Methods

Midterm

All of my lesson plans are centered around the theme of birds. Birds are

singing creatures, and come in a variety of shapes, sizes, and colors, just like

people. There are many folk and pop tunes about birds, and there are classical

pieces inspired by birdsongs. Personally, it is important for my students to

experience different styles of music. Being able to identify the differences

between folk/pop songs and orchestral music is one of the standards for the

second grade level, therefore students need to be exposed to a variety of both

types of music. My other goal for my lesson plans was to incorporate some sort

of physical movement into every experience. Young students dont like to sit still,

so I tried to avoid planning activities where they would be sitting still for longer

than 10 minutes.

Plan 1: Bluebird through my window

Understanding Statements:

1. Through this experience, students will participate in community music

making while singing and playing a game. Through Bluebird through My

Window, students will experience quarter, eighth, and half note rhythms.

They will also be exposed to pitch differentiation through performance,

and iconic notation. The concept of a sequence will not be labeled, but

will be experienced while singing the song. In addition to these musical

concepts, students will be given the opportunity to practice social and

teamwork skills.
I can statements:

1. I can sing a folk song called Bluebird through my Window.

2. I can identify high and low pitches from pictures.

Standards Addressed:

1. 1:5 The student will perform rhythmic patterns that include quarter

notes, paired eighth notes, and quarter rests using instruments, body

percussion, and voice.

2. 2.1: The student will read and notate music, including identifying

written melodic patterns that move upward, downward, and stay the

same.

3. 2.2: The student will sing a repertoire of songs alone and with others,

including

a. 1. singing melodic patterns that move upward, downward, and

stay the same;

b. 2. singing melodies within the range of a sixth; and

c. 3. increasing pitch accuracy while singing phrases and simple

songs.

4. National Performing 2b: When analyzing selected music, read and

perform rhythmic and melodic patterns using iconic or standard

notation.

Materials:

1. Icon cards that show differentiation of pitches.

 2. 2 Fly swatters.

Procedures:

1. Students and teacher will stand in assigned spots around the circular rug.

Everyone will hold hands and raise their arms up to form windows.

a. The teacher will say the name of the song, and ask the students

what they think they are creating when they put their arms up.

i. What do birds fly through?

ii. The title of our song today is Bluebird through our window.

What do you think we are making when we put our arms

up like this?

2. Teacher will select a student to help demonstrate the game.

3. The student will run through the windows created by the students

while the teacher sings through the first verse of the song.

4. The students will repeat the first verse once without anyone moving, and

then again with the student demonstrating the movement again.

5. The student will stop and stand behind one of their classmates when the

first verse is done, and that student will gently pat the shoulders of their

classmate while the teacher sings the second verse of the song.

6. The entire class will repeat the second first, once without any movement,

and then again with the movements being modeled.

7. During the third verse, both students will run through the windows while

the teacher sings.

 8. The students will practice the third verse together without movement,

and then with movement.

9. The teacher will ask the students who demonstrated to return to their

spots. Another student will be selected to be the bird. The color of their

shirt will determine the color of the bird sung by the class. The students

will sing and play the game until every student has had the chance to play.

10. If the class is very large, the teacher will stand outside of the circle to help

facilitate the game. Student may be asked to leave the flock of birds and

join the circle to provide more windows.

11. Students will sit in assigned spots around the circular rug.

12. The teacher will place two cards with iconic pitch notation in the middle

of the rug. Two students will be given fly swatters. The teacher will sing

pattern of pitches (similar to those in Bluebird through My Window), and

the first student to swat the correct card will remain in the middle of the

circle. The student who did not swat the correct card first will hand their

fly swatter to another student (someone behaving well).

a. The teacher may ask some students to sing familiar pitch patterns

on the cards (ex. students would sing the first verse of Bluebird

through My Window).

b. The teacher may ask students outside of the circular to explain

why the swatted card is the correct card, (or why the other card

was incorrect).

Assessment:
 1. Students will be informally assessed based on their ability to sing the tune

with correct pitches and time (after multiple repetitions).

2. Students will be assessed based on their ability to choose the correct card,

and more importantly being able to explain why the card was the correct

choice.

