FULL Lesson Plan for the Elementary Music Class

Teacher Name: Taton Bennett Target Grade Level: 3rd grade

Musical Concept of Focus: Low So

Standards Being Addressed:

MU Pr6.1.3a: Perform music with expression and technical accuracy.
MU:Cr1.1.3b: Generate musical ideas (such as rhythms and melodies) within a given tonality
and/or meter.

Materials of Instruction:
Lesson Sequence (lessons may have more or less activities as appropriate):

Warm-up (5 minutes): use melodic warm-up bank again

 In key of F major
 Use solfege syllables this time, and also use solfege body signs (students should already know
these)
 T: “Ok class, I’m going to sing some solfege and I want you to sing it back to me.”
 Teacher then sings and signs several groups of 3 notes, usually an interval like so mi so but
sometimes keeping them all on one note or a pattern like so la la. This is on solfege so this
exercise is about matching pitch as well as using the correct syllable and body sign. Start simple
to complex and try to hit all the pitches before the end of it.

Entry Activity/Transition:
Introduce the song by singing it once through (establish tonality first) by myself and playing a steady beat
on a hand drum. “This is a lullaby from a group of Native Americans called the Chippewa. That is what
they were called a long time ago, but today their group is called something different - the Ojibwe or
Ojibway. They are from the Great Lakes region near Minnesota.”
“Did your grown-ups sing you lullabies when you were little? This is the kind of lullaby an Ojibwe parent
might have sung to their kids. Let’s learn it!”

Activity #1 Objective: Students in 3rd grade will sing Chippewa Lullaby with
accurate pitch, rhythm, and lyrics.

1. T: “Now we’re going to learn this song together! I’m going to sing one line at a time and I
want you to repeat after me.” Sing first 4 measures at a time and have Ss repeat after you.

2. T: “Now let’s do some fill in the blanks when I point to you.” Point to Ss on the last word of
every 4 measures. This is mostly for pitch since this song only has 1 word.

3. T: “Now let’s try to audiate the song and see if you can sing it silently just in your head. Tell
me if there’s any part that your brain can’t remember. I’ll play a steady beat on the hand drum
and count you in.” Count the Ss off and play hand drum while they “sing” it in their heads.

5. T: “Did your brains have trouble remembering any part? What was hardest for you?” Let Ss
answer, go over whatever was hardest.
6. T: “Ok, now I’m going to play the hand drum and I want you guys to sing the whole song with
me!” Ss join T for whole song.

7. T: “Now we’re going to do the same thing but I want you all to try to sing it without my help!
Can you sing the first word for me? Ok, now let’s try it.” Play accompaniment, count them off to
start.

Assessment: Are the students able to sing the Chippewa Lullaby by themselves while I play a
steady beat on a hand drum?

Transition: “Great job everyone! Now we’re going to learn how to play the hand drum while we
sing.”
Activity #2 Objective: Students in 3rd grade will demonstrate the rhythmic
accompaniment part to Chippewa Lullaby on hand drums with accurate rhythm.

1. T: “Watch me and join when you’re ready.” T pats lap with both hands, patting on beat one of
every measure (starting after the pickup measure). Once Ss have joined, T starts the song and Ss
join in while still patting.

2. T: “Watch me carefully and see what I change.” T pats lap like before, but now adding pats on
every beat (two beats per measure) and does so with just one hand at a time instead of both,
alternating left right left right.

3. T: “What did I do differently?” Ss answer. “Watch me and join when you’re ready.” Continue
the patting in rhythm and start the song again once all Ss have joined.

4. T: “Now we’re going to put this on our hand drums! Everyone pick up your drums as quietly
as you can and hold them still. Now watch what I do and join me when you’re ready.” Play the
rhythm from step 2 on the drum and start song once Ss have joined.

5. Split the class in half. T: “Let’s keep playing and sing it again, but this time, I want the first
half of the room to be in charge of singing “Chippewa Lullaby” and the second half to play the
hand drum part. Let’s try it!” Count them off.

8. T: “Now let’s switch groups!” Do the same as before, count them off.

Assessment: Are students able to play the accompaniment line on their hand drums with
accurate rhythm?

Transition: “That sounds great together! I think we’re ready to try some improvisation now!”

Activity #3 Objective: Students in 3rd grade will improvise melodically using

Chippewa Lullaby within the parameters of 2/4 in 3 consecutive 3 bar phrases.

Scope and Sequence Melodic Parameters: Do, mi, re, sol, low la (low sol also in song but
not used for melodic improvisation)

1. T: “I want you all to keep playing the accompaniment on the hand drums and I’m going to do
something different. Watch and listen closely to see what I do.” Ss play drums, T improvises new
sung melody using do, re, mi, sol, and la. Use slightly different rhythms than original melody but
fit within the 9 bars (+ pick up beat).

2. T: “What did I do just then?” Ss should answer something like, “You made something up” or
“You sang something different”

3. T: “That’s right, I made it up! That’s what we call improvisation. Now let’s switch. I’m going
to play the hand drum and I want you all to make up a melody just like I did.” T plays drum and
counts Ss in. Don’t specify which pitches they are allowed to use, just see what pitches they
choose on their own. