Lesson Plan for Listening Lesson – America (Patriotic)

Grade 7 – General Music

I. Performance Outcomes – Students will be able to:

A. Content Standard 1: Sing, alone and with others, a varied repertoire of music:

1. Sing conveying expression.

2. Sing pitches accurately, using good breath support.

3. Sing phrases adding personal interpretations.

B. Content Standard 5: Reading and notating music:

1. Read rhythms and pitches from notation.

2. Read music and sing from it.

C. Content Standard 6: Listening to, analyzing, and describing music:

1. Describe the theme and variations of the piece.

2. Locate while listening where each variation of the theme starts.

3. Describe the mood of the variations.

4. Describe the way the music makes them feel.

5. Describe the character of each variation.

D. Content Standard 7: Evaluating music and music performances:

1. Describe the difficultly in performing the piece.

2. Evaluate the performance.

II. Assessment – The student will be evaluated by:

A. Students’ will show expressive singing interpretations of America.

B. Students’ pitch accuracy will be evaluated by an aural check of intonation and a visual check of taking good well supported breaths.

C. Students’ notation skill will be assessed by simultaneous reading of rhythms and pitches while singing from the notation.

D. Students will describe the character and locate the theme variations from America.

E. Students will describe and express their feelings and moods of the piece. Through conversation the students will provide their ideas/beliefs of what the song implies.

F. Students will evaluate the performance and provide instances of what they perceive as being difficult.

III. Procedures – Steps that will be taught:

A. Introduction:

1. The teacher will ask the students to name the tune while playing America on the piano.

2. Teacher will provide the America sheet music on the overhead.

3. Students reading the overhead will sing the previously learned song America.

B. Activities:

1. Explanation of theme and variations:

a) The teacher will explain the meaning of theme and variations.

b) The teacher will link theme to the America sheet music overhead.

2. Variations on America listening activity:

a) The teacher will provide an America listening guide overhead and link theme and variations to the guide overhead.

b) The teacher will play the CD containing Variations on America by Charles Ives.

c) Students using the overhead as a guide will listen and visually follow the piece.

C. Assignment - Specific elements students will create or do:

1. While listening to Variations on America, students will raise their hands when they hear a new variation start.

2. After hearing the piece, students will then discuss the different character interpretations of the variations of the theme.

3. Creative insights of the song.

a) The teacher will ask the students to provide their feelings of the piece.

b) The teacher will ask the students to evaluate the performance of the piece.

c) Based on the students’ feelings of the piece, the teacher will have students be creative and offer suggestions for further variations on the song America.

D. Closure – Ending on a high note:

1. Use any creative suggestions from the students and plot out a variation.

IV. Materials:

A. Piano

B. America Sheet Music

C. Overhead Projector

D. America Sheet Music Overhead

E. CD Player (Sound System)

F. The CD containing Variations on America by Charles Ives

G. America Listening Guide Overhead

V. Emergency Plans:

A. Have students sing America and create their own theme and variations.

B. Have students create their own personal theme and variations listening guide.