of Newbery-winning Last Stop on Market Street
led to a collaborative audio art project. Details below.
"What are C.J. and his nana doing?" and "What is the last stop on Market Street?"
with our big-picture concept of the month--"Place."
[Above: the key word, which is posted by our library door.]
How did this lead to audio art?
In the book, C.J. and others close their eyes and listen to music.
I told the students how they could try the same,
and they would see images and perhaps even words on the screen of their mind.
They asked to try it, so I met with the art teacher to collaborate.
and finally chose the first track of this C.D.
The song is called "Australian Daybreak,"
and opens with nature noises;
gradually flutes and other instruments join in.
We listened to it multiple times,
and decided that listening with our eyes closed for 2 minutes
was the sweet spot. After that, we opened our eyes and began drawing
what was saw on our mind's screen.
even though we'd done them independently!
Next stop: roll it out with students! We chose third grade as the first to try.
Here's how we structured it:
I began by holding up the book and reminding students of the music scene on the bus;
we dimmed the lights,
and instructed students to listen to the music with their eyes shut for 2 mins.;
after 2 mins., we quietly handed out paper and colored pencils, and they began
drawing what they saw on their mind-screens.
Students were very engaged and had not seen Mary Lou or my drawings--
yet the swirls, spirals, and other shapes repeated, which is intriguing.
Below is a slideshow of some of the students' artwork.