Teacher: Maddy Kanka

Teaching Date:
November 3rd

Objectives:
-Students will perform a short
excerpt ofColloquium
Jingle Bells Lesson
(eight measures)
Freshman
Plan in four vocal parts
with good tone and 100% note accuracy.
-Students will demonstrate part balance by increasing or decreasing their own dynamic level so
that all four vocal parts can be equally heard by the teacher.
Grade level/level of competency:
This lesson is intended for higher-level choral students in secondary education. It requires a
certain amount of sight-reading and rhythmic/tonal fluency, and, therefore, would not be
appropriate for beginning choirs.
Materials:
-Jingle Bells sheet music, two copies
-projector to bring the music up in front of the students so that paper is saved
-pencils and desks to tap the rhythm on
-chalk or dry erase marker to mark up the music projected on the board with suggestions and
comments.
Opening activity:
-State objectives
-Bring up the chorale, assign parts, and let students tap out the rhythm on their desk tops with a
pencil. (This will get their attention, since they have previously been forbidden from doing so
in class). I will demonstrate.
Procedures:
-Call attention to any difficult leaps, rhythms, or rests in the piece. The bass notes in Jingle all
the way, for instance.
-Have all students sing through each vocal part in this order- bass, soprano, tenor, and alto.
Make sure to give them their starting note, and any other notes if they seem to have trouble
finding them at first. They should be familiar with at least the soprano line.
-Explain that soprano and bass serve as the two slices of bread in the choir sandwich, and
that it is important for all vocal parts to know the others well.
-Give the students their starting notes, and have them sing through the piece.
-Repeat until notes are 100% accurate.
-Explain dynamics and how to change them with ones voice.
-Point out any glaring balance issues (ex. too much tenor, too little alto), and instruct the
students to really listen to each other. Give them the starting notes of the first chord, and have
them hold them out for as long as it takes to really get good balance.
-Sing through the piece again, with that knowledge in mind. Give feedback.
-Repeat until desired quality is achieved.