Farmer’s Market 

Context Statement:​ At the JMUke Farmer’s Market event, there was a very diverse group of participants. From
college students to local Harrisonburg community members, the age range of this event was not concise and most
participants did not have experience playing ukulele. The unpredictability of this event required us to have a variety
of songs notated on slides that are easily accessible to all ages, notation that is accessible to all age groups, and
ukuleles that are accessible to all participants.

Stage 1 - Desired Results

Standards: Goals:
MIB.1 The student will
echo, read, and notate
music
MIB.10 The student will
demonstrate
preparatory
instrumental basics and
playing procedures
MIB.4 The student will
identify, read, and
perform music in simple
meters
- I can properly hold the ukulele and strum with good technique.
- I can properly read the chord notation system used for me in the event
slides.
- I can finger the chords effectively using the most comfortable fingerings.
- I can transition between different chords at a moderate speed.
- I can strum with a variety of different rhythmic patterns.
- I can sing a song while playing the chords to it on ukulele.
- I can listen in to the group and follow their tempo.
- I can keep playing without getting lost or stopping even if I make a
mistake.

MG.4 The student will

read, notate, and
perform scales and
chords

MG.5 The student will

identify and perform
music written in binary
and strophic forms

MG.2 The student will

echo, read, and perform
rhythms and rhythmic
patterns

5.14 The student will

collaborate with others
to create a musical
presentation and
acknowledge individual
contributions as an
integral part of the
whole.

5.2 The student will sing

a varied repertoire of
songs alone and with
others

Generative (Essential) Questions:

- How do musicians learn to play the ukulele?
- How do musicians engage in music making using non-traditional band and orchestral instruments?
- What type of notation can music learners use to be successful in making music?

Stage 2 - Evidence 

1. Developing:​ The participant is unsure or unsteady while holding the instrument; their strum may be weak or
uneven
Meets Expectations:​ Participant can hold the ukulele steadily and strum properly with a good sound
Exceeds Expectations:​ Participant can hold the ukulele properly and strum in a variety of different
methods/dynamics

2. Developing:​ Participants are able to play only one or two chords in a given song, but not every single one on the
slides.
Meets Expectations:​ Participants are able to play most chords on the slides, but might struggle with one or two
chord changes.
Exceeds Expectations:​ Participants are able to play all chords on the slides and change between each one fluently.

3. Developing: ​Participants have trouble fingering most or all chords.

Meets Expectations: ​Participants are able to finger most chords in using the best fingering.
Exceeds Expectations​: Participants can finger all chords in the most effective way every time they play.

4. ​Developing: ​Participants are able to switch between a few chords but cannot immediately switch between most
chords easily.
Meets Expectations: ​Participants are able to switch chords but may hesitate on a few chords
Exceeds Expectations: ​Participants are able to switch chords on the ukulele fluently without hesitation

5. ​Developing: ​Participant can strum quarter notes at a somewhat steady level

Meets Expectation: ​Participant can strum quarters, eighths, and dotted rhythms steadily.
Exceeds Expectations: ​Participant can strum a variety or different patterns steadily and can copy rhythms by ear

6. ​Developing: ​Participant can play chords and sing separately, but struggles to do both simultaneously
Meets Expectations: ​Participant can play chords, sing, and keep a relatively steady pace
Exceeds Expectations: ​Participant can sing, play chords, and implement other aspects of musicality such as
dynamics.

7. ​Developing: ​Participant hears/understands the tempo to the piece but struggles to keep up or keep steady.
Meets Expectations: ​Participant can hear the tempo and play along in tempo.
Exceeds Expectations: ​Participant can hear the tempo, play along steadily, and key into other musical aspects of
the group such as dynamic and style.

8. ​Developing: ​Participant stops and usually gets lost trying to recover after making a mistake.
Meets Expectations: ​Participant may stop momentarily to fix mistake but does not lose track of where he/she is.
Exceeds Expectations: ​Participant does not stop or get phased by mistakes at all.

