QC MUSIC EDUCATION LESSON PLAN FORMAT

Teacher Name: Mitchell

Date: October 16th
Location/School: Westlake
Guido
2014
High School
Grade Level: 7th Grade
Music Specialty Area: General Music
Lesson Plan Supporting Information:
IEP/504/ELL/Gifted (and other
accommodations):
Students must be familiar with the
Shane has an IEP for ADHD,
concept of Improvising
in addition to EBD (Emotional
Students should have decent technical
Behavior Disorder)
proficiency on an instrument (doesnt
o The teacher will make
matter what instrument)
sure to watch the
Students must be accustomed to goalstudent throughout the
oriented listening
lesson to see if
It would be helpful, but not necessary,
anything is disturbing
that students have previous
him.
experience improvising
o When the group making
Students should have been exposed to
process occurs, the
a variety of music
teacher will be sure that
Shane is placed into a
group that he is
comfortable with.
Instructional Resources and Materials:
Technology: (Bold font all that
apply)
Recordings (mp3s) or Youtube videos
of the students song choice.
Doc Cam
Audio Player/Recorder
Video Recorder
Learning Environment Preparation:
Room/Personal Computer
The room should be set up with the
DVD Player
desks in a circle (including the
Smart Board
teachers), so all the students can
Projector
interact with each other.
Internet Connection
Adapter(s)
Smart phones
Central Focus:
Do Now:
Aim:
Write down the
Students will learn
How can you tell the different
name,
how to create an
between an improvised solo
artist/band
and
improvised solo in a
and a pre-conceived solo?
genre of the
genre of their
What are some of the musical
piece you have
choice.
qualities that are indicative of
chosen. What
both solos?
musical
characteristics
does this piece
have that you

enjoy?
National Standard(s):
State Standards:
Common Core Standards:
Academic Language (Review/Introduction):
Students will be asked to identify where solos are pre-conceived or improvised
and provide the reasoning behind their analyze. During this process, the
students will inevitably be comparing and contrasting between the two styles of
soloing.
Musical qualities such as: rhythm (regular vs. irregular), melodic intent/contour,
dynamics, timber and instrumentation will be addressed.
Learning Objectives: As a result of this lesson, students will be able to successfully
identify the typical characteristics of an improvised solo and be able to differentiate
between pre-conceived and improvised solos.
Motivation: What is your favorite solo (in any song/genre and on any instrument
including the voice)?
Instructional Strategies and Learning Tasks (Procedures):
Body-Mind Warm-up:

Students will enter the classroom and sit down at their desks. They will
complete the due now to get them focused on what will happen during class.
(5 minutes)
Review:

Task one:
Each student will read aloud what they have written down for the Do Now to
the entire class. (5 minutes)
Then, the students will get into groups of their own choosing: 3-4 students per
group (15-20 minutes). They will be prompted to:
o Share the solos from the songs they brought on with each other, using
their smartphones (or computers, if available). In addition to this, the
students will discuss the musical aspects that affected their choices
(from the due now).
o The students will also compare the different genres of music based on
the following criteria: instrumentation, style of the groove,
atmosphere/mood of the piece and tempo.
Task two:
Each group will be asked to go through their collection of solos and try to
figure out if the solo is improvised. They must write down what qualities
(rhythm, melody, wrong notes) make it appear improvised. (5-10 minutes)
Task three:
Then, each group will pick one solo to present to the rest of the class and
explain: (15-20 minutes)
o The instrumentation, style of the groove and mood/atmosphere of the

piece.
o Whether the solo is improvised or not and how they can tell.
As the students present, the teacher will compile a list of criteria for preconceived vs. improvised solos (on the board). This will be used for the
homework.
Formal and Informal Assessments:
o The teacher will hear what each student has written for their do-now, to see if
the student performed the homework correctly.
o The teacher will make watch each presentation that the students give to see if
the students worked properly during the class time. The teacher will also
collect what each group has written down to further assess their classwork.
o The students will receive a participation grade that is dependent upon
this material.
o The homework that is due for next class will prove if the students paid
attention and took notes during this class.
Homework (Formal Assessment): Students will go home and find more examples
of improvised solosbased upon the criteria established in classto bring in for the
following class.
Summary: Students will present what they have discovered during the lesson at the
end (as described above). In addition to this, students will have to take what they
have discovered during the lesson and apply it for their homework.
Extension: The Tri-fold assessment technique could be used to see how the
groups worked out. This lesson would lead into students exploring more improvised
music of their own choosing.
Lesson notes:

