Maddie Boyles and Grace Dingus

Final Experience and Design Unit

Rathgeber
December 15, 2016
Cowboy Music Unit

At Mountain View Elementary School in Harrisonburg, VA there are 508 students. Of

those students, 71.9% are white, 22.2% are Hispanic/Latino, 2% are American Indian, and 3.9%
are other ethnicities. Of the students enrolled in the Gifted and Talented Program, 5% are
enrolled with limitations (none being English language learners) and 7% of all students have a
learning disability of some kind. There is also about 16% of students who have a limited English
proficiency, 55% of them being of Hispanic/Latino heritage. We would try our best to make
accommodations for all of the students learning to speak English and for those who were
working with disabilities. We would also try to incorporate all students heritage into the
experiences we taught by giving them opportunities to share their experiences and teach the other
students about different cultures as well.
This unit would fit into the entire year as a way to incorporate the culture of the rural
west, while also teaching important musical concepts. It would be placed in the middle of the
year, so the students would have had time to develop more basic skills needed, and would be
surrounded by other units incorporating songs and material from other cultures. This would
hopefully provide students with many different outlets to use and develop different musical skills
that would travel with them for the rest of their lives.

Experience Overview: 7 Experience Sketches

1. Title: Telling Stories Through Music

The main idea is to identify motifs and musical themes and how they create a
story. This will be done as a class through story mapping of Hoedown by Aaron
Copland.

2. Title: Create a Linedance

Students will create their own line dance to the song Hoedown. Their dance
will represent the form of the piece or part of it.

3. Title: The Lazy Cowboy

Students will learn about the meter of 6/8 through learning the song Git Along,
Little Doggies. There will be a simple circle dance to go along with the song so
that students can feel the new meter. The feel will be from the movement of
horses.

4. Title: Love and Loss of a Cowboy

Students will learn both the song The Yellow Rose of Texas and The
Cowboys Lament. Both songs incorporate the melodic pattern of sol-fa-mi.
Students will be able to identify this pattern throughout the songs.

5. Title: Its a Cowboys Life

After the students learn The Yellow Rose of Texas, The Cowboys Lament,
Git Along, Little Dogies, they will identify the different moods in each.

6. Title: Cowboy Composition

Students will create their own compositions based on one of the moods discussed
in the pieces The Cowboys Lament, The Yellow Rose of Texas, and Git

Along Little Dogies. They will incorporate either a triple feel or a sol-fa-mi pitch
pattern and be able to identify it in their pieces.

7. Title: Classroom Performance

Students will be in charge of culminating a program full of their works from the
Cowboy Unit. This can include every song and composition worked on and can
be arranged in any fashion. Students will be able to make decisions as a
cooperative group.

Rationale

We seemed to hone in on questioning throughout the semester. We both feel as though

questioning is an important part of not only engaging and assessing students, but students are
able to actively process the information given and think outside of the box. Questioning was first
brought to our attention in the beginning of the semester when we read Talking About Music:
Better Questions? Better Discussions! by Allsup and Baxter. The article goes over open, guided
and closed questions and how they affect learning in a classroom, specifically a music classroom.
We tried incorporated all three of these types of questions into our lesson plans. The article also
introduces the concepts of analytical, judicial, and creative question frameworks. Our goal was to
use a sufficient amount of all questioning in our lesson plans, to further the understanding and
application of concepts in our classroom. We believe that teachers can use questioning to guide
students on the right path, while also allowing the students to make their own educational
experiences.

Lesson 1: Telling Stories Through Music

Understanding Statement:
The main idea is to identify motifs and musical themes and how they create a story. This
will be done as a class through story mapping of Hoedown by Aaron Copland. This
lesson is a great introduction into the world of Programme Music and Form. The students
will be learning both through various activities with the song Hoedown.
National Standards:
MU:Pr4.2.5; MU:Pr4.3.5; MU:Re7.1.5; MU:Re8.1.5; MU:Cr2.1.5a
I Can Statements:
I can describe programme music (VA Standard - 5.16)
I can create a story based on a piece of music (VA Standard - 5.14)
I can work collaboratively with my classmates (VA Standard - 5.14)
I can identify the difference between piano and forte (VA Standard - 5.11)
I can move my body to the beat of a song (VA Standard - 5.5)
A Detailed Plan:
1. Introduction of Aaron Copland
a. Teacher will present an interactive Powerpoint presentation on the history and
compositions of Aaron Copland. Specifically, the teacher will introduce the
background of the piece Hoedown by Aaron Copland.
i.

