Lesson Plan About Ludwig Van Beethoven

Grade Level - Fourth Grade
Content Area - Literacy/Music
Aim - What can we learn about the life of Ludwig Van Beethoven?

Behavioral Objective - The students will be able to list facts they they learned about Ludwig Van Beethoven through literature.

Motivational Activity - As the students enter the room I will have classical music playing in the background. I will direct the students to write down any emotions they are feeling as they listen to the music.

Procedure -
1. First I will do my motivational activity.
2. Next I will have the class take out their reading books and turn to the story "Master of a Silent World".
3. We will have a class discussion through the use of higher order thinking questions such as: who he was, what things he did, where he comes from, what is he famous for, etc...
4. I will display a chart reflecting all of the new vocabulary words: classical, music, artist, instrument, piano, songs, symphony, concert.
5. We will have a short class discussion about the vocabulary words and their meanings.
6. As the students copy the vocabulary words, I will walk around the room providing assistance where needed, praise, and support.
7. We will then start the oral reading for the story about Ludwig Van Beethoven's life and music career.
8. I will call on volunteers and non-volunteers to participate in the class reading activity.
9. I will direct the students to listen for clues and refer them to look at the pictures.
10. After the reading is complete, I will break the class into groups and instruct them to make a word web with three to four facts they have learned about Ludwig Van Beethoven. I will display a word web on the board.
11. While this activity is going on I will have classical music playing in the background.

Conclusion - I will conclude this lesson by summarizing up who Ludwig Van Beethoven was and have the students help me complete the word web with facts about his life and music career.

Assessment - I will check to see if the students have completed their word webs with facts from the story.

Homework - The students will go to the library and gather new research for another classical musician Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart.

Follow-up - We will do a new word web listing facts about Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart and compare them to the facts we learned about Ludwig Van Beethoven.

Materials - Textbook with story, Word web, Activity worksheet, CD of classical music, CD player, pen, pencil, chalk , blackboard

Length of Lesson - 42 minutes (more if needed)