Description of QC Lesson Plan Segments

(Includes edTPA and NYC public school modifications)
LESSON PLAN SUPPORTING INFORMATION: include one or more of the
following areas; (1) Prior academic learning and/or prerequisite skills related to
the central focus what do students know, what can they do, and what are they
learning to do? Example: Students should be able to play eighth notes and
quarter notes before introducing dotted quarter notes. (2) Personal, cultural,
community assets related to the central focus what do you know about your
students every day experiences, cultural backgrounds, practices, and interest?
(p. 47 edTPA handbook, 2013) (3) Where possible, connect your learning tasks
to research and theory. Example: To address some of the special needs students
I have implemented more repetition in the lesson plan based on results from one
research article that states, quantitative results indicated that repetition, student

choice, and increased response time were considered important teaching

strategies that led to student growth and learning.
Gerrity, K, Hourigan, R. & Horton, P. (2013). Conditions that Facilitate Music
Learning Among Students With Special Needs: A Mixed-Methods Inquiry. The
Journal of Research in Music Education, 61, 143-159.
MUSIC SPECIALTY AREA: Band, orchestra, general, self-contained general,
choir, chorus, pep band, jazz band, music appreciation, mixed ensemble etc.
IEP/504/ELL/Gifted (and other accommodations): Consider the variety of
learners in your class who may require different strategies/supports or
accommodations/modifications to instruction or assessment. These students may
include English language learners, gifted students needing greater support or
challenge students with Individualized Education Programs (IEPs) or 504 plans,
struggling readers, and underperforming students or those with gaps in academic
knowledge. (p. 41, edTPA handbook). This section of the lesson plan should
describe the selected instructional strategies and planned supports appropriate
for the whole class, individuals and groups of students with specific learning
needs. Example: The hearing impaired students will be given balloons to assist
in helping them to feel the sound vibrations.
INSTRUCTIONAL RESOURCES AND MATERIALS: used to engage students in
learning. The instructional materials might include such items as class handouts,
assignments, slides, and interactive whiteboard images. (p. 12, edTPA
handbook).
LEARNING ENVIRONMENT (PREPARATION): The designed physical and
emotional context, established and maintained throughout the learning segment
to support a positive and productive learning experience for students (p. 46,
edTPA handbook). Example: Number of risers, chairs and stands needed for the
specific ensemble as well as a seating chart based on individual student and
group needs.
ACADEMIC LANGUAGE: Oral and written language used for academic
purposes. Academic language is the means by which students develop and
express content understandings. Academic language represents the language of
the discipline that students need to learn and use to participate and engage in
meaningful ways in the content area. (p. 43, edTPA handbook). Include a list of
the vocabulary (p. 44, edTPA handbook) or music specific language/concepts
and/or non-music specific language that will be reviewed or taught. (Can include
foreign language words found in music.) Example: Review or (Prep/support):
Slur, Tie, Ritard. Introduce: Dotted half-note, allargando, differentiate.
(Compare/contrast). (p. 11, edTPA handbook).
Additionally, list one or more of the following language function words or a more
appropriate word in your teaching segments:

