LESSON TITLE/TOPIC: Lightning Field Performance and Analysis

NAME: Evan Norwood

GRADE LEVEL OR CLASS: High School Wind Ensemble (10-12th Grade)
LESSON DURATION: 90 Minutes

Lesson’s Main Objective(s):

- Students will be able to perform Lightning Field by John Mackey with technical accuracy and
musical expression.
- Students will be able to analyze the compositional elements and stylistic features of Lightning
Field.

Materials Needed:
- Scores and parts for Lightning Field
- Musical instruments
- Whiteboard and markers
- Computer and projector (optional)

Classroom Set-up:
-Pre-Established Wind Ensemble Setup

STANDARDS
AZ/National Performance Objectives Addressed (include both the label and description
copy/pasted):
● CR2: Select and develop melodic and rhythmic ideas or motives that demonstrate
understanding of characteristic(s) of music or text(s) studied in rehearsal.
● PR4: Demonstrate how understanding the style, genre, and context of a varied repertoire
of music influences prepared and improvised performances as well as performer's
technical skill to connect with the audience
● RE7: Demonstrate and justify how the analysis of structures, contexts, and performance
decisions inform the response to music.

Categories Addressed from National Music Standards:

Creating
☐ Imagine: Generate musical ideas for various purposes and contexts
☐ Plan and Make: Select and develop musical ideas for defined purposes and contexts
☐ Evaluate and Refine: Evaluate and refine selected musical ideas to create musical work that meets
appropriate criteria
☐ Present: Share creative musical work that conveys intent, demonstrates craftsmanship, and
exhibits originality
Performing

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 ☐ Select: Select varied musical works to present based on interest, knowledge, technical skill, and
context
☐ Analyze: Analyze the structure and context of varied musical works and their implications for
performance
☐ Interpret: Develop personal interpretations that consider creators’ intent
☐ Rehearse, Evaluate, and Refine: Evaluate and refine personal and ensemble performances,
individuality or in collaboration with others
☐ Present: Perform expressively, with appropriate interpretation and technical accuracy, and in a
manner appropriate to the audience and context
Responding
☐ Select: Choose music appropriate for a specific purpose or context
☐ Analyze: Analyze how the structure and context of varied musical works inform the response
☐ Interpret: Support interpretations of musical works that reflect creators’/performers’ expressive
intent
☐ Evaluate: Support evaluations of musical works and performances based on analysis,
interpretation, and established criteria
Connecting
☐ Connect: Synthesize and relate knowledge and personal experiences to make music
☐ Connect: Relate musical ideas and works to varied contexts and daily life to deepen understanding

LESSON PLAN ACTIVITIES

I. Introductory Activity/Anticipatory Set: ~10 Minutes
● To connect what we will be doing in the lesson to what they already are familiar with,
students will …
o Review previous performances and music theory lessons.
o Play a recording of a previous performance of Lightning Field and have students
identify key elements of the piece.

II. Activities to Learn/Demonstrate New Concepts

● Activity 1: Students will…
o Analyze and listen to Lightning Field and review difficult passages with other
students.
o Use pencil to highlight and mark their parts as needed to help identify and notate
challenging parts of the piece, and note areas of tension
o “How does the composer use harmony to create tension and release in the piece?”

● Activity 2: Students will…

o Practice individual and ensemble sections of the piece with a focus on technical
accuracy and musical expression..
o Students can and are encouraged to work together in small groups, whether that
be their sections or with other sections.
o “How does the form of the piece contribute to the overall emotional impact of the
music?”

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 ● Activity 3: Students will…
o Analyze the compositional elements and stylistic features of Lightning Field,
including form, harmony, rhythm, and timbre.
o Analyze how stylistic elements contribute to the development of a style and feel
for the piece.
o “How does the composer use timbre to create a sense of space and atmosphere?”

