Lesson Plan for the Elementary Music Class (Peer #4)

Teacher Name: Miss. Volk Target Grade Level: 4th Grade

Standards Being Addressed:

• Improvisation:
o MU:Cr1.1.4b Generate musical ideas (such as rhythms, melodies, and simple
accompaniment patterns) within related tonalities (such as major and minor)
and meters.
• Song/Arrangement/BP:
o MU: Pr5.1.4b Rehearse to refine technical accuracy and expressive qualities,
and address performance challenges.
o MU:Pr6.1.4a Perform music, alone or with others, with expression and
technical accuracy, and appropriate interpretation.

Materials of Instruction:
• Instrumentation: Ukulele
• From “Sail Away” by Eleanor G. Locke (transposed to C):
Lesson Sequence (lessons may have more or less activities as appropriate):

Entry Activity/Transition: “Hello class! I hope everyone is doing good! Today I want to teach
you one of my favorite songs called “Four White Horses.” It is a traditional Caribbean song from
the Virgin Islands. While I play the song, can you listen for what kind of weather it will be
tomorrow?”

Activity #1 Objective: Students will sing “Four White Horses” with accurate rhythm (4/4
meter, 8th notes and syncopated rhythm) and pitch (C Major).

1. Ss pat the steady beat while T plays uke and sings the song.
a. T: “What kind of weather will it be tomorrow” Ss: Rainy
b. T: “I am going to play it again and can you listen for what shadow play is?”
c. T plays through the song again.
d. T: “What is shadow play?” Ss: A Ripe Banana
2. Echo the 2bar (and 1bar) phrases
a. T sings on starting note (“This is our starting note.”) and gestures to self: Four
white horses, on the river, (T gestures to Ss and Ss echo)
b. T gestures to self: Hey, hey, hey, up tomorrow, (T gestures to Ss and Ss echo)
c. T gestures to self: Up tomorrow is a rainy day. (T gestures to Ss and Ss echo)
d. T gestures to self: Come on and join our shadow play. (T gestures to Ss and Ss
echo)
e. T gestures to self: Shadow play is a ripe banana, (T gestures to Ss and Ss echo)
f. T gestures to self: Up tomorrow is a rainy day. (T gestures to Ss and Ss echo)
3. Fill in the blank
a. T sings on starting note (“This is our starting note.”) and gestures to self: Four
white horses, on the _____, (T gestures to Ss and Ss: river)
b. T gestures to self: Hey, hey, hey, up to______, (T gestures to Ss and Ss: morrow)
c. T gestures to self: Up tomorrow is a rainy ___. (T gestures to Ss and Ss: day)
d. T gestures to self: Come on and join our shadow ____. (T gestures to Ss and Ss:
play)
e. T gestures to self: Shadow play is a ripe ______, (T gestures to Ss and Ss:
banana)
f. T gestures to self: Up tomorrow is a rainy ___. (T gestures to Ss and Ss: day)
4. Longer Fill in the Blank
a. T sings on starting note (“This is our starting note.”) and gestures to self: Four
white horses, on the river, (T gestures to Ss and Ss: Hey, hey, hey, up tomorrow)
b. T gestures to self: Up tomorrow is a ___. (T gestures to Ss and Ss: rainy day)
c. T gestures to self: Come on and join our shadow play. (T gestures to Ss and Ss:
Shadow play is a ripe banana)
5. T gestures to self: Up tomorrow is a (T gestures to Ss and Ss: rainy day)
6. Echo the longer phrases
a. T sings on starting note (“This is our starting note.”) and gestures to self: Four
white horses, on the river, Hey, hey, hey, up tomorrow, Up tomorrow is a rainy
day (T gestures to Ss and Ss echo)
 b. T gestures to self: Come on and join our shadow play. Shadow play is a ripe
banana, Up tomorrow is a rainy day. (T gestures to Ss and Ss echo)
7. Audiate words for whole song: “Now let's sing the song in our heads with our “magic
lips.” T hums the starting pitch and counts off, but T and Ss sing whole song using only
“magic lips.”
8. T and Ss sing whole song

Assessment: Can all students sing the whole song with accurate pitch and rhythm? If not,
review those parts that need it.

Transition: “I have an idea! Let’s try something new!”

Activity #2 Objective: Students will perform a harmonic accompaniment in 4/4 duple

meter to “Four White Horses” with a steady beat and accurate rhythm by singing.

1. T: “Listen to me and see what I do differently.” (sings song again but on a “loo”)
a. T: “What did I do differently?” Ss: Sang on a “loo”
b. “T: Can you try that with me?”
c. Sing through song again on a “loo”
d. T: “Very nice job!”
2. T: “Can you try that again and sing the melody. I am going to do something different so
make sure to listen to what I am singing.”
a. T: Sing through the harmonic accompaniment while Ss sing the melody
b. T: “what did I do that time?” Ss: I sang the same notes as my ukulele. I was
singing with the C chord and the G chord.
c. T: “Can you try that with me?”
d. Sing through again on harmonic accompaniment.

Assessment: Can all students sing the accompaniment on ukulele in 4/4 with a
steady beat? Listen and observe.

Transition: “Let’s try one more thing!” T improvise on top of harmonic

accompaniment.

Activity #3 Objective: Students will improvise in C major set in 4/4 time in 6 measure
phrases.

1. T play harmonic accompaniment for the first six measures while improving in C major.
a. T: “What did I just do?” Ss: made something up or just sang whatever was in my
heart.
b. T: “Can you sing what is in your heart? When you hear this (play loudly G chord
for two beats then C chord two beats DUDUDUDU) that means your turn is up.”
c. T: play harmonic accompaniment while Ss improvises.
i. T: “Good job”
d. T: “Now I am going to sing a question. Can you answer my question just like you
did by singing what is in your heart? Remember when you hear this (play 4 beats)
 it means to finish.”
e. T: improvises a question and Ss answers
f. T: “Let’s try singing the song again and after the first time through make sure you
answer my question again!”
g. T: Play through song, question/answer, song, song repeated

Assessment: Can all students improvise in the phrase length (6 measures) and meter
(4/4)? Can some students modify their improvisations to end at home
which is C?

Closure: “Did you have fun singing what was in your heart? That is called
improvisation. We can try it again next time!”