Overcoming the Odds

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5-8

Language Arts, Performing Arts, Social Studies

Students will listen to examples of instrumental and vocal music recorded by Louis Armstrong. Students will read about his life and write about the obstacles he had to overcome to become an American musical legend. Students will also trace the experiences of Armstrong as he traveled, playing his music for the American public.

Computer
Sound System

Text: Louis Armstrong, by Patricia and Fredrick McKissak, published by Enslow Publishers, Inc., 1991.

Recordings of musical works by Louis Armstrong. (Recordings are available at most local libraries. Specific recordings are not listed because availability will vary. "Hello Dolly," one of Armstrong's most famous recordings, is highly recommended.)

Lesson- and Extension-Specific Resources:

Louis Armstrong: A Cultural Legacy
http://www.npg.si.edu/exh/armstrong/

This site highlights Louis Armstrong's involvement with the growth of jazz, big band, and swing music. This Web site includes photographs of Louis Armstrong and his family/friends.

Louis Armstrong House and Archive
http://www.satchmo.net

This site contains personal papers, photographs, scrapbooks, recordings, musical instruments, and other memorabilia of Louis Armstrong.

Louis Armstrong Lyrics
http://www.mathematik.uni-ulm.de/
paul/lyrics/louisa~1/

This Web page provides lyrics for pieces of music made famous by Louis Armstrong.

General Internet Resources:

Jazz Kids
http://www.pbs.org/jazz/kids/

This animated cartoon jazz site includes artist biographies outlined in Q&A format, a timeline, an improvisation station, and online audio activities to familiarize children with the sounds of the instruments in a jazz ensemble.

Music 5-8: #6, #7, #9

Additional Standards:

Maryland MSPAP: Students will read for literary experience.

Maryland Social Studies Standard 4.1: Students will demonstrate an understanding of the purpose of—and are able to use and construct—maps, globes, and other geographical tools to acquire, process, analyze, and report geographic information about people, places, and environments.

1. Students will listen to examples of the music of Louis Armstrong. They will discuss the musical elements of instrumentation, rhythm patterns, improvisation, and musical genre.

2. Students will read the text, Louis Armstrong, by Patricia and Fredrick McKissak.

3. Students will follow the writing process when completing the writing assignment.

4. Students will trace the travels of Louis Armstrong on a map of the United States.

Teacher-directed instruction
Cooperative learning, jigsaw
Technology Research and Integration
Book/reference research
Peer exchange
Class discussion
Creative writing tasks
Oral presentations
Listening skills

Warm-up:

Students will begin a KWL chart about Louis Armstrong, filling in the K (what they know) column, and the W (what they want to know) column.

Introductory Activity:

Students will listen to a variety of music recorded by Louis Armstrong. A suggested piece is "Hello Dolly."

Guided Practice:

Students will discuss the listening selections. The following topics should be covered:

1. Instrumentation
2. Rhythm patterns (syncopation)
3. Use of improvisation
4. Type of music/genre

Following the listening activity, students should update their K-W-L charts.

Independent Practice:

1. Students will read the text, Louis Armstrong, by Patricia and Fredrick McKissak, published by Enslow Publishers, Inc., 1991. They will trace the travels of Louis Armstrong on a map of the United States. Students can also research Armstrong's life with the following Internet resources:

• Louis Armstrong: The Man, the Musician, the Celebrity
• Satchmo.net: The Official Site for the Louis Armstrong House and Archives
• Louis Armstrong: A Cultural Legacy
• Jazz Kids
• Red Hot Jazz Archive: Louis "Satchmo" Armstrong

2. Students will follow the writing process to answer the following essay question: "Louis Armstrong lived through many ups and downs on his road to success, as an American music legend. Choose two events and describe how you think those events shaped his character."

3. Following the reading and writing activity, students should update their K-W-L charts.

1. Students will demonstrate knowledge of musical instrumentation, rhythmic patterns, improvisation, and musical genre when they participate in the opening discussion.

2. Students will demonstrate the ability to follow the reading and writing process by completing the writing assignment and referring to the text.

3. Students will demonstrate the knowledge of geography and the ability to use a map by tracing the travels of Louis Armstrong.

Assessment Rubric: Essay

Louis Armstrong lived through many ups and downs on his road to success as an American music legend. Choose two events and describe how you think those events shaped his character.

_____ (0-25 points) Organizer included (graphic organizer, web, outline).

_____ (0-25 points) Rough draft included. (Student demonstrates corrections made before the final draft is composed.)

_____ (0-50 points) Final draft.
1. Introduces Louis Armstrong and his place in American music history.
2. Introduces the two influential events.
3. Describes the effects these events had on Louis Armstrong.
4. References made to the text.
5. Spelling, grammar, and structure.

_____ TOTAL (100 possible points)

Students will attempt to read a sample of text in the form of "scat," used by Louis Armstrong in his version of "Hello Dolly."

Students can learn more about jazz instrumentation and improvisation through an interactive listen and respond activity using the music of Duke Ellington. They can also learn more jazz terminology with the help of this handy glossary.

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© ARTSEDGE, 2000