Singing Intentions

Objective

Our intentions can be tiny, or world-changing. All are important and valid, as they help us envision and more fully live the lives we want to. This experience will help us explore and express our intentions for this new school year.

Example Sequence

  1. Take three grounding and cleansing breaths. Blow out what isn't necessary or helpful right now.

  2. Gently stretch the body and massage the face to prepare for sounding. Though it doesn't have to be beautiful, our singing should feel good and resonant.

  3. Take five breaths, breathing out a sound. Make your last sound "I."

  4. Continue breathing and sounding out "I," trying to land and make a steady note. Your note doesn't have to match everyone else's.

  5. Continue breathing and sounding "I" on your steady note for a few breaths.

  6. As you continue, let your "I" evolve as you want to. Does the note want to go higher, lower, take twists and turns, or pause?

  7. This is the start of a "Spirit Song." As you continue breathing and singing, invite images showing your intentions to your mind's eye. What do you hope this school year brings? How do you want to contribute to your class or your school community? Is there something you want to learn about or get better at? More broadly, is there anything you want to change or bring into your life this year? Is there an impact you want to have on the world?

  8. As your mental images arrive, try adding words or phrases to your singing, such as "I want..." "I see..." "I play" or "I hear..." You can repeat or change them as you want.

  9. Intermodal connection: draw your visions to help crystallize them. Then try writing words or phrases somewhere in the picture, or give your picture a title.

  10. If comfortable, share your image and/or Spirit Song with the group, and honor each other's intentions. Our community is an important resource to help us bring our intentions to life, and this sharing will help build community. How do your intentions compare and contrast?

National Core Arts Standards

MU:Cr1.1.5a: Improvise rhythmic, melodic, and harmonic ideas, and explain the connection to specific purpose and context (such as social, cultural, and historical).

MU:Cr2.1.5a: Demonstrate selected and developed musical ideas for improvisations, arrangements, or compositions to express intent, and explain the connection to purpose and context.

MU:Cr3.1.5a: Evaluate, refine, and document revisions to personal music, applying teacher-provided and collaboratively-developed criteria and feedback, and explain the rationale for changes.

MU:Cn10.0.5a: Demonstrate how interests, knowledge, and skills relate to personal choices and intent when creating, performing, and responding.

MU:Cn11.0.5a: Demonstrate understanding of relationships between music and the other arts, other disciplines, varied contexts, and daily life.

CASEL Core Competencies

Self-awareness, responsible decision-making, social awareness