Beginning Band Percussion Bells Unit 1

6th Grade Beginning Percussion
Unit 1 - Bells
USD 383
Susan B. Anthony Middle School
John Eldridge
Student Teaching Fall 2022
Unit Overview
● Materials for instruction

○ Starting percussion kits, including bells, stand, and mallets
○ Habits of a Successful Beginner Band Musician: Percussion
■ Method book used for instruction
■ Authored by Scott Rush, Jeff Scott, Kevin Boyle
○ Whiteboard, markers
○ Audio speaker, metronome
● Learning goals & instructional objectives
○ By the end of quarter 1, students will…
■ Perform four standard melodic passages of their choosing out of their method
books with correct notes and rhythmic accuracy.
■ Demonstrate literacy of basic music notation symbols as outlined in the quarter 1
content timeline, such as time signatures and the notes of the treble clef.
■ Read and accurately perform rhythms with quarter-notes, half-notes,
eighth-notes, and corresponding rests.
■ Play a one-octave Bb major scale both ascending and descending at a moderate
tempo with correct notes.
■ Set up their instruments correctly and follow expected procedures for instrument
care and maintenance.
○ Note: these lessons on bells coincide with concepts taught in other lessons on snare drum
or practice pad, such as rhythmic concepts and hand technique.
● National Standards
○ MU:Pr5.1.6a Identify and apply teacher-provided criteria (such as correct interpretation
of notation, technical accuracy, originality, and interest) to rehearse, refine, and determine
when a piece is ready to perform.
○ MU:Pr6.1.6a Perform the music with technical accuracy to convey the creator’s intent.
Content Pieces and Timeline
AUGUST OCTOBER JANUARY MARCH
Introduced Quarter 4
618 lime
Chromatic scale
Harmonic minor
Natural minor
lnlroduced Quarter 3
/:;-~
,"'
2/2 lime <:f>'"
Dynamics: pp, ff
. ,s,"'
Tempos: maestoso, largo, vivace
Slaccalo 0
#:>-
,_6'
.~<,.,'?~ #'
Tenuta
lnlroduoed Quarter 2 Sixteenth nole one-beat rhythms
b<SI
Dotted quarter notes Oa Capo .,,.-§'
Slur O.C. al fine <:_,0
Tie
Coneert Eb Major {<~,;,.-
II ,o ~rt;
Concert Ab Major ~c9

.~'?
~<'#,}
Coneert F Major cll'l cy
Perfonner etiquette ,l~'?::,"'""' Continued opportunities to apply and
Introduced Quarter 1 Audience etiquette o>"' .. use Quarter 2 content
Body Posture
Hand position
Instrument handi ng
Tone
Instrument Care
Rehearsal etiquette 11
Ltteracy tenns: Staff, bar lines, def, key
signature, time signature, double bar line,
repeat sign Continued opportunities lo apply and Continued opportunities to apply and use Continued opportunities to apply and
whole, half. quarter notes and rests use Quarter 1 content Quarter 1 content use Quarter 1 content
4/4 ome
Concert Bb Majo<
Dynamics: p, mp, ml, I
Tempos: anda nte, moderalo, allegro
I
2/4 time
II
Eighth notes and rests
3/4 ome
Beginning Band Quarter 1 Activity and Pacing Guide
Standard Explanation
P.2.N Recognize musical rhythms (notes and rests) In 4/4 time: o, J, J
C. 1,2,3.N Draw musical notes: o,J,J
P.2.N Perfonn musical values: w, h, q, and equivalent rests improvised and reading music
C. 1,2,3.N Create short phrases combining o,J,J rhythms
P.2.N Recognize Concert Bb, C, D, Eb, Fon a music staff.
C.1,2,3.N Draw Concert Bb, C, D, Eb, Fon a music staff
P.5.N Perfonn Concert Bb, C, D, Eb, F
P.5.N Demonstrate care in handling of instrument.
P.5.N Demonstrate correct posture while playing.
Understand and apply fingering chart symbols and patterns.
P.5.N Demonstrate breath control and tonguing.
C.2.N Notate short phrases using staff, bar lines, clef, time signature and double bar or repeat sign,
P.2.N Recognize Concert A, G on the staff.
P.5.N Perfonn Concert A, G
P.2.N Recognize tenns and definitions for tempo values of moderato, andante, allegro
Recognize symbol, definitions and tenns for dynamic values of piano, mezzo piano, mezzo forte, and
P.2.N
forte.
P.5.N Perfonn with 4 levels of dynamic contrast.
P.5.N Perfonn at 3 tempos.
C.2.N Notate 4 levels of dynamics.
C.2.N Notate 3 tempo markings.
P.5.N Perfonn songs in 2/4,3/4, and 4/4 time.
P.2.N Recognize eighth notes and rests.
P.5.N Perfonn eighth note patterns.
C.1.N Create short phrases that include J> rhythms.
C.2.N Notate short phrases that include J rhythms.
P.5.N Demonstrating counting of o, J, J, J> rhythms.
P.2.N Compare and contrast measures within a song.
P.2.N Compare and contrast songs with key signatures of Concert Bb and Concert Eb.
P.2.N Compare and contrast songs in 2/4, 3/4 and 4/4 time signatures.
P.5.N Perfonn a round.
P.2.N Describe a round's fonn.
P.2.N Recognize Concert Ab on the staff.
P.5.N Perfonn Concert Ab.
P.5.N Percussionists: in addition learn flams, paradiddle sticking, buzz and tap strokes on snare
R.4.N Daily self evaluation of comfort areas and challenge areas with learned content.
6th Grade Beginning Perc - Bells Playing Tests
from Habits of a Successful Beginner Band Musician
  #18 "Hot Bundt Cakes"

