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Music Unites Us Lesson Plan Overview: From India: The Rhythms of Life
Visiting artists – Sandeep Das, tabla and Rajib Karmakar, sitar
Lesson Plan Writer: Barbara Cardarelli, Waltham Public Schools
Context:
This is an overview of the high school mini-unit that will precede and accompany the September
30, 2016 performance From India: The Rhythms of Life. “According to ancient Hindu treatises,
it is believed that the universe was created when Lord Shiva danced with his drums in hand. The
idea that sound itself can connect us to the cosmos and to each other is at the heart of Indian
classical music. This evening’s journey calls to the ancient Gods, evoking rain, thunder and
lightning through the polyrhythms of Das’s tabla and magical resonances of Karmakar’s sitar…”
The unit is planned to utilize three class days of History class, plus one day of the performance.
There are several places where the unit can be shortened. The lessons are for the teachers to use
as written or modify and arrange information in whatever way the teacher wants to use it.
Objectives:
The overarching objectives for the mini-unit are as follows:
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To prepare students for the MUUS performance by giving them context relating to the
geography/traditions/culture of India
To supplement the history curriculum based on MA History Frameworks for 9th-12th
History and Common Core Standards
To help teachers by reinforcing the vocabulary and concepts already in use
Students will acquaint themselves with modern Indian geography and culture
To explore the history of India and that history can be shared musically
Students will understand that history is more than places and dates
Students will understand the role that music plays in the Indian culture and tradition
Students will be able to define the music genre of Raga
Students will be able to recognize musical instruments of classical Indian music
Daily Objectives:
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Day 1 – To give context to the performance by reviewing the geography of India.
Students will be able to complete a map of India labeling key political and physical
features. Students will explore the history and culture of India and complete a map of
India and explore the CIA World Fact Book for information and key facts about India.
Students will complete a timeline of important dates in India’s history. In addition,
students will explore modern India and reflect on two interesting facts.
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Day 2 – Students will explore Hinduism for an understanding of that religion. They will
define vocabulary words and make connections to various concepts. Students will
investigate “chanting” as an oral tradition and the relationship between the music genre
of Raga and chanting.
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Day 3 – Students will read about the Tabla and Sitar, the musical instruments that the
performers will be playing. Students will be able to listen to the music of Sandeep Das
and Rajib Karmakar. Students will watch videos of the musicians and write down
questions that they would like to ask them. They will try to identify the musical
instruments and evaluate the customs and rituals of the raga music genre. Students will
describe the music in their own words (melody, rhythm, texture) and what they think the
music is trying to convey. There are no teacher lessons for Day 3. A student handout
will be given to the students for them to complete.
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Day 4 – Performance
Assessments: Formative assessments are built into each lesson
Standards: MA Curriculum Frameworks
Concepts and Skills, Grades 8–12
Students should be able to:
1. Apply the skills of prekindergarten through grade seven.
3. Interpret and construct timelines that show how events and eras in various parts of the world
are related to one another.
4. Interpret and construct charts and graphs that show quantitative information
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7. Show connections, causal and otherwise, between particular historical events and ideas and
larger social, economic, and political trends and developments.
World History ll Learning Standards
WHII.12 Identify major developments in Indian history in the 19th and early 20th centuries. (H,
E) A. the economic and political relationship between India and Britain B. the building of roads,
canals, railroads, and universities C. the rise of Indian nationalism and the influence and ideas of
Gandhi
CCSS.ELA-Literacy.RH.9-10.2 Determine the central ideas or information of a primary or
secondary source; provide an accurate summary of how key events or ideas develop over the
course of the text.
CCSS.ELA-Literacy.RH.9-10.4 Determine the meaning of words and phrases as they are used in
a text, including vocabulary describing political, social, or economic aspects of history/social
science.
CCSS.ELA-Literacy.RH.9-10.9 Compare and contrast treatments of the same topic in several
primary and secondary sources.
CCSS.ELA-Literacy.WHST.9-10.2b Develop the topic with well-chosen, relevant, and sufficient
facts, extended definitions, concrete details, quotations, or other information and examples
appropriate to the audience’s knowledge of the topic.
CCSS.ELA-Literacy.WHST.9-10.7 Conduct short as well as more sustained research projects to
answer a question (including a self-generated question) or solve a problem; narrow or broaden
the inquiry when appropriate; synthesize multiple sources on the subject, demonstrating
understanding of the subject under investigation.
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LESSON PLANS
DAY ONE –
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Ask students about any pre knowledge they may have about India. Make a list on the
board.
Pass out the map of India. Refer the students to the website:
https://www.cia.gov/library/publications/the-world-factbook/geos/in.html
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Students will also complete the Fast Facts about India. After they complete the
“comment” question, they will share their paragraphs.
Students will complete the timeline of India’s history. If the date on the student sheet is
one year before or after, they can use that date. Use for reference:
http://www.bbc.com/news/world-south-asia-12641776
http://www.timeforkids.com/destination/india/history-timeline
http://www.ducksters.com/geography/country/india_history_timeline.php
Refer to the website: www.roughguides.com/article/interesting-facts-about-india/
Students will give 2 interesting facts about India today and comment on them. Check papers for
completion.
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Day 1:
Geography of India. Use an Atlas or the website below for reference.
