Delaney Mavica

Dr. Talbot
MUS_149

Assignment: #4.2 Introducing a Vocal Song

Context: 5th Grade General Music Class. Students have learned a song through call and response
before.
Essential Question: How can articulation be used to shape a piece of music?

Standards:
1. MU:Cn10.0.2a Demonstrate how interests, knowledge, and skills relate to personal
choices and intent when creating, performing, and responding to music.
2. MU:Re8.1.2a Demonstrate knowledge of music concepts and how they support creators’/
performers’ expressive intent.
3. MU:Cr1.1.3b Generate musical ideas (such as rhythms and melodies) within a given
tonality and/or meter
4. MU:Pr6.1.4a Perform music, alone or with others, with expression and technical
accuracy, and appropriate interpretation.

Learning Outcomes:
I. Students will define legato and staccato articulations.
II. Students will identify the difference between legato and staccato articulations.
III. Students will improvise legato and staccato articulations.
IV. Students will perform a song with legato and staccato articulations.

Assessments:
I. Teacher will assess definition by evaluating an exit ticket with the questions “What does
legato mean?” and “What does staccato mean?” and will examine for buzz words such as
“smooth,” “connected,” and “long,” for legato, and “short,” “detached,” and “quick,” for
staccato. Use the following rubric:
A. Student uses two or more buzz words in their response: Check Plus
B. Student uses one buzz word in their response: Check
C. Student uses no buzz words in their response: Check Minus
II. Teacher will visually assess identification of legato and staccato by observing the
students’ kinesthetic connection of motions to articulation.
A. Student displays hammers for staccato and a paint brush for legato: Check
B. Student struggles to display hammers for staccato and a paint brush for legato: X
III. Teacher will visually and aurally assess improvisation of staccato and legato using the
following rubric:
A. Student uses either staccato or legato articulations at least once: Check Plus
 B. Student does not use either staccato or legato articulations at least once: Check
Minus
IV. Teacher will visually and aurally assess performance of legato and staccato using the
following rubric:
A. Student accurately articulates staccato and legato when singing the song: Check
plus.
B. Student partially articulates staccato and legato when singing the song: Check
C. Student struggles to articulate staccato and legato when singing the song: Check
Minus

Materials:
- Song: Sweetly the Swan (Attached)
- Paper and a writing utensil
- Whiteboard and marker
- Papers/Large cards that say “Staccato” and “Legato”
- Exit Ticket papers
- References:
1. Legato. (2016, June 2). Retrieved September 29, 2020, from
https://dictionary.onmusic.org/terms/4773-legato_433
2. Staccato. (2016, June 19). Retrieved September 29, 2020, from
https://dictionary.onmusic.org/terms/4770-staccato_462
3. Sweetly The Swan. (n.d.). Retrieved September 29, 2020, from
https://mysongfile.com/songs/sweetly_the_swan

Glossary:
1. Staccato: A style of playing notes in a detached, separated, distinct manner.
2. Legato: A directive to perform the indicated passage of a composition in a smooth,
graceful, connected style.

Procedure:
1. Teacher will gesture for students to stand in a circle, and stand in this circle with the
students.
2. The teacher will point to themselves and sing through the song “Sweetly the Swan” 3
times.
3. The teacher will gesture to themselves and sing Section 1 of the song, and gesture for the
students to repeat this.
4. The teacher will repeat Step 3 until they feel the students are comfortable with that
section.
5. The teacher will then repeat Steps 3-4 for Sections 2, 3, and 4
6. After singing the sections individually, the teacher will gesture to themselves and sing
Sections 1 and 2 combined, and gesture for the students to repeat.
7. The teacher will repeat Step 6 three times.
 8. The teacher will gesture to themselves and sing Sections 3 and 4 combined.
9. The teacher will repeat Step 8 three times.
10. The teacher will then gesture to themselves and sing the whole song, and gesture for the
students to repeat.
11. The teacher and students will sing the song through one or two more times.
12. The teacher will gesture for the students to give a thumbs up or thumbs down if they
understand.
13. The teacher will gesture to themselves and begin singing the song again, but changing the
lyrics to the Staccato lyrics.
14. The teacher will gesture for the students to repeat this.
15. The teacher will gesture to themselves and sing the Staccato song again, making
“hammer” motions with their hands.
16. The teacher will gesture for the students to repeat this and use the hammer motions.
17. The teacher will hold up a paper/sign with the word staccato on it, and make hammer
signs to show the students that hammers = staccato.
18. The teacher will gesture for the students to show a thumbs up or thumbs down if they
understand.
19. The teacher will then gesture to themselves and sing the Legato lyrics to the song.
20. The teacher will gesture for the students to repeat this.
21. The teacher will sing the Legato song and make smooth paint brush motions with their
hands.
22. The teacher will gesture for the students to repeat this and use the paint brush motions.
23. The teacher will hold up a paper/sign with the word legato on it, and make paint brush
signs to show the students that paint brushes = legato.
24. The teacher will gesture for the students to show a thumbs up or thumbs down if they
understand.
25. The teacher will then begin to sing the song with the Name Game lyrics. The teacher
will improvise with staccato and legato, making sure to use hammers and paint brush
movements for each articulation.
26. The teacher will go around the circle and have each student improvise their version of the
name game song.
27. The teacher will gesture for the students to sit down.
28. The teacher will give each of the students a copy of the exit ticket that includes the
questions:
a. What does staccato mean?
b. What does legato mean?
29. The teacher will give the students a minute or two to answer the questions.
30. The teacher will make sure that the students’ names are on their papers and collect the
exit ticket.

Continued Learning:
 1. The teacher can find excerpts of classical pieces online and play them for the students.
The students can guess if this excerpt has staccato articulation, legato articulation, or
both.
2. The teacher can have students pull out Orff instruments and improvise with staccato and
legato articulations on the instruments.

Honor Code:
I affirm that I have upheld the highest principles of honesty and integrity in my academic work
and have not witnessed a violation of the Honor Code – Delaney Mavica

Resource Page

Alternative lyrics:
Staccato: “Sweetly the swan sings, short and detached, short and detached, short and detached”
Legato: “Sweetly the swan sings, smooth and connected, smooth and connected, smooth and
connected.”
Name Game: “My name is (name), do de ah do, do de ah do, do de ah do.

Exit Ticket:
What does staccato mean?

What does legato mean?