Vocal Music/Biology Cross-Curricular Unit Plan

Cross-Curricular Unit Plan for Earth Day

Courses Involved: Grade 11 Vocal Music and Grade 11 Biology

Common learning objectives tied to the day of significance 

• Students will analyze the interconnectedness between natural ecosystems and human activities through creative expression and scientific inquiry

• Through the critical and creative process, students will explore feasible actions that they can take to help sustain our environment, while bringing awareness to the importance of Earth Day 

Music Curriculum Expectations 

A1.1 apply the creative process when performing notated and/or improvised music

A2.2 manipulate the elements of music and related concepts appropriately and effectively when improvising melodies in a variety of musical forms

A3.2 apply compositional techniques when composing and/or arranging music 

A3.3 use a variety of current technologies in various applications related to music, including composing, arranging, performing, and/or recording music 

B1.1 deconstruct the elements and other components in musical works through score study and purposeful listening

B3.1 analyse the impact of the study of music on their personal growth, their expressive capabilities, their awareness of social issues, and their understanding of other cultures

C3.1 explain the importance of and demonstrate safe and healthy practices associated with practising, performing, and listening to music

Learning Activities

Each of these learning activities could open with a class/peer discussion, educational videos or media posts that promote conversation, or self-reflections to gauge what students already know, and what they hope to learn by the end of the lesson. (Assessment for Learning)

1) Bioacoustics 

• All students go for a nature walk and record natural sounds (wildlife, water, etc.) using their phones or other recording technology (Assessment as Learning) 

• Students complete a self-reflection journal entry on what they observed about their nature walk (Assessment for Learning)

• Music students can incorporate their soundscapes through a pre-existing piece of music and/or record additional acoustics inspired by the sounds they collected. They can use peer-reflection to review each other's songs. (Assessment as Learning) 

• Biology students can learn about human vocal anatomy and vocal tract anatomy (Assessment as Learning) 

2) Breathing and Vocal Health

• Music students will study the importance of proper breath support while singing, respiratory health, and how to take care of the mind and body as a musician (Assessment as Learning) 

• Biology students will learn about the respiratory system and make connections between lung capacity and breathing techniques. Possible extension activity could be to measure the lung capacity of music students after vocal exercises/singing for a duration of time if the school has the appropriate equipment for students to use (Assessment as Learning) 

• Extension: Opportunities to bring in a community guest musician or go see a Vocal music performance (Assessment as Learning) 

3) Climate Change Through Music 

• Music students can use BandLab/Garageband/Soundtrap to create electronic loops or soundscapes that represent environments undergoing ecological shifts over time. They will try to tell a narrative story through music. This can be done through dynamics, tempo, choice of loops and layering audio files (Assessment of Learning) 

• Biology students can study ecosystems and the effects of climate change (Assessment of Learning, possible place for a unit quiz)

  
  

4) Whales That Sing

• Students will watch a series of videos on how whales communicate from various sources, including the National Geographic documentary series, “Secrets of the Whales” (Assessment for Learning) 

• Music students will make observations on rhythm, pitch, repetition, theme, phrasing, and emotional tone of the pieces. They will explore improvisation through a 12-16 bar vocal music piece inspired by whale communication. The song can be explored using any or a combination of methods: singing, humming, spoken word, or other vocal and bodily kinesthetic techniques (Assessment of Learning) 

• Biology students will research two of five whale species that use singing as a form of communication and organize their information into graphic organizers to compare and contrast their research. They will create a podcast presentation with their findings (Assessment of Learning)

• Extension: Students can take a field trip to a local science museum or aquarium to engage in a thought walk and reinforce their learnings and understandings (Assessment as Learning) 

5) Conservation Awareness Day -to be held as a school wide event on Earth Day 

• Vocal students perform a set featuring their habitat soundscape performance, or works by other artists that have addressed climate change (e.g. The 1975 ft. Greta Thunberg) (Assessment of Learning Performance Evaluation) 

• Biology students can invite local conservation experts in as guest speakers and create a poster project on the importance of Earth Day, and what other students can do to protect their ecosystems (Assessment of Learning) 

• All students complete a plus-minus-interesting reflection task on the unit (Assessment for Learning) 

Why it is Beneficial 

Designing a cross-curricular unit will encourage students to make connections between subjects, personal experiences, their community, and on a global scale. Music students will explore how artistic expression can be used to convey messages to a global audience, to bring attention to the environment, preserving habitats, and climate change. Biology students will consider their personal relationships to their local ecosystems, how they can use their voice for inspiring action and change, and promote sustainable habits. Both classes will join together for a school-wide initiative that will feature a performance, guest speakers, and a place for them to share their research. 

Juniper Cafe, Kingston, March 2025