Reflection:

I completed a unit covering 4 instrument families with 3rd grade students. I completed
the pre test assessment with one class, but did the post test with all classes. In the class I did the
pre and post test for, I saw considerable improvement in the instrument identification through
sorting. Their average went up from 4 (out of 8) to 5.5. They also completed a listening
assessment (listening to instruments and choosing what family they belong to). Unfortunately,
their scores went down from 4.6 (out of 6) to 3.7.

One factor I changed from pre to post test was changing the way I delivered the listening
test. It was difficult for students to submit the sorting and then the listening. It took an
unnecessary amount of time, and I decided it would be more efficient to do on paper. The
questions and examples stayed exactly the same, however. I also added a sort of exit ticket
question asking what students’ favorite instruments were and why. They could either record their
answers, or type on the iPad. It was sweet to hear what instruments they liked and why they liked
them.

There are a couple factors that I believe caused the listening scores to go down. One was
the focus of the students. After doing the sorting, they became super restless and chatty. If I had
more time, I would have put a game or some active activity in between the two to give their brain
a break. The class we had the day before, however, did fine with the transition so I didn’t think
about needing that in there. Although we reviewed some listening examples, I think I needed to
include listening more in the lessons. I focused more on visually identifying the families. I think
visual ID is typically much easier and probably more applicable to 3rd graders than listening.

If I were to do this unit again, there are some things I would definitely keep, and some
things I would want to change. I think my delivery and presentation of the lesson was clear and
students were really engaged listening to all different kinds of instruments. I brought in and
played as many instruments as I could, and all the classes truly seemed to enjoy hearing and
seeing the real instruments up close. During instruction, I tried to ask as many questions as
possible to assess understanding. A lot of times, I invited all students to answer which turned into
a handful of students answering. I think this lost some students, so a better way would be to
individually assess, maybe through a game.
Lessons
3rd grade - 2/14-2/18 - canon, woodwind family
Procedures:
Warm-up - wake up body and voice Stevie Wonder
Chocolate (canon)
Review words/movements–I need to people to come to the front and show me how it looks with
a partner
I’m going to try and trick you–you say the rhyme and don’t listen to me
Make New Friends (canon)
Do you have a really close friend either in school or out of school? Golden/silver friend, my
roommates
Go over words-repeat after me
Sing each phrase
Sing without me
Let’s see if I can be tricky like with chocolate
Now that we have sung about our friends, we’re going to learn a dance to celebrate friends
Friendship Dance (iPod)
Watch me first while singing song
Repeat after me (1st phrase, 2nd phrase, etc.) Put 1st and 2nd phrase together, then 3rd and 4th,
then all together
Face your partner and try a couple times slowly before adding the music
Young Person’s Guide to the Orchestra
Woodwind
Who remembers what instrument I play?
Play Oboe, Woodwind slide, Play clarinet
Flute video
https://live.myvrspot.com/iframe?v=fZTA0MmViYjBlMjBkOGE4NzM2ZjlmZjI1OGZlYzQ2Mj
Q
Penny Whistle (Ireland), Bagpipe (Scotland) Sorna (Iran)
Listen to a woodwind quartet
https://live.myvrspot.com/iframe?v=fZWRmYzhhZGM4Y2QxZTdiYjVkOWZmNWE4OWRkN
2Y2OGM
Four corners - WWs Spotify
While the music is playing, you can walk around/dance around the room, but when the music
stops everyone goes to the 4 corners
I will then play a solo instrument piece, whatever instrument I play is out and everyone pretends
to play that instrument for the next round
Exit ticket–whats your favorite WW/what do you want to know more about
Materials: Oboe, clarinet, lesson slide (chocolate), Woodwind slide (my slide), Flute oboe
clarinet and bassoon posters (4 corners) iPod (friendship dance) Spotify (Stevie Wonder,
instruments)
SOLs: 3.3 The student will analyze and evaluate music b) Compare and contrast instruments
visually and aurally
3.13 The student will develop skills for individual and ensemble singing performance. a) Sing in
tune with a clear tone quality. b) Sing melodies within the range of an octave. e) Sing rounds,
partner songs, and ostinatos in two-part ensembles.

3rd grade - 2/21-2/25 - canon, brass and percussion family

Procedures:
Warm-up - wake up body and voice– DJ Kool Herc
Bate Bate (review)
Make New Friends (canon)
Do you have a really close friend either in school or out of school? Golden/silver friend, my
roommates–you can say words at different times, but you can also sing at different times
Sing whole song first
Go over words-repeat after me
Sing each phrase
Sing without me
Canon (in concentric circles?)
Brass family ppt
Who remembers what family we talked about last week? Play trumpet
Percussion circle - Hand, hand Fingers Thumb (book) read half to echo before adding
instruments (congas, hand drums, shakers (2), sandblocks)
Read through a couple pages–me first then repeat the pattern on laps
Ready to add instruments–repeat after me
Percussion ppt
Trombone shorty -
We’re going to combine the 2 families–we’re going to listen to a song by Trombone Shorty
Let’s practice first with clapping
Call out section and point to on board
On the C section we’re going to improvise, which means to make something up
Pass out rhythm sticks
Intro: sticks on backbeat
A section: Sticks on the beat (low low high high right right left left)
B section: Step right, right click–then left left click
Repeat
C section: Improvise
Materials: Congas, hand drums, shakers, sandblocks, rhythm sticks, ppts, Trombone Shorty book
Objectives: Students will be able to sing/speak in canon
Students will be able to recognize what makes brass and percussion instruments different
Students will be able to follow an intro, A, B pattern, and improvise on the C section
SOLs: 3.1 The student will improvise and compose music 3.3 The student will analyze and
evaluate music. a) Identify and explain examples of musical form. b) Compare and contrast
instruments visually and aurally. 3.13 The student will develop skills for individual and ensemble
singing performance. a) Sing in tune with a clear tone quality. b) Sing melodies within the range
of an octave. e) Sing rounds, partner songs, and ostinatos in two-part ensembles. 3.14 The
student will develop skills for individual and ensemble instrumental performance. c) Play a given
melody on an instrument.

3rd grade - 2/28-3/4 - canon, percussion and strings family

Procedures:
Warm-up - wake up body and voice
Make New Friends (canon)
Do you have a really close friend either in school or out of school? Golden/silver friend, my
roommates–you can say words at different times, but you can also sing at different times
Sing whole song first
Go over words-repeat after me
Sing each phrase
Sing without me
Canon (in concentric circles?)
Percussion ppt
Trombone Shorty?
Strings ppt
Instrument families among us https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7ufBDsUz5qQ&t=248s

Materials: Sticks, cello, trumpet, oboe

https://docs.google.com/presentation/d/1b2lUxRY7SPMNHnz4-PjJosXKaeHLDdkbhepQqAMT
IsM/edit?usp=sharing powerpoint link

Assessment: Instrument sort on Seesaw–8 instruments divided into the 4 families

Listening–first time did on Google forms, then decided to do on paper for post test–6 questions