Lesson Plan: Grade 9 Band, Kodaly

Chlo Plamondon

April, 2016

Activity:
Introduction to 6/8 time signature
Grade Level/Class
Grade 9 Band Woodwinds
Grade 9 Band Brass and Percussion
Some students may have experience with 6/8, but it will be a brand new concept to the majority
of the students in this class.
Major Concepts
Students will have a sense of what 6/8 sounds like, feels like and looks like on a page.
Materials and Resources
Garwood Whaley Rhythms Page16 projected on the screen and printed, photocopied and
distributed to students
All Ye Young Sailors by Pierre La Plante
Computer System Pull up the following videos on YouTube
Yellow Submarine by the Beatles https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=krIus0i9xn8
Nursery Rhymes - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Z8D6wImU7N0
Sponge Bob Square Pants - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=He-LBIyBUz8
Rationale
Zoltn Kodly believed that all people who are capable of linguistic literacy are also capable of
music. He also lived on the philosophy that music education should begin with the very young.
The long term goal guiding this lesson is that the students will be proficient in speaking, reading
and writing rhythm patterns in multiple time signatures. The short-term goal guiding this lesson
is that the students will be proficient in reading, writing and playing in 6/8 time. This lesson is
song based, which makes it heavily supported by the Kodly method. Kodly claimed that
singing folk songs is the vehicle by which all people should learn music. The use of a familiar
nursery rhyme is used in place of a folk song, but has the same effect. This lesson incorporates
this philosophy by using song to teach basic rhythm recognition. This lesson moves quickly and
draws on previous knowledge of counting and speaking rhythmically, at the perfect level for a
Grade 9 Band class.
Connection to the MB 9-12 Music Curriculum
Making Music
M-M The learner develops language and practices for making music
M-M3 The learner develops competences for using elements of music in a variety of
contexts.
6/8 is a time signature that is used often in concert band and other types of music. It is a
part of the language that is necessary for all musicians to understand in order to problem
solve all aspects of reading musical notation and understanding all types of pulse and
note groupings.

Behavioral or Observable Objectives

As a result of this activity students will:
o Read simple sheet music in 6/8 time signature
o Feel and keep a steady pulse in 6/8
o Play a piece of music written in 6/8 as a full class
o Write in the counting on a piece of sheet music for 1 line of 6/8
Assessment
I will use formative assessment throughout the lesson by watching to make sure
each student is following my directions, keeping a steady beat, and repeating
rhythms back accurately.
I will use summative assessment by collecting the written line of 6/8 to evaluate
whether or not students understood the lesson.
Teaching Strategies
Anticipatory Set
As students enter the classroom I will have Yellow Submarine playing on the
speakers.
As soon as students are settled, I will have them join in clapping the pulse until
the end of the song.
When the song is over, I will ask students what was the time signature of the
song we were listening to?
Procedure
Before class starts, and as were listening to the song, I will hand out half pieces
of paper with the assignment for the day. 1 blank staff and 1 line of rhythm in 6/8
time from Rhythm Projections.
I will tell students that the time signature of Yellow Submarine by the Beatles was
in 6/8 time.
I will ask if anyone has ever heard of 6/8 time (Very few have)
We will start a discussion on what 6/8 means
o I will ask probing questions until a student says that it means there are 6
8th notes per bar.
o Once we get there, I will have all students repeat after me 6/8 means
there are 6 8th notes per bar.
I will show the video hickory dickory dock (this will be a familiar nursery
rhyme for students)
We will clap along to the pulse and say the words together.
After speaking through I will have students take out a pencil and give them 2
minutes to write out/guess at the rhythm on the blank staff paper handed out at the
beginning of class. I will walk around the classroom and monitor how students are
doing during this time.
After 2ish minutes, I will write the rhythm for the 8 bar phrase of HDD on the
sympodium, and have students correct their work.
We will talk about proper beaming in 6/8 time.
We will review what a dotted quarter note means and how it transfers to 6/8
We will talk about how many beats there are per bar (2 beats)
I will say HDD with 1 2 3 4 5 6 while students clap the beat, listen and follow
along.

