UDL Lesson Plan #1

Teacher Candidate’s Name: Devan Whaley

Date Taught: 9/26/19

Content Area: Instrumental Music (Band)

School: Grass Lake Middle School

Grade Level: 6th/7th/8th

Lesson Title: Just Breathe

Michigan Academic Standards: (include code and standard)

MU:Pr6.1.E.5a Demonstrate attention to technical accuracy and expressive qualities in

prepared and improvised performances of a varied repertoire of music.

MU:Re8.1.E.5a Identify interpretations of the expressive intent and meaning of musical

works, referring to the elements of music, contexts, and (when appropriate) the setting of the
text.

Performance Based Learning Objectives:

● 80% of learners will be able to demonstrate breathing with their diaphragm and not with their shoulders.
● 80% of learners will be able to adjust dynamics(and style for 7-8th graders) of quarter note rhythm based
on the conductor’s changes.
● Students will be able to play the warm-up series with 80% accuracy while using the right techniques to
breathe and tongue notes.

Materials: (Low Tech, including number needed)

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 Teacher:
Baton(if preferred)
Warm-up music (Remington’s 1-3, Flexibility 1+2)
Bb-Eb-F Major Scales

Students:
Instruments
Warm-up music (Remington’s 1-3, Flexibility 1+2)
Bb-Eb-F Major Scales

Technology: (High Tech)

o Teacher laptop o Digital camera
o SMART Board o Document camera
o LCD projector o Digital microscope
o SMART Senteos (class set) o Video camera
o Computers o Scanner
o iPad or tablet o Color printer
o iPod or mp3 player(s) o Calculators
o Early childhood learning technologies o FM system
o Webcam o Other______________

Bibliography/Resources:
● The warm-up series that the school already possesses.

Prior Learning Connections (Background Knowledge Support):

● Reinforcement of ability to breathe deeply with correct technique.
● They have already discussed having the “Santa Clause belly” in class, which is a good start.

Differentiation/accommodations:
● This is a basic-level lesson that students will need rudimentary ability on instruments.
● Students who are unable to hit higher notes in Flexibility and Remington exercises can drop it down an
octave.
● It is important to note that breathing at this level is athletic and students who feel lightheaded or about to
pass out should breathe through their noses and sit down for a minute, rejoining when they feel
comfortable.

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Special Concerns (including medical, behavioral, and/or environmental):

Assessment:

Formative: Listening to ensemble breathe, asking for a volunteer who wants to

try the exercise, asking a section to volunteer, noting who is looking at me for cut-
offs during last note of scales.

Summative: Summative assessment for this basic skill is not applicable until the
final performance showing the accumulation skill(the ability to breathe, read, and
play in their concert). These fundamentals will be worked on throughout the
entirety of their musical careers.

During Lesson

Engagement: (30 Seconds)

At the beginning of the class, the students will be putting their instruments together. Once they are doing that I
will ask them all to stand up and state that they need a free hand. (As my “lesson” is the beginning of the period it
is the initial engagement for the period)

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Transition:
Start off with adding tension to your toes, then calves, knees, legs, all the way up your body, then end with a sigh,
arms going up, then dropping down to release the air and tension.

Instruction/Exploration: (Roughly 15 Minutes)

● The first activity will be “Sips” which is a breathing exercise that highlights the fact that we think we
have filled our lungs but we have not: Breathe in for four counts, with your hand sideways next to mouth
to make that “oh” sound, holding for four, then take sips out of an imaginary tea cup for four counts,
holding for four, then exhale for four into your hand to feel that air pressure. We will do this two or three
times as I watch for correct technique for breathing and participation.

● After this add another sigh.

● The next breathing exercise is “Tsssss” of hiss. During this they breathe in for four counts, holding for
four counts, they make a snake hiss, while accenting the beats. I do this for as long as I can hear people
still having breath and then a little longer to push some of the ones who could breathe a little deeper.
After this I will do the same thing with eighth notes, then eighth-note triplets.

● During the hiss exercise I am looking for the engagement of the diaphragm in a deep hearty laugh
instead of from the throat/mouth.

● Add another sigh, release all of that tension.

● The last breathing exercise is “Pops”. Students exhale all of their air, then put the backs of their hands to
their mouths and fight for the air, then with their other hands quickly smack the first hand away to create
that popping sound and breathe in, this can be followed up with sips if I think that students aren’t filling
to capacity, then exhale.

● Then the students sit down and get ready for their Remington exercises(the same exercises but starting at
different notes) I will be paying special attention to extending that note all the way to the first beat of the
second measure as well as the tri-tone when it appears in the exercise.

● Then we move on to the Flexibility exercises, it is important to note that this is designed for brass to play
the same fingering/slide position, so they only have to ensure they are in the right partial, while the
woodwinds have to change their fingerings each note so I will be listening more closely for their notes.

● Finally we will move on to the scales, the scales are written in order of when they learn it so the 6th
grade will not be required to do all three scales. Here I will be looking for correct notes(partials),
rhythms, breathing. One specific is skipping the reiteration of the tonic before the arpeggio and holding
the final note until I release.

● **In a situation where the students excel at the exercises I will also incorporate quarter note concert Bb,
but I will change the dynamics(for the older classes I will also include stylistic changes such as

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 staccato/legato) I will be evaluating by looking for eye contact and listening for changes in playing.

Transition: Tell the students how great they did and mention something that they excelled at
this lesson.

After Lesson:
After this lesson the class will be handed back over to Mrs. Briggs for repertoire instruction
out of the book.

Notes/Reflections:

Strengths of the Lesson:

Areas for Growth:

Focus for next lesson: