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Learning Goals & Products

Learning Goals

1

Students will be able to investigate how pitch, volume, tempo, and silence in movie soundtracks create mood and communicate meaning.

2

Students will be able to compare animal sounds and explain how calls are used to warn, attract, connect, or meet needs.

3

Students will be able to collaborate to design and refine a sound-based scene that uses evidence from media examples and animal communication observations.

Products

individual

Sound Analysis Journal and Prototype Sketch

Each student completes a short journal with notes on how movie sounds and animal calls communicate mood or message, then creates a simple sketch or storyboard for an original sound idea. This product shows individual understanding of sound choices and a first prototype that can inform the team design.

team

Redesigned Silent Film Scene with Animal Sound Comparison Explanation

Teams create a short live or recorded sound redesign for a silent film clip and present a brief explanation connecting their choices to animal communication sounds. The final product shows how the group used evidence, collaboration, and revision to build a sound solution for an audience.

Rubric
Competency Progression Rubric Competency-first rubric
Category
Learning Goal
Stage 1
Stage 2
Stage 3
Stage 4
Deeper Learning Competencies
Effective Communication
  • I can share my observations about how movie sound affects mood using specific examples from what I hear (like louder/softer, fast/slow, or silence).
  • I can explain how sound and music choices in a movie create a feeling, using clear reasons and comparing the two versions I listened to
  • I can also listen to my partner’s ideas and ask a follow-up question to understand.
  • I can communicate my sound-based ideas confidently during discussion and presentations, using evidence from the clips and animal sounds to support my thinking
  • I can listen actively, build on others’ suggestions, and adjust my plan when new ideas help the message be clearer.
  • I can effectively present and reflect on my team’s “sound redesign” by clearly describing what sound choices we made (volume, tempo, pitch, silence) and why they communicate mood or meaning
  • I can also compare human and animal sound communication with accurate details and use feedback from others to improve our explanation.
Deeper Learning Competencies
Critical Thinking & Problem Solving
  • I can identify how sound choices (like volume, tempo, pitch, or silence) change the mood in a movie clip and explain what I notice using simple evidence (what I heard/what I saw).
  • I can compare two versions of the same scene and make a reasonable claim about how the sound creates meaning or feeling, supporting my idea with specific details from the clips and animal sounds.
  • I can revise or design a sound plan for a silent or quiet clip by testing options (instruments, body percussion, voice, found objects) and using evidence to justify why my choices create a clear mood and message.
  • I can independently connect human sound use in film to animal communication by explaining patterns in how sounds signal emotion, warning, or action, and I can refine my group’s redesign based on feedback and results.
Deeper Learning Competencies
Collaboration
  • I can work with my team by taking a role, listening to others’ ideas during discussions, and using a class list of teamwork norms (like taking turns) to keep our group on track.
  • I can collaborate with my team by sharing my ideas about sound choices clearly, asking for others’ input, and making simple plans (who does what) that we follow while building our sound journal/chart.
  • I can collaborate more independently by negotiating shared decisions about our redesigned silent-film sounds, using evidence from what we hear, and respectfully resolving disagreements so our project can move forward.
  • I can lead and support my team by organizing roles and timelines, helping others practice active listening and fair turn-taking, and reflecting on our collaboration—explaining how our group decisions improved the mood and message of our final presentation.