Students will say the numbers with me

Students will say numbers alone
I will ask for volunteers to say it alone/in partners
We will turn our papers around and write in the counting on the 1 line of 6/8
rhythm provided
I will explain how it is easier to use 1 + a 2 + a instead of 1 2 3 4 5 6 and have
them write the rhythm on the 2nd line this way
I will write in the counting on the projected rhythm on the board for all to correct
We will say the rhythm using (1 + a 2 + a) while clapping a beat
I will ask individuals to say parts of the rhythm
I will hand out All Ye Young Sailors
We will listen to Sponge Bob Square Pants theme song (it is All Ye Young
Sailors)
I will ask them what the time signature is
We will sight-read the unison rhythm sections of All Ye Young Sailors.
Depending on time and engagement, perhaps we will then have a go at
sightreading the entire piece.

Closure/Transition
Before moving on to the next activity in this class, I will ask students if they can
think of any other songs in 6/8 time. I will tell them that their homework
assignment is to find one song in their ipod or on their computer that they think is
in 6/8 time.
I will collect all of the papers written in class to the top left of the band.
Modifications for special needs or cultural differences
For a student with modifications, I might provide an iPad with musescore to write in music
notation instead of using a pencil and paper.
Reflection:
Overall, how did this lesson go?
This lesson was quite fun. I had students stand up when listening and singing along with
HDD the 2nd time so that they could really internalize 2 pulses per bar and 3 8s per beat.
Students were very successful with the first three beats of HDD, but struggled overall to
place the next eighth note.
Successes experienced:
Students recognized easily that HDD was in 6/8 and using their embedded knowledge of
this well-known nursery rhyme helped them to feel the time and understand the rhythm
easily.
Problems encountered/Changes to make:
Some students struggled switching from 1 2 3 4 5 6 to 1 + a 2 + a. With the next
class, I will start with the 1 + a 2 + a counting system sooner than I did today.

Analyze the learning experience

Student Perspective: For some, maybe it moved a little bit too quickly to really
understand the concept. We were standing up, dancing, clapping and listening to a lot of
music so it was pretty fun and interactive. They always had something to be doing
(writing, listening, speaking, etc) so were engaged for the duration of this lesson. It
was really fun to play the sponge bob theme, so I think they will be happy to continue
playing in 6/8.
Your Perspective: It was fun and engaging class. I really enjoy doing individual written
formative assessment to see who understands and who might be falling behind. Upon
reflection of the written work, I know who to give more individual attention to next time,
and will possibly even pair up stronger students with weaker ones. There were times I
did feel it moved a little bit too fast for some, but its okay because we will be revisiting
6/8 time many times over the next several classes so it was a good introduction overall.
We were able to play a piece in 6/8 together with everybody playing together. If some
students still dont understand the theory of 6/8 in writing, it is okay, for they definitely
got a good sense of what it feels like and sounds like today.

Lesson Plan: Grade 3 Music, Orff

Chlo Plamondon

April, 2016

Activity Name
Pulse and Percussion!
Grade Level/Class
Kindergarten Music Class
Major Concepts
Differentiating between different sounds of percussion instruments (high vs. low)
Sense of pulse
Materials and Resources
Kindergarten Musicplay Teacher's Guide and CDs
Instruments: claves, sand blocks, hand drums, jingle bells, triangles,
Rationale
A childs natural sense of play is important in an Orff lesson. He believed that students portray a
sense of musical community while self-esteem is nurtured through musical success. Kindergarten
students in this lesson will move, experiment with the sounds of different instruments while
demonstrating proper technique. Carl Orff suggests that children need to engage in making
music more than sitting still and learning about it. In this lesson, there is a combination of both,
with an emphasis on students playing instruments and moving around the room to a steady beat
to further their understanding of music. Keep students engaged in a music class is done most
successfully when students are highly engaged in the music making process, according to Orff.
Students learning to work together and emphasizing individual strengths is also important in the
Orff experience. The natural musical leaders in the kindergarten class will play with the stronger
sounding percussion instruments, while the weaker students can express through body
movements until they show more understanding of musical pulse and time.
Connection to the MB K-8 Music Curriculum
Valuing Musical Experience
MV1 students demonstrate interest, curiosity, and engagement while making and experiencing
music in a variety of contexts.
MV3 students form personal responses to and construct meaning from their own and others
music.
Students in this lesson will be listening to different instrument sounds and being forced to make a
decision on the sound of what they hear. Students will hear the sound of a triangle, for example,
and will have to decide which of the instruments they see is producing that sound. When
listening to music, students will be inspired to make certain movements (responses) to the music
that they are hearing.
Behavioral or Observable Objectives
As a result of this lesson students will understand
- Students will be able to group instruments according to their sound
- Students will identify various instruments while listening to their sounds in music
- Students will play different instruments with correct technique, to the beat of the music

