A.

TITLE/TYPE OF LESSON

Title: ​Over on a Mountain​ By Marianne Berkes

Type of Lesson: Read-Aloud Picture Book

B. CONTEXT OF LESSON

This lesson is intended for a 2nd grade general music classroom.

1. A questionnaire would provide a baseline assessment for what continents the learners are
familiar with, what musical cultures and traditions they are familiar with, and what their
level of interest in both of these subject areas is.
2. This lesson is appropriate for 2nd Graders for a variety of reasons. Firstly, this book is
intended for ages 3 to 8, and most 2nd Graders fit that range. Secondly, 2nd Grade
history SOLs include learning the seven continents, and each page of this book illustrates
a different continent. Thirdly, 2nd Grade science SOLs involve students learning about
animal habitats, and each page describes a different animal’s habitat and/or behavior(s)
(e.g. “Over on a mountain, where leaves and berries thrive, lived a shy mother gorilla,
and her little babies five. ‘Forage,’ said the mother...”). Additionally, there are more
scientific facts preceding the story in the back of the book. Furthermore, this content is
inclusive of 2nd Grade music Performance, Music History and Cultural Context, and
Aesthetics SOLs.
3. This lesson plan is extremely adaptable to whatever the musicians’ skill base is, so I
would be more focused on aligning this lesson with the social studies curriculum
sequence. Ideally the 2nd Graders would experience this lesson during the same week
they were learning about the seven continents, so that this lesson can reinforce that
material by covering it in a different context.
4. At this age children are seeking approval from their peers, so it is important to create an
encouraging and supportive environment where performing is a choice, to diminish the
potential for embarrassment.

C. LEARNING OBJECTIVES

Understand: ​Learners should begin to develop an understanding of how to enhance

written material with music and/or movement.

Know: ​Learners can create and respond to literature through body percussion,
movement, and vocalizations (pitched or unpitched).

Do: ​Learners can think about word choice in the literature and decide whether to
enhance the text by imitating the animals’ behaviors through movement or sound, or
 learners can think about the continent, and enhance cultural elements of the illustrations if
they are familiar with recognizable musical elements of that culture.

D. ASSESSING LEARNING

Checklist:

__: The learner used body percussion to enhance the story

__: The learner utilized elements of movement to enhance the story

__: The learner incorporated vocalizations (pitched or unpitched)

__: The learner can defend one of the elements (body percussion, movement, or vocalizations)
they used as being relevant to the story OR The learner can explain something they knew about
the music of the culture, and how they incorporated a recognizable musical element.

E. RELATED VIRGINIA STANDARDS OF LEARNING

2.6.3 The student will create music by improvising to enhance stories, songs, and poems.

F. MATERIALS NEEDED

● The picture book ​Over on a Mountain ​By Marianne Berkes

● A Directed Reading-Thinking Activity (DR-TA) handouts
● Clipboards (1 per learner)
● Copy the 10 pages with the text and continents (just one copy of each page)
● 5 laminated large colored shapes

G. PROCEDURE

Preparation​: ​In preparation for teaching I will coordinate with the 2nd Grade social
studies teacher(s) to ensure I am teaching this lesson in sequence with their continents
lesson. I will make copies of the DR-TA handouts (1 per learner), clip one on each
clipboard along with a pencil, and make copies of the 10 pages of ​Over on a Mountain​. I
will pre-set the learning environment so each student can easily grab a clipboard on their
way in, and I will also ensure the learning environment is clear for the learners and I to sit
on the floor, with the exception of 5 large colored shapes spread out around the
classroom.

Engage-Introduction of the Lesson:​ ​Good morning/afternoon! Grab a clipboard.

Singing* Here we sit together, together, together. Here we sit together, all here on the
floor.*

Implementation of the Lesson:

 ● (a) Hold up the picture book for (b) learners to complete the first part of the
DR-TA.
● (a) Read ​Over on a Mountain​ (b) learners continue to fill in DR-TA.
● (a) “Go ahead and complete the rest of the DR-TA”
● (a) Separate learners into five groups, and direct them to a large colored shape.
● (a) Give instructions for music activity: each group will get 2 pages from the
book, and will work together to enhance the text with body percussion,
movement, and vocalizations. Raise your hand if you need help. Later in class I
will re-read the story, and your group will perform your enhancements.
● (a) Walk around and observe. Asist when asked. (b) learners decide on
enhancements and rehearse
● (a) Re-read story: give instructions again-logistics beforehand, and hopefully (b)
perform successfully
● (a) facilitate (b) learners discussing decisions they made and why, as well as how
groups’ enhancements were similar and different from each other.

Closure: Clean up: handouts, clipboards, pencils, and large colored shapes need to be
collected.

H. DIFFERENTIATION: ​I will meet my learners needs on a case by case basis (by being
familiar with IEPs and 504 Plans, and planning accommodations ahead of time as applicable).
The different colored shapes (i.e. a blue circle, red hexagon, yellow square, etc.) are intended to
assist visual learners, and learners with color sensitivities to find the spot in the room they are
instructed to work in. In general, this lesson is designed so learners can pick and choose what
they want to express, and how, so they can succeed.

● Groups who finish early will be encouraged to make their enhancements more
complicated and choreographed. There will always be more layers and performance
elements to add.
● Any learner who is struggling to meet the objectives will be worked with on a case by
case basis. The objectives are so vague, a learner would have to be non-verbal, have
severe mobility limitations, and/or severe social/emotional challenges to fall short of the
objectives, all of which I will know beforehand because I will know my students.

I. WHAT COULD GO WRONG?

Learners may not remember how to fill out the DR-TA, in which case I will have to explain it.
This lesson could also potentially become chaotic: learners hitting each other with clipboards or
pencils, or being too off task and disruptive in their group work, in which case classroom
management skills come in to play. Additionally, learners can become confused with when it is
there turn to enhance the story, but there are rehearsal skills I know to apply should this happen.