Music Lesson Plan

Name: Richard Rubin

Grade/Level: High School Duration: 20 Minutes Topic: Performance, Singing

Materials Needed:
 Piano
 Smart Board, White Board

Lesson Objectives:
 Students will identify the proper set-up for major scales
 Students will work together to figure out the differences between half steps and whole
steps
 Students will sing a major scale, 1 octave in range
 Students will determine major chords within 1 scale, and sing them

AZ State Standards Addressed:

 Strand _1_, Concept _1_, PO _302__: Adjusting and matching pitches and demonstrating
a consistent ability to tune to self and other voices or instruments
 Strand _1_, Concept _1_, PO _303__: Singing with proper posture with minimal
prompting
 Strand _1_, Concept _1_, PO _402__: Tuning more complex chords (e.g. thicker,
dissonant, jazz chords) with an understanding of their pitch within the chord structure

National Music Standard(s) Achieved:

#1 Singing, alone and with others, a varied repertoire of music
#2 Performing on instruments, alone and with others, a varied repertoire of music
#3 Improvising melodies, variations, and accompaniments
#4 Composing and arranging music within specified guidelines
#5 Reading and notating music
#6 Listening to, analyzing, and describing music
#7 Evaluating music and music performances
#8 Understanding relationships between music, the other arts, and disciplines outside the arts
#9 Understanding music in relation to history and culture

Musical Focus:
Rhythm Melody Harmony
Singing Listening Playing Instruments
Form History Theory
Moving Conducting Intonation
Tone Color Vocabulary Creating
Expression Balance/Blend Other:

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Introduction/Anticipatory Set (connect the lesson objectives to previous knowledge):
 Students will share their choir experience(s) with the class. Q: What do you like about
choir? What styles of singing have you heard? What aspect of singing has become
memorable for you?

Activities:
 Students will choose a scale in which they want the class to sing. The student will be a
volunteer, or will be chosen by the teacher. Then, the students will be given questions
based on the form of a major scale. Q: What is the form of a major scale? Teacher will
write out the major scale on the board.
o Plan for 100% engagement: Students, or volunteers, will be asked to answer any
questions about the major scale.
o Modifications/Accommodations: Teacher can give an example such as pointing
out any whole or half steps.
o Formative Assessment: Q/A based on any questions.
o Instructional Strategy (type of instruction occurring): Class discussion, with
students sharing ideas
o Time allotted: 5 minutes

 Students will then come up to the board and mark off any whole steps, or half steps, with
the assistance of other students or the teacher. Q: What would the third pitch sound like if
it was lowered by a half step? The 6th pitch? The class will then discuss to the class how
any alternations to the scale would change its sound.
o Plan for 100% engagement: Students, or volunteers, will go up to the board and
circle whole/half steps in the scale.
o Modifications/Accommodations: Teacher can remind the students what the
different steps sound like by playing a scale on the piano. The students can
respond whenever they hear a certain type of step, by raising their hands, etc.
o Formative Assessment: Q/A based on any questions.
o Instructional Strategy (type of instruction occurring): Cooperative learning, class
discussion
o Time allotted: 5 minutes

 Students will form into small groups and begin to sing through a major scale, and will
have the opportunity to add articulations. Q: How can you make a scale sound more
interesting? What aspects can you change?
o Plan for 100% engagement:
o Modifications/Accommodations: Teacher will walk around the room and help
students that are stuck.
o Formative Assessment: The students will sing scales to each other without
distracting neighboring groups
o Instructional Strategy (type of instruction occurring): Group work
o Time allotted: 5 minutes

 Students will begin to use some form of improvisation within the scale at hand. The
teacher will talk about the major and minor chords found within a major scale. The
students will then return to their groups and try to perform improvisation with each other.
Q: What does a major chord sound like? What can you do with it?

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 o Plan for 100% engagement: Each group member will be assigned a different pitch
in a chord, while the remaining member can be the soloist.
o Modifications/Accommodations: The teacher will continue to walk around, and
will help students determine who can sing which part, if need be.
o Formative Assessment: The students will improvise over a major chord.
o Instructional Strategy (type of instruction occurring): Group work, cooperative
learning
o Time allotted: 5 minutes

Concluding Activity/Success Experience:

 Students will share their improvisational skills by singing with their groups to the class.
Groups will have the opportunity to volunteer themselves, or will be chosen by the
teacher.

Extensions:
 If time allows, students will then begin to deal with minor scales and chords. Similar
activities will be applied to the minor scales.

Summative Assessments (if performance objectives are not formally assessed--i.e., grade
attached/end of a unit, etc.--during this lesson, how would you assess individuals in the future?):

Criteria Excellent Average Below Average No Credit

10 Points 8 Points 6 Points
Group Analysis The group was Most aspects of Little effort was The group failed
able to complete the task were put into the to complete any
the task completed. work. part of the
successfully assignment.

Group Each member Most members Less than half of Little to no

Improvisation showed proper were able to the members felt effort was used
knowledge of understand what comfortable by any group
every task had to be with their parts member
completed

Participation All members Most group Less than half of No students in a

were active, and members the group given group
each member participated members had a participated in
took care of during the positive effect on the activities
their activities the group work
responsibilities

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