Watch out, bullies: She’s got the band behind her By Rachel Rodriguez, CNN

ESL Voices Lesson Plan for this post with Answer Key.

13-year-old Mano Kolman and her father, Barry. Photo courtesy the Kolman family. CNN.

Pretty 13-year-old Mano Kolman is Autistic. At her school being  bullied by other students was part of her normal day. Many times she sat by herself at lunch, feeling very lonely and isolated.  Then her parents took charge, and  decided to teach Mano how to play the clarinet. With support from her school band  Mano progressed in her studies and in her social life!  The Kolmans explain how they helped their daughter change her life for the better.

Excerpt:

“A few weeks ago, Emmanuela Kolman brought home her middle-school report card. She got an A in band, and her parents couldn’t be prouder.

Any parent would be pleased by an A. But for 13-year-old Emmanuela, who goes by Mano, that A in band is a symbol. It represents eight months of hard work, a collection of new skills, and, most importantly, a complete turnaround in Mano’s social and academic life.

13-year-old Mano Kolman and her father, Barry, prepare to play a clarinet duet together. Photo courtesy the Kolman Family. Photo: W&L.

Mano has high-functioning autism. That means she walks and talks a little differently than other kids, her parents say, and she’s “painfully aware” of these differences. Some students at her Staunton, Virginia, middle school treat her as someone who is not very cool…Mano has few friends and frequently eats lunch by herself. She sometimes comes home crying because of teasing. She also experiences sudden outbursts of anger and frustration.

The dream team- Mano with her dad, a music professor, and mom, a counselor. Photo courtesy the Kolman Family. Kolman site.

Luckily, Mano has the dream team of parents on her side. Barry is a clarinetist and music professor at Washington and Lee University. Her mother, Grace, is a counselor working toward her Ph.D. in counseling and supervision at James Madison University. Last summer they were trying to come up with a strategy to help Mano deal with some of the bullying problems at school and decided to attempt an experiment: Barry would start giving her clarinet lessons…Plus, they both desperately wanted to give Mano a social outlet and help her become part of a group.

Parts of the Clarinet. Photo Clarinet Closet.

The first lesson, they spent 30 minutes just putting the instrument together. With autism, you really need to do one thing at a time,” he said. In music, you usually give about four or five commands per sentence, but for children with autism, you just can’t do that. They kind of freeze; they don’t know what to do first. So I had to kind of slow down.

He learned to speak Mano’s language, too. When she described the different kinds of notes on a page of sheet music as looking like different types of chocolate — dark or white — he went with it.

There are so many things just to get a note, all this coordination, which is very important in Mano’s case,…explaining that it’s sometimes difficult for children with autism to perform several tasks at the same time.

But once she got it, Mano took to the clarinet “like a duck to water.” Her parents noticed changes in her almost right away. It’s been less than a year since she started playing and already, they say, her speech has improved and she’s more focused in school, which has led to better grades.

But by far the biggest change the Kolmans have seen has been the improvement in Mano’s social life.

“Playing music can soothe the pain of isolation and provide a safe space where she is accepted,” said Barry.

Before, Mano wasn’t part of a group. Now she has the band. Her parents can tell from the way she brags about being a member that it’s made a world of difference. Mano’s mother cried as she described how being part of the band has affected Mano — and the whole family.

Clarinet photo from Zazzle.

Barry keeps a journal about the results of teaching Mano clarinet, and he’s posted suggested lesson plans for children with autism on his website. The Kolmans, who have spoken and written about their experience (including on CNN iReport) so that others can benefit, say they’ve received dozens of e-mails from parents of children with autism.” Read more…

ESL Voices Lesson Plan for this post

Level: Intermediate -Advanced

Language Skills: Reading, writing, speaking and listening. Vocabulary and grammar activities are included.

Time: Approximately 2 hours.

Materials: Student handouts (from this lesson) access to news article, and video.

Objective: Students will read the article with a focus on improving reading comprehension and learning new vocabulary. At the end of the lesson students will express their personal views on autism through discussions, and writing.

I. Pre-Reading Tasks

 Predictions

Pre-reading Organizer

Directions:  Ask students to examine the title of the post, and of the actual article they are about to read. Then, have them  examine the photos. Based on these sources,  ask students to write a paragraph describing some issues they think this article will discuss. Have students use this great Prereading Organizer from Scholastic.

