Portfolio Proposal

Name: Matthew Manuel

Campus Attened: San Diego Campus
Course: EDUC 526
Professor: Dr. Joanne Gilbreath
Title of Portfolio: Sounds of Change
Date Submitted:





























Matthew Manuel
San Diego, CA

EDUC 526 Growth Assessment

Spring I 2015





Type of Project:

This lesson is designed as a pre-introduction to analyzing poems. My students struggle with
finding main idea and deeper meaning so my thought was to conduct a lesson where students
will examine music from different periods and genres. My student all love music and during
group time I often play music. Playing music has initiated several discussions about what
lyrics mean and why musicians write the way they do. My goal with this lesson is to tap into
their musical interest and by analyzing lyrics/music we will build skills that will be needed once
we start the next unit on analyzing poems.

Goals of the Portfolio:

This portfolio project will provide students with a greater ability to interpret the lyrics they
hear when listening to music. In this digital age students are constantly seeing music videos
on YouTube, listening to music on their phones, and seeing music used in social media. My
students struggle with finding deeper meaning within text and my concern is they truly do not
understand the meaning behind some of the songs they listen to. My vision for this unit is to
create an environment where students begin to think about the music they are listening to and
compare song meaning to their lives. Music, songs, and lyrics can provide students with
powerful messages and my goal behind this lesson is to teach them how to determine
meaning of words, phrases, and meaning within music/lyrics. Additionally, students will
students will compare and contrast audio, lyrics, and video to examine how different message
might be conveyed and true messages of songs meaning could be misinterpreted. Lastly,
students will investigate a musicians background to see if their experiences or ideals help
shape the music/lyrics they compose.

Student Learning Outcomes:
Students will analyze song lyrics using Lyricswikia.com and Spotify to develop critical
thinking skills.
By analyzing song/lyric meaning students will determine social, political, emotional,
and historical lessons that can be learned from music.
Students will build awareness and understanding of how music relates to different
cultures.
Using video, music, and lyrics students will discover how music plays a role in our
society. Students will also determine how music can influence events we see around
us.
Students will explain how music can evoke feelings and emotions in us and how music
can help us cope with difficult situations in our lives.
Students will develop their compare and contrast skills by reading/listening to music.
Matthew Manuel
San Diego, CA

EDUC 526 Growth Assessment

Spring I 2015

Outline:

Day 1 (Anticipatory Set) 50 min. This lesson will begin with a discussion about music and the
connection we each make when we hear music or read lyrics. As a class we will discuss if we
like listening to music and what is it about music that we enjoy or dislike. Additionally, we will
discuss how we feel when we listen to music. Can music inspire us? Lastly, as a class we will
discuss if music can help us learn something. I will be sure to add that music can help us
learn about other cultures, change stereotypes, and question issues in the world around us.

Day 2- 50 min. Will begin with reviewing key vocabulary like lyric, metaphor. On the document
camera students will see the new vocabulary and in their journal write the words, definitions,
and then one sentence using the word. We will then listen to and read the lyrics on the
document camera to http://lyrics.wikia.com/Paul_McCartney:Ebony_And_Ivory and as a class
try to identify any metaphors.

Day 3- 50 min. I will hand out lyrics to the following songs.
http://lyrics.wikia.com/Bob_Dylan:Times_They_Are_A_Changing
http://lyrics.wikia.com/John_Lennon:Imagine
After reading the lyrics we will listen to the songs using Spotify. The class will then be divided
into small groups where they will discuss and take notes in their student journal with their
group. As a group students will discuss what they felt the meaning was in both songs. If
needed I will provide talking points using SongFacts.com to help summarize the songs
meaning.

Day 4- 50 min. At the computer lab students will each read the editorial The Other Education
by David Brooks. http://www.nytimes.com/2009/11/27/opinion/27brooks.html?_r=0
Students will then respond to question in the Google Form below.
https://docs.google.com/forms/d/1mj0d2rZR98hpqJ5A5Nj0NC9oYCkRVSN-0JNN4-doWJ8/vie
wform?usp=send_form
Homework- students will print out the lyrics from 2 songs and bring them to class.

Day 5- 50 min. - Students will come class prepared to share their 2 songs and why they like
the song. As part of a class discussion we will work to form a hypothesis of common themes
between the songs and common themes between the other students songs in the class?

Day 6- 50 min. Using the data collected from Day 4 students will test their hypothesis using
the class iPads and Wordle.com. Student goal is to develop 2-3 common themes between the
songs selected. Students will compare common themes of their songs and then students will
present their Wordle to the rest of the class.

Matthew Manuel
San Diego, CA

EDUC 526 Growth Assessment

Spring I 2015

Day 7- During our class time in the computer lab we will read the lyrics and listen to the song
Waiting on the World to Change by John Mayer. Students will then complete the Google
Form as they reflect and analyze the songs meaning.
https://docs.google.com/a/apu.edu/forms/d/1JB7LAP_hcR02ejWF4Zbgw0OJujrDngmv5dP4Z
qc3KfI/viewform?usp=send_form

Day 8- I will begin class with a discussion that builds on Day 7. I will lead a discussion that
sometimes songs are written to promote change. Sometime songs may be written to protest
something or send a message of someones point of view. We will then watch the two videos
that will detail the use of music over the later course of the United States History.
http://youtu.be/ehexeRzxa4E
http://youtu.be/tsC5BTvKre4

Day 9- We will then begin talking about some songs that have historical relevance to a period.
Several songs we will analyze are:
http://lyrics.wikia.com/Bob_Dylan:Times_They_Are_A_Changing
http://lyrics.wikia.com/Creedence_Clearwater_Revival:Fortunate_Son
At this point we will also look at how the media might not get it right as they used parts of
Fortunate Son in a Wrangler Jeans commercial selling American,
(http://youtu.be/woyvGwGNGSo), but in reality the song was actually a song that was written
as a means of conveying a much different message.

Day 10- Class will begin a how to lesson on building a timeline using Timeline 3D app in the
class iPads. The final project for the unit will have students research songs that were written
during periods of unrest in America history and create a timeline of those songs. Student goal
is to acquire 8-10 songs and put the timing of songs in order with historical date of events.
https://itunes.apple.com/us/app/timeline-3d-make-present-timelines/id522442098?mt=8

Day 11- Students will work on their timelines

Day 12- Students will finalize their timelines and present to the class using Apple TV.

Key Ideas from APU Course Work

From EDUC 511 I learned how to create a Wordle a skill that is being utilized in this
unit plan. Additionally, in EDUC 522 I learned how to use Wordle as a compare and
contrast tool.
From EDUC 513 I learned how to use Google Docs and developed skills to
incorporate Google Forms to collect student response.
From EDUC 522 I learned how to develop and plan lessons/units that focus on
incorporating Gardners Multiple Intelligence. I also learned how to tie Blooms
Taxonomy into Gardner's MIs to create lessons/units that will appeal to all the different
learning styles I work with.
Matthew Manuel
San Diego, CA

EDUC 526 Growth Assessment

Spring I 2015


Sounds of Change Unit Plan From EDUC 522- see attachment

Resources:
Internet
Apple TV
iPads
Computers
Docu-cam
Google Docs/Forms
Spotify Music Player
Timeline 3D Application
Wordle.com
YouTube

Matthew Manuel
San Diego, CA

EDUC 526 Growth Assessment

Spring I 2015