MUSIC 511

PT #4
FULL Lesson Plan for the Elementary Music Classroom

Melodic Improvisation: Ms. Irvin

Overarching Goal: (see specific objective in the plan) students will perform call and response
melodic improvisation with a partner in 2/4 time, the call is two measures and the response is
three measures. They will be using the mi, sol, and la from the key of C major. (E, G, and A)

Standards Being Addressed:

Improvisation:
Cr.4.5. Present the final version of personal created music to others that demonstrates
craftsmanship, and explains connection to expressive intent.

Song/Arrangement/BP
Pr.1.4. Demonstrate and explain how the selection of music to perform is influenced by
personal interests, knowledge, context, and technical skill.
Pr.2.4.a Demonstrate the understanding of the structure and elements of the music
(such as rhythm, pitch, form) in music selected for performance.

Materials of Instruction
● Recorder
● Voice
● 7. Pizza, Pizza from Sail Away
Lesson Sequence (lessons may have more or less activities as appropriate)

Entry Activity/Transition: As students are coming into the class, they will be asked to get their
recorders out and sit down with their recorder in their lap quietly. (students know their spot in
the room)
● T will begin by pointing at herself and tell them to listen as she begins to play a melody
on her recorder
● She will then point to Students and ask them to play it back to her.
 ● After they do this a couple times they will set the recorder down.
● The teacher will ask students “What do we call that when I say something and you guys
answer?”
● After students identify “call and response” Teacher will say “This time, I am going to call,
and you are going to respond with something different than me”
● Teacher plays the melody on her recorder
● Students respond with something they made up.
● Teacher asks “Was that still call and response?” “What did we do a little differently”
● Then they will move into lesson 1.

Activity #1 Objective: Students will sing through Pizza, Pizza with accurate (MSL) and accurate
rhythm in 2/4 meter.

● Teacher will sing Pizza, Pizza to the students while students pat the quarter note on
their lap (starting at QN=100).
● Teacher will then ask students to echo 1 line at a time.
o Teacher will gesture when the call/response is happening.
● Teacher will ask questions “Who has a boyfriend?” “How do we know”
● Before moving on, T will ask students to audiate the response as she does the call. Then
they will switch.
● Finally, they will audiate the entire thing.
● Then T will call, students will respond
o If there are word fumbles in the response, they will do a fill in the blank.
● They will switch and students will do the call, teacher will do response.
● After they do this switching back and forth, teacher will split students in half.
● One side of the class will be the call, the other side of the class will be the response.
● They will switch and sing it again with the opposite roles.

Assessment: Were students able to sing through the song with accurate pitch and rhythm?
Were they aware of their part and how it worked with the other part? (if not, take note of who
those students are who still need assistance)

Transition: Ok, now that we know our song, let’s add a fun beat to make it more exciting!

Activity #2 Objective: Students will perform melodic accompaniment by using body percussion
with steady beat and accurate rhythms. (2/4)
● Students will partner up for the body percussion activity. (partners will be assigned)
● First, we will start by beating the first two measures of the 4-bar phrase.

● After we do this a couple times, we will do the second half of the 4-bar phrase.

● Now we will sing the first line with our body percussion that we have learned so far.
● Once we do this a couple times, we will add in the full body percussion beginning with
the first two measures.

● Now we have learned the full body percussion.

● We will sing through the first four lines (excluding the ending)
● We will then incorporate in the call and response between partners.
● Body percussion will remain going even if that person is not singing.
 ● Now we will add in the ending. (this is the caller’s lines)

● After this, we will perform our sound fully through with body percussion, as well as call
and response. (we will switch so students get a chance at both roles)

Assessment: Can all students perform the body percussion with accurate rhythm in 2/4 and
sing accurate pitches? I will listen and observe.

Activity #3 Objective: Students will improvise on their recorders using MSL (E, G, and A) in 2/4
meter in two bar phrases. (Call and response improvisation)
● Teacher will play Pizza, Pizza on recorder once through.

● Now she asks students to play with her.

● Students will play the response and the teacher will play the call.
● Now the teacher says, “watch what I do.”
● She plays a rhythm for two measures as her new “call”
● She asks students “what did I do?”
● When the students say something along the lines of “you made something up” the
teacher will say “can you make something up as your response now?”
● Then the teacher will call with her improve and the students will respond with their
improve.
● Now the teacher will say “turn to your partner, and decide which one of you is partner 1
and which one of you is partner 2.”
 ● “Partner 1 will be the call and partner 2 will be the response. Remember you play the
first line together as written.”
● Students begin to work together as the teacher walks around and helps students
individually.
● Now the teacher will ask students to switch parts.
● She will then call everyone back together, and have pairs of students perform what they
came up with. (this will be her way of assessing their understanding)

Closure: Great job today everyone! Next week we will explore a new song and we will be with a
new partner so we can keep getting to know our classmates!

Assessment: Did students understand the concept of call and response? Were students able to
play rhythmically correct for their improvisation? Who was struggling? (Assessment done with
final activity)