Millicent Atkins School of Education: Common Lesson Plan Template

Music Education Lesson Plan

Dr. Wendy van Gent
Teacher Candidate Name: Katie Appl
Grade Level: 6th Grade
Subject: Band
Date: 2/7/18
PLANNING
State Standard(s)
 6-8.Mug.Pr.4.2.b: Read and identify standard symbols for rhythm, pitch, articulation, dynamics,
tempo, and form.
 6-8.MUg.Pr.4.1.a: Apply teacher, collaborative, or personally developed criteria for selecting music of
contrasting styles and genres for a program. Discuss expressive qualities, technical challenges, and
reasons for choices.
 6-8.MUg.Re.7.2.a: Describe, classify, and compare how the elements of music and expressive
qualities relate to the structure of the piece(s).
Learning/Behavioral Objectives
Students will be able to:
 Describe the story and/or events that take place in the piece “Stormchasing.”
 Exaggerate dynamic markings (mezzo piano, crescendo, and decrescendo) to match the story.
 Play accents in a variety of musical passages (exercises and “Stormchasing”).
Rationale: Include pre-assessment and cite theories and theorists.
The students have learned most of the notes and rhythms in the exercises and “Stormchasing.” During the last
few class times, we have focused on using faster air and stronger articulations when playing accents. We have
worked on playing at a softer dynamic. On Monday, I offered a few hints about the story in order to get the
students thinking about what is happening in the music. The beginning of this lesson will mainly involve
review and reinforcement of basic concepts.
The majority of students will be in Piaget’s concrete operational stage. Students in this stage can engage in
decentration, which allows them to focus on multiple aspects in a situation (notes, rhythms, dynamic
markings, articulation, watching the director). The students have only been playing their instruments for a
little over a year and will need positive reinforcement to increase their confidence. In Bloom’s taxonomy, this
lesson focuses on the application and analysis levels. Most of the students have the necessary knowledge and
comprehension skills developed for the exercises and the piece of music. This lesson stresses on the
application of musical concepts to “Stormchasing” and analyzing the story behind the music. The students
will also apply transfer of knowledge between the accents and dynamics in the book exercises to
“Stormchasing.”
Materials and Resources

 Student instruments
 Tradition of Excellence book
 “Stormchasing” sheet music
Technology
No technology will be needed.
Accommodations
There are many students who are at a variety of places in the book. In order to meet the needs of students who
haven’t reached the selected exercises, I will break down notes and rhythms as needed. For students who are
ahead of the class in the book, I will challenge them to play more musically and with better tone.
Classroom Management
Identify the management and motivational strategies you will use to meet student behavioral/developmental
needs in order to keep students on task and actively engaged throughout the lesson.
Last week, each student made a nametag for his or her stand. It allows me to learn the names faster, and I can
use their names during rehearsal to offer individual help. The lesson will move at a quick pace to keep
students engaged. The class really enjoys playing “Stormchasing,” so I will use this piece as motivation for
the students to stay focused on the book exercises. I will use positive reinforcement throughout the lesson to
improve the students’ confidence and determination. The lesson will use the typical structure of class time-
starting with book exercises and moving to literature.
Implementation
Lesson Opening (hook)
Book Exercises
-72: mp, mf, accents
-74: choose parts, mp, crescendo, decrescendo
-76: strong forte and accents
-77: tempo, accents
-78: slurs, crescendo, decrescendo
-83: Concert B flat scale
Teaching Procedures
Explain your procedures for the bulk of your class. Include specifics about techniques you will use such as: I
do-we do-you do; learning sequence activities (rhythm and tonal); musical activities within the literature;
rehearsal techniques, etc.
Review
-bring out accents throughout piece
-22: low brass quarter notes and crescendo
-29: dynamic change
-49: percussion crescendo
Tell the Story
-break the piece into multiple sections: 1-12, 13-29, 29-37, 37-end
-play the chosen section: What is happening in the music? What is happening in the story?
---open up discussion with students, offer personal interpretation (if necessary), decide what story we
want to tell as an ensemble
Lesson Closing (transition)
-Question: What are three things we worked on today in “Stormchasing”?
-If time, play the full piece.
 Reflect
Reflect on your instructional strategies, interactions with students, and classroom management strategies.
Describe what went well and what areas you need to revise in the future. Cite examples (from video) that
support your conclusions. Describe revisions that you could make if you were to teach this lesson again. Why
would you make each revision? Cite examples from the lesson plan, video and/or student work that would
prompt revisions.
The students responded well to the lesson. The students were on their best behavior today because they found
out the lesson was being recorded. Most of the students were okay with skipping around in the book; a few
students were confused why we were skipping numbers, but they became used to it. The students were
excited to give their input on the story behind the piece. The pace of the rehearsal fit the lesson and age level
and allowed the class to stay engaged. The students performed the sections we rehearsed on Monday with
accuracy and musicality. Because of shortened schedules on Wednesday, we did not have time to run the full
piece. Next week, I plan on reviewing a few sections and running the full piece. I can offer more ideas for
explaining and demonstrating the difference between dynamic markings and accents versus regular notes. In a
future lesson, I may pull out an instrument and demonstrate the differences.