When a writing assignment is made in class, student reaction is not always positive. While there are some students who openly accept the challenge, others look at their blank paper like a struggling artist looks at a blank canvas. Give students something to listen to or see and their words may come easier.
Turning Music into a Writing Lesson
Set aside several days of writing instruction to allow students to write with music. The sounds of music provide plenty of opportunities to improve writing by identifying tone or focusing on word choice.
- Select three or four songs to play in class. Make sure the music is different in tempo, genre, and type of instrument.
- Instruct students to listen closely and write down words or phrases that come to mind as the music plays.
- Students are to keep writing throughout the entire song.
An up tempo song with whistling throughout may result in descriptions like happiness, childhood, or skipping through a park. It may take a few tries for students to get used to the exercise, but they will get better with practice and may even suggest their own songs.
Extend the Lesson Beyond the Music
Make sure the lesson doesn't become just an opportunity for students to listen to music in class. Hold them accountable by extending the lesson.
- Have students select one of the songs they have listened to in class. Assign a character sketch or scene development.
- For a character sketch, instruct students to describe the main character based on their responses. For example, if one of the responses was "skipping through a park," have them identify who was running through the park. What were the physical characteristics? How old was the character? Why was the character skipping?
- For scene development with the same response, students could answer a different set of questions. What kind of park was it? What time of day did the character go skipping? How many other people were in the park?
- If the music is suspenseful, have students work on plot. What is taking place? When the music gets more intense, what is about to happen? What was the conclusion?
Choosing the Music
Just about any music can be used. Make sure it is appropriate for school, however. A collection of classical music works fine and often includes a variety of tempos and instrumentals. Music with harp, guitar, and drum solos offer numerous opportunities for students to "hear" the difference in the tone. Another option is to select more contemporary music that students have heard.
Using Artwork in Class
For visual learners, writing from a painting can be an effective strategy. Pull work from the masters like Van Gogh, Leonardo da Vinci, Monet, Picasso, or Salvador Dali. Again, students can use the art to work on details, character sketches, and setting.
- Leonardo da Vinci's Mona Lisa can be used for a character sketch. Who is the woman in the painting? Is she married? Does she have children? Why did she pose for the painting? What is she thinking about to make her smile?
- American Gothic by Grant Wood can be used for a character sketch or to describe a setting. The painting depicts a farmer holding a pitchfork and his wife. Both individuals have stern looks on their faces. Who is the couple? Why do they look mad? How old are they? How long have they been married? For setting, students could answer questions like how big is the farm? Where is it located? What kind of work is done on the farm?
- With Monet's A Field of Poppies, students can work on details. Describe the field of flowers. What are the different colors they see? Describe the woman and child in the painting.
Adapting the Writing for Younger Children
The choice of music and art can be changed so younger children can participate in the same type of writing assignment. Instead of classical music, choose instrumental music from soundtracks of motion pictures the kids would have seen. Select artwork the children can identify with and is more concrete in nature than abstract. Provide students with specific questions to answer to guide them in their responses. Finally, have them write short stories using their character sketches and setting developments.
By adding music and art to writing instruction, students get away from prompts and worksheets that tend to hold them back. Creativity begins to expand as they see the connection to writing and other art forms.
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