KWL Chart 

The K-W-L chart is used to activate students’ background knowledge of a topic in order to enhance their comprehension skills. The K-W-L stands for: What I Know, What I Want to learn, and What I did Learn.

Directions: Have students use the KWL chart from  Michigan State University to list the information they already know about Autism. Later in the Post- Reading segment of the lesson, students can fill in what they’ve learned about the topic.

II. While Reading Tasks

Vocabulary

Word Inference

Directions: Students are to infer the meanings of the words in bold taken from the article. They may use a dictionary or thesaurus for assistance. Have students use the Word organizer from Enchanted Learning to assist them with new vocabulary.

1. It represents eight months of hard work and a complete turnaround in Mano’s social and academic life.
2. Mano has high-functioning autism.
3. She also experiences sudden outbursts of anger and frustration.
4. Last summer they were trying to come up with a strategy to help Mano deal with some of the bullying problems at school.
5. They both desperately wanted to give Mano a social outlet and help her become part of a group.
6. But once she got it, Mano took to the clarinet “like a duck to water.”
7. Neither of Mano’s parents is technically a music therapist.
8. Playing music can soothe the pain of isolation.
9. Her parents can tell from the way she brags about being a member that it’s made a world of difference.
10. I think the way she’s dealing with bullying now is much different.

Reading Comprehension

True / False/ NA

Directions:  The following statements were taken from the article.  If  a statement is true, students write (T) if the information is not available, students write (NA). If  a statement is false they  write (F) and  provide the correct answer from the article.

1. Mano is 13-years old.
2. Mano has high-functioning autism.
3. Mano took clarinet lessons with the band.
4. In the first lesson Mano spent 2 hours learning how to play the clarinet.
5. In music, you usually give about four or five commands per sentence.
6.  Children with autism need fewer instructions.
7. Mano’s dad had to learn her language.
8. Once she understood how things worked, Mano learned the clarinet quickly.
9. Her speech still needs work, and Mano needs to focus more on her studies.
10. The biggest change is that Mano now plays in the school band.

Grammar Focus

Structure and Usage

Directions: The following groups of sentences are from the article. One of the sentences in each group contains a grammatical  error. Students are to identify the sentence (1, 2, or 3 ) from each group that contains the grammatical error.

I.

1. Mano have high-functioning autism.
2. That means she walks and talks a little differently than other kids.
3. She’s “painfully aware” of these differences.

II.

1. Mano has few friends and frequently eats lunch by herself.
2. She sometimes comes home crying because of teasing.
3. She also experiences sudden outbursts on anger and frustration.

III.

1. Luckily, Mano has the dream team of parents on her side.
2. Last summer they were trying to come up with a strategy to help Mano.
3. Barry had taught clarinet to other kid Mano’s age.

III. Post Reading Tasks

Reading Comprehension Check

WH-How Questions

Directions: Have students use the  WH-question format to discuss or to write the main points from the article.

Who or What is the article about?

Where does the action/event take place?

When does the action/event take place?

Why did the action/event occur?

How did the action/event occur?

Discussion/Writing Exercise

Directions: Place students in groups and have them answer the following questions. After, have the groups share their thoughts as a class. To reinforce the ideas, students can write an essay on one of the discussion topics.

Review ESL Voices Modes of Essay Writing.

1. The article states, “When she described the different kinds of notes on a page of sheet music as looking like different types of chocolate — dark or white — he went with it.” Can you look at the sheet music (for clarinet)  below and imagine the notes  as pieces of chocolate?
2. From the article you learn that “Last summer they were trying to come up with a strategy to help Mano deal with some of the bullying problems at school and decided to attempt an experiment: Barry would start giving her clarinet lessons.”  Explain how clairinet lessons helped Mano with bullying issues.
3. Have you ever met or know someone who is autistic? If yes, describe the person, and your experiences with them. If no, how would you feel about meeting an autistic person?

Clarinet Print Vintage Sheet Music by CharlottesArtShop. Esty.

IV. Listening Activity

Video: Tips for Asperger’s / Autism Children – Preventing Meltdowns & Bullying

This is an informative  video with a clear and easy to understand guide providing some tips to prevent meltdowns in your children with Autism or Asperger’s.