Extension:

1. Student will be shown icon cards displaying pitches, and they will have be

challenged to order the icon cards into the correct order of Bluebird through

my Window.

2. Rhythmic icon cards could also be introduced, and later translated into

written notation.

Accommodations/Adaptations:

1. Color: Pitches on the icon cards will be in different colors.

2. Modality: Hand motions can be added. Students can perform hand motions

while singing through the pitch icon cards.

3. Size: The size of the icon cards can be enlarged. They could also be projected

onto a smart board if necessary.

4. Pacing: The speed of the song can be decreased in order to allow students

time to run through the windows.

Plan 2: Peter and the Wolf Bird/Bluebird Through my Window part 2

Understanding Statement
1. Through this experience, students will be able to describe the differences between

a folk song and an orchestral song. They will also be able to distinguish pitch from

iconic notation, and associate hand signs with pitches from iconic notation.

I can statements:

1. I can describe the differences between orchestral music and folk music.

2. I can identify a flute based on sound and physical appearance.

3. I can read pitches from iconic notation.

4. I can rearrange pitches in order to create Bluebird through my Window.

5. I can associate hand signs with Bluebird through my Window.

Standards addressed:

1. 2.7 The student will explore historical and cultural aspects of music by

a. explaining the difference between folk/popular music and orchestral

music;

b. 3. identifying what musicians and composers do to create music;

2. 2.1 The student will read and notate music, including

a. 1. identifying written melodic patterns that move upward, downward,

and stay the same;

3. 2.2 The student will sing a repertoire of songs alone and with others,

including

a. 1. singing melodic patterns that move upward, downward, and stay

the same.

b. 2. singing melodies within the range of a sixth.

c. . increasing pitch accuracy while singing phrases and simple songs.

4. MU:Pr4.2.2: b When analyzing selected music, read and perform rhythmic and

melodic patterns using iconic or standard notation.

Materials:

1. Recording of Peter and The Wolf (The Bird)

2. A flute (if possible) or a picture of a flute.

Procedures:

1. Students will listen to Peter and The Wolf Op 67 (The Bird) with the

following questions in mind:

a. What in the music sounds like a bird?

b. Why does this sound like a bird to you?

c. What type of bird does this sound like? (An eagle, or a bluebird?)

Why?

2. Students will be shown a flute (or a picture of one).

a. Students will be asked if they think the flute is an orchestral

instrument or folk song instrument.

b. Students will be asked how they think a flute makes sound.

3. Students will be asked if they think this piece of music is a folk song or an

orchestral song.

a. Why?

4. Students will stand in their assigned spots around the circle rug.

5. Teacher will sing through Bluebird through my Window.

a. Students will sing back. Teacher will chunk and review if necessary.
 6. The teacher will pull out the iconic pitch cards again.

a. The students will divide up into small groups and given 4 pitch cards.

They will have 5 minutes to figure out what the correct order of the

pitch cards.

7. The class will review the correct order, this time singing and using hand

signs along with the pitches.

a. Students will explain why they chose to place their cards in a certain

order.

i. Ex. The first card and third card are the same, just like in the

song.

8. The teacher will point to random cards and the students will sing the pitches

notated on the card.

9. The class will sing through the song one final time with hand signs.

Assessment:

1. Students will be informally assessed based on the accuracy of their

arrangement of pitch cards.

2. Students will be informally assessed on their ability to explain their musical

choices/answers.

3. Students will be informally assessed on how well their use of hand signs

Extension:

1. (Students know the musical alphabet at this point) Students will be shown a

staff with hand signs of the first phrase on the correct musical space/line.

2. Students will discuss where the next verse should go and why.
 3. Students will figure out where the hand signs should go on the staff for the

entire song.

Accommodations/Adaptations:

1. Kinesthetic: Hand signs can be incorporated into singing. If a flute can be

obtained, students can touch the flute gently.

2. Size: The cards can be enlarged in size.

3. Color: The pitches on the card can be color coordinated, and/or have textures

added to them to help with pitch differentiation.

4. Pacing: Extra repetitions of Bluebird through My Window can be performed

to help with remembering the song (that was learned in a previous class).