- Students will move to the beat of the music in a variety of ways

Assessment
In this lesson, I will be observing students while they play instruments, looking for correct
playing technique (we are in the beginning stages of learning this), and playing to the beat.
I will be watching to see if students play as soon as they hear their instrument group to know if
they can identify with the different sounds.
I will ask the class questions and have them answer: What is this instrument made out of? What
kind of sound does it have? How do we make the sound on it?
I will observe students as we play the copycat game to see if they are moving to the beat. I will
remind them to watch and listen if I notice them moving faster than the music goes.
Teaching Strategies
Anticipatory Set
(following the routine classroom entering and sitting in a circle procedures)
I will have all instruments laid out like last class for students to see and identify. I will review
with them what the instrument is made of, what group it belongs to, and how to identify the
sound (loud/quiet, high/low).
Procedure
I will divide the instruments into small groups amongst the class. I will play the song from
MusicPlay for them to listen to and when they hear the instrument they have being played they
must play along to the beat, and the whole class will say what instrument is being played when
the CD asks who am I?
Students will have a couple of turns playing different instruments. I will encourage them to play
to the beat, and listen for the beat of the song. I will observe them play the instruments to see that
they are learning correct technique. We will put the instruments away carefully when we are
done.
Our second activity will be to find a variety of ways to move to the beat of the music. I will play
a song for students and we will do a game of copycat where they copy my actions in time with
the music. When the song is over, I will ask the students if the music was fast or slow, and how
do we know? (By how fast or slow we had to move to stay with the beat). I will then have a
couple of volunteers find ways to move to the beat and the class will have to play copycat
following their movements. Silliness required!
Closure/Transition
When their classroom teacher comes back into the classroom to pick them up, we will continue
with the copycat games, but this time copycatting the movements and actions their teacher,
walking quietly down the hallway back to the kindergarten classroom.
Modifications for special needs or cultural differences
The nature of this lesson should easily involve all students. As students move around the
classroom in their copycat activities, I will closely monitor and keep a close proximity to any
students who can become overly excited.

Lesson Plan: Grade 6 Music, Dalcroze

Chlo Plamondon

April, 2016

Activity Name
Sense of Steady Pulse
Grade Level/Class
Grade 6 Introduction to Band Class
Students are not yet involved in the band program. This is a general music class that sometimes
serves as a general introduction band class.
Major Concepts
Students will use their bodies and an instrument mouthpiece/headjoint to feel and demonstrate a
steady sense of musical pulse.
Students will form a proper embouchure and be introduced to tonguing.
Materials and Resources
Teacher: Flute head joint, clarinet mouthpiece and trumpet mouthpiece for demonstration.
An instrument for each student.
Students: No materials required for the first half of class, instrument mouthpieces/head joints for
the second half of class.
Rationale
Dalcroze believed that the solution to many rhythm problems could be to teach students by
training their muscles to contract or relax based on a specific time (tempo), in a specific space
(duration of sound), with a particular force (dynamic energy) (Chosky, 2001). Using the
instrument mouthpieces and articulation to create rhythm engaged all of the aspects. Dalcroze is
most aptly known for his work with eurhythmics, which is a system of rhythmic physical
movements to music used to teach musical understanding. Dalcroze believes that rhythm is the
primary element of music and that the source for all musical rhythm may be found in the natural
rhythms of the human body. By having students use natural rhythmic movements (snapping,
clapping, patting and stomping) while keep a steady pulse, they are engaging their entire bodies
will lead to a deepened sense of musical understanding. By relating steady pulse to other
physical areas of their lives (walking and speaking) students will have a heightened awareness of
how rhythms fit into a certain time and space and ability to feel rhythm moving through time.
Students develop skills for making music individually and as part of an ensemble.
Connection to the MB 9-12 Music Curriculum
Music Language and Performance Skills:
M-L1 - students develop skills for making music individually and as part of an ensemble.
M-L3 - students demonstrate understanding of and facility with rhythm
In this lesson, students are practicing the fundamental skill needed to make music with others,
sense of pulse, which is asked for in M-L1. M-L3 addresses that students are able to understand
and use rhythm in context against the sense of pulse practiced in this lesson.
Behavioral or Observable Objectives
As a result of this lesson students will understand the importance of feeling a sense of pulse
when playing music with other musicians. Students will demonstrate by tapping their heels and