Hoedown was a ballet that premiered in 1942

ii.

Rhythm is based on a cowboy square-dance

iii.

The story behind the music

1. Introduction of Programme Music as a musical term

2. Cowboy Instruments
a. Teacher will ask students to listen for different instruments as they come up in the
music.
b. Teacher will play Hoedown by Aaron Copland

c. Throughout the song, teacher will call upon students to identify the instruments or
instrument families used in the music.
3. Cowboy Dynamics
a. Before starting the tune again, the teacher will explain that this time through, the
students should focus on the style and dynamics of the piece.
b. Teacher will play the song a second time
c. Teacher will join in the exercise and ask questions throughout to make students
actively think of what is happening in the music.
i.

Are we piano or forte here?

ii.

Is the music short or long?

4. Story Mapping
a. There will be a big story mapping board in the front of the classroom.
b. Teacher will set up the story mapping activity by creating a story of a cowboy and
the class is in charge of what he does during his day. The song Hoedown is the
background to the day in the life of this cowboy. Students will come up with
activities that the cowboy is doing during each section of the music.
c. The teacher will play each section of the music separately, so that students have
time to comprehend and respond.
d. After a section is played, the class will deliberate as to what they think is going on
in the Cowboys life.
e. The teacher will ask:
i.

Why should the cowboy do this at this moment?

ii.

What in the music makes you think the cowboy is doing this?

iii.

What movement can we make to represent this action?

f. If students are having trouble the teacher will ask questions to help the students
through the process.
i.

Is the music exciting or dull at this point?

ii.

Is it forte or piano?

iii.

Is it short and separated or long and flowing?

g. After a decision has been made, a student will put it up on the story mapping
board.
h. When the song comes to repeated sections, the teacher will ask:
i.

Does this section sound familiar?

ii.

Should the cowboy do the same thing as before if the music is the same?

i. Once the entire story map is completed, the song will be played through once
more.
j. Students will be encouraged to think through what is happening at each section
while the teacher follows the story map with their fingers or a pointer. The
students will do the made up motions for each section.
5. Wrap Up
a. Teacher will ask:
i.

Can this activity be applied to different pieces of music?

ii.

Do you have any in mind?

iii.

Did you notice that certain sections of the music repeated?

iv.

What did we do during those sections?

b. Teacher will introduce the concept of form and elaborate on how this activity
related.
c. Teacher will then explain that form is good to know when trying to come up with
dances to songs.
Assessments:
Students will be assessed on their participation in class. The teacher will watch their
movements to see if they match what the music is portraying. The teacher will also gauge
attention during the story mapping activity. If students seem disinterested, the teacher
should ask for their input. During the final run through, the teacher will look to see who
is doing the correct movements and who is not following along.
Extension Ideas:
The idea of the final activity is to lead into the next-days activity of creating a line
dance. The students made up small motions to go along with sections during this activity,

but will put it into an organized dance for the next activity. It would be interesting to have
the students create their own story maps, instead of having the entire class do it. The class
could also create books out of their own stories from their story map. This would be a
great opportunity for interdisciplinary learning!
Adaptations:
Color:
The story map could be in a different color
Different colors used in the Powerpoint
Assign different colors for each section of the song
Sizing:
An individual print out of the story map
Make the story map bigger
An individual copy of the Powerpoint
Pacing:
Slow down the speed of the Powerpoint
Give more time after asking questions to allow for processing
Modality:
If students cannot move their whole bodies, they can just move whatever they
can, even if they choose to manipulate an object rather than their bodies.