Don’t miss the website Autism Parenthood http://autismparenthood.com

Aspergers Society News letter (free) for parents and care givers of children with Autism or Asperger’s.  http://www.AspergersSociety.org/newsl…

Pre-Listening Exercise
Vocabulary
Directions: Have students find the meanings of these words and phrases from the video before viewing:

Asperger syndrome, meltdown, blackout shades,  to fall off the cliff,  to push over the edge,  to push his buttons,  to blow up,  perspective.

While-Listening Exercise

True  /False/NA statements
Directions: Review the statements with students before the watching the video.  As students listen to the video if  a statement is true they mark it T  if the statement is  false they  mark  it F and provide the correct answer. If there is no information available for a statement then students write NA.

1. Children with Autism and Aspergers rarely  have melt downs.
2. A meltdown can be occur if they become overwhelmed at a store, or when playing a game.
3. The first tip to prevent meltdowns is to keep kids away from public places.
4. Children with Autism and Aspergers can become abusive both verbally and physically.
5. Bullying is usually not a problem.
6.  Solving the problem of bullying can be difficult.
7. School officials should be notified if your child is being bullied.
8. Children with Autism  and Aspergers need to exercise on a regular basis.
9. Tip Number Two is to find a safe place for yourself.
10. The safe place should include darkness and quiet.
11. Tip Number 3 involves watching for signs of  a meltdown before it happens.
12. Children with Autism and Aspergers  have difficulty smelling, and hearing.
13. Tip Number 4 is to always try to understand from their perspective what is causing the anger and frustration.

Link for Asperger’s / Autism Children – Preventing Meltdowns & Bullying

Post-Listening 

Questions for Discussion

Directions:Place students in groups and have them discuss the following questions.

1. After listening to this video has your personal idea of Autism changed in any way?   If yes, describe in what way.  If no, describe your original opinion.

2. Did  you  learn any new information about children with Autism and Asperger syndrome ? If so discuss  what you’ve learned.

3.  With your group members, make up questions that you would like to ask the speaker.

V. Group Project

Barry Araújo Kolman, A Lesson for Children with Autism

Directions: Visit Barry Koloman’s website.

Place students in groups and  give each group one or two lessons from Barry’s 7 -step lesson plan.  Each group will list the  advice from each lesson from Barry’s plan for helping children with Autism. Each group will share what they’ve learned with the class.

ANSWER KEY: Autism and Music.

Tags: Aspergers, Autisim, Kolman, Music

Lessons We Learned From ‘Life Is But A Dream’  Huffington Post

ESL Voices Lesson Plan for this post with Answer Key.

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Beyonce currently holds the position as the top recording artist of Pop  in the United States. She’s acted in movies,  popular commercials, and her photos have  graced the covers of  countless fashion magazines. In addition, she wrote, produced and starred in a film about her life (the abbreviated version).  Last week HBO  aired the autobiographical film starring Beyonce entitled “Beyonce: Life Is But A Dream”  the title of which came from Beyonce’s  baby daughter’s  favorite  song  Row, Row, Row your Boat.  Here are 8 lessons the Huffington Post received from the film.

Beyonce- Dangerously in Love Album.Photo- musicstack

Excerpt:

“Just when we thought Beyonce couldn’t do anything more to secure her title as the reigning Queen of Pop and all things excellent, she went ahead and made a documentary.
“Beyonce: Life Is But A Dream,” an autobiographical, self-produced film starring, you guessed it, Beyonce, premiered on February 16th on HBO.

Beyonce with Destiny's Child at 2013 Superbowl. International Business Times.

Of course there were elements of the ridiculous: Bey pensively holding a hairdryer on a Paris balcony, random prolonged shots of trees, pretty much no one speaking but Beyonce and the revelation that the singer has had a videographer filming her 24/7 for years. Still, we couldn’t help but enjoy the glimpse into the pop star’s — and her 1-year-old daughter Blue Ivy’s — life.
Here are eight lessons we took away from Queen Bey’s documentary:

First Lady Michelle Obama (R) and her daughters Malia (C) and Sasha cheer as Beyonce returns to her seat after singing the Star Spangled Banner after the swearing-in of U.S. President Barack 2013. Reuters.

1. Know when it’s time to set boundaries.
At the beginning of the film, Beyonce opens up about making the tough decision to break professional ties with her father, Matthew Knowles in 2011…

Beyonce receives welcome from Lady “O”. Getty Images.

