10/29/12-11/20/12-"Winter Wonderland"

"Winter Wonderland"

Lesson Objectives: SWBAT locate and describe key signature changes and why they are utilized. SWBAT sing and describe 4/4 time and 2/2 time. SWBAT locate the accompaniment and compare/contrast it with what they are singing.

Essential Skills to be mastered: Students will be able to locate and describe key signature changes and why composer use them in music. Students will be able to describe and sing "Common" time and how it changes to "Cut" or "Alla Breve" time. Students will be able to examine the accompaniment and compre/contrast the notes to what they are singing.

I can statements: I can locate and describe key signatures. I can locate and describe the difference between 4/4 time and 2/2 time. I can locate and compare/contrast the accompaniment with what the choir is singing.

IPI level: Teacher led instruction with student engagement, Student led learning conversations


Teaching Strategies Utilized: Day 1: Read the text and discuss where harmony and unison occur. Sightread singing as many correct notes as possible. Day 2: Locate the key signature at the beginning of the piece of music. Have students scan and find all the key signature changes paying close attention to the ending of the piece of music. Why are so many key signature changes found in this piece? Day 3: Discuss the time signature found at the beginning of the piece and the use of a C for 4/4 or common time. Locate the next time signature change and discuss the slash through the C and what it means for each note value. Practice transitioning from one time signature to the other. How will we find the beat in the new time signature? Day 4: Work on independent parts and securing the harmony. Day 5: Large group evaluations of the parts. Day 6: Discuss the accompaniment of the piece of music and the contrast it creates. Why would a composer use a contrasting accompaniment? What effect does it have on the piece of music? Day 7: Revisit expressive elements and locate in the music. Practice creating the dynamics as a large group. Day 8: Have students partner up and practice the music together checking to see if the partner is singing correct notes, rhythms, expressive elements, etc. Day 9: Gather back as a large group and sing as if performing for an audience. Make a checklist of this to improve. Discuss successes within the piece of music as well. Day 10: Go through the checklist and fix problem spots. Perform as if for an audience.


Rigor or Level Reached on Bloom's Taxonomy:Analyze, Evaluate

10/17/12-11/2/12-"Firework"

"Firework"

Lesson Objectives: SWBAT sing in three independent parts. SWBAT sing in a pop style using syncopated rhythms. SWBAT locate and perform the verse and the chorus of the song.

Essential Skills to be Mastered: Students will be able to sing in three independent parts: Soprano I, Soprano II, and Alto. Students will locate and perform syncopated rhythms associated with pop music. Students will locate and perform the verse and chorus of the piece of music.

I can statement: I can sing in three independent parts. I can sing in a pop style. I can locate and perform syncopated rhythms. I can locate the verse and chorus of the song.


Teaching Strategy Utilized: Day 1: Divide the choir into three independent parts. Discuss how to read the music including the Soprano I and II sharing a line and Alto reading the bottom line. Read the text and discuss how it is different/same as the original recording. Sightread the piece of music. Day 2: Review the divided parts and how to read the music. Read the text aloud and discuss syncopation. Locate places in the song where syncopation occurs such as mm. 45. Have students notice mm. 53 and the division of parts that occur there. Day 3: Practice harmonizing between the Sopranos I and II then add the altos. Day 4: Large group evaluation. Day 5: Locate expressive elements and discuss how the group will perform and practice. Day 6: Have students break into small groups and review the music. Day 7: Small group evaluation Day 8: Practice with the recorded accompaniment. Have the students practice facial expressions in front of the mirror. Day 9: Record the performance and evaluate. Day 10: Polish for the performance. Day 11: Perform as if for a real audience.

IPI Level: Teacher Led with Student Engagement

Rigor or Level Reached on Bloom's Taxonomy:Analyze, Evaluate

10/16/12-10/26/12-"Super Santa"

"Super Santa"

Lesson Objectives: SWBAT locate a tempo marking and metronome marking. SWBAT locate the time signature and identify the eighth notes, and quarter notes that are sung. SWBAT create choreography in the style of the piece. SWBAT locate, define, and perform a descant.

Essential Skill to be Mastered: Students will be able to locate and discuss where to find a tempo marking and how to apply the metronome marking to the piece of music. Students will be able to locate and identify eighth notes, sixteenth notes, and quarter notes throughout the piece of music.

I can statement: I can find the tempo marking on a piece of music. I can determine the value of eighth notes, quarter notes, half notes and quarter notes. I can locate and perform a descant. I can create movement that matches the style of the piece.

