Teacher: Andrew Janes Lesson Date & Time: Monday May 18, 2020

Subject: Modern Band Grade(s): 9-12

Curricular Context:

This lesson will serve as an introduction to the essentials of keyboard playing for students of a variety of ability
levels. By the end of this class, they will have taken their first steps in performing on the keyboard. Since playing
keyboards is such a good link between visual and kinesthetic understandings and aids in understanding other
instruments, this would be one of the first lessons in the class.
Performance Standard Focus:

MU:Re7.2.H.8a Describe how the way that the elements of music are manipulated and knowledge of the context
(social and cultural) inform the response.

MU:Pr5.1.H.Ia Develop and apply criteria to critique individual and small group performances of a varied
repertoire of music that includes melodies and chordal accompaniments in a variety of patterns (coming
patterns), and create rehearsal strategies to address performance challenges and refine the performances.

Content Knowledge: Skills:

 Appropriate keyboard posture  Ability to find and play notes on the keyboard
 Keyboard finger numbers  Performing chords (2- and 3-note)
 5-finger positions  Performing hands together (where possible)

Lesson Objectives:
Lesson Objective (Content):

Students will perform the verse of John Lennon’s “Imagine” as a class by applying the “Four Key Concepts”.
Students will evaluate their performance in a “Glows & Grows” chart and develop a strategy to address a “grow”.
Lesson Objective (Language):

Students will be able to identify what a “chord” is.

Students will be able to identify their work with rhythms and chords as “comping”.

Key Vocabulary with Definition:

 Chords: 2+ notes that sound at the same time. (Not necessarily played at the same time: “broken chord”)
 Comping: The chordal and rhythmic patterns that support a melody or song.

Materials: Equipment:

 LKR Lead Sheet for “Imagine” (digital & paper)  Computers for each student and teacher
 LKR Jam Card 3a: 3-note chords for I and IV  Projector
 LKR Jam Card 8a: 2-note chords  Document Scanner (or equivalent)
 Tennis/stress balls  White Board
 Headphones & Splitters
 Keyboards

Learning Activities:
Initiation: (10 minutes)

 Computer/Document Scanner/Projector already linked and running

o Visual aids all prepped/cued; “Imagine” by John Lennon playing (audio only) as students enter
 Welcome check-in, gathering of equipment, login to computers/visit journals (3 minutes)
 Announcements, Review posted objectives and agenda for the day (2 minutes)
 Intro: show C on the keyboard (projector), play with RH thumb; high R/low L; freeze/pause (5 minutes)
o Teacher Call/Student Echo on the keyboard: C-D-C, C-D-E-D-C, C-D-E-G-C, C-E-G-E-C
o Teacher: “You don’t have to know everything about the keyboard to start making music with it.”
Lesson Development: (40 minutes)

Segment 1: Four Key Concepts (17-20 minutes)

 Teacher: “While you don’t need to know everything about the piano to play it, there are 4 key concepts to
understand that will help us learn efficiently and communicate clearly.”
o 1) Posture: Sitting tall, shoulders relaxed, fingers curved (tennis/stress balls; 2 minutes)
o 2) Finger Numbers: Palms together labeling out loud, student identification (2 minutes)
 Which finger is weakest/hardest to use by itself?
o 3) Chopsticks & Forks: sets of 2 black keys and sets of 3 black keys (8 minutes)
 Perform sets going up (LH) and down (RH) the keyboard
 “Any guesses as to why we call these sets Chopsticks & Forks?” (C & F at base)
 Fill in the musical alphabet (C – F; F – C for turnaround)
 Note Hunt activity combining Finger/Note knowledge: Hand/Finger/Note
o 4) Organizing notes into 5-finger positions: lowest finger defines position; 4 next keys (5 minutes)
 RH Finger 1 on C 5-finger position (“Middle C”), play up/down; repeat with LH
 2-note (fingers 1 & 3) and 3-note (fingers 1, 3, & 5) movable chords in half notes
 Hands separately: LH on C, RH on G; Hands together on A

Segment 2: Time to apply: “Imagine” by John Lennon (20 minutes)

 Index card response/share to https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=T2hvkPyiAFE (8-10 minutes)
o Question for guided listening: “What does this performance look/sound like?”
 Brief background to John Lennon (Beatles, Pacifism, early LGBTQ advocate, Politics)
 Side 1 - Look: live performance, counter-culture image, head on the back of a head
 Side 2 - Sound: types of instruments (strings), relaxed vibe, lyrics of peace, simple rhythm
 Teacher: “Today, we are going to learn the verse for ‘Imagine’”. Introduce “comping” (5 minutes)
o 2-note and 3-note chords for RH built on C & F (recall Chopsticks/Forks)
 Model, then Individual Practice: moving between the chords, 4 quarter notes each
 Teacher: monitor engagement, posture, fingerings
 Jam Card 3a as needed
 Class performance in quarter notes 4x: class evaluation
o Adding LH roots (7 minutes)
 LH C 5-finger position: “Which fingers of the LH would play C? F?”
 Model then individual practice: Adding the LH roots to RH chords (2- or 3- note)
 Teacher monitoring engagement, posture, fingerings, frustrations
 Jam Card 8a as needed for LH (match colors)
 Class Performance: Verse 2x, class evaluation, then final Verse performance
 (Optional) Pairing for students who need more time hands separate
 Use your judgement to determine if hands need to be visited separately as a class
Closure: (10 minutes)

 Students will use their google drive accounts to begin/open their journal. In it, they will make a chart of
their strengths and weaknesses as “glows and grows” (minimum 1 for each), and write a short entry
 using musical language (2-3 sentences; must use 1 highlighted term and 1 non-highlighted term)
detailing a strategy or exercise to help the group or themselves improve.
o Chord(s), comping, tempo, rhythm, fingerings, beat, note, posture, fingerings, 5-finger positions
 Quietly have cover version(s) of “Imagine” playing: Pentatonix https://www.youtube.com/watch?
v=NLiWFUDJ95I
 Put away materials (headphones, splitters, jam cards, music copies, pencils)
Homework:

Extension Opportunity: Complete authentic version of this song is available and posted to my Google Drive
folder shared with students. Students make seek this out if they want a more challenging approach to both
comping styles.
 Comping Pattern Isolation Activity: Knee clapping using appropriate hand (if time permits to visit in class)
Differentiation Strategies: Planned Supports:

 Simplified Performance Opportunities  Jam Cards for visual support

o 2-note chords; working with one hand  Visual Aids (paper, digital, and live examples)
 Jam Card Resources: color-coded  Recording of song posted on Drive for play-
 Playing by “Feel” (advanced but advised) along purposes (form labels/breakdown by
 Introduction to inverting chords (looking ahead) timestamp)
 Special Needs:  Student seating in room
o Enlarged Music, Braille Piano  Personal resources
o Chord-making software
o Color for themselves on a labeled
keyboard sheet; play to the extent they
can in appropriate environment
o Dry Erase directly on piano
o Separate 2- or 3-note song(s) they’ve
heard before or otherwise know
o Potential student pairings
Assessment of Student Learning:
Lesson Objective(s) (Content):

 Informal Formative: Posture, fingerings, note/rhythmic accuracy, and effort/engagement will be

formatively assessed/monitored during individual practice time. (Participation/effort > accuracy)
 Formal Formative: Journal response to survey student challenges and topics to revisit. Also provides
information regarding students’ awareness and problem-solving skills. Feedback provided as “comment”.
Lesson Objective(s) (Language):

 Formal Formative: Journal response will determine to what degree students are able to access and
accurately use the musical terminology introduced in this lesson. Feedback provided as “comment”.