Lesson Plan - Music Matters

Watch the Video
Watch the video “The Magic of Music” and discuss: What evidence does the video give to show that music has long been an important part of human civilization? Why do you think people have always valued music?

Preview Words to Know
Project the online vocabulary slideshow and introduce the Words to Know.

• orchestra
• discipline

Set a Purpose for Reading
As students read, have them think about the benefits of learning to play an instrument.

1. Why does Louis Sylvestre say that he likes it when music class is tough?
Louis Sylvestre says that he likes it when music class is tough because it teaches him discipline, which helps him in other school subjects.
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2. Based on the article, what does it mean to “aim high”? How does the article support the idea that music education can encourage kids to aim high?
Based on the article, to “aim high” means to be ambitious and set big goals for yourself. The article supports the idea that music education can encourage kids to aim high by showing that kids in the Miami Music Project achieve academic success. It explains that last year, every 12th-grader in the program graduated from high school and went on to college.
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3. What might be another good title for the sidebar, “Bending the Mind”? Explain.
Sample response: Another good title for the sidebar is “Our Changing Brains” because it is all about how the human brain can change and grow over time. As we learn new things, our neurons create new pathways. The more these pathways are used, the stronger they become.
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FEATURED SKILL: Text Structure
Like many nonfiction texts, this article includes several text structures. Use the skill builder “Explore Text Structures” to have students identify them. As a bonus, have students locate an example of the cause-and-effect structure in the sidebar, “Bending the Mind.”
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