A1/A2 - 6th and 7th Grade Girls’ Chorus - Wednesday 1/26/2021

Name Abigail Carter

Placement Block/Assignment Block 3 - Middle School Chorus
Date Wednesday 2/2/2022
Grade Level & Class Title 6th and 7th Grade Girls’ Chorus
Period or Block (# of minutes) A1 (90 minute block, 45 minute lesson)

Instructional Context
This block is a combined class of 6th and 7th grade girls, so their experiences and
skill levels vary. Some of these students are newer to middle school while others
have had chorus experiences before. All of these students have had their learning
experience impacted by the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic and may be newer to
middle school, returning to in-person learning after a year of virtual learning, or
both. A portion of the 7th graders in the block are also in another ensemble (mostly
show choir). All of these students seem to have a genuine interest in musical
concepts and choral singing, and want to comprehend and apply the material.

o This lesson continues to develop repertoire for performance at a spring

concert and assessments, healthy vocal technique, and sightsinging
strategies.
● Students are at a mid-point of the school year and are learning newer
repertoire, so at this point it is crucial to maintain the technique and habits
developed in their work for their December winter concert and continue to
develop it further in addition to continuing the sequence of music theory
concepts they have studied thus far.
● Students vary in experience level with the content material, largely in part
due to the grade level differences and COVID-19 accommodations in previous
years.
● This lesson fits into long term sequences of successfully learning and
performing repertoire, sightsinging at assessment level, audiation skills, and
technique development.
Standards

● VA Music SoLs - The student will be able to:

o MCB.14a Use proper posture and breathing techniques that support
vocal production
o MCB.14c Develop vocal agility and range through vocal exercises
o MCB.14d Use correct intonation
o MCB.14e Blend with other singers on the same vocal part
o MCB.15d Demonstrate expressive phrasing techniques

Learning Objectives and Assessments

 A1/A2 - 6th and 7th Grade Girls’ Chorus - Wednesday 1/26/2021

Learning Objectives Assessment Plan

Students will be able to: Students will be assessed based on

● Perform with correct intonation,
vowel placement and
● Identify contrasts and similarities
between songs in discussion and
in rehearsal
● Connect kinesthetic and visual
components to ideas of phrasing
and style in repertoire
participation/engagement, vocal
production (intonation, vowels,
breathing, adjusting and maintaining
modification. They will also be assessed
by questions asked and discussion
throughout the lesson.

Instructional Strategies and Learning Tasks (Procedures & Timelines)

o Warm-up
Time Instructional Rationale
Strategies/Learning
Tasks/Questions to Ask

15 ● Stretching In addition to preparing the body for

minutes ● Light Warming singing in sequence, this series of
Exercises warm-up activities reinforces proper
● Vocal Sigh breathing and vowel shapes for choral
● Range Exercises singing, utilizes visual, kinesthetic and
● Part Independence aural components to demonstrate
Exercise musical understanding of pitch and
● Warmup Songs rhythm and introduces the idea of
● Rhythm sightreading different vocal tones that are informed
by technique.
o Fairest Lady
Time Instructional Rationale
Strategies/Learning
Tasks/Questions to Ask
15
minutes ● Measure 70 to end
○ Individual part Students have been working on
review correct intonation and part
○ Sing together independence with this song in past
● Measures 1-33 rehearsals– last rehearsal, they further
○ Review diction improved on these aspects. Before
and tall vowels adding in the improvement of
○ Work timing at diction/vowels and making small spot
measures 23-24 corrections, it’s important to make
(“arise”) sure that what was worked on last
 A1/A2 - 6th and 7th Grade Girls’ Chorus - Wednesday 1/26/2021

● Measures 34-43 class is remembered and maintained.

○ Review diction Last rehearsal, we worked backwards
and tall vowels on this piece– today, once reviewing
○ Work timing of the ending for intonation, we will work
measures 42-43 from the beginning to refine vowel
● Full song sounds and diction to aid expression
○ Singing with and storytelling; sequentially, once the
crisp diction and refining of diction is complete and
tall vowels! maintained, they will add further
musical elements of dynamic contrasts
and phrasing.
o Vive La France
Time Instructional Rationale/Research & Theory
Strategies/Learning
Tasks/Questions to Ask
15
minutes ● Discussion/Listening These students are generally very
o In our medley, it's engaged in musical discussions and
almost as if we’re rehearsal concepts– they feel
taking a snapshot challenged by this song’s language
or making a but seem to have a confidence about
playlist of French it because it’s melodically
folk songs– so like straightforward. With the pitches and
the music we rhythms solid, beginning to create
listen to, each contrasts between the excerpts and
song has its own opens the door for more expression
unique work in future lessons with dynamic
personality. contrasts.
● Movement Activity
o Students give
words to describe
how each song
excerpt sounds.
o How would you
move/dance to
this song?
o Students will sing
through the song
while performing
the movements
they established
to encourage
expression and
phrasing contrasts
 A1/A2 - 6th and 7th Grade Girls’ Chorus - Wednesday 1/26/2021

Materials and Resources

o Piano
o Music copies
o Whiteboard
o Whiteboard markers

Differentiation/Planned Support For Students

● Size
o Larger text displayed on board
o Utilizing visual aids and movement to provide visual cues and
reinforce concepts
● Color
o Color coding notes and note-names on sightsinging examples/musical
passages as needed
o Highlighters for color coding as needed
● Pacing
o Scaffolding rehearsal to work on smaller sections of music at once
o Isolating rhythm and melody from one another until ready to combine
o Listing strategies/steps for music learning for students as needed
o Shorter intervals of study/practice
● Modality
o Aural: Listening examples at slower tempos or rehearsal sections in
slower tempos to aid in content retention, using various sounds or
instruments to play pitches
o Visual: Key terms can be written on the board, larger text and writing,
color coding
o Kinesthetic: Using movement to reinforce concepts and develop a link
between movement and concepts