UT Martin

TEAM Lesson Plan Template

Teacher: Trevor Mayhall
Subject/Grade: 7th Grade Band
Lesson Title: Improvising with Swinging Eighth Notes
STANDARDS

Identify what you intend to teach. State, Common Core, ACT

College Readiness Standards and/or State Competencies;
Enduring Understandings and Essential Questions.

TN State Standards:

Standard 2.0 Playing Instruments

2.4 Differentiate between correct and incorrect pitch and rhythm
2.5 Demonstrate and understand musicality through style, dynamic control, tempo variation,
and phrase shaping.
2.6 Apply techniques of sight-reading.
2.7 Perform scales (or rudiments) on ones instrument.
Standard 3.0 Improvising
Improvise a simple rhythmic or melodic solo, through the medium of a traditional and/or jazz
ensemble.
Standard 5.0 Reading and Notation
Identify and interpret standard musical notation.
National Core Arts Standards:
Pr. 4.3.7 (a) Perform contrasting pieces of music demonstrating their interpretations of the
elements of music and expressive qualities (such as dynamics, tempo, timbre, articulation/style, and
phrasing) convey intent.
Pr. 6.1.7 (a) Perform the music with technical accuracy and stylistic expression to convey the
creators intent.

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OBJECTIVE(s)/SubObjectives

Connect prior learning to new learning. Clear, Specific,

Observable, Demanding, High Quality, Measurable, Aligned to
Standard(s), and Integrated with other subjects, build on prior
student knowledge
Student-Friendly (I Can Statement)

The learner will perform with rhythmic accuracy, swung eighth notes on a concert Bb scale.
The learner will improvise a melody using a concert Bb penta-chord using quarter notes and
swinging eighth notes.
The learner will perform a rhythmic ostinato for other students to improvise over.

MATERIALS AND
RESOURCES

Content-related: Clearly supports lesson objective(s); rigorous &

relevant; Incorporates multimedia & resources beyond the
textbook.

Good attitudes
Student instruments
Piano
Percussion instruments
Popsicle sticks
Recording of Alfies Theme by Sonny Rollins

ACCOMODATIONS/ADAPTA Learning styles and interests. Anticipate learning difficulties,

regularly incorporate student interests & cultural heritage;
TIONS
differentiate instructional methods.
Visually impaired: The music would be provided in braille in advance, and if the student was in
band before, I would have highly recommended a keyed instrument to allow easier use of
playing.
Autistic Student: Allowed more chances than other students to improvise, I would also have
students play the ostinato and I would go to the student individually and work with them one
on one.
ADHD Student: The student will provide an ostinato to play under the improvising the
melodies to keep them actively engaged and give them a chance to improve more than some
other students.

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MOTIVATING
STUDENTS/ANTICIPATORY
SET

Hook: Engage students attention and focus on

learning. Personally meaningful and relevant.

When the students come in, a recording of Alfies Theme will be playing from the computer
Ask the students what they hear and how it makes them feel (happy, mellow, relaxed)
Ask the students what they can hear in the instrumentation, is it a lot of musicians? Is it only a
few?
What does the solo player sound like he is playing?

INSTRUCTIONAL
PROCEDURES

Step-by-Step Procedures-Lesson Sequence: Basic to

Complex. Lesson includes visuals, modeling, logical sequencing
and segmenting (beginning, middle, ending); essential
information; concise communication; grouping strategies;
differentiated instructional strategies to provide intervention &
extension; seamless routines; varied instructional strategies; key
concepts & ideas highlighted regularly.

1. As the students are walking in, have the recording of Alfies Theme playing as
they get set up
2. When the students sit down, ask the students what they hear about the recording
3. Remind the students about swinging eighth notes
4. Sing swinging eighth notes with doo bah, doo bah for the students
5. Have the students echo doo bah, doo bah
6. The students then will play the Bb concert scale while swinging the eighth notes
7. Remind the students of the Bb concert penta-chord
8. Have the percussion students compose a rhythmic ostinato using quarter notes
and eighth notes for beats 2 and 4 by having them write this on notecards
9. Select one students ostinato by calling on them
10.Write the ostinato on the board
11.Have the wind students compose a rhythmic motive for beats 1 and 3, using
quarter and eighth notes by writing it notecards
12.Write the rhythmic motive on the board
13.Rehearse the percussionists playing the new ostinato
14.Rehearse the winds with the motive
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15.Rehearse the percussionists playing the ostinato, then adding the winds in that
16.When it is successful, run the form
17.Start with percussion and teacher (piano) playing quarter notes on beats 2 and 4
18.Then have the woodwinds play two eighth notes on beats 1 and 3 for 4 bars
19.Then have the brass play two eighth notes on beats 1 and 3 for the next 4 bars
20.Then have all winds play two eighth notes on beats 1 and 3 for 4 bars
21.Run this process three times, percussion playing constantly and winds alternating
times to play
22.Ask if any student knows what improvisation means
23.Introduce the term improvisation, and what it means
24.Tell the students that the first time through will be a brass player, then a
woodwind player, then a percussionist for the third time that improvise
25.Before the improvising begins, three of the better players would be selected to
model this for their peers
26.These three students would play with the teacher, who is providing a rhythmic
ostinato on piano that matches the percussion
27.Tell the soloists, and group, that the only restrictions are you can only play using
the Bb penta-chord.
28.The teacher will cue and begin with the percussion playing the ostinato
29.Then the teacher will to que woodwinds to come in with brass soloist
30.Then the teacher will que the brass to come in with woodwind soloist
31.Then the teacher will que brass and woodwinds to come in with woodwind soloist
32.After running it with ques two times, the students will run it on their own
33.The soloists will be selected before hand, randomly by pulling popsicle sticks with
names on them
34.Run through the improvising with the ensemble three times

QUESTIONING/THINKING/P
ROBLEM SOLVING
(embedded throughout)

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Balanced mix of question types. Utilizes Blooms

Taxonomy/Webbs Depth of Knowledge; high frequency;
purposeful & coherent; require active responses; balance based
on volunteers/non-volunteers, ability, & gender; lead to further
inquiry & self-directed learning. Implement four types of
thinking (Analytical, Practical, Creative, & Researchbased) & Teach/Reinforce problem-solving types. Provide
opportunities for students to generate ideas & alternatives;
analyze, evaluate & explain information from multiple
perspectives & viewpoints.

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1. How would the recording sound if more instruments were added or subtracted?
2. What does the solo player in the recorder sound like he is playing?
3. Does anyone know what improvising mean?
4. How would the ostinato and rhythmic motives sound different if we changed who
played them?
5. What if we changed the rhythms on each beat, and how could that change the
mood of the piece?

GROUPING

Maximize student understanding & learning Varied group

composition (race, gender, ability, & age); clearly understood
roles, responsibilities & group work expectations; accountability for
group & individual work; student opportunities for goal setting,
reflection & evaluation of learning.

ASSESSMENT

Formative and/or summative assessment.

A variety of
assessments, including rubrics, measure achievement of
objectives and informs instruction.

Formative assessment The use of a rubric to look for of

style, notes, tone, etc.

CLOSURE

Reflection/Wrap Up. Summarizing, reminding, reflecting,

restarting, connecting.

The students have an introduction into improvisation

The students will be asked to play Bb concert and F
concert scales with swinging eighth notes, this will be
assessed in the future class by playing them in sections
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NOTES:

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