Lesson Plan for the Elementary (4th Grade)

Objectives:

1. By the end of the lesson students will sing “Building Bridges” with zero mistakes.
2. By the end of the lesson students will describe their thoughts to the song “Building Bridges”
3. By the end of the lesson students will explain the cultural and historical context to the song “Alabama Gal”
4. By the end of the lesson students will sing “Alabama Gal” with zero mistakes.
5. By the end of the lesson students will perform the “Alabama Gal” folk song, while singing the song as well.

Standards Being Addressed:

MU: Pr6.1.4a Perform music, alone or with others, with expression and technical accuracy, and appropriate interpretation.

MU: Re7.1.4a Demonstrate and explain how selected music connects to and is influenced by specific interests, experiences,
purposes, or contexts.

MU: Re9.1.4a Evaluate musical works and performances, applying established criteria, and explain appropriateness to the
context.

MU: Re7.2.4a Demonstrate and explain how responses to music are informed by the structure, the use of elements of music,
and context (such as social and cultural.)

Materials of Instruction:

1. Building Bridges:
a. Building bridges between our divisions,
I reach out to you, will you reach out to me?
With all of our voices and all of our visions,
Friends, we could make such sweet harmony.
2. Alabama Gal Materials:
a. Historical Context (from pearsonschool.com)
i. The song “Alabama Gal” is traditional to the southern United States, and has been enjoyed as a play
party for more than 150 years. The play party is not considered to be a dance but a singing game,
begun in frontier areas of the country about the middle of the 1800s. It developed because of the
prohibition by some pioneer communities against what they perceived as the social dangers of
dancing for young people. Moving to the accompaniment of singing, rather than instrumental music,
seemed to be acceptable—now the kids were just playing a game instead of dancing. Soon the older
and younger generations joined in. Play parties continued to be one of the main forms of recreation
for all ages through the 1940s, and they are still enjoyed today. Several versions of “Alabama Gal”
have developed over the years. This one was arranged to fit the musical and interactive form of this
lesson.
b. Alabama Gal game instructions (from Chimes of Dunkirk: Great Dances for children) pg. 12
c. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dzl1btjZFEY (video of dance)

3.
 a. Song

Lesson Sequence:

Entry Activity: “Good morning everyone, today I want to teach you two completely different songs. Listen carefully.” Unlike
must days, we will sit in a circle instead of in teams, I think this will encourage an open environment.

Activity #1: Building Bridges. (15 min)

1. T: “Building bridges between our divisions, I reach out to you, will you reach out to me. With all of our voices,
and all of our visions, friends we can make such sweet harmony.”
2. T: “Take 10 seconds and quietly think about that song. What do you think it means? How does it make you
feel?”
a. After the 10 seconds: T “Quietly talk to your neighbor about what you were thinking.”
3. T: “Someone raise their hand and tell me what you and your partner discussed.”
a. Really allow for the students to have a chance to speak what is on their mind. This song can bring a
lot of different thoughts and emotions so let the kids be vulnerable with you and really encourage
them to listen and be respectful.
4. T: “Very good, now repeat after me.”
a. Building bridges between our divisions.
b. I reach out to you, will you reach out to me?
c. With all of our voices and all of our visions.
d. Friends we can make such sweet harmony.
i. Repeat as necessary
e. Building bridges between our divisions. I reach out to you, will you reach out to me?
f. With all of our voices and all of our visions, friends we can make such sweet harmony.
5. T: “Very good, now sing all of it together. Watch me while you sing.”
a. This time T will do the sign language that goes along with it.
b. Building bridges between our divisions. I reach out to you, will you reach out to me? With all of our
voices and all of our visions, friends we can make such sweet harmony.
i. Briefly explain how to do the sign language if there is time.
6. T: “This time join me, with the sign language.”

Assessment: Did the students engage in active conversations to describe how the music made them feel? Did the students sing
the song “Building Bridges” with zero mistakes?

Transition: “Now I talked about singing two songs today, the second song is completely different from the first one. Listen
carefully.”

Activity #2: Alabama Gal/ history (10 min)

1. T: “Come through in a hurry, come through in a hurry, come through in a hurry, Alabama gal. I don’t know
how, how, I don’t know how, how, I don’t know how, how Alabama gal. I’ll show you how, how, I’ll show you
how, how, I’ll show you, how, how Alabama gal. ain’t I rock candy, ain’t I rock candy, ain’t I rock candy
Alabama gal.”
2. T: “How was this song different?”
3. S will give lots of different obvious answers such as tempo, style, etc… don’t shoot down any of their ideas, it
is important for them to explore the ideas and differences in a safe environment.
4. T: “This particular song is traditional to the southern United States, and is what we call a play party song. A
play party song is not considered to be a dance, but a singing game. They came up with these songs during
prohibition of what was considered “social dangers” such as dancing. But because they were moving to
singing rather than instrumental music, it was acceptable.”

Activity #3: Alabama Gal game (20 min)

 1. T: “I think it is easier to learn this song through learning the game as well, but before we do that we need to
discuss some rules. Turn to a new partner, and discuss one rule that you think is important.” “If we pair
off, how should the rules change, stay the same?”
2. T: “Come back in 5, 4, 3, 2, 1…” Randomly pick a student to share their rules, and pick about 4 or 5.
a. “Which rules do we as a class like the most?”
b. This allows for students to have a sense of pride in their answers and gives them a sense of ownership
in the classroom.
3. T: “First I need everyone to quietly stand up, and we will pair off.” (choose pairs based on who they are
standing by or by who you know personally gets along well.)
4. T: “The first thing we need to do is line up across from your partner. We will be doing a move called a
“Shasay. Can anyone tell me what a shasay is?”
a. As the teacher show each movement, while singing as well.
5. T: “The second move we join our partner, _____________ will you help me demonstrate? And we turn to the
right for “I don’t know how, how, I don’t know how, how,” then switch directions, “I don’t know how, how,
Alabama gal.”
a. For each instruction, be sure to pause for questions and give the students a chance to try it briefly.
6. T: “Next, I want all of you to face me. We are going to “peel the banana” can anyone guess what that
means?”
a. Students will most likely understand and will say that they are moving down the line.
7. T: “Very good, now when my partner and I get to the end of the line, we will prep for the next part. Sing
with me.”
8. “I’ll show you how, how. I’ll show you how, how. I’ll show you how, how, Alabama gal.”
9. T: “And finally, what do you think you do, with the arch?
10. S: “Walk under it.”
11. T: “Very good! Now sing ‘ain’t I rock candy. Aint I rock candy. Aint I rock candy, Alabama gal.”
12. T: “Now guess who our leaders are this time?”
13. S: “The pair at the front.”
14. T: “You guys are amazing you don’t even need me right now. Let’s do the whole thing now!”

Closure/ Summative Assessment: For this particular lesson, assessment will be based on success of performing the game, as
well as identifying major differences in the two songs selected. The purpose of this lesson is to encourage and build classroom
unity. In this particular 4th grade class, they tend to be mean to each other, and sometimes throw each other under the bus
when they are asked to behave nicely. My hope is that with these two songs, they will begin to treat each other with kindness
and respect. It won’t happen immediately, but it will begin to set a culture and expectation in the music classroom.