Reimagining Wind Band Curriculum

Sample Lesson Plan #1

 
Teacher’s Name:
Name of Ensemble: Wind Band- sectioned into small groups of 3-4 students
Lesson Date:
 

 
Lesson Objectives 
Students will be able to:
● Effectively analyze the musical qualities and relationships between language and sound
in Amanda Gorman’s poem, The Hill We Climb
● Each student individually demonstrate their literary and musical understanding by writing
one of their own stanzas that could accompany the poem
● In small groups, apply their understanding and musical interpretations of the poem to
create a 5-minute recorded mini composition using their voices to record spoken lyrics,
their instruments and/or sound effects in a recording software to supply accompaniment;
students may use Soundtrap, Garage Band, Audacity, or another composition software
approved by the teacher

Materials
● Whiteboard with markers, or online brainstorming tool such as Padlet
● Youtube link to Amanda Gorman’s premiere of her inaugural poem, The Hill We Climb
● Document of the written poem, to either be distributed as a handout or displayed on a
projector or SmartBoard
● Students’ instruments
● Access to composition/recording software, such as Soundtrap, Garage Band, Audacity,
etc.
 
Assessment
● Have the students accurately identified the musical characteristics of The Hill We Climb?
o Were these characteristics effectively utilized when writing their own stanzas to
accompany the poem (rhythm, rhyme scheme, etc.)?
o Has their recorded composition demonstrated their understanding of the task and
its limitations?
 
Core Arts Standards: Performing X Responding X Connecting X Creating X

 
Procedure:
Skill(s)/Concept(s)  Instructional Strategies
Brainstorming activity
Presenting the Content of the Task
Executing the Task
 
● By making a mind map on a whiteboard, or
using an online tool such as Padlet, pose the
following questions to students and have them
generate brief responses: Why was 2020 so
hard?
● As a class, watch Amanda Gorman recite the
premiere of her inaugural poem, The Hill We
Climb while also providing a written copy of
the poem for students to follow along. As
students watch and listen, have them make
note of the following:
o any lines in the poem that resonate with
them
o any sign of rhythm or other musical
characteristics present
o what they think could be musical about
the poem’s structure, and/or how Ms.
Gorman is reciting it
● Afterwards, have students discuss as a class
● Either assign small groups, or have students
create small groups of 3-4
● Have every student in every group select 1
stanza from the poem that resonated with them
the most
● Each student will write their own stanza that
could complement the flow with what they
chose; meaning, the stanza they write should
illustrate their connection with the original
stanza, and try to follow a similar rhythm or
rhyme scheme
● In their small groups, students will organize
their chosen stanzas with the ones they wrote
to develop a 5-minute mini composition, which
they will eventually perform or record as
spoken lyrics
 ● Once lyrics are organized, groups will
cohesively create harmonic or melodic
accompaniment. They may use a combination
of their band instruments, or loops from any
composition/recording software (see
Objectives)
● Students may either perform their work or
submit recorded versions digitally, as per the
teacher.