PMEA Model Curriculum Framework

Lesson Title:
Check one: □ General Music □ Ensemble □ Harmonizing Instruments
□ Theory & Composition □ Music Technology

Grade Level(s): 6th □ Single Day □ Multi Day □ Unit Plan

Lesson Objective(s):
Students will be able to:
- Echo patterns on solfege syllables with correct pitches and hand signs.
- Sing “Take Time in Life” with accurate pitches and rhythm.
- Write quarter notes in the correct positions and with correct stem facings on a staff,
given the line or space number.
- Play echo and call and response patterns correctly in a drumming circle.
- Demonstrate understanding of instruments in the brass and string families by taking a
short quiz.

Lesson Description:
In this lesson, students will continue to work on using hand signs with solfege syllables and
match pitch in a solfege warmup and review of a previously learned song. Students will
continue building drumming skills and keeping a steady beat as well as following given
rhythms. They will also be reviewing the string and brass instruments introduced in previous
lessons in order to answer questions on a quiz to check understanding.

Rationale:
This lesson is meant for students to practice their singing, solfege hand signs, accuracy with
drumming patterns, and writing quarter and eighth notes while identifying their position on the
staff. The instrument quiz will be checking student’s knowledge of each of the instruments we
have talked about thus far.

Teacher Resources and Equipment: Student Resources:

Piano, Djembe, Theory Packet, Brass and Pencils, Clipboards, Chromebooks, Theory
Strings Review Powerpoint, Quiz on Google Packets, Drums (classroom instruments)
Classroom

Connections:
PA Competency(s): Manipulate rhythm, melody, form, etc. to create, notate and perform
pieces of music that express multiple ideas or a range of emotions

PA Essential Questions: How do people use music?

PA Big Idea(s): The skills, techniques, National Standards Enduring

elements and principles of the arts can be
learned, studied, refined and practiced.
Understanding(s): To express their musical
ideas, musicians analyze, evaluate, and
refine their performance over time through
openness to new ideas, persistence, and the
application of appropriate criteria.

National Standards Artistic Processes (Check all that apply):

 □ Creating □ Performing □ Responding □ Connecting

National Standards Music Process Components: Rehearse, Evaluate and Refine

Standards:
PA Standards: 9.1.8.A: Know and use the elements and principles of each art form to create
works in the arts and humanities.

National Core Music Standards: U: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.

Performance Measures:
Assessing Student Learning
For singing and drumming activities, student responses will be watched and listened to for
accuracy. With the theory book, student participation and written responses will be monitored
throughout the lesson.

Depth of Knowledge Level(s):

Recall: Students must recall solfege hand signs and repeat echo patterns, students must echo
drumming patterns, students must practice writing notes in the given line and spaces
Skill/Concept: Students must recognize a pattern to not sing, students must recognize call and
response rhythms in order to reply correctly, students must write notes and determine where
they put them

Instructional Process:
Procedures:
Singing:
- Teacher will begin with review of solfege hand signs
- Teacher will give solfege patterns of four beats, students will echo
- Teacher will introduce a “poison pattern” that students must listen for
- Teacher will review words to “Take Time in Life” by singing a phrase at a time,
students will echo
- Teacher will move to piano and have students stand and face piano
- Teacher will run song with two repeats, changing “brother” to “sister” and then to
“father”
Drumming:
- Students will move chairs into a circle with openings in the correct places and be
assigned drums/partners
- Teacher will start with slow walk, walking, running warm up, having students play with
them and listening for changes
- Teacher will give echo patterns for students to follow, making sure that students are
using the proper hands and playing on the right place of the drum
- Teacher will give call and response patterns mixed in with echo patterns for students
to listen to
Theory Packet:
 - Before beginning new material, teacher will review what should be completed up to
this point, passes may be written for Day 2 or Day 6 Area
- Teacher will review line and space naming on staff
- Teacher will show what students will do for the next three pages
- Students will start individual work
- Teacher will be checking in with students as they work, showing something on the
projector if there is a common mistake
- Teacher will have students come up to complete some questions in the teacher’s copy
- Examples will be shown for students to correct their own work
Instrument Review and Quiz:
- Teacher will ask class to respond all together, asking to identify each instrument’s
picture
- Teacher will go over charts, identifying what facts they need to know for the quiz
- Teacher will show videos of strings playing together, and then brass playing together
- Teacher will show quiz questions on board and use agenda to show what they can do
when they are finished
- Students will begin quiz and move to individual activities until everyone is finished.

Differentiation Strategies:
Assessment is varied between students

Essential Vocabulary:
Singing: solfege
Drumming: Low tones, high tones, echo, call and response
Theory: quarter note, eighth note, stem, flag, lines and spaces
Instruments: strings, bow, brass, bell, valves, slide

District Defined Initiatives (as applicable):

From SCASD Music Department webpage (https://www.scasd.org/Domain/1948): A music
empowered student values music as part of a comprehensive education and an essential
expression of the human experience. Students become lifelong patrons and practitioners of
music through creativity, critical thinking, music literacy, and aesthetic awareness