Follow The Drinking Gourd Lesson 3

SUNY Fredonia Music Education
Lesson Plan Template

Content Area:
Music
Grade Level:
5th or 6th Grade Choir
Candidate:
Date:
Jimmy Hartmann
10/31/14
Central Focus:
Students will understand the historical context of
The Drinking
Gourd and will be able to perform all of the pitches
and rhythms
accurately and expressively.
Pre-instructional Planning:
Students will already have the knowledge of singing measures 5-24 and 52-end
as well as a general knowledge of the historical context of the song.
Standards:
Learning Objectives (SWBAT):
Students will be able to sing the pitches and rhythms accurately.
Students will be able to understand the importance of this song.
Students will understand and perform the basics of swung verses straight.
Students will become knowledgeable in the of African-American folksongs and their
origins
Language Function:
Students will be able to describe the historical context behind the piece and where it
came from and the reasoning that it is the way it is.
Students will also be able to talk about the piece with a general musical knowledge of
dynamics, unison, and different harmony (consonance and dissonance).
Additional Language Demands:

Be able to distinguish between the different kind of minor (subtonic/leading
tone)
Academic Language and Language Supports: (Early Childhood)
Students should use a specific language when talking about the origins and musical
elements of the piece. IE.) Underground Railroad, the Drinking Gourd, Swung, Straight,
etc.
Materials and Resources:

Piano
Sheet Music
Technology (check all boxes that

apply)
Audio speakers
Video Recorder
Computer(s)
DVD Player
Projector
Interactive Whiteboard
Internet Connection
Printed Materials/Media: The Drinking Gourd arr. Andre Thomas

Learning Environment Preparation:
Standard choir set up with piano
Internet Resources:
http://www.followthedrinkinggourd.org/index.htm
Introduction:
Have the class recall what we did last lesson. What did we learn? What is
this song about? What is the drinking gourd and why would we follow it?
This song is important to us because it reminds us of our history and where
we all came from. Our ancestors were not all necessarily slaves, but
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slavery affected everyone in someway.

Set the students mindsets to how serious this was and how it was life or
death.
Imagine yourself as a slave, leaving your plantation behind your
masters back and fleeing north to see if you could get to freedom. This is
a life or death situation. If you got caught you could be punished. Youre
passing on secret information to other slaves through this song and telling
your peers where and what to look for to help you stay on track and get to
the north.
Procedure:
Learn measures 24-44:

Have all students learn part 2 first using solfege
Ask students what key is this in, what is our starting solfege syllable?
Sing through in chunks, m.24-27, m.28-31, m.32-35, m.36-43
Going through first on solfege with piano playing along with the part and
then with accomp.
Once all have learned part 2, go back through and have them sight read
part 1 on solfege while teacher sings part 2.
Run entire piece while listening for correct notes and rhythms
If, piece does not have correct notes and rhythms, stop and fix and spot
check
If notes are rhythms are correct then work with dynamics and cut offs.
Have Part one and part two face each other and sing through m.24-44
conversationally, with facial expression.
Roadmap dynamics in middle section (m.24-44)
Use of character throughout
What are the important words that should be stressed?
Go through piece and look for spots where we can pretend like we are
slaves and talk secretively about what to follow and where and how to get
to freedom:
- pickup m.9 for the old man is a waitin for to carry you to freedom
- m. 24-32 very aspirated and secret
Closure:
Now we have learned the entire piece. Today we learned the middle
section. Next class, we will run the entire piece from start to finish and add
dynamics and cut offs before our up coming concert!
Student Assessment: Musicality
STUDENT NAME:
1
2
3
Student A
Student B
C
D
E
F
G
1- Student demonstrates no musicality at all.
2- Student demonstrates some understanding of dynamics, phrasing, and
cut offs.
3- Student demonstrates a full understanding of musical concepts
throughout the entire piece.
Your Evaluation of the Lesson: (Reflections after teaching the lesson)

Using the student assessment data, reflect on your teaching and student learning by
responding to the following:
What worked and what didnt? For whom? Why? Were the objectives/learning targets
accomplished completely with all the students? What might you do differently? How was
the pacing effective/not effective? What was the ratio of positive to negative feedback?
How much time was spent on teacher-directed instruction versus student engagement?
Adapted from lesson plan template posted on Ohio Wesleyan University Department of
Education website: http://education.owu.edu/departmentForms.html

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SUNY Fredonia Music Education

Lesson Plan Template

Additional Language Demands:

Materials and Resources:

Technology (check all boxes that

Printed Materials/Media: The Drinking Gourd arr. Andre Thomas

slavery affected everyone in someway.

Learn measures 24-44:

Your Evaluation of the Lesson: (Reflections after teaching the lesson)

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