2. Let other people see your vulnerabilities sometimes.
You might think, watching footage of then-pregnant Beyonce singing and dancing on stage in heels and sparkly, revealing leotard, that this woman has never had an insecure moment in her life. Not true, says Beyonce. At one point in the film, she reflects on coming to the realization that she needed to “stop pretending that I have it all together and if I’m scared, be scared…

3. There’s no therapy like being heard and understood by another woman.
The woman who thinks girls run the world also sees the value in close female friendship…

Beyonce's alter ego: - Sasha Fierce album. Weebly.com.

4. Women have a responsibility to look out for other women.
Because if we don’t, who will? “It’s difficult being a woman. It’s so much pressure, and we need that support sometimes,” Beyonce says. “We’re all going through our problems, but we all have the same insecurities and we all have the same abilities and we all need each other.” Somehow we doubt that we have the same abilities as Bey — for example, we probably would not pull off a fringe crop top as well as she does — but the sentiment remains true.

Beyonce at the “Cadillac Records” press conference in an elegant business suit.Photo Bossip.com

5. Women need to play an equal role in shaping our culture.
There’s a reason that Beyonce sings about “Single Ladies” and being “Independent Women.” It’s a message she believes women need to hear. In the documentary, Bey delivers a pretty awesome pro-lady monologue…

Beyonce and her mom. Photo- Ahlan.

6. You really can learn a lot from your parents.
Beyonce says she’s learned to appreciate the business chops she picked up from her father — including the lesson that “business and being polite doesn’t mesh.”

Beyonce with husband JZ. Photo- JustJared.com

7. Pick a life partner you can be goofy around.
One of the sweetest moments of “Life Is But A Dream” is old footage of Beyonce and Jay-Z singing Coldplay’s Yellow. It’s candid and adorable, and their love for each other is clear… A cheesy collective “awwwww” was really the only possible response here.

Beyonce with daughter Blue Ivy. Daily News.

8. Don’t be afraid to express your wants and needs.
One thing that came across strongly in the film was that Beyonce does not compromise when it comes to her career. If she has an opinion on how a show should be lit or staged, she won’t hesitate to speak up…I used to be afraid of people thinking I was difficult or too critical, and you know, I don’t really care about that anymore. Be your own advocate, no matter who thinks you’re difficult.”

ESL Voices Lesson Plan for this post

Level: Intermediate -Advanced

Language Skills: Reading, writing, speaking and listening. Vocabulary and grammar activities are included.

Time: Approximately 2 hours.

Materials: Student handouts (from this lesson) access to news article, and video.

Objective: Students will read the article with a focus on improving reading comprehension and learning new vocabulary. At the end of the lesson students will express their personal views on the topic of Pop diva Beyonce  through discussions, and writing.

I. Pre-Reading Tasks

•  Predictions

Analyzing headings and photos

Directions:  Ask students to read the title of the post and of  the article.  Then, have them  examine the photos. Based on these sources,  ask students to create a list of  words and  ideas  that they think might be related to this article.  Students can use the UIE brainstorming chart (sample) for brainstorming the meanings.

II. While Reading Tasks

• Vocabulary

Word Inference

Directions: Students are to infer the meanings of the words in bold taken from the article. They may use a dictionary or thesaurus for assistance. Have students use the Word organizer from Enchanted Learning to assist them with new vocabulary. After, Have the students write sentences using each word.

Sentences

1. Just when we thought Beyonce couldn’t…secure her title as the reigning Queen of Pop..
2. “Beyonce: Life Is But A Dream,” an autobiographical, self-produced film.
3. Bey pensively holding a hairdryer on a Paris balcony…
4. Let other people see your vulnerabilities sometimes.
5. … this woman has never had an insecure moment in her life.
6. At one point in the film, she reflects on coming to the realization that she needed to stop pretending…
7. Letting those around you see your flaws and your doubts doesn’t make you weak…
8. There’s no therapy like being heard and understood by another woman.
9. It’s so much pressure, and we need that support sometimes.
10. It really pisses me off that women don’t get the same opportunities as men do.

True / False

Directions:  The following statements were taken from the article.  If  a statement is true, students write (T) if  a statement is false they  write (F)  and  provide the correct answer from the article.

