their own painting reflecting how Latin Music makes them feel, or what they think about a specific Latin Dance.
C.
Teaching Learning Process
Ask the students the following questions:
We are going to make a book about Latin Dance with all this paintings and your written projects, what should we write behind the painting of the Flamenco Dancer, why is it in the book? (the answer should be something close to Spanish dance forms, including flamenco, influenced Latin Dances during the colonial period)
What should we write behind the African Dancers painting? (Several examples of African influences in Latin Dance should be obtained from the students, such as percussion rhythms or hip movements)
Go through the same process with each painting, always writing an answer collected from the students input in the board for every student to write in their books.
D.
Closure
Give out a copy of each one of the paintings worked with, and two construction papers to each student. Tell the students to take all the copies and their written project, plus the two construction papers as front and cover and staple them as a book (or help them staple them, depending on grade level); alternatively, all the copies could be two-hole punched and you could have the students draw a string tying them together. Instruct the students to glue the painting they created as the cover, and to write a title and a short description of the painting in the back of the cover, explaining how their painting exemplifies their concept of Latin Dance through the elements of art/principles of design.

Assessment

Use rubric to grade students according to observation of class participation and submitted book projects.

Visual Arts Lesson Plan
Assessment Rubric

Student Name: ______________________________________________

The student is able to:
Advanced
Proficient
Novice
Comments
apply the studied elements of arts/principles of design to descriptions of particular Latin dances, and relate elements of dance to visual characteristics of paintings.

create a painting portraying their personal concept of Latin Dance.

explain their personal concept of Latin Dance through a description of how they used the elements of art/principles of design in their painting.

write a paragraph explaining how a painting convey ideas about a dance form.

write a paragraph contrasting two painting according to the studies art elements and principles of design.

successfully compare two Latin Dances through the contrast of two paintings.

Drama (and Music) Lesson Plan

Objectives
1.
To understand the meaning of the music element of production, and the elements of performance: movement, speaking style and vocal expression.
2.
To stage a poetry choral production.
3.
To write a reflection on their own performance utilizing the studied elements.
4.
To relate to the idiosyncrasies of being a Latin child.
5.
Work cooperatively in groups.

Context
This Lesson Plan is part of a unit on Hispanic Culture, which in turn is part of a unit on Ethnic Groups. The Music Lesson Plan of this unit must precede this lesson plan. Students should be able to read at simple rhythmic patterns from music sheets (alternatively, the lesson plan can be adapted.)

Materials
Copies of the poem Spanish by Gary Soto

Procedure
A.
Introduction
Ask the students to clap the clave rhythm while you read them the poem with accompanying movements.
Explain to the students that choral poetry is a type of poetry reading performance that comes from the ancient time of the Greeks, and that it consists on a poem divided in lines for different members of the choral group (i.e. some lines are read by one person at a time, while other are read by a couple of people, and yet some other are read by everybody in the choral group)
Explain the poem by discussing the meaning of the words in Spanish, and asking the students, for example, whether they have ever eaten chicharrones, or what do they think the author meant by: Spanish is seeing double.

B.
Method
With feedback from the students collectively decide which lines should be read by a group or a soloist. Have them add the words Choir or Soloist to their copy of the poem to create a script. (see attached script for an example of what it should look like)
Divide the class in three groups: a Movement Choir (which will perform the accompanying movements to the poem, and declaim those lines assigned to the choir), a Group of Soloists (at least one soloist strophe or line should be assigned to each member of the group), and a Rhythm Accompaniment Ensemble (they will keep a beat or rhythm with percussion instruments, such as clave sticks)
Give the Movement Choir a page with sample accompanying movements (see attached), and instruct them to create choreography for the poem.
Give the Music Accompaniment Ensemble percussion instruments and copies music sheets to clap a rhythm (see attached example, download some from http://www.latinsheetmusic.com/classroom.html, or create your own), and instruct them to assign them to different instruments to create a rhythmic accompaniment. (to adapt to children who cannot yet read music, teach them the patterns by ear)
Ask the Group of Soloists to divide the strophes and lines assigned for a Soloist amongst themselves and rehearse reading them in order. Instruct them to accommodate their speaking style and voice qualities to allow for vocal expression (i.e. speak the words mami, papi, flor, coco in a baby-like tone of voice, yell Abuela! Telefono! like you are really trying for someone in the next room to hear you)
After having allowed enough rehearsal time, have all three groups perform simultaneously to observe the final production result.

C.
Teaching Learning Process
Ask the following questions to start a group discussion after the performance:
How do you think the accompanying rhythm and words sounded together? (guide their responses the fact that poetry also has rhythm and therefore lends itself to music accompaniment). Explain that music is a drama element of production
How did the voices of the choir and the soloist change their speaking styles and voice qualities when reading different lines? (guide their response to the fact that speaking styles and voice qualities can, and should, be adapted to allow for vocal expression)
How did the choir represent with their bodies the word of the poem? (guide them to give examples of what they would have done if they were in the movement choir, or to explain to the class why they chose the movements they used)
Explain that speaking style, vocal expression, and movement are drama elements of performance.

D.
Closure
Ask them to write down how each one of the fourth elements worked with in class (music, speaking style, vocal expression, and movement) were used in their performance of Spanish.

Assessment
Evaluate their reflective writing pieces and their class participation according to rubric.

Drama Lesson Plan
Assessment Rubric

Student Name: ______________________________________________

The student is able to:
Advanced
Proficient
Novice
Comments
Write a reflection on how the music element of production was used in the poetry choral.

Write a reflection on how the movement element of performance was used in the poetry choral.

Write a reflection on how the speaking style element of performance was used in the poetry choral.

Write a reflection on how the voice expression element of performance was used in the poetry choral.

