Language Arts - Grade 3 TEKS 3.9E - Drawing and Discussing Visual Images Based on Text Descriptions by Rhianna Elder

Category:  Language Arts
Grade Level:  3rd Grade
Objective: 

Language Arts TEKS 3.9E  Reading/comprehension.
The student uses a variety of strategies to comprehend selections read aloud and selections read independently.  The student is expected to: draw and discuss visual images based on text descriptions.

Music TEKS 3.4A  Creative expression/performance.
The student creates and arranges music within specified guidelines.  The student is expected to: create rhythmic phrases.

Behavioral Objective:
The student will draw visual images based on the poem Herbert Handy's Hardware Store.

Materials: 
Crayons, markers, construction paper, non-tuned percussion instruments, and a copy of the poem Herbert Handy's Hardware Store by Kenn Nesbitt (available at http://www.nesbitt.com/poetry/poems/poem.cfm?PoemID=1).

Activities/Strategies: 
Let the children get into small groups, and ask them to draw pictures of what they might find in a hardware store.  Once they have come up with a collage of items, have them read Herbert Handy's Hardware Store.  After reading the poem ask the groups to draw some of the items from the poem, and display the collages on the board for all to see.  Have the children select an item from one of the collages that will be used for the steady beat.  Next, have them choose a group of words from the poem.  Last, they should come up with a word or phrase that relates to the poem but is not from the poem.  The words may be, for example: (1) nail, (2) storage bins for storing air, (3) useless__silly.

Process:

• Say words with entire group

• Divide into groups

• Groups say words - start with steady beat (one syllable)

• Add body percussion to words

• Drop words - body percussion alone

• Move to non-tuned percussion with words

• Drop words - non-tuned percussion alone

• Introduce instruments from low to high

• Once everyone is comfortable with their parts, add the chant rhythm (i.e., words) in a high glockenspiel

	1st Beat	2nd Beat	3rd Beat	4th Beat
High = pat = triangle	Useless			Silly
Middle = clap = tambourine	Storage	Bins for	Storing	Air
Low = stomp= hand drum	Nail	Nail	Nail	Nail

Evaluation: 
Observe from the children's collages that they have drawn images from the poem.  With the children in small groups, give them another poem that uses visual imagery; they will be responsible for choosing words and phrases to create a percussive piece.  Observe the small groups creating their percussive pieces.