LESSON PLAN

(revised SP14)

Teacher: Ms. Triola

Grade: 5th & 6th
Meeting time: 45 minutes

Date: April 27th, 2015

1. Learning Outcome/Behavioral Objectives: (As a result of this lesson students

will know and/or be able to demonstrate the following...)
Students will know the who, what, when, where, and why of the blues. They will
also learn about its form and have an opportunity to improvise over the blues and
see how their creations fit.
2. Required Prior Knowledge and Skills: (What the students must know to be
successful)
None
Anticipated deficits:
- ELL/ESL students
- Students with disabilities or behavioral issues

3. Standards and Frameworks: (Check all that apply)

National Standards Singing Performing on Instruments
Improvising Composing and arranging Reading and notating
Listening to, analyzing and describing Evaluating music and
performances
Understanding relationships between music, the arts and disciplines
Understanding music in relation to history and culture
State Frameworks Singing Reading and notation
Playing Instruments Improvisation and composition
Critical response Purposes and meaning in the arts
Role of artists in communities
Concepts of style, stylistic influence and stylistic change
Inventions technologies and the arts Interdisciplinary connections

4. Assessment: (Formal and Informal based on objectives)

Students will be assessed on class participation during the history and discussion
portion of the class as well as their effort during the playing portion.
5. Processes: Should include at least 2 of the following
Creating Performing Listening
6. Materials, Repertoire, Equipment needed:
-

Laptop
Smartboard for PowerPoint Document
Speaker system for listening examples and blues backing track.
Portable dry erase board (for beginning.)
Orff Instruments with Bb bars (if available) and without F bars. (E blues
scale.)

7. Accommodations:
a. Special needs - Depending on what the students disability is,
adjustments will be made.
b. ELL For English language learners this should work out fine, as I
will be teaching mostly by demonstration and visual.
8. Lesson Sequence:
a. Activity: After greeting the class, I will start by asking them. What is the
blues? Students will be invited to write their answers on the dry-erase board*
Estimated Time: 3-5 minutes
a1. Activity: The Blues: A (Brief) History & Listening
Students will be given a brief history of the blues with a few listening examples
from four different blues artists of different eras. Mamie Smith, Bessie Smith,
Muddy Waters, Mississippi John Hurt, and Ray Charles.
For the listening example, students will be given a worksheet with a table that
asks the following questions in relation to the artist and song that they are hearing.
(Worksheet attached.)
1) What instruments do you hear?
2) What stands out about the vocals?
3) What are the lyrics about?
4) Other thoughts?

Estimated Time: 20 minutes

b. Activity: Form
The last slide of the PowerPoint has a diagram of a basic 12 bar blues. I will ask
the students what our Roman Numerals are1, 4, and 5.

To explain this, I will use the portable dry-erase board and write the letters of an E
minor scale. Students will be asked, What does this series of letters mean? How
many of them do you see?
After someone announces that its a scale, I will ask Where is our 1? 4? 5?
Once weve established our answers, if it is accessible and easily oriented, I will
write the roots on their respective spots on our diagram so students can see. I will
play our root notes (E, A, and B) on either the piano or my violin (if I have
brought it to school.)
Estimated time: 5 minutes
c. Activity: Exploration and Improvisation
Students will be instructed to work in pairs (or groups of three if the class is an
odd number), with an Orff instrument. Before they retrieve their instruments, I
will tell them that the signal to listen is flashing the lights. I will give them 5
minutes to play around a bit and experiment.
When time is up, I will flash the lights.

After a few minutes, I will add in a backing track that I have, and students will get
to hear what they sound like with a live track.
Estimated Time: 10 minutes

d. Activity (If time): Pop Quiz about the Blues.

Questions:
1) Where did the blues come from?
2) Who did it come from?
3) What century?
4) Who were some of the pioneers of the blues?
5) Who was the first recorded blues artist?
6) Why is the blues important to music today?
Estimated Time: 5 minutes

The Blues
What do you hear?

Name _______________________________

Class: ________

Today, we will be listening to 5 different blues musicianswhen you hear each example,
write down what you hear in the following categories.
Name/Song
Mamie Smith
Crazy Blues

Mississippi
John
Hurt
Lonesome
Valley
Bessie Smith
St. Louis
Blues

Muddy Waters
Got My Mojo
Workin

Ray Charles
Georgia On
My Mind

Instruments

Vocals

Lyrics

Other