walking around the room a steady sense of pulse.

Students will start to learn how to play with a steady pulse while also articulating on an
instrument mouthpiece in preparation for one day maybe being involved in band.
Assessment
In this lesson I will be watching and listening for the following:
- Students to keep a consistent pulse while walking and tapping heels
- Students showing an ability to feel an internal pulse while echoing rhythm patters and
playing back echo patterns
- Students to be paying close attention with their eyes and ears to rhythm actions and echo
patterns.
Teaching Strategies
Anticipatory Set
- Students enter the classroom and as per teacher instructions, set up chairs in a circle on
the floor.
- Generate a conversation with students about what a pulse is. Relate the conversation to
having a heartbeat of their own.
- Have students feel their heartbeat either on their wrist or on their necks and establish that
the heartbeat is steady and can also be called a pulse.
- Play a piece of music from youtube over the speakers, and have students find the pulse of
the piece of music through snapping.
- Establish that, just like living breathing humans, all music has a pulse as well.
-

Procedure
Ask students to walk around the circle in a steady pulse. When I stop the music, students
stop at a chair and sit down. Examine students to see if they are feeling the pulse as they
move around the circle.
After a few minutes, student sit in the chair they are in front of.
Establish a steady pulse in the heels of all students. Wait until each student is tapping
quietly and as steady as possible.
RHYTHM MOVEMENT Echoes
Keep the pulse constant with gentle reminders! Have students repeat back the rhythmic
actions (snap, pat, clap, stomp) given from the teacher.
Change the sequence by starting the next movement fo them follow while they are
echoing the previous movement (much harder!)
Have a volunteer creat his/her own actions they would like the class to follow. Rememer
to have the student establish a pulse fist. While still keeping a steady pulse, have each
student create their own 4-bar action to be repeated by their classmates.
Introduce the head joints/mouthpieces for each instrument in the follow order, Clarinet,
Flute, Trumpet.
Talk briefly about embouchure, tonging, and how to make a nice sound on each. Allow
students to experiment with making a sound and articulating.
Echo back some easy patterns while students continue to keep a steady pulse in their
heels.
Ask for a volunteer to play for 4 pulses, and continue around the room with each person
filing 4 pulses, while the class repeats their rhythm.
Closure/Transition

Great Job today, Grade 6 Musicians! Everyone did a really good job at moving to and
keeping a steady pulse today! We also did a really nice job of articulating and playing
sound on those headjoints and mouthpieces. Your challenge before the next music class
is to notice steady beats in your life! Do you walk or run with a steady beat? Do you type
with a steady beat on a computer? Does your teacher speak with a steady beat? Well talk
about what you discover next time!
Modifications for special needs or cultural differences
For a student with severe autism, they will be exempt from having to play on a
mouthpiece/headjoint and given a percussion instrument instead.