Lesson 2: Create a Line Dance

Understanding Statement:
Students will demonstrate that they understand form by creating line dances to the piece
Hoedown by Aaron Copeland. This will help them to be able to identify the form in
pieces later on in the year and to eventually create their own pieces with a form as well.
They will also demonstrate their people skills by working in groups of four students to
create their line dances.
I Can Statements:
I can move my body to the beat of a song (VA Standard - 5.5)
I can demonstrate the form of a piece (VA Standard - 5.1)
I can create my own dance (VA Standard - 5.5)
Procedure:
1. Hoedown plays while students enter the room and sit down
a. Familiarize them with the piece again
2. Teacher will tell a story about how the students are Cowboys/Cowgirls
a. Elaborate on how they have horses and live on a farm
b. All dressed up like Cowboys/Cowgirls (be politically correct)
c. Going to a festival and hear this song
d. Think about what kind of dance you would do
3. Teacher will play the song Hoedown over the stereo
4. Everyone stands and teacher tells the students to form lines
5. Teacher will demonstrate the line dance they are about to learn for a section of the song
(minute 0:40-1:35)
a. Step right (8 beats)
b. Step left (8 beats)
c. Alternating heel step (8 beats)
d. Turn around lasso (8 beats)
e. Step right (8 beats)

f. Step left (8 beats)

g. Alternating heel step (8 beats)
h. Turn around lasso (8 beats)
i. BIG alternating heal (8 beats)
j. BIG turn around lasso (8 beats)
k. Step right (8 beats)
l. Step left (8 beats)
m. Step right (8 beats)
n. Arm pump (8 beats)
6. Teacher will demonstrate the first 16 counts of the line dance
7. Students will do the first part of the line dance with the music after watching the teacher
several times
8. Teacher will demonstrate the next 16 counts of the line dance
9. Students will do the second part of the line dance with the music after watching the
teacher several more times
10. Class will listen to the piece and discuss the similarities between the first 32 counts and
next 32 counts
a. Question: What do you notice about the different sections?
b. Question: How does the dance match the music?
c. Question: What music term does this represent?
11. Talk about labeling the different parts as A and B and A1
a. Question: Why is this A?
b. Question: What makes this B?
c. Question: What makes this similar to A? What makes it different? What is a name
we could use for this new section?
12. Students will learn the rest of the line dance to the 0:40-1:35 section of Hoedown
13. Teacher will pass out the worksheet for creating their own line dance
14. Teacher will show the work sheet for the line dance they just learned on the board
a. Show how each step is written out on the sheet

b. Demonstrate what the counts are

15. Students will create their own line dances to demonstrate the form of the piece
Hoedown from minute 0:40-1:35
16. Students form groups of 4 and create a dance to the piece together
a. Fill in worksheet to keep track of thoughts and dance moves
17. Teacher will walk around to each group and ask them what they are doing, offer some
advice on how to work together/ask questions to get students to think critically about
their dances
a. Question: How can you combine those moves together?
b. Question: How does this sound similar? How does it sound different?
c. Question: What could we do here?
18. After everyone has worked on their dances a while, teacher will play the song through
one more time so all groups can practice their dance
19. Groups will be asked to share their dances with the group
20. As a class, the students will have a discussion of how their dances went along with the
form of the piece
a. Question: How does this show the form?
b. Question: How could we change a dance to show form?
Assessment:
I will assess the student's ability to move their bodies to the beat of the song by watching
how well they are able to dance to the music and whether or not the dances they create
are in time with the music. I will assess the students understand of form through the line
dances that they created. If they create line dances that show that the sections A and B
repeat, then I will know that they have grasped the concept of form. I will also be able to
track their understanding, and have proof of their dances, through the worksheets that
they create of their dances. I can see their thinking and see what dance moves they put
where within the sections shown on the sheet. I will also assess their learning through the
discussions that they have and whether they need more practice with the concept or are

grasping it pretty quickly. Lastly, I will assess the student's ability to work in a group by
observing their behaviors and checking in with each group as they are interacting.
Extension Ideas:
I could extend this lesson by having the students create a line dance to a different section
of the piece, possibly a motif talked about in the first lesson. I could also extend the
lesson by having the students perform their dances for each other and then provide some
critique on how to make it work with the form/piece more.
Adaptations:
Color:
Assign colors to each dance move and show them on the board
Assign colors to the different sections of the piece to demonstrate form
Sizing:
Put direction markers around the room so the students can reference which way
they are dancing
Create a larger worksheet so the students have a easier time writing in their dance
moves
Pacing:
Review over the dances steps multiple times
Break up into several different lessons
Send out a video of the dance ahead of time so students have time to learn and
look at it before class
Modality:
Simplify the steps down so they are easier
Extend the dance moves so they take up more time and are easier to think about

Cowboy Line-Dance
Directions: Each row represents 8 beats. Make an 8-beat movement for
each box to make up your line-dance to Hoedown by Aaron Copland.