Participate in class by either creating music, movement, or acting.

Work cooperatively in groups.

Spanish
By Gary Soto

Spanish is a matter
Of rolling rrrrrrs
Clicking the tongue,
And placing
Your hands in your hips
When your little brother
Pours cereal
Into your fishbowl.
Spanish is a matter
Of yelling, "Abuela,
Telefono! Una vendedora
De TV Guide"
It's a matter
Of Saturdays, too.
You enter the confessional
And whisper
To the priest
First the sins
You did in English,
Like screaming at the boy
On the blue bike,
And then muttering
your sins in Spanish,
like when you
put on lipstick
and had bad thoughts about Mercedes Lopez,
that big show-off in new jeans.
Spanish is a matter
Of "Ay, Dios!"
When the beans burn
Or "Chihuahua!"
When the weakest kid
Hits a home run.
Spanish is a matter
Of your abuelo
And his compa
Chuckling about their younger days
While playing checkers
Under the grape arbor,
Their faces lined
and dark as the earth
at their feet.
Spanish words march across
A bag of
Chicharrones,
Those salty clubs
That could easily hammer a nail
Through the wall,
They're so hard.
You've always known
Spanish, even
Behind the bars
Of your crib
When you babbled,
Mami, papi, flor, cocos.
Nonsense in the middle of the night.
At school, your friends
Have to learn Spanish,
Tripping over gato,
Y perro, easy words
You learned
When you looked out
The back window.
You're good at Spanish,
And even better at math.
When you walk home,
Dragging a stick through rain puddles,
Spanish is seeing double.
The world is twice the size
And, with each year,
With one more candle
On a crooked cake,
Getting bigger.

POETRY CHOIR SCRIPT EXAMPLE
Spanish
By Gary Soto

CHOIR: Spanish is a matter
SOLOIST: Of rolling rrrrrrs
Clicking the tongue,
And placing
Your hands in your hips
When your little brother
Pours cereal
Into your fishbowl.
CHOIR: Spanish is a matter
SOLOIST: Of yelling, "Abuela,
Telefono! Una vendedora
De TV Guide"
CHOIR: It's a matter
SOLOIST: Of Saturdays, too.
You enter the confessional
And whisper
To the priest
First the sins
You did in English,
Like screaming at the boy
On the blue bike,
And then muttering
your sins in Spanish,
like when you
put on lipstick
and had bad thoughts about Mercedes Lopez,
that big show-off in new jeans.
Spanish is a matter
Of CHOIR: "Ay, Dios!"
SOLOIST: When the beans burn
Or CHOIR: "Chihuahua!"
SOLIST: When the weakest kid
Hits a home run.
CHOIR: Spanish is a matter
SOLOIST: Of your abuelo
And his compa
Chuckling about their younger days
While playing checkers
Under the grape arbor,
Their faces lined
and dark as the earth
at their feet.
Spanish words march across
A bag of
Chicharrones,
Those salty clubs
That could easily hammer a nail
Through the wall,
They're so hard.
You've always known
Spanish, even
Behind the bars
Of your crib
When you babbled,
CHOIR: Mami, papi, flor, cocos
SOLOIST: Nonsense in the middle of the night.
At school, your friends
Have to learn Spanish,
Tripping over gato,
Y perro, CHOIR: easy words
SOLOIST: You learned
When you looked out
The back window.
You're good at Spanish,
And even better at math.
When you walk home,
Dragging a stick through rain puddles,
Spanish is seeing double.
The world is twice the size
And, with each year,
With one more candle
On a crooked cake,
Getting bigger.

MOVEMENT EXAMPLES
Spanish
By Gary Soto

Spanish is a matter
Of rolling rrrrrrs CARTWHEEL
Clicking the tongue,
And placing
Your hands in your hips
EXAGGERATED HANDS-IN HIPS POSTURE
When your little brother
Pours cereal
Into your fishbowl.
Spanish is a matter
Of yelling,
YELLING LOOKING TOWARDS ONE SIDE WHILE PRETENDING TO HOLD A PHONE IN ONE HAND AND COVERING IT WITH THE OTHER
"Abuela,
Telefono! Una vendedora
De TV Guide"
It's a matter
Of Saturdays, too.
You enter the confessional
FORM COUPLES, ONE WHISPER IN THE OTHER'S EAR, THEN REVERSE
And whisper
To the priest
First the sins
You did in English,
Like screaming at the boy
On the blue bike,
And then muttering
your sins in Spanish,
like when you
put on lipstick
and had bad thoughts about Mercedes Lopez,
WALK ARROGANTLY
that big show-off in new jeans.
Spanish is a matter
Of "Ay, Dios!"
When the beans burn
PRETEND TO HOLD A BAT, PREPARE, THEN HIT, THROW IT AND RUN
Or "Chihuahua!"
When the weakest kid
Hits a home run.
Spanish is a matter
Of your abuelo
And his compa
Chuckling about their younger days
While playing checkers
Under the grape arbor,
Their faces lined
and dark as the earth
at their feet.
Spanish words march across
A bag of
Chicharrones,
Those salty clubs
That could easily hammer a nail
Through the wall,
They're so hard.
You've always known
Spanish, even
CRAWL
Behind the bars
Of your crib
When you babbled,
Mami, papi, flor, cocos.
Nonsense in the middle of the night.
At school, your friends
Have to learn Spanish,
Tripping over gato,
Y perro, easy words
You learned
When you looked out
The back window.
You're good at Spanish,
And even better at math.
When you walk home,
WALK DRAGGING AN IMAGINARY STICK
Dragging a stick through rain puddles,
Spanish is seeing double.
The world is twice the size
And, with each year,
BLOW CANDLES FROM AN IMAGINARY CAKE
With one more candle
On a crooked cake,
Getting bigger.