9/24/12-10/5/12-Music Fundamentals

Music Fundamentals

Lesson Objective:SWBAT: Recognize and label parts of the grand staff and note names. SWBT:Create a method for identifying notes on the treble clef and bass clef. SWBAT: Identify and utilize ledger lines at least two above and below the staff. SWBAT: List the letters of the music alphabet. SWBT: Identify and draw a brace on the grand staff.

Essential Skill to be mastered: Students will be able to recognize and identify various notes on the treble and bass clef. Students will be able to utilize ledger lines on the grand staff. Students will be able to create a method for remembering the notes of the music alphabet and their placement on the grand staff to share with others.

I can statement: I can list the letters of the music alphabet. I can label and identify the lines and spaces of the treble clef. I can label and identify the lines and spaces of the bass clef. I can label and identify the lines and spaces of a grand staff. I can share and teach a system for learning the lines and spaces of the grand staff.

IPI level:Teacher led discussion, Student Learning Conversations, Student Work with Teacher Engaged

Teaching Strategy Utilized: Day 1:Pretest  Day 2: Introduction to the treble clef lines and spaces. Discuss methods previously learned that help identify the lines and spaces. Students will work with a partner to create 10 music spelling examples with an answer key. Students will trade papers and fill in the blanks to see if they are correct. Day 3: Introduction to the bass clef. Discuss methods previously learned to help indentify lines and spaces. Students will work with a partner to create 10 music spelling examples with an answer key. Students will trade papers and fill in the blanks to see if they are correct. Day 4:Introduction to grand staff and brace. Review methods to remember lines and spaces. Have students share with class and teach to class. Students will be given a piece of music to label lines and spaces. Day 5:Review and Test

Rigor or Level reached on Bloom’s Taxonomy: Knowledge, Application, Synthesis

9/24/12-10/10/12-"Rumour Has It/Someone Like You"

"Rumour Has It/Someone Like You"

Lesson Objective:SWBAT sing in three independent parts with an additional solo part. SWBAT identify and perform contrasting rhythms. SWBAT perform pop style music. SWBAT identify and locate parts of the two songs and determine how they combine to create harmony. SWBAT use expressive elements to create a musical performance.

Essential skill to be mastered: Students will be able to perform a pop song with accurate rhythms. Students will be able to perform a song that combines two different melodies and harmonies together. Students will be able to apply stylistic characteristics of this type of music. 

I can statement: I can sing identify and perform contrasting rhythms. I can sing music in a pop style. I can sing rhythms accurately and as written in the music.

IPI level:Teacher led instruction, Student Active Engagement

Teaching Strategy Utilized: 1. Sightread-Scan for Soprano, Alto, and Tenor parts. Review the solo line-above the other three parts. Work on introduction-syncopated sections. Sightread the solos. Day 2-Review introduction and solo parts. Day 3-Solo tryouts for solo 1 and 2. Day 4-Rehearse music and scan for syncopated rhythms. Determine how each independent part combines to create a pop style. Day 5-Discuss reading the music as written and performing verses the way that you hear it sung on the radio. Work for accuracy. Day 6-Focus on the chorus and soprano harmony that is above the melody. Rehearse for balance and blend. Day7-Emphasize part independence and work with independent sections. Day 8-Small group assessment. Day 9-Sing with the c.d. accompaniment and assess the performance. What are the strengths and weaknesses of the ensemble? Day 10-Formulate a plan to utilize expressive elements for the concert. Day11-Check for smooth transitions between the songs and the change from 4/4 to 2/4. Day 12-Small group evaluations of the chorus. Day 13-Pretend you are singing for an audience, record, and evaluate.

Rigor or Level reached on Bloom’s Taxonomy: Application, Evaluation

9/14/12-10/1/12-"Down to the River to Pray"

"Down to the River to Pray"

Lesson Objective:SWBAT: Sightread in four independent parts. SWBAT: Identify and perform solo, duet, and trio. SWBAT: Describe characteristics and how to perform a song in an Appalachian folk and gospel style.

Essential Skill to be mastered:  Students will perform a song that starts in solo format, then duet, then trio, then ends with four part harmony. This provides an introduction to four part music. Students will discuss music from the Appalachian region of the United States and how to perform this style of music. 

I can statement: I can sightread in four part harmony. I can perform four part harmony. I can sing a song in the Appalachian style. 

IPI level:Teacher led instruction, Student work with teacher engagement.

Teaching Strategy Utilized:  Day 1: Students will scan music for one minute and then sightread in three independent parts singing as many correct notes and rhythms as possible. Day 2: Students will read lyrics aloud and discuss the gradual build from a solo to duet to trio to for part full choir. Why did the composer use this format within the song? What advantages are there to using this form? Students will sing through and sightread for more accuracy. Day 3: Students will read the information about the composer and the style of the song-Appalachian gospel style. Ask students to discuss other Appalachian folk songs that they have sung in the past and their similarities/differences.Why are they so simply written? Why is the simple harmony so effective? Day 4: Check large group harmony located at the last verse of the song: Soprano I, Soprano II, Alto, and Tenor. Why is the harmony added above the melody? What is the intent of the composer? Why did he make this musical decision? Day 5: Review all verses and look for the slight differences that occur in the lyrics and harmony.  Why is it important to think ahead in this type of song? Day 6: Hold tryouts for the solo, duet, and trio section. Discuss blend of voices and why it is important within the small group. Day 7: Polish and perform as if in front of an audience. Evalute and fix problems that occur.

Rigor or Level reached on Bloom’s Taxonomy: Evaluation

9/4/12-10/1/12-"Peace Like a River"

"Peace Like a River"

Lesson Objective: SWBAT: Sing in two and three part harmony. SWBAT: Sing using expressive elements such as phrasing and dynamics. SWBAT: Identify and perform legato articulation. SWBAT: Identify, explain, and perform mixed meter. SWBAT: Identify and perform shifts in key signature.

Essential Skill to be mastered: Expressive singing elements of phrasing using precise breath control. Legato articulation using smooth and connected notes. Identify and perform dynamics using expressive singing and correct volume levels associated with the text. Perform mixed meter that changes from 4/4 to 3/4 and back to 4/4. Perform shifts in key signature that occur three times throughout the song.

 IPI-Teacher Led Instruction, Student Active Engaged Learning

Teaching Strategy Utilized:  Day 1-Students will scan the music for their part and find measures that have three part splits. Day 2-Discuss breath control and appropriate places to breath such as where punctuation occurs. Discuss time signatures and count the number of times the meter changes. Practice the phrase before the change and then going into the next. Day 3-Discuss and identify key signature changes-Why is it important to notice? How do the changes effect intonation? Perform in small groups using phrasing and evaluate. Check Soprano, Alto, and Tenor. Day 4-Review/introduce dynamic symbols and scan music to find. Practice performing dynamics as a large group. Day 5-Discuss why composers use dynamics and why it is important to apply to the music. Ask if there is any they would change if they were the composer and discuss. Day 6-Work for dynamics as a large group. Day 7-Have small groups perform dynamics as written in the music and evalute.Day 8-Introduce the articulation marking legato and demonstrate (teacher or student). Day 9-Evaluate small groups. Day 10-Discuss a system of communication between the director and the students for dynamics and legato. Why is this important? Discuss non-verbal communication. Day11-Have a student lead the class directing the dynamics. Day 12-Talk about applying dynamics to other pieces of music and increasing effectiveness. Day13-Perform as is they were in front of an audience. Disscuss possible reactions to the piece. Day 14-Evaluate in small groups for elements of expressive singing.

Rigor or Level reached on Bloom’s Taxonomy:Knowledge, Evaluation, Synthesis

Writing Assessments:

Day 1:

1. Describe dynamics and give an

 example of how to apply them to

 an expressive song.

2. Sort these dynamic symbols and

 place them in order from softest to

 loudest.

 mp, ppp, f, mf, pp, ff, fff, p

Day 2:

Dynamics: Match the symbol with the Italian word.

1. ff                  pianissimo

2. pp                fortissimo

3. fff             fortississimo

4. ppp         pianississimo

Arrange them from softest to loudest.

Day 3:

Dynamics: Match the symbol with the Italian word.

1.  p                       a. mezzo piano

2. mf                      b. piano

3. f                         c. mezzo forte

4. mp                     d. forte

5. fff                      e.  pianissimo

6. pp                      f.  fortissimo

7. ff                       g.  fortississimo

8. ppp                    h. pianississimo

Now arrange them in order from softest to loudest.

Day 4:

Dynamics

1. What do you know about the term crescendo? Can you draw the symbol?

2. What do you know about the term decrescendo? Can you draw the symbol? What would you assume by looking at the prefix?

3. How are diminuendo and decrescendo related? Explain.

Day 5:

1. Sort and arrange these dynamics from softest to loudest:

    ff, p, ppp, f, mp, fff, mf, pp

2. In a sentence describe how to perform a crescendo.

3. In a sentence describe how to perform a decrescendo.

4. In a sentence describe how to perform diminuendo.

5. In a paragraph explain the purpose of dynamics and how the choir decides how to perform

    dynamics in a piece of music. Include an example from class.