Analyze
Identify

Compare/Contras
t
Interpret

Describe

Explain

Express

Perform

Summarize

Synthesize

AIM: New York City schools require that teachers use an Aim (focus for the
lesson) in the form of a How or Why question.
DO NOW: Teachers are also required to present a Do Now for students to
answer immediately upon entering the room. The Do Now is an effective tool to
quickly focus the students on class work as soon as they enter the room.
MOTIVATION: (Anticipatory set) Some schools require that you begin the lesson
with a Motivation, an effective tool to catch the students interest. The
motivation is usually something that relates music to their lives or to something
with which they are already familiar. In this way, they are moving from known to
unknown.
CENTRAL FOCUS: A description of the important understandings and core
concepts that you want students to develop within the learning segment (3-5
lessons). The central focus should go beyond a list of facts and skills, align with
content standards and learning objectives, and address the subject-specific
components in the learning segment. For example, the subject-specific
components for K12 Performing Arts include using artistic skills, knowledge, and
contextual understandings to create, perform, or respond to music/dance/theater.
A central focus for a music or dance learning segment might be recognizing
rhythmic patterns. The learning segment would focus on conceptual
understanding of rhythm and recognizing the different beats through clapping or
counting. (p. 47-48, edTPA handbook). Example: The focus of this learning
segment is to have the students recognize (identify) and then accurately count
and perform the syncopated rhythms within the context of sight-reading.
LESSON OR LEARNING OBJECTIVE ASSOCIATED WITH THE
STANDARD(S): As a result of this class students will be able to (SWBAT)
______________. Example: As a result of the 45 min. band rehearsal, students
will be able to successfully play through movement 3 of the Divine Comedy with
improved technique and musicality. (More than one learning objective is
acceptable for any given class. Typically not more than 4 objectives.)
NEW YORK STATE, NATIONAL, AND COMMON CORE STANDARDS:(Note:
Please list the number and text of each standard that is being addressed. If only
a portion of a standard is being addressed, then only list the part or parts that are
relevant.) For state standards:
http://www.p12.nysed.gov/ciai/arts/artstand/home.html
For National standards: http://musiced.nafme.org/resources/national-standardsfor-music-education/For Common Core Standards:refertodocumentA Standards

Crosswalk Between Common Core and Musicread the document and indicate
the Strand, the Core curriculum standard and the connection in Music.
INSTRUCTIONAL STRATEGIES AND LEARNING TASKS (Procedural Steps):
Include what you and the students will be doing that support diverse student
needs. The standards, learning objectives, learning tasks, and assessments
should berelated to the central focus or an identifiable theme, essential question,
or topic within the curriculum. (Be sure to include warming up and, when
applicable, tuning).
Learning task(s): Includes activities, discussions, or other modes of
participation that engage students to develop, practice, and apply skills
and knowledge related to a specific learning goal. Learning tasks may be
scaffolded to connect prior knowledge to new knowledge and often include
formative assessment. (p. 49, edTPA handbook).
Medial summary: Can explicitly assist in connecting prior
knowledge to new knowledge. So far we have ___________ . Next we will
____________.
For example; So far we have learned how to perform a tie. (Possible
opportunity for a formal assessment) Next we will tie three quarter notes to
learn and play the dotted half note.
The final learning task should include some type of lesson closure, such
as a final run through of what has been accomplished. Keep in mind the
research or educational theories that support your chosen teaching
methods.
FORMAL AND INFORMAL ASSESSMENTS: used to monitor student learning,
including type(s) of assessment, and what is being assessed. [R]efer[s] to all
those activities undertaken by teachers and by their students . . . that provide
information to be used as feedback to modify teaching and learning activities.12
Assessments provide evidence of students prior knowledge, thinking, or learning
in order to evaluate what students understand and how they are thinking.
Informal assessments may include, for example, student questions and
responses during instruction and teacher observations of students as they work.
Formal assessments may include, for example, quizzes, homework assignments
(see below), journals, and projects. (p. 47, edTPA handbook).
HOMEWORK (formal assessment): required independent work, which
may include academic intervention for students with specific needs as well
as academic enrichment.
SUMMARY (or Closure): Student(s) answer the Aim question to summarize
what they learned. The summary is an assessment tool which allows the teacher
to see/hear if students grasped the information presented. Sometimes it is more

authentic to have the students perform a large segment of what they learned
rather than writing. It shows the teacher whether or not the students have
learned what was presented.
EXTENSION: Where might this lesson lead next? What else might you do if
there is extra time? As you prepare a unit plan of 3-5 lessons it is essential to
think about the lesson sequence and progression.
LESSON NOTES: Leave an area in your lesson plan to indicate elements that do
not fit within the parameters of this lesson plan. Example: Drawings for dance
steps that accompany a particular song.