Date submitted: 7/21/2008 

Learning Targets: What you want students to know and be able to do as a result of learning process	Assessment Criteria: The observable traits and dimensions of meeting the learning target—what it looks, sounds, or feels like when the student demonstrates this newly acquired knowledge or skill.
Students can describe what they hear in the recording of “The Crossroads Blues.”	Students can tell peers or teacher that they hear a guitar, singer, and a four/four meter in a moderate tempo.
Students understand what the Blues are, when they were created and by which group of people.	Students can tell peers or teacher the basic background of the blues. They understand the blues are a way to express their troubles and in that sorrow there can be humor and joy.
Students read “The Blues” poem with expression.	Students are able to interpret the intense emotions expressed and can bring it into their reading.
Students use their knowledge of dance elements and show their interpretation of “The Weary Blues” in a tableau.	Each student is involved and works efficiently and respectfully in the group to create the tableau and perform it. Students will show a scene from the poem and show their interpretation with a variety of textures in their composition.

Responding/Reflecting: Guiding Questions before, during and after the lesson activity that help students build critical thinking skills, link big ideas with historical/cultural resources, and reflect on and assess their own and other’s art.
1. Describe	2. Analyze
What instruments do you hear? What is the meter of the song?	What is the genre of the music you heard?
Why were those musical choices made? What do they express to the listener?	Are the blues always serious? How do the blues express sorrow and joy at the same time?
What does it mean to have the Blues?	Why would African Americans in the early 1900’s sing the blues?
3. Interpret	4. Evaluate
	What gives you the blues? How does this music make you feel?
What is the setting of this poem?	Why is the poem set here?
What is the narrator telling us?	Can this poem be called the blues? What does it have in common with the music?

Learning Sequence: Indicate steps needed to achieve learning targets Note Idaho Humanities Content Standard/student artistic process element addressed in each step
1.                                                                                                      CreatePerform/ExhibitRespond/Reflect 1. When students arrive into class ask them to quietly listen to today’s music selection (“Crossroads Blues”). Give them no other background (not even the title) other than to ask them to listen to be able to tell me what instruments, meter, and type of expression they heard. After listening to the selection ask students to discuss the music using the O.D.I.E. process—starting with what they Observed--My ears heard…” after students have described ask the students if they can describe the genre of the music they just heard and what they know about it.   Check for understanding by: In-process assessment of student learning through questions, self reflection, teacher scan, peer sharing, checklist, or other assessment tools
2.                                                                                                     CreatePerform/ExhibitRespond/Reflect Discuss the idea of the Blues. Make sure students know what it means to have the blues. Discuss the background of the blues by asking students that lead to this basic understanding—the African Americans developed the blues from their personal experiences. Although they were freed from slavery they still were not equal in society and lived difficult lives. Blues was a way to express these feelings. African Americans have a long musical tradition from incorporating African rhythms and American melodies and incorporated the spirituals and work songs styles into the blues. Give a brief background on Langston Hughes. Ask students to read “The Blues” by Langston Hughes. Practice reading the poem as a group until the students can read it with expression. Discuss the poem, noting there is humor in the blues.  Check for understanding by:
3.                                                                                                      CreatePerform/ExhibitRespond/Reflect . Students will then listen to a recording of Langston Hughes reading his poem, “The Weary Blues.” Discuss the setting of the poem and the basic happenings of the play. Practice the vocabulary words in the play and warm up bodies and faces with the On/Off game in a class circle. Ask students to pose to the words: drowsy, droning, weary, rickety, melancholy, troubles on the shelf, crooned, gas light, piano, etc.  Check for understanding by:
4.                                                                                                      CreatePerform/ExhibitRespond/Reflect Have students sit down and review expectations for a tableau—each person has a part, work to create visual texture in shape, height, background, foreground, facial expressions, students move from neutral remain frozen until cued otherwise. Students have 3 minutes to plan with the facilitator, 3 minutes to get into tableau with director, then a group rehearsal. Curator will step out of the tableau and make changes as needed (2 minutes). The groups will then perform their tableau in a gallery wave format.  Check for understanding by:
5.                                                                                                      CreatePerform/ExhibitRespond/Reflect Check for understanding by:
6.                                                                                                      CreatePerform/ExhibitRespond/Reflect Check for understanding by:
Responding: Closing Reflection with Students Did you achieve the learning targets? How effectively did you meet each assessment criteria for the lesson?