A
A
B
B
A
A
B
B
B
B
A
A
A1
A1

Lesson 3: Its a Cowboys Life

Understanding Statement:
After the students learn The Yellow Rose of Texas, The Cowboys Lament, Git
Along, Little Dogies, they will identify the different moods in each. The three songs are
written in three very different tones and moods. This activity is a lead up to our next
activity in which the students will be composing a song in one of the three different
moods identified in this lesson.
National Standards:
MU:Cr2.1.5; MU:Pr4.3.5; MU:Re7.1.5; MU:Re8.1.5; MU:Cr2.1.5a
I Can Statements:
I can identify the moods in each of the songs (VA Standard - 5.11)
I can make informed decisions on how to convey moods (VA Standard - 5.2)
I can think like a performer (VA Standard - 5.17)
I can think like a composer (VA Standard - 5.17)
I can describe music using descriptive words (VA Standard - 5.11)
A Detailed Plan:
1. Musical Moods
a. Teacher will hand out musical mood worksheet and explain directions
b. For each song played, students will write one descriptor word and draw a picture
of what they think is going on in the song.
i.

Songs to be Played:
1. Amarillo by Morning - George Strait
2. Desperado - Eagles
3. Boot Scootin Boogie - Brooks & Dunn
4. Tumbling Tumbleweeds - Roy Rogers & Sons of the Pioneers

c. Teacher will only play about 30 seconds to 1 minute of each song

d. Teacher will pause for about 2 minutes for students to finish their drawings

e. At the end of the activity, the teacher will go around and ask for some descriptive
words for each song. Students will be able to share their drawings too if they want
to.
f. Teacher will ask questions:
i.

What makes these four songs different?

ii.

What makes them similar?

iii.

Is there any instruments that you heard throughout all four?

iv.

Did you have a favorite song out of the ones played? Why?

2. Cowboy Moods
a. Teacher will lead students in singing The Yellow Rose of Texas
b. Teacher will then ask the students to sing the song in a sad tone
c. Teacher will ask:
i.

Does the sad tone match the song? Why or why not?

d. Teacher will ask the students to sing the song in an adventurous cowboy tone.
e. Teacher will ask:
i.

Does the adventurous tone match the song? Why or why not?

f. Teacher will ask the students to sing the song in a loving tone.
g. Teacher will ask:
i.

Does the loving tone match the song? Why or why not?

ii.

Does the text match the tone we decided upon?

iii.

How could we convey the loving tone when singing?

h. Teacher will ask students to sing the song one last time in a loving tone, after
having discussed how to do so effectively.
i. Teacher will then move on to the song The Cowboys Lament and ask the
students:
i.

What mood do you think this song is trying to convey? Why?

ii.

Does the text reflect that mood?

iii.

How should we convey the sad mood?

j. Teacher will have the students sing The Cowboys Lament in a sad mood.

k. The same process will be taken for Git Along, Little Dogies
3. Wrap Up:
a. Teacher asks:
i.

What were the three moods of the songs we sang today?

ii.

How do we decide what mood a song is?

iii.

As a performer, how do we convey moods?

iv.

As a composer, how would we convey moods?

Assessments:
The teacher will collect the students worksheets to grade as a part of the assessment. The
worksheets are direct indicators as to if students are a) participating in activities and b)
understanding musical moods. It may also give the teacher perspective as to which
students think differently. Some may interpret music one way, while others may interpret
another. Students shall not be discredited if they have differentiating opinions.
Extension Ideas:
The main purpose of this activity was not only to help students identify moods, but also
to lead into the next activity of composing. Now that students have a basic understanding
of the three moods talked about in this lesson, they would have the means to compose
with that intent.
Adaptations:
Color:
Use different colors on the worksheet
Allow students to use colors on the worksheet
Each song could represent a different color based on the mood
Sizing:
Worksheet can be resized
Pacing:
More time can be taken in between playing the song and the students
drawing/writing
Give more time after asking questions to allow for processing

 Modality:
Students can have a buddy to collaborate with if they cannot write/draw the
answers themselves

Name: _________

Cowboy Moods
Directions: For each song played, write one descriptive word
and draw a picture that describes the song.