Stage 3 – Learning Plan 

Workshop 1:
Facilitators will spend 30 minutes teaching chords (C, G, F, D, Am, A, Em, B, etc.) In the first 25 minutes, all chords
and fingerings will be on the slide in the front of the event, participants will noodle around figuring out the best
fingerings for them and learning the instrument. Facilitators will walk around helping those who seek it or those
who seem like they are struggling. In the last five minutes, one facilitator will go over each chord as a group while
other facilitators help with fingerings or model for others.

Workshop 2:
For the first 10 minutes, one facilitator will go over chords as a group while other facilitators help participants and
model correct chords. Each chord along with its fingering will be on the slide at the front of the event. Once
everyone has a firm grasp on chords, one facilitator will begin to explain up versus down strokes and perform
simple call and response patterns on open strings with the group for the next 10 minutes. For the final 10 minutes
the lead facilitator will perform simple chord progressions (C, F, G, C) while manipulating strumming patterns, the
participants will mimic the leader and the other facilitators will help when they are needed.

Workshop 3:
For the first 5 minutes, one facilitator will once again review chords as a group while other facilitators walk and
help when they are needed. The next 5 minutes the lead facilitator will review strumming patterns in a similar call
and response pattern on open strings. Following, the lead facilitator will perform call and response strumming
patterns using simple chord progressions for five minutes. Next, the lead facilitator will explain the process of
reading the notation provided by the slides for 5 minutes. The last 10 minutes will be spent playing songs with very
simple chord progressions that switch predictably (ex: Don’t Stop Believin’ by Journey).

Workshop 4:
The lead facilitator will review chords and strumming patterns by performing call and response ideas for the first
10 minutes. Other facilitators will offer their help when needed. The next 5 minutes will briefly explain the notation
on the slides and the remaining 20 minutes will be spent playing songs with simple chord progressions, with
possible few newer chords (facilitators will help when needed, but play along always).

Workshop 5:
The lead facilitator will review chords as well as add more difficult chords (Em, B, etc.) and strumming patterns by
performing call and response ideas for the first 10 minutes. For the last 20 minutes participants will shoutout songs
the wish to play from the list on the first slide, facilitators will lead and help out as we go through each song.
Workshop 6:
The lead facilitator will lead a very brief call and response strum pattern with various chord changes for 5 minutes.
The last 25 minutes will be similar to the previous workshop, participants will shoutout songs the wish to play from
the list on the first slide, facilitators will lead and help out as we go through each song.

Final Assessment Rubric 

Goal/Quality No  Minimal  Meet  Exceeds 

Evidence  Evidence  Expectations  Expectations 

1 ​Instrument Carriage Participant is The participant is Participant can Participant can hold
unable to hold unsure or hold the ukulele the ukulele properly
ukulele unsteady while steadily and strum and strum in a variety
properly. holding the properly with a of different
instrument; their good sound methods/dynamics
strum may be
weak or uneven

2 ​Chord Playing: in Participant is Participants are Participants are Participants are able
Literature unable to play able to play only able to play most to play all chords on
any of the one or two chords chords on the the slides and
chords in a given song, slides, but might change between
but not every struggle with one each one fluently.
single one on the or two chord
slides changes

3 ​Chord Playing: Participant Participants have Participants are Participants can

Fingering cannot finger trouble fingering able to finger most finger all chords in
any of the most or all chords chords in using the most effective
chords. the best fingering way every time they
play

4 ​Strumming Participant Participant can Participant can Participant can strum

Techique cannot strum strum quarter strum quarters, a variety or different
in any sort of notes at a eighths, and patterns steadily and
rhythm. somewhat steady dotted rhythms can copy rhythms by
level steadily ear

5 ​Playing and Singing Participant Participant can Participant can Participant can sing,
cannot sing play chords and play chords, sing, play chords, and
and play at sing separately, and keep a implement other
the same but struggles to do relatively steady aspects of musicality
time. both pace such as dynamics
simultaneously