Plan 3: Rockin Robin/Owlet/Bird compositions

Understanding Statements:

1. Through the experiences planned for this lesson, students will associate

movement patterns with phrases in music. Students will also work in small groups

create their own music to describe an image. This will require them to apply musical

skills and develop team-building skills. Each group will perform at the end of class,

allowing students the opportunity to share their work, and learn appropriate

audience behavior as well.

I can Statements:

1. I can sing correct pitches, rhythms, and dynamic levels.

2. I can work well in a team to compose a short song about a particular bird

using various instruments.

Standards Addressed:
 1. 2.5: The student will respond to music with movement, including

a. 4: performing non-choreographed and choreographed movements,

including line and circle dances.

2. 2.3: The student will play a variety of pitched and non-pitched instruments

alone and with others including,

a. 4. Using proper playing techniques

3. 2.12 The student will collaborate with others in a music performance and

analyze what was successful and what could be improved.

4. MU:Cr1.1.2 a) Improvise rhythmic and melodic patterns and musical ideas

for a specific purpose.

5. MU:Cr2.1.2 a) Demonstrate and explain personal reasons for selecting

patterns and ideas for music that represent expressive intent.

Materials:

1. Images of various birds

2. Orff Instruments

3. Egg shakers/maracas/rain sticks

4. Boomwhackers

Procedures:

1. Rockin Robin Movement Activity

a. 16 counts: Clap on off beats while swaying from side to side.

b. 16 counts Wing flaps (8 right, 8 left)

c. 16 counts of ankle twist

d. 16 counts of wing flaps (8 right, 8 left)

 e. 16 counts of ankle twist, also fun fingers

f. 32 counts of improv

g. 16 counts of claps, clap the rhythm in song (2 eights and a quarter)

while swaying from side to side

h. 16 counts of ankle twist, also fun fingers

i. 16 counts of wings, both and at double time while moving around the

room.

j. 16 counts of wings, (8 right, 8 left)

k. 16 counts of ankle twist with fun fingers

l. 16 counts of claps, off beats, while swaying from side to side.

2. Students will return to their assigned spots around the circle rug.

3. Teacher will sing through The Owlet.

4. Teacher will sing the first 2 phrases, and the students will repeat.

5. Teacher will sing through the second 2 phrases, and the students will repeat.

6. Students will be asked what the song is describing, and then what musical

choices we should make to tell that story.

a. Softer dynamics, slower tempo.

b. Repetitions will occur between each suggestion.

7. Students will then be asked to create movements to the song.

a. What type of movements should we do, and when?

b. Repetitions will occur between each suggestion.

8. The class will sing the entire song through with the added dynamics and

movements.
 9. Students will be asked to think of types of birds, and the teacher will write

them on the board.

10. Students will be put into groups of 4, and each group will be assigned a

picture of a bird. Using instruments that the teacher has set aside, the

students will create a song to describe their bird.

a. Options include: Penguin, Eagle, Hummingbird, Cardinal, Raven, and

Oriole.

b. Instrument options: Various Orff instruments, maracas/ egg shakers,

boom whackers, rain sticks.

11. Students will share their compositions at the end of the class. Groups will be

asked why they made certain musical decisions.

a. Ex. Why did you choose the bass marimba and rain stick?

Assessment:

1. Students will be informally assessed on their abilities to sing correct pitches,

rhythms, and dynamic levels.

2. Students will be informally assessed based on their abilities to compose in

teams, and their ability to use musical language to describe their

compositional choices.

Extension:

1. As an entire class, we will pick a bird and write a song about the bird. As a

class, we will create lyrics, a melody, (sung), and an ostinato bass line (played

on Orff instruments).
 a. The ultimate goal is to have students discuss why certain musical

elements would describe the particular bird we chose. (ex. A raven is

dark, so the melody should sound low).

Adaptations:

1. Colored tape can be added to the bars of the Orff instrument to help the

student identify the correct notes to play.

2. Pacing: Students can be given more time in groups in order to complete their

composition.

3. Modality: Movements can be changed in order to accommodate students

with physical limitations.