1. Beyonce: Row Your Boat, is the title of her autobiography.
2. According to the article there were elements of the ridiculous.
3. Pretty much everyone had an opportunity to speak during the film.
4. According to the article Beyonce stated that she’s scared sometimes.
5. Beyonce feels that  women have a responsibility to look out for their men.
6. Beyonce gets angry that women don’t get the same opportunities as men do.
7. One point Beyonce makes is that you really can learn a lot from your parents.
8. Her father taught her the lesson that “business and pleasure mix well.
9. The article states that one of the best moments in the film is old footage of Beyonce and Jay-Z singing.
10. One thing that came across strongly in the film was that Beyonce does not compromise when it comes to her career.

•   Grammar Focus

Using Adjectives  to describe pictures    

Directions: Place students in groups, and have them choose a picture from this lesson. Each group will  write a descriptive paragraph using adjectives. As a class review the adjectives from each group, then share the paragraphs with the class.

III. Post Reading Tasks

•  Reading Comprehension Check

WH-How Questions

Directions: Have students use the  WH-question format to discuss or to write the main points from the article.

Who or What is the article about?

Where does the action/event take place?

When does the action/event take place?

Why did the action/event occur?

How did the action/event occur?

Discussion/Writing Tasks 

Directions: Place students in groups and have them answer the following questions. After, have the groups share their thoughts as a class. To reinforce the ideas, students can write an essay on one of the topics.

1. Beyonce is considered a “diva” in this country. Describe the characteristics of a diva (in your opinion). Are there any divas in your country?  Describe them.
2. Beyonce states, “I used to be afraid of people thinking I was difficult or too critical, and you know, I don’t really care about that anymore. Be your own advocate, no matter who thinks you’re “difficult.” How would you translate this idea into your own words?  Do you agree or disagree with her statement? Explain why or why not.
3. Beyonce also states you really can learn a lot from your parents. Give some examples of things you’ve learned from your parents.
4. If you could, would you like to live Beyonce’s life?  Explain why or why not.

IV. Listening Activity   

Video Clip:  Oprah Winfrey sits down and talks with Beyoncé.

 While Listening Tasks

True  /False statements

Directions: Review the statements with students before the watching the video.  As students listen to the video if  a statement is true they mark it T  if the statement is false they  mark  it F and provide the correct answer.

1. Beyonce grew up in Houston Texas.
2. In the beginning of the Oprah show  a clip of Beyonce singing her hit single.
3. 89 thousand  people watched Beyonce at the Superbowl in 2012.
4. Singing the National  Anthem was always a dream for Beyonce.
5. Beyonce felt  frightened by the experience.
6. Everyone was holding up photos of Beyonce.
7. Oprah joked  with Beyonce about hitting the high note in the song.
8. The controversy Oprah mentioned  was about Jesse Jackson.
9. Beyonce thought  that Jackson did a great job.
10. Beyonce performed for Nelson Mandela in  South Africa.
11. Beyonce said meeting Mandela was like meeting a king.

ANSWER KEY: Beyonce’s film.

Tags: Beyonce, HBO

At Whitney Houston’s Funeral, Faith More Than Fame,  By Phil Gast and Chelsea J. Carter, CNN

Whitney Elizabeth Houston (August 9, 1963 – February 11, 2012) Photo credit: emusic

Memorial Services for Whitney Houston

LIVE Coverage of Services -Saturday, February 18, 2012- 12p.m.

A program from the furneral service for Whitney Houston at New Hope Baptist Church, Newark, NJ

Related Articles
Whitney Houston’s Funeral: Friends, family, Stars Will Honor Singer Los Angeles Times
Biography of Whitney Houston

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Björk: I was always a bit of a nerd, By  D. Robson, Scientific News, CultureLab

ESL Voices Lesson Plan for this article With Answer Key.

In the past Bjork has entertained and  mesmerized audiences world-wide with her beauty, talent, and very creative fashion styles. Now she has added a new dimension to her music which is  motivated and energized by science.

Here’s the excerpt:

Björk is at it again. Ever eclectic, her latest album is inspired by science and there’s a suite of apps through which to experience it. David Robson met the Icelandic singer to find out more, and enjoyed a sweet music lesson to boot.

…We are together to talk about Biophilia, Björk’s new album and suite of smartphone apps that will combine science-themed songs with computer games that aim to teach music theory to the uninitiated, like me. “Music education’s not as hard as people make it out to be, but it’s been put on this pedestal for a chosen few,” she says. It is for this reason that, like a modern-day Maria von Trapp, Björk is giving me an impromptu music lesson.

It’s not quite what I’d expected from the avant-garde pop singer, who has been a polarising presence in music for the last 20 years. She’s sold more than 20 million copies of her six studio albums, garnering numerous awards and fans as diverse as Madonna, Radiohead’s Thom Yorke and the classical composer John Tavener. But she’s attracted critics too, who baulk at her unconventional vocals and idiosyncratic lyrics.

Biophilia, her most experimental project to date, looks set to divide opinion yet further. Its name – inspired by neurologist Oliver Sacks’s book Musicophilia – evokes humankind’s empathy with nature, which Björk has borne out with songs about genetics, crystallisation, plate tectonics and dark matter. The accompanying apps will be released in place of music videos, while the live shows have so far included a recorded voice-over by British naturalist David Attenborough, a live Tesla coil and four “gravity harps” suspended on 3-metre pendulums.

Science and nature aren’t typical fodder for a pop singer, but Björk assures me that they have been life-long interests for her: “I was always a bit of a nerd.” As a child in Iceland watching TV at her grandparents’ house, she was captivated by the BBC’s natural history programmes. “I just thought David Attenborough was everything,” she says. …But why write an album about science? For one thing, she says, it offered a gentle departure from the confrontational nature of her previous album. “Volta, for me, was about pointing your finger and criticising things and asking for justice.

Natural phenomenon can also offer some fitting visual metaphors to translate the music theory, she says. The jagged shape of lightning for instance, mirrors the rise and fall of pitch in arpeggios… She put this to use in a track called Thunderbolt, which uses a bass line of arpeggios recorded from a discharging Tesla coil…

Crystalline, the album’s first single, has a similar story. Hearing it, I just felt like someone had a chisel and was chopping into crystals, it was so relentless, she says. And emotionally, it had to be about anxiety, because it has that relentlessness…

Many of the songs came about unconventionally – they were written on music software that responds to a touch screen and a Nintendo video game controller with a joystick…The result is one of the most innovative albums this year – another curve ball from an artist who continues to push the boundaries of the pop song…

Well, it works for me, she says, but is keen to point out that there will be many other possible solutions too. But you’d be surprised how the people at Apple, and Android – and whatever other systems – are all gagging for us to comment and collaborate with them.

Whether the album will convince Björk’s critics is anyone’s guess, though Biophilia’s debut shows, at the Manchester International Festival in July in the UK, met with almost universal acclaim from the music press. Björk, at least, feels that the project has been blessed with good omens…continue

Read this article to enjoy Bjork at her best. Also, read the questions fans tweeted for Bjork and her responses to them.

ESL Voices Lesson Plan for this article.

Lesson: The joining of Pop Culture Music, Science and Technology

Level: Intermediate -Advanced

Materials: article excerpt, vocabulary questions for comprehension and discussion, video

Objectives: Students will  discuss how songs from a pop culture artist can be combined with science and technology to produce a different genre of music. Students will practice reading , speaking, writing and listening skills.

Procedure:

I. Pre-Reading Tasks

A. Prediction: Read the titles (of both this post and of the original article) survey the photos, to see if you and your group members can predict what the article will be about.

B.  *Stimulate background knowledge: With your group members, brainstorm to build a list of all of the words  you can think of connected to the terms: Pop culture, science, music and technology.

*Visit ESL Voices Reading Strategies

II. While Reading Tasks

A. Vocabulary: Word Inference

Guess the meanings of the words in bold, and use a dictionary or thesaurus for assistance.

1. Ever eclectic, her latest album is inspired by science…
2. …her latest album is inspired by science and there’s a suite of apps through which to experience it.
3. …with computer games that aim to teach music theory to the uninitiated, like me.
4. …it’s been put on this pedestal for a chosen few…
5. …like a modern-day Maria von Trapp, Björk is giving me an impromptu music lesson.
6. It’s not quite what I’d expected from the avant-garde pop singer..
7. …her six studio albums, garnering numerous awards and fans…
8. …she’s attracted critics too, who baulk at her unconventional vocals and idiosyncratic lyrics.
9. Its name – inspired by neurologist Oliver Sacks’s book…
10. …evokes humankind’s empathy with nature…
11. …Björk has borne out with songs about genetics, crystallization, plate tectonics and dark matter.
12. …it offered a gentle departure from the confrontational nature of her previous album.
13. Volta, for me, was about pointing your finger and criticizing things…
14. Natural phenomenon can also offer some fitting visual metaphors to translate the music theory…
15. The jagged shape of lightning mirrors the rise and fall of pitch in arpeggios.
16. The result is one of the most innovative albums this year
17. another curve ball from an artist who continues to push the boundaries of the pop song.

