Miss Thorlakson

GRADE/SUBJECT
GUITAR 10-20-30
OUTCOMES FROM ALBERTA
PROGRAM OF STUDIES

LESSON DURATION
77 minutes
LEARNING
OBJECTIVES

ASSESSMENTS
(observations, key questions written
assignments, performance assessments)

TSW model the stylistic

differences between
R&B artists and white
pop musicians playing
the same song.

Formative: I will be having

discussions with the students over
the course of the practice time and
making anecdotal comments on
what I am seeing/hearing.
Summative: This will be leading
towards their demonstration and
journals
LEARNING RESOURCES CONSULTED
1. Alberta Program of Studies
2. Whats That Sound? John Covach and Andrew Flory
3.
MATERIALS AND EQUIPMENT
Computer and Speakers
Tab/Chords for the following: Shake, Rattle and Roll (Both Bill Haley and Joe Turner versions), and
Hound Dog (Both Big Mama Thorton and Elvis Presley versions)
Print outs of the Lyrics for Shake, Rattle, and Roll and Hound Dog
PROCEDURE
Introduction: __12__ minutes
Ken will be finishing up some assessments from the previous unit in the first few minutes of class.
Hailey actually has a song to show us, call Hailey up to show us the song that she wanted to and
have a brief discussion about it.
Transition to Body: Last class we talked a little about how white parents were so worried about their
precious sons and daughters being influenced by black rhythm and blues, we are going to talk more
about that today.
Body: ____ minutes
Learning Activity #1: (20 min)
First to understand how threatened these parents are, we need to truly understand what things felt
like at the time.
Show Norman Rockwell paintings and ask students what they show in regards to what people
wanted society to look like.
Have one for each student and have them say what first jumps out to them, have it as a conversation
piece.
Discuss the major aspects of this time period: Good relationships, hope, kindness, trust, respect,
family.
These values were being threatened by the Stagger Lee myth. A terrible stereotype that for these
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Miss Thorlakson
people was only confirmed when they listened to Muddy Waters I Want to Make Love to You
Learning Activity #2: (20 min)
This led to groups wanting to play these fun new songs, but because they were white, they had to
change them some way or another.
Describe Hokum Blues songs
White groups would take these catchy songs and change the lyrics and the musical style so they
would be acceptable to white audiences.
Show the students Shake, Rattle, and Roll, have them, in pairs, discuss how the lyrics have changed
and why they likely changed them in that way. Come back together for a class discussion.
Briefly go over Journal stuff
What do you guys want to include in your journal?
What do you think might be important to discuss?
Heres your first journal assignment, we will have time to work on it tomorrow, but for today I just
want you to think about it
Learning Activity #3: (Remainder of class)
The songs that you will be looking at for your journal are Hound dog first, by Big Mama Thorton,
the next by Elvis Presley.
Here are the tabs or chords for the four songs that we have looked at today, please take them all, put
them in your duotang and work on one or two. Focus on the different styles of playing that you can
do even though the music is essentially the same.
During our work time Mr. Rogers will be going around to do your tab test, so be prepared for that.
Please make sure that you are working on the songs that we are covering in class. If there is one that
you are wanting to perfect for your demonstrations, please feel free to focus on that.
Guiding questions:
How are you changing the playing style from R&B to pop?
Why do you think the style of guitar playing is different here?
Why did they need to drastically change the style?
Closure: __2___minutes
Consolidation/ Assessment of Learning:
Transition to Next Lesson: Tomorrow we will have time to work on our journals, some of our pieces,
and we will be getting more into the early period of rock and roll.
WHAT IF??
Alternates if something happens:
LESSON REFLECTION
Success in Lesson:
This lesson went really well! The students really enjoyed the material and were super engaged the
entire time. I was a little worried going into it that the lesson as to how they would respond with the
paintings, but they really liked them. It gives me the warm and fuzzies to think about how they were
engaged and were really taking a critical look at the white middle-class society of the 1950s as
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Miss Thorlakson
portrayed by Norman Rockwell. They also really enjoyed the discussion on the Hokum blues, as I
thought they would. I think they are really getting to enjoy me as a teacher and as a person. The
sheets that I am giving them arent always being used, but they are by about 60% of the class, so I
will definitely continue to do them. We also chatted about the journals and although I sense that
some of them really dont dig writing, we made our rubric and weightings together so that they
totally agree upon what they are being marked on. I gave them the first topic today and it is due
tomorrow. We will go over the rubric once I have formatted it tomorrow and then I will give them
time to work. I am hoping that 20 minutes should be enough. I am also presenting this as a sort of
free 20%. They are formative, will have 5, and are for completion marks, so really, they do it, and
they get the full mark. We shall see how this goes!

Revise next Time: I need to start keeping a better tab on my time, I left them less time to play than I
had intended. Sometimes it is just so hard to negotiate for time when you know that there is
productive conversation taking place.

Comments from Mentor: Ken is really excited with the direction that I am taking things. From the
sounds of things, when he has had PSII students do this unit before, they have been a much more
book and paper approach to things. I am glad to hear how pleased he is as I am really working to
make sure that I am relating as much as possible to the students and am giving them a reason to
come to each and every class. Ken is loving this and I hope that I can continue to do this well.