In honor of Jazz Appreciation Month, here is a lesson plan that incorporates jazz music in ELA. If you enjoy this lesson plan, please let me know. I’d love feedback as I continue to grow in my curriculum development.

Standards:

CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.L.2.4.A: Use sentence-level context as a clue to the meaning of a word or phrase.
CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.L.3.4.A: Use sentence-level context as a clue to the meaning of a word or phrase.
MU:Pr6.1.2a: Explore and demonstrate an understanding of music concepts through interpretive movements.
MU:Re7.2.3a: Demonstrate and describe how a response to music can be informed by the structure, the use of the elements of music, and context (such as social and cultural).

Objectives:

• Students will be able to use context clues to determine the meaning of unfamiliar words.
• Students will explore how music can express different emotions and ideas.
• Students will make connections between the structure and elements of jazz music and vocabulary development.

Materials:

• Recording or video clip of a jazz song or performance
• Vocabulary words related to jazz music (e.g., improvisation, syncopation, swing, call-and-response)
• Whiteboard or chart paper
• Instruments (optional) for student improvisation

Warm-up (5 minutes): Play a short clip of a jazz song or performance. Invite students to share their initial reactions and describe the emotions or feelings they experienced while listening.

Introduction (10 minutes):

1. Introduce the concept of using context clues to determine the meaning of unfamiliar words.
2. Present a vocabulary word related to jazz music (e.g., improvisation) and have students use the context of the music clip to infer its meaning.
3. Discuss how the structure and elements of jazz music, such as improvisation and syncopated rhythms, can convey specific emotions or ideas.

Vocabulary Exploration (20 minutes):

1. Divide students into small groups and assign each group one or two jazz vocabulary words.
2. Have each group create a short skit, dance, or improvised musical performance to demonstrate the meaning of their assigned word(s).
3. Allow groups to present their interpretations to the class.
4. Discuss how the use of music, movement, and context clues helped students understand the vocabulary words.

Closure (10 minutes):

1. Revisit the initial jazz music clip and discuss how students’ understanding of the music has deepened through the vocabulary exploration.
2. Invite students to share any connections they made between the structure and elements of jazz music and the process of learning new words.
3. Summarize the importance of using context clues and making interdisciplinary connections to enhance vocabulary development.