IPI level: Teacher led instruction with Student Engagement

Teaching Strategy Utilized: Day 1: Students will scan the music and look for the type of notes they will be singing in the first two measures. Discuss eighth notes and how many counts each receives in 4/4 time. Count them aloud and have students chant the words in rhythm. Day 2: Discuss half and quarter notes and locate in the music. What method do you use for counting? Explain. Review 1st and 2nd endings and how to read through the music. Day 3: Determine who has the melody at B. What do you know about descant? Who should sing the descant part? Day 4: Work for part independence. Evaluate as a large group. Day 5: What does the music at D have in common with the music at A? Differences? Divide into groups and create choreography that matches the style of the piece. Day 6: Discuss the style of the piece of music and how to sing expressive elements and add into the performance. Rehearse choreography in front of the mirrors. Day 8: Small group evaluation of singing and choreography. Day 9: Analyze and create a checklist of items that the students want to improve. Day 10: Record the performance and listen for improvements. Day 11: Polish and perform as if for an audience.

Rigor or Level reached on Bloom's Taxonomy: Application and Analyze

Writing Activity:

Write an informative paragraph about a time signature of your choice. Include information about the top and bottom number as well as an explanation on how to count quarter notes, half notes, eighth notes, sixteenth notes, and whole notes. Pretend you are writing to someone who does not know anything about music.

10/16/12-11/2/12-"Inscription of Hope"

"Inscription of Hope"

Lesson Objectives: SWBAT sing in 2 independent parts. SWBAT describe and perform how to produce tall vowel sounds. SWBAT discuss and describe the historical connections of this song to World War II. SWBAT describe and perform semplice, a tempo, and freely as expressive elements.

Essential Skills to be mastered: Students will be able to perform two independent parts and connect the music to a historical event. Students will be able to perform tall vowels and focus on the production of those vowels. Students will be introduced to semplice, a tempo, and freely and perform as a large group.

I can statement: I can sing in 2 independent parts. I can describe how to produce and perform tall vowels. I can sing expressively. I can make historical connections through music.

IPI Level: Teacher led instruction, Student learning conversations.

Teaching Strategies Utilized: Day 1: Hand out music and have students scan for 1 minute. Discuss and review the sightreading process. Read the text aloud in sections. Have students notice the syncopated rhythm of the accompaniment and the voices at mm. 5. Sing through the piece. Day 2: Read the performance notes aloud. Discuss what students know about World War II. What is the significance of singing this piece of music? Why does the composer want the text to be read before we sing the song? Day 3: Discuss the breath marks and where they are placed. What is the purpose? Sing phrases noticing the markings and following as written. Day 4: Create an "oo" vowel and discuss how to produce the sound. Demonstrate or have a student model. Work for blend across the choir. Day 5: Discuss the term "semplice" and what it means. How do we produce this type of tone color? Day 6: Discuss the key change at mm. 57. Why do we go up a half step? What is the purpose or intent of the composer? Day 7: Discuss the various tempo markings and a tempo. Why is the ending marked "freely" and how do we determine how to sing those measures as a choir? Day 8: Work for part independence and check the progress with a formative assessment. Day 9: Record a performance and evaluate the expressiveness of the piece. Are we following the dynamics and other markings? Analyze and discuss corrections. Make a list on the board. Day 10: Follow the suggestion list on the board and listen for the changes that are being made. Discuss if the suggestions made a difference in the expressiveness of the song. Were they improvements that needed to be made? Were they effective? Day 11: Split into small groups and have them work on balance and blend. Come back together into large group and sing listening for balance and blend. Day 12: Small group evaluations. Day 13: Hold tryouts for the reading of the text and what type of tone color the voice should have. Day 14: Add the text at the beginning and then during the first 12 measures. Which is more effective? Day 15: Polish and perform as if singing to an audience.

Rigor or Level reached on Bloom’s Taxonomy: Evaluate, Analyze

8/29/12-9/28/12-"Yonder Come Day"

"Yonder Come Day"

Lesson Objective: SWBAT: Demonstrate singing skills using a singing voice and match pitch in an appropriate range. SWBAT: Demonstrate the ability to distinguish between quality and non-quality performance through listening, performing, self-assessment, and offer suggestions for improvement.

Essential Skill to be mastered: Students will be able to sing in three parts. Students will be introduced to body percussion and how to perform while singing. Students will work for consistent airflow and breath support. Students will work on a cappella singing and working together for proper inonation throughout the song.

I can statement: Read and sing in three parts. I can perform body percussion while singing. I can assess and evaluate the effectiveness of a performance.

IPI level:Student active engaged learning, Teacher-led instruction, Student work with teacher engaged.

Teaching Strategy Utilized: See activities/assessments in the attached lesson plan.

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

https://docs.google.com/file/d/0B091GG70BzyEUnhCSDh2XzU4ck0/edit