Lesson Plan: Grade 6 Music, Comprehensive Musicianship

Chlo Plamondon

April, 2016

Activity Name
Composition Improvisation and written
Grade Level/Class
Grade 6 Music Class
These students have been in music classes since kindergarten, and have been studying the
recorder since Grade 3. They have a basic understanding of note names, quarter notes, eighth
notes, and percussion and mallet instruments in their classroom.
This is a small class of only 16 students.
Major Concepts
- Improvisation
- Composition
Materials and Resources
- Staff paper & pencils
- Recorders
- Percussion and Orff Equipment
- Recorder note/fingering chart
Rationale
Comprehensive musicianship focuses on composition in the classroom. The contemporary music
project was created to increase creativity in schools, create a foundation of understanding and
valuing contemporary music, connect music education with composition for the benefit of both
educators and composers, learn about what qualities contribute to good contemporary music and
to discover creative talent in schools. Comprehensive musicianship has the ability to provide
meaningful and complete musical experiences for students. Students learn to perform, compose,
listen and analyze music. These creative aspects of music are being integrated into this lesson
plan, and should be integrated in plans on a regular basis. Comprehensive musicianship can be
used in conjunction with any other method of application of teaching music. In elementary
classrooms, comprehensive musicianship can be understood as children studying and
demonstrating the very basis of what makes music, music the organization of sound.
Connection to the MB 9-12 Music Curriculum
ML2 (Music Language and Performance Skills) Students develop skills for making music
through aural, written, and visual music systems.
MC2 (Creative Expression in Music) Students develop ideas in music, creatively integrating
music elements, techniques, and compositional tools.
Giving students the opportunity to compose gives them their own musical voice, and another
outlet in which to express musically. A lesson in composition allows students to generate ideas,
and develop them over time as their knowledge of written music increases.
Behavioral or Observable Objectives
As a result of this lesson students will understand how to draw music notation including time
signature, key signature, bar lines, note head and stems.

As a result of this lesson, students will create an idea using their recorder and be given the
opportunity and freedom to develop said idea further with percussion and/or barred instruments.
Assessment
In this lesson I will be watching and listening for the following:
- Students experimenting with different notes, rhythms and percussive sounds (being
creative)
- Students correctly writing their notes and rhythm down on the staff paper
- Students ability to re-create/perform their composition in front of the class.
Teaching Strategies
Anticipatory Set
- In the preceding classes to this activity, students will have developed an understanding of
the following:
o Quarter notes, eighth notes
o Quarter rests, eighth rests.
o Notes in the F Minor Pentatonic Scale (singing, playing on recorder and barred
instruments)
-

Class introduction: Good Morning Grade 6s! Today we are going to unleash our inner
creative composers! We are going to use our musical knowledge to create songs of our
very own
Hand out staff paper (four bars) and pencils
Have students take our recorders
Prepare a station with percussion equipment available for students to use.
Procedure
Review on the recorder, the 5 notes of the F minor Pentatonic Scale (F, Ab, Bb, C, Eb, F)
o Echo back notes on different quarter note and eighth note rhythms while students
keep a steady pulse.
o Show flash cards with different rhythm/note combinations on them for students to
read and play back.
o Show students the 5 notes on the board and have them repeat back the names of
those 5 notes.
o Give students the following chart as a guide to which notes they can use in their
composition.

Give students approximately 10 minutes to write down a 4 bar phrase using the 5 notes
just practiced (reviewed) in a combination of quarter notes and eighth notes.
Students will partner up and play their 4 bar melodies for each other.
Partners can suggest changes and offer feedback!

Continuing to work in partners, give students the instruction and freedom to add
percussion instruments or prepared barred instruments into to their melody line
Each group of partners will present their melody with percussion to the class! The
Composter will play on the recorder, and the partner can accompany on the chosen
percussion instrument.
Closure/Transition
Great work today, Grade 6 Composers! To finish off our compositions, we will sign our
names on the top right corner of our original compositions. This is exactly how famous
composers like Bach and Beethoven started out just like you! With an idea and some
musical expertise!

Modifications for special needs or cultural differences

For a special needs student who cannot use a recorder, they could possibly play their melody on
the piano or a barred instrument instead.
For a special needs student who cannot write notes, have them draw the shape of their melody
higher or lower)
For a special needs student who does not work well with others, have them perform their song
solo or with the teacher.