    
 
R R
         R  
L L L L R L R L R L R L L L
 
      R L          
9

#24 "Lamb Chops"
R L L
R R L R R L R L R L R L R L R L R L R L R
 
  R L R L           R L R L        
17
#28 "Beethoven's Joy"
R L R L R L R L R L R L R L R L
R L R L
                

25

#32 "Dreidel Spinning Top"
R L R L R L L R R L R R L R
L L R L R L R L L L R
Lesson 1 - Introduction to Bells
● Prior knowledge/skills
○ Quarter-notes, quarter-rests, eighth-notes, half-notes
○ Measures, barlines, 4/4 time signature
○ Basic percussion playing technique
● Rehearsal objective
○ Students will correctly set up and take apart their bell kits, demonstrating proper
instrument care and maintenance.
○ Students will identify the lines and spaces of the treble clef.
● Assessment of the rehearsal
○ Students will complete a short worksheet naming the lines and spaces of the treble clef.
○ When taking apart their bells and putting them back in their cases, students are informally
assessed that they’re doing it correctly.
● Modifications/accommodations needed
○ Focus Student B needs extra time at the end of class to put away their drum kit, as well as
occasional breaks if they feel overwhelmed.
○ Focus Student A needs extra oversight to stay on task and more frequent reminders not to
disrupt other students.
○ Students who forget their books or instruments will need to borrow an extra from the
school.
● Instructional materials, resources, & technology
○ Whiteboard
○ Bells, mallets, stands (note names are written on bars)
● Rehearsal plan
○ Before starting, draw a one-octave keyboard layout on the whiteboard with note letter
names.
○ Take time at the beginning of rehearsal to thoroughly explain how to set up bell kits. Use
a bell kit that is already taken apart to demonstrate, but acknowledge that different brands
will work differently.
○ Go through the set-up process step-by-step. Correct any mistakes or answer questions
before moving on. Don’t get mallets out yet.
○ Teach the lines and spaces of the treble clef.
■ Start by establishing the musical alphabet goes from A to G, then back to A
again.
■ Explain that these five lines are called a staff. A note can go on any line or space
of that staff, and where it lands tells you what note it is.
■ After telling them the bottom line is E, write E on that line. Ask what letter
comes after E, and keep adding letters in this fashion up the staff.
■ When every line and space is labeled, teach the mnemonics for EGBDF and that
the spaces spell FACE.
● Every Good Boy Deserves Fudge, in case you were wondering
○ Establish procedures for picking up mallets to play and setting them down on the side of
the bells once they’re done.
○ Review the three rules for playing technique
■ Hold on to the stick
■ Use your wrist
■ Utilize the rebound (explain why this is less applicable for mallets)
○ Find for them on bells where the bottom line E is. Explain that the notes on the staff
ascend in pitch from bottom to top, and the notes on the bells ascend from left to right.
Therefore, they go from left to right in the same order as what’s written on the board.
■ Remember, their bars are labeled with the letters.
○ Have students play an E individually so you know they found it. Check that it’s the
correct octave.
○ Knowing that going higher means going right, ask students to find the bottom space F.
Have them play together. “Correct, they’re right next to each other.”
○ Erase the note names on the whiteboard and have students recall the mnemonics and the
patterns from memory.
○ Pass out the note identification worksheet. Give students at least five minutes to
individually complete it. Collect when they’re done.
○ Have students pack up their instruments. Observe that they’re putting them away
correctly and fix mistakes.
● Pre-Assessment - Note identification worksheet