On the map of India label:
Use this link - https://www.cia.gov/library/publications/the-world-factbook/geos/in.html
Country: India
River: Ganges
Capital: New Delhi
Mountain Range: Himalayas
Major cities: Ahmadabad,
Mumbai (Bombay), Kolkata
(Calcutta), Kanpur
Bodies of water: Arabian
Sea, Bay of Bengal, Indian
Ocean
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Bordering countries:
Afghanistan, China, Nepal,
Myanmar, Bangladesh,
Pakistan, Maldives, Sri Lanka
Fast Facts:
1.Government –
2.Area –
3.Terrain –
4.Environment Current Issues –
5.Major Language –
6.3 Major Religions –
7.Continue to look through the information on Factbook. Comment on life in India referring to
five specific areas. (Example-literacy, children underweight, school life expectancy, etc)
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From Junior Scholastic, 9/14/2014
“India’s civilization, dating from about 2500 B.C., is one of the world’s oldest. Conquered by the
British in the 19th century, India became “the jewel in the crown” of the British Empire. In the
20th century, the Indian subcontinent was partitioned (divided) into India, Pakistan, and
Bangledesh. “
Make a timeline of important dates in India’s History.
1500 B.C.
1526 A.D.
1757
1919
1930
1947
1965
2000
There is an interesting website about interesting facts about India. Choose two facts and write
below why you find them interesting.
www.roughguides.com/article/interesting-facts-about-india/
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DAY TWO
Share with students, “Hinduism, unlike most major religions, does not have a central figure
upon whom it is founded. Rather, it is a complex faith with roots stemming back five thousand
years to the people of the Indus Valley, now part of Pakistan. When the Aryan tribes of Persia
invaded the Indus Valley around 1700 BCE, the groups’ beliefs merged and Hinduism began to
form.” (World Religions, by Gabriel Arquilevich)
Refer students to the following website and have them read about Hinduism. Put the following
words on the board and have the students define them on another sheet of paper: and define the
following terms:
https://sites.google.com/site/worldreligionsforkids/home/hinduism
Hinduism, Vedas, Upanishads, Brahman, reincarnation, karma, dharma, Caste System, Ganges
River
Discuss meanings. Ask students to share any personal stories they might have about the term
“karma”.
The following website has some well-known stories from both the sacrificial portion of the
Vedas and the Upanisads. Students may want to share personal connections to one or more of
the stories.
http://www.hindukids.org/old/grandpa/index_upanishads.html
2 The following information was shared with me by Judith Eissenberg, Director of Music
Unites Us. Share it with students:
“Many musical traditions originate to connect with a spiritual presence (god, gods, ancestors,
spirits, etc.). Even in the 21st century, music is used in this way in churches, temples, mosques,
etc.
Ask students, “How is music used in this way in your life?”
“Raga, the classical music of India, has its roots in ancient chants, called Vedas. We tend to think
of these as Hindu prayers and chants, but the chants and the prayers came even before Hinduism.
During the Vedic Period, 3000-1200 BCE, the music was “chanting”. Chanting was the oral
tradition. Before texts were written down, they were spoken in chant, and the chant sounded
musical. Long, long texts were remembered because the musicality of the chants made it easier
to remember.”
Ask students, “Has anybody learned information though a melody or song?” Maybe it was the
ABC’s, or names of states, etc.
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“This musical chanting began to expand into pure music, eventually into a musical tradition that
we know today as raga and this is what we will listen to at the performance. Some of the music
can include singing and dance. But even without, raga musicians and the people who know this
music well believe there is still the possibility of spiritual meaning inside the music. Those that
listen to the music, feel it is an inner journey, and that if you listen deeply, it will put you in
touch with essential truths (some say God) of the universe.”
Examples of Chanting:
The following websites will introduce Day 3 and the relationship between the music genre of
Raga and the Vedas. If you like, you can use this information on Day 3.
Moving closer to raga, view the South Indian Brahmin’s chanting (Rig) Veda in traditional style:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0tZv9utp-oc
And traditional chanting of the Sama Veda https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rAB38UtEY9k
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DAY 3
Read the following information on the website for background information on the music of
India. You will see that the music is extremely meaningful. “Indian musicians learn to play raga
(patterns of notes) by imitating and memorizing. The music is passed on from teacher to student
by oral tradition… Indian Ragas are patterns of notes but are different to a Western scale or
melody.” You will get an overview of the meaningful purpose of the music. You will learn that
the sitar and tabla are instruments that take practice and years to master. Improvisation is an
important part of North India classical music.
http://www.bbc.co.uk/schools/gcsebitesize/music/world_music/music_india_print.shtml
Here are two websites for you to look at. With a partner, compose 5 questions that you would
like to ask EACH of the performers after viewing their presentations.
http://www.sandeepdas.com/
http://sitarrajib.com/about/
SANDEEP DAS, tabla
RAJIB KARMAKER, sitar
As you listen to the music, describe the music in your own words (melody, rhythm, texture) and
what you think the music is trying to convey:
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Works Cited for MUUS 2016 India
Websites:
This is a reading about the Music of India
http://www.bbc.co.uk/schools/gcsebitesize/music/world_music/music_india_print.shtml
General introduction (without any glaring errors), including a bit on the Vedas:
https://sites.google.com/site/worldreligionsforkids/home/hinduism
Some basic narratives—all very well-known, even celebrated—from both the sacrificial portion
of the Vedas and the Upaniṣads:
http://www.hindukids.org/old/grandpa/index_upanishads.html
Great video of South Indian Brahmins chanting (Rig) Veda in traditional style:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0tZv9utp-oc
Moving one step closer to raga, traditional chanting of the Sama Veda:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rAB38UtEY9k
An excellent, and very brief, introduction to Indian philosophy (without too many egregious
errors)!
http://lukemuehlhauser.com/ancient-indian-philosophy-a-painless-introduction/
This is used as a reference for Hinduism:
http://www.primaryhomeworkhelp.co.uk/religion/hinduism.htm
This is an article on interesting facts about India that Americans may not know.
www.roughguides.com/article/interesting-facts-about-india/
Book:
Arquilevich, Gabriel. World Religions: Grades 6-8. Westminster, CA: Teacher Created Resources,
2007. Print.
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