Note: the spelling of the following words have been changed from the British version viewed in the article, to the American version.  Polarizing, Crystallization, criticizing

B.  Reading for Comprehension-True / False

If an idea is true, write (T) if it is false, write (F), and  provide the correct answer from the article.

1. Björk is from Iceland.
2. Björk’s music is  very traditional.
3. Her new album was inspired by science.
4. Björk’s new album is called Biology.
5. Björk’s new album has smartphone apps.
6. She is described as the usual  type of pop singer.
7. According to Bjork, music education can be challenging to learn.
8. The name of her album was inspired by Oliver Stone.
9. During her live shows, there is a voice-over by British naturalist David Attenborough.
10. When she was a child, her favorite programs were BBC’s natural history.
11. Bjork’s previous album Volta was a calming and gentle.
12. The songs from the album Biophilia were written on music software, with a Nintendo video game controller.
13. The debut show at the Manchester International Festival met with disapproval  from the music press.
14. Björk, at least, feels that the project has been blessed with good omens.
15. Post Reading Tasks

III. Post Reading Tasks

A.  Reading Comprehension Check

Have  learners use the  WH-question format  to discuss or to write about the article.  They have the option of answering the standard WH & How questions (see below) or the graphic organizer from Oasis Education.

5 Ws (and How) Education Oasis

Education Oasis Organizers

WH-Questions

• Who or what was this article about?
• When did the event, action, occur?
• Where did the event, action, occur?
• Why did the event, action, occur?
• How did the event, action, occur?

B.  Photo Activity for Speaking or Writing

Bjork is known for changing both her styles and even her physical appearance  dramatically. Study the photos, then answer the following questions in paragraph format.

• In your opinion, is she beautiful? Try to describe what it is that you find attractive (or unattractive) about her.
• Why do you think she changes her appearances for most of her performances?
• Describe some of her outfits and explain why you like or don’t like the particular look.
• Do you think you’d like  her person as a friend?  Why or why not?

Bjork Photos here.

C. Essay Writing

Choose one of the people mentioned in the article  and write an essay about their lives.  For example:

Bjork

Maria von Trapp

John Tavener

Oliver Sacks

David Attenborough

IV. Listening Activity

A. Listening Comprehension (Fill-ins)

 

Introduction to Biophilia app.

Title: Bjork Biophillia app intro narrated by David Attenborough

Listen and choose the correct word or phrase to complete the sentences.

1. Welcome to Biophilia, the love for nature in all her___

a. glory.

b. manifestations.

c. song.

2. Where she plays on our senses with___

a. colors and forms

b. music and lyrics

c. sound and rhythm

3. Sound harness by human beings delivered with  generosity and emotion is what we call__

a. music.

b. dance.

c. song.

4. And just as we use music to express parts of us that would otherwise be hidden, so too can we use___to make visible much of  nature’s  invisible world.

a. microscopes

b. science

c. technology

5. In  Biophilia you will experience how the three come together,___.

a. trees, music, wind.

b. nature, music , technology.

c. technology, nature, sound.

6. ___the cosmos lying at your finger tips.

a. Sail

b. Fly

c. Travel

7. Discover the different ___as they’re  introduced into the constellations…

a. song apps

b. technological devices

c. words

8. Remember  that you are a ___between the universal  and the microscopic.

a. sound wave

b. doorway

c. gateway

9. The unseen forces that stir  the depths of your  innermost  being, and nature who__ you and all there is.

a. surrounds

b. enfolds

c. embraces

10. We’re on the brink of a ___that will reunite humans with nature…

a. revolution

b. discovery

c. surprise

2.  Video: Tulsa Coil Demonstration (Just for fun)

This is a video of one of the devices Bjork uses in her show. It’s called a Tulsa Coil. Dr Zeus demonstrates how he uses two of them.

Questions for Discussion

1. Would you like to learn how to do this? Explain why or why not.

2.  Think of two questions you would ask Dr. Zeus if you met him.

ANSWER KEY

Tags: Biophilia, Bjork