III. Concluding “Musical Success” Activity: ~10 Minutes

● Students will…
o Review key concepts and stylistic elements of Lightning Field discussed in the
lesson.
o Perform and rehearse Lightning Field and demonstrate the knowledge and
understanding gained through analysis of musical themes and structure

IV. Extensions:
● (If needed for differentiated instruction, homework practice, extra time in class, future
lesson plans), students will…
o Continue work on individual technique and musical analysis for Lightning Field

SUMMATIVE ASSESSMENTS
● What Assessment Activity/Assignment will measure the main objectives/standards?:
o Students will perform Lightning Field in a public concert, and will be assessed
using a rubric that includes criteria such as technical accuracy, musical
expression, and analysis of the compositional elements and stylistic features of the
piece.

● Rubric to Assess Growth/Performance of the Main Objectives/Standards (fill in cells):

Criteria 4-Excelling; 3-Meets the 2-Approaching 1-Falls far
Exceeds the Standard below
Standard
Technical Demonstrates Displays solid Displays some Demonstrates
Proficiency exceptional technical technical weak technical
technical proficiency on proficiency on proficiency on
proficiency on their instrument their instrument their instrument
their instrument and can execute and struggles and consistently
and consistently most challenging with difficult struggles with
executes difficult passages with passages, but can executing even
passages with accuracy and perform simpler the simplest
accuracy and precision. ones with passages with
precision.

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 accuracy and accuracy and
precision. precision.
Artistic Displays Displays solid Displays some Demonstrates
Expression exceptional musicianship musicianship weak
musicianship and brings some and struggles musicianship
and brings depth, depth, nuance, with bringing and lacks depth,
nuance, and and expression depth, nuance, nuance, and
expression to to their and expression expression in
their performances. to their their
performances. Exhibits some performances. performances.
Exhibits a high creativity in their Exhibits limited Exhibits no
level of interpretation of creativity in their creativity in their
creativity in their the music. interpretation of interpretation of
interpretation of the music. the music.
the music.
Collaborative Demonstrates Displays solid Displays some Demonstrates
Skills exceptional collaborative collaborative weak
collaborative skills, skills, struggles collaborative
skills, communicates with effective skills, lacks
communicates effectively with communication effective
effectively with other ensemble with other communication
other ensemble members, and ensemble with other
members, and works towards a members, and ensemble
consistently unified musical occasionally members, and
works towards a vision most of works towards a rarely works
unified musical the time. unified musical towards a
vision. vision. unified musical
vision.

LESSON PLAN ACTIVITY CHECKLIST:

Do All Students:
☐ talk or use their voice at least once? ☐ make choices?
☐ improve a musical skill/concept? ☐ make music?
☐ apply concepts in an original way? ☐ move to music?
☐ get a chance to assess themselves/others ☐ work with partner/small group?

Does the Teacher:

☐ Have an objective that is meaningful, doable, and measurable?
☐ Use varied activities that address multiple learning styles?

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☐ Adopt multiple instructional roles/strategies (i.e., collaborative work, solo work, group work,
etc.)?
☐ Incorporate various materials, technologies, and manipulatives to teach the concept?
☐ Include activities/methods that build community and a positive classroom culture?
☐ Ask questions that serve multiple purposes, included higher-order thinking?
☐ Use multiple formative assessment strategies that engage the students and help the teacher
check for understanding?
☐ Offer choices that allow for discovery and application of the material in original ways?
☐ Designs summative assessments that match instruction in content, rigor, and format
☐ Maximizes active participation so that ALL students are actively learning at ALL times
☐ Allots appropriate timing to activities for optimized pacing
☐ Provides accurate content which includes essential information
☐ Uses academic language of the discipline accurately and creates opportunities for students to
use the academic language
☐ Provides clear instructions in multiple ways for each activity (i.e., verbally, in writing,
projected, worksheet directions, modeling, student restating in their own words, etc.)

POST-TEACHING REFLECTION (to be done after teaching this plan):

Question: Your Answer:
By the end of the lesson,
did all or mostly all ☐ Yes
students demonstrate that
learning objective? Check ☐ No
one:
What went well during the
lesson?
Did you deviate from the
lesson plan while
teaching? Why, what did
you change, and how did
it go?
If you were to teach this
again, what would you
change or do differently
next time?

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