Primary Lesson

Title: Brazilian Animals

Arizona State Standards

  • Reading: Strand 1-Concept 6 (apply reading strategies) Strand 2-Concept 1 (identify facts and main ideas, author’s purpose) Strand 3-Concepts 1 (analyze non-fiction) Strand 2 – Concept 2 (recognize historical and cultural perspectives)
  • Writing: Creative Writing: Strand 2-Concepts 1,2 & 4, Strand 3-Concept 1 (Grade1) Strand 1-Concept 2, Strand 2 Concepts 1,2, & 4, Strand 3-Concept 1 (Grade 2) Strand 1-Concept2, Strand 2-Concepts 1,2 & 4, Strand 3-Concept 2 (Grade 3) Strand 3-Concept 1. Writing Process: Strand 1- Concepts 1-5, Strand 2-Concept 6 (Grades1-2) Strand 1-Concepts 1 & 3-5, Strand 2 Concepts 1 & 6. Gather & Report Information: Strand 2-Concpet 1-2, Strand 3-Concept 2-3 (Grade 1) Strand 1-Concept 2, Strand 2-Concepts 1-2, Strand 3 Concepts 2-3 (Grade 2) Strand 2-Concepts 1-2 (Grade 3).
  • Listening and Speaking: LS-F1 and LS-F3 (shares, presents, participates in activities)
  • History: 1SS-F2 (knowledge of past & present) 1SS-E1(research tools)
  • Civics and Government: 2SS-F1 (multiculturalism)
  • Geography: 3SS-R1 (concept of location) 3SS-F1 (map skills)
  • Arts: 1AM-R1 (songs) 1AM-R2 (rhythm) 1AM-R6 (instruments) 1AM-R7 (Respect for personal work and work of others) 1AV-R1/F2 (use of art materials) 1AV-R2/E1/3AV-R2 (communicate through art) 1AV-R3 (art symbolism) 1AM-R6/3AV-R4 (art appreciation) 2AV-R2 (art & culture) 1AD-R7 (dance appreciation)

Goals & Objectives:

  1. Students will create a samba song made from different rhythms.
  2. Students will learn about the different animals that live in Brazil.

*This is an appropriate lesson to include in a rainforest or tropical unit or in a world celebrations unit.*

Length of lesson: 5-7 one-hour periods

Materials & Preparation: maps of Brazil and South America craft supplies
books about Brazil samba music

Lesson

First Period

  1. Begin by asking students if they have ever heard of Brazil. Listen and accept all of their comments, building upon the correct information they share.
  2. Show a map of South America and locate Brazil. Brainstorm with students what kind of climate is in Brazil, using their previous knowledge to predict. If your class hasn’t learned about the equator (or the Tropics of Cancer and Capricorn) point these out and share what you know about regions of the world that are located on or close to these locations. Share that 90% of Brazil has a tropical climate.
  3. Brainstorm what kind of animals lives in tropical climates. Have resources available for them to confirm their predictions and generate a list of tropical animals that live in Brazil.
  4. Divide the class into 4-5 groups, and have each group choose one of these tropical animals. Explain that each group will be learning about this animal and sharing what they learn with the class.

Second Period

  1. Show pictures or a video of Carnaval in Brazil. (See bibliography) Ask students questions leading them to discuss that this is a celebration and a tradition filled with music, costume, and dance.
  2. Are their any parts of the Carnaval that remind the students of animals? (feathers or wings on costumes, masks, etc.)
  3. Compare Carnaval to American parades, how are they the same and how are they different?
  4. Where do they think this Carnaval was? Using details from the first lesson, give students clues, such as it’s in South America, it’s in a tropical climate, etc., until students guess Brazil.
  5. Remind students that they are learning and sharing information about Brazilian animals. Suggest that they could make their own Carnaval to share what they learn about their animals.

Third-Fourth-Fifth Periods

  1. Have students use this period to investigate their group’s animal and to make costumes and masks that represent this animal. Make posters to carry during the Carnaval with facts about their animals. (Play samba music in the background while students are working. Samba is the traditional music of Carnaval.)
  2. While students are working, create a simple rhyme with each group that gives some facts about their animal and repeats the animal’s name. Try to combine the rhyme with a samba beat. (If this is to complicated for your group you may have them simply repeat the name of their animal. If you do this, make sure that from the beginning you choose animals with a variety of syllables, such as anaconda, orangutan (4 syllables) crocodile (3 syllables) jaguar ( 2 syllables), etc. When the names are said simultaneously, the result is a complex rhythm.)

Sixth Period

  1. Practice the class samba songs. Have each group repeat their samba animal rhyme and at the same time, clapping or using percussion instruments to create their own Samba medley. After all have performed, have the class sing their songs together, creating a Carnaval-like musical environment with many songs and rhythms playing simultaneously.

Closure

  1. Have your Animal Carnaval! Invite parents and other classes to enjoy your celebration.


Evaluation

  1. As the introduction to the Carnaval, have students introduce their project to their audience, ask students questions, prompting them to discuss what they have learned about Brazil and about the tradition of Carnaval. This can also be done at the end of the procession in a written format where each student writes a reflection about their Carnaval experience.

Extensions

  1. Join with other classes and have them participate in a school wide Carnaval. Each class could research what Carnaval is like in a different Latin American country, and research the climate, animals or other geographical information from these locations.
  2. Ask a music teacher or an invited guest to share different percussion instruments that are typically used in Brazilian music. Using boxes, wood and other materials,
    (great use for recycling!) have students create percussion instruments to accompany their Carnaval.