Word: _________

Word: _________

Word: _________

Word: _________

Lesson 4: Cowboy Composition

Understanding Statement:
Students will be able to demonstrate their understanding of mood by creating their own
compositions based on one of the moods discussed in the pieces The Cowboys
Lament, The Yellow Rose of Texas, and Git Along Little Dogies. They will also
demonstrate their understanding of earlier lesson concepts by incorporating either a triple
feel or incorporating and identifying the melodic passage sol-fa-mi. This lesson will
allow them to further explore telling stories through music and demonstrate their ability
to express themselves through their music making.
I Can Statements:
I can create my own music (VA Standard - 5.6, 5.14)
I can play music on instruments (VA Standard - 5.3, 5.4)
I can demonstrate mood through music (VA Standard - 5.12, 5.17)
Procedure:
1. The students will enter the room and quietly sit down
2. Teacher will start by introducing an original composition representing a sad mood (talked
about in the earlier class)
a. Introduce rhythm of different arrangement sections with vocal cues
b. Teach movements of each section using body percussion with vocal cues
c. Translate to air playing over instruments, still using vocal cues
d. Play on instruments
e. Give time for students to practice parts
3. Begin with teaching the bordun discussing how a slower bordun with just chords could
make for a more sad mood
a. Question: How could you represent a happy mood? A loving mood?
4. Then teach ostinato discussing how a minor key could make a piece sound more sad
5. Lastly, teach sparkle and how something slow or low could possibly represent sadness
6. Listen to pieces one more time to get ideas for mood representation

a. Review triple feel and how it sounds to incorporate into piece

b. Review sol-fa-mi and how to find/recognize it in a piece
c. Question: What are some characteristics that could represent the different moods
on bordun?
d. Create list on board so students can see
7. Students will form groups of 4 to create their own original compositions
a. Choose mood on own
b. Pick to incorporate either a triple feel or sol-fa-mi tonal passage
c. Short pieces
8. Teacher will walk around and facilitate
a. Question: What mood are you showing?
b. Question: What do you want to incorporate?
9. Students will then teach their short pieces to another group
10. Groups will then perform the pieces that they were taught by their peers
a. Allow students to listen to their pieces from the outside
b. Write down things they liked and things they could change
c. Have discussion as class about likes and suggestions
11. Groups form again to fix their pieces as needed
12. Teacher walks around again to facilitate
a. Question: How could you fix that?
b. Question: What did you notice?
c. Question: Could you use that part somewhere else?
d. Question: What makes this sound happy/sad/in love?
13. After the students have had time to make changes, they will perform their own revised
pieces for the class
14. Have a discussion about mood and what parts of their pieces conveyed that
Assessment:
I will assess the students on their ability to writ music and play instruments through their
collaborations to create a song, teach it to their friends, and revise it later. I will ask them

to explain/identify where they added the required material to make sure that they
followed directions and to describe what parts demonstrate the mood and why. I will also
evaluate students on their performance of their pieces. Whether they would like to play
in front of the class or for a video camera, I will be able to see that they put hard work
into their pieces and shared their music with others in some form.
Extension Ideas:
I could extend this lesson by having the students create longer pieces that show two
different moods in one. I could also have them work on combining into larger groups
and joining the ideas from both pieces into a bigger piece with more parts.
Adaptions:
Color:
Assign each mood a color so they are more easily distinguished when listening
Put colored dots on the bars so it is easier to tell which notes are which
Sizing:
Make the mallets bigger so they are easier to play
Use a larger paper replica of the orff instruments connected to the makey-makey
so the bars are easier to hit
Pacing:
Give the students a longer time to figure out their pieces
Let students come practice on the instruments during recess so they get time to
figure out playing/making up different patterns and rhythms
Practice just playing with body percussion for longer before switching to the
actual instrument
Modality:
Use mallet grips so students can get used to the grip needed to play with mallets