○ The first part of this worksheet is a blank staff with treble clef. Students write the note
names in blanks next to the lines and spaces.
○ The second part of this worksheet is a picture of one octave of keyboard bars. Students
write the letter names of the natural notes on the bars.
○ This worksheet is designed to help me know students’ comprehension of this set-up
material. Strategies for quick note identification and connecting what they read to their
instrument will be vital when starting to read songs out of the book.
Pre-Assessment Worksheet Rubric:

Name Treble clef letter Keyboard letter Overall % Score (# of
names (9 possible names (8 possible correct answers out of
points) points) 17)
(Student)
Lesson 2 - Accidentals
○ Treble clef lines and spaces
○ Students will read sharp signs and flat signs and know how to locate them on their bells
in treble clef.
○ Students are asked individually to find certain accidentals on their bells, taking quick note
on if they found the correct bar (informal assessment).
○ Informally assess students’ note accuracy when playing exercise 9 on page 4.
school.
○ Whiteboard
○ Method book
● Rehearsal plan
○ Have students set up their bells. Remind them of correct procedures and correct mistakes.
○ Have them place their mallets on the side prongs of their instrument stands, so they are
not playing randomly. This will be standard procedure for future lessons.
○ Use guided questioning to prompt students to recall the letters of the treble clef lines and
spaces. Have them recall the mnemonics, and ask if they came up with any other mental
strategies to remember them.
○ Review from the previous lesson. On the whiteboard, write a natural note somewhere on
the treble clef. Give students some time to find it without making noise, then have them
play the note together on cue.
■ Repeat this as many times as necessary until students are comfortable and
consistent.
○ Explain whole-steps and half-steps, giving examples of each using only the natural notes
they know (ex. A-B is a whole-step because there’s something between them, B-C is a
half-step because there’s nothing between them).
○ Call their attention to the other notes on the bells, the ones they haven’t played yet. Use
guided questioning techniques to ask students what they notice.
■ “They’re in groups of two and three.”
■ “They use the same letters but they have these symbols next to them.”
○ Explain that these symbols are ‘flats’ and ‘sharps.’ The notes they already knew are
called ‘naturals.’ Flats and sharps lower or raise a note by one half-step (ex. A# is a
half-step higher than A).
○ Knowing this naming convention, ask students to describe why these notes have multiple
names. Explain that they are enharmonic, meaning they can be written in multiple ways.
Relate them to synonyms.
○ Use the same technique as before to write examples for them to see and find on their
instruments.
■ Clarify the notation. The flats/sharps go before the notehead in sheet music, but
after the letter when spoken or written.
■ Start doing this with all students playing simultaneously, then start asking
individual students to locate the accidental notes.
○ Open books to page 4 to look at exercise 9 (exercises 1-8 aren’t very helpful for
non-wind instruments).
■ Have students clap and count out loud first. Emphasize counting through the rests
and giving them their full value.
■ Ask students what the first note is. When a student answers, ask how they figured
that out. Have students play the first F together.
■ Ask what other notes they see. Make sure they know how to find Eb.
■ Explain that the accidental in front of the first Eb continues through the rest of
the measure, but not through the next barline.
■ Read through the exercise while keeping a metronome pulse at 66 bpm. Have
students say the note names out loud when they hit those bars.
■ Check playing technique (grip, fingers around the shaft, using the wrist in a
knocking motion).
○ Have students put their mallets down.
○ Direct students to look at exercise 13 on page 4. Ask students to look at the second-to-last
measure. Ask questions to help them figure out what note it is?
■ Is it part of the staff, or off of it?
■ Should it be lower than the notes before it, or not? Why? Don’t the order of notes
on the staff go from low to high?
■ You see that line through the notehead? What do you suppose that’s for?
○ Explain that notes can continue off the staff in either direction, and we use ledger lines to
write them. Knowing this, the note in that measure is C, below the D they played before.
○ Have students play exercise 13 through the same process as exercise 9.
○ When appropriate, explain that this book will use a lot of roll notation (the dashes that go
through the note stems) and that we will almost never be playing rolls on bells until much
later.
Lesson 3 - Major Scales (C, F, Bb)
○ Treble clef lines and spaces note names
○ Accidentals, stepwise intervals, ledger lines
○ Students will play a one-octave C major, F major, and Bb major scale
○ For each of the three scales, assess students’ note accuracy using a rubric (formative
assessment, not graded).
school.
○ Whiteboard
○ Method book
● Rehearsal Plan
○ Use questioning techniques to help students recall previous lesson’s concepts (half-steps,
whole-steps, accidentals, naturals, enharmonic notes).
○ On the staff on the whiteboard, write a note on middle C, the first ledge line below the
staff. Have students find the note on their bells. Listen and check that it’s the correct
octave.
○ Ask if they can think of a C that’s within the staff and where it would go on the staff.
When a student answers, ask them how they figured it out. Use the opportunity to remind
students of the mnemonics (EGBDF).
○ When the C on the third space has been defined and written, ask students to find this
higher C on their bells, same as before.
○ Explain what they will play: starting on the lower C, play two quarter-notes (R L) on
every natural note up to the higher C, then come back down. Demonstrate this once.
■ Count students off at moderate tempo and have them play this.
○ Congratulate students and ask if they know what they just played. If they don’t, tell them
they played a scale, specifically the C major scale. A scale is a series of every note that is
naturally found in a key.
○ Write the C major scale on the whiteboard staff ascending as noteheads, no stems.
○ Ask if the distance between C and D is a whole-step or a half-step. When someone
answers, ask how they figured it out (“there’s a note between them on my bells Mr.
Eldridge”).
■ Write a 1 under and between the C and D.
■ Do the same for every stepwise interval in the scale. Students should see a pattern
of 1-1-½-1-1-1-½.
○ Explain that every major scale follows this pattern of
whole-whole-half-whole-whole-whole-half. Starting on any note and following this
pattern will yield a major scale.
■ Ask students if they can figure out how many major scales there are. They will
probably answer 7 or 12, if they have a guess at all. For simplicity, just say that
there’s 12.
○ Practice C major scale a few times playing it like earlier.
○ Explain that C major is the only scale to have no accidentals. If you start the pattern
anywhere else, you have to start using accidentals.
○ Using the staff on the whiteboard, write a note on the F space. Help students figure out
the scale degrees sequentially using the pattern of intervals.
■ Make sure they understand the half-step relationship between A/Bb and the
whole-step relationship between Bb/C.
■ Explain that scales has to use every letter (example: A-Bb-C, not A-A#-C)
■ Ask how many accidentals this scale has. (1)
○ Practice F major scale on bells using the same method as with C major.
○ Write Bb major on the staff and practice playing it using the same steps as above.
■ “How many accidentals does this scale have?” (2)
○ Get lots of practice with these three scales, especially Bb major. These will be reviewed
as warm-ups for later lessons.
○ Practice Bb major scale in a round. Divide the class in half; group A starts the scale, then
group B starts when group A is on the third note.
■ If students don’t know what rounds are, take the time to explain.
○ Open books up to page 5. Either have volunteers read the Key Signature blurb of text, or
some kind of popcorn reading system.
■ Explain the accidentals on the left-hand side are the key signature, which tells
you what key you are in. Students already established that there are two flats, B
and E, and point out that the flats are on those lines/spaces. “Bb major is the only
key to have two flats.”
○ “Now that we know how key signatures work, what would the key signature look like for
F major? How many accidentals does F major have? Was that one accidental a sharp or a
flat? Which line would it go on?”
○ Use the same opening question for C major, only for them to figure out the key signature
looks like nothing because you don’t write anything there.
Lesson 4 - “Hot Bundt Cakes” & “Lamb Chops”
○ C major, F major, Bb major scales (how to play and their key signatures)
○ Students will read exercises 14-16 on page 5 and learn to play #18 “Hot Bundt Cakes”
with technical accuracy.
○ Informal assessment of students’ note accuracy, paying special attention to accidentals in
the key signature.
school.
○ Whiteboard
○ Method book
● Rehearsal plan
○ Use questioning techniques to help students recall previous lesson’s material (key
signatures, scales, interval patterns of scales, C/F/Bb major, number of flats).
○ Play the three scales from last time as a warm-up, one octave ascending and descending.
If time, introduce rounds again (mixing up groups from last time).
■ (This is partially to accustom students to playing different things than one
another, useful for the Hot Bundt Cakes duet).
○ Open books to page 5 and read through exercises 14, 15, and 16. For each one go through
the following process:
■ Set metronome to around 66 bpm. Adjust as needed.
■ Clap and count out loud through the rhythm of the exercise.
■ With mallets, air play the rhythms, still counting out loud. Call attention to the
stickings that are written and which hand starts.
■ Ask students what the key signature is and what it tells them to do. Have them
look for any B’s or E’s that need to be flatted because of the key signature.
■ Have students find their first note, without playing. Give them thirty seconds to
look at the exercise and run through it in their mind.
■ Practice playing the exercise multiple times until students are consistent and
comfortable. Correct mistakes as they arise.
■ When correcting mistakes, demonstrate what it is you’d like them to do instead.
○ Look at #18 next, the legally distinct Hot Cross Buns.
■ Go through the same process as 14-16 when looking at part A. Practice part A
until it is solid.
■ Ask students how part B is similar and different.
■ Ask if they know what ‘duet’ means.
■ After establishing part B starts on a different note, but has the same rhythms and
moves stepwise the same way, practice part B.
■ Split students into two groups and play both parts together. Do this at least once,
then flip the parts and do it again.
■ Get plenty of practice on this duet.
○ Next, look at #24 Lamb Chops. Break down and practice this the same way as before.
■ Set the metronome to around 76 bpm, if students can handle it.
■ Pay close attention to the quarter-rest in measure 7, which is different from what
their ear will tell them to play. Make it clear that even though the students know
this melody very well, they still need to read the notes closely.
Lesson 5 - “Beethoven’s Joy” & “Dreidel Spinning Top”
○ C major, F major, Bb major scales (how to play and their key signatures)
○ Students will read exercises 14-16 on page 5 and learn to play #18 “Hot Bundt Cakes”
with technical accuracy.
○ Informal assessment of students’ note accuracy, paying special attention to accidentals in
the key signature.
school.
○ Whiteboard
○ Method book
● Rehearsal plan
○ Use questioning techniques to help students recall previous lesson’s material (key
signatures, scales, interval patterns of scales, C/F/Bb major, number of flats).
○ Play the three scales from last time as a warm-up, one octave ascending and descending.
If time, play the scales in rounds. If students are consistently accurate when playing
scales in rounds, increase the number of groups to three.
○ Open books to page 7 and read through #28 “Beethoven’s Joy.” For each one go through
the following process:
■ Set metronome to around 80 bpm. Adjust as needed depending on difficulty for
students.
■ Clap and count out loud through the rhythm of the exercise.
■ With mallets, air play the rhythms, still counting out loud. Call attention to the
stickings that are written and which hand starts.
■ Ask students what the key signature is and what it tells them to do. Have them
look for any B’s or E’s that need to be flatted because of the key signature.
■ Have students find their first note, without playing. Give them thirty seconds to
look at the exercise and run through it in their mind.
■ Practice playing the exercise multiple times until students are consistent and
comfortable. Correct mistakes as they arise.
■ Pay close attention to the straight rhythm in measure 4 and measure 8, which is
different from what their ear will tell them to play. Make it clear that even though
the students know this melody very well, they still need to read the notes closely.
○ Teach students some basic information about Beethoven, the Classical composer who
famously used the “Ode to Joy” theme in his Ninth Symphony.
○ Repeat the learning process above for #32 “Dreidel Spinning Top.”
■ Use questions to prompt students to think about how this song is different from
the previous three (it’s not stepwise, there are skips).
■ Set the metronome to 88 bpm.
■ Make sure students are giving half-notes and quarter-rests their full value,
especially in measure 4.
● Formative assessment
○ Students pick one of the four pieces to play individually, and will be assessed based on
note accuracy, rhythmic accuracy, and steadiness of time.
■ Students can play at whatever tempo they’re comfortable playing, though it will
be noted if they play significantly faster or slower than what was practiced in
class.
■ This playing test will not be graded and won’t be a surprise. Students will have
multiple days to prepare.
■ At the end of the first quarter will be a playing test requiring students play all
four songs; that assessment will be graded, using the same rubric to evaluate
students’ performance. Students will be given plenty of time to prepare in class,
but they are encouraged to practice at home if they wish.
Playing Assessment Rubric:

Name Note accuracy (5 Rhythm accuracy, Overall % score (# of
points possible) steady time (5 points points / 10)
possible)
(Student)

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6th Grade Beginning Percussion

● Materials for instruction

Concert Ab Major ~c9

  #18 "Hot Bundt Cakes"

                

● Pre-Assessment - Note identification worksheet

Pre-Assessment Worksheet Rubric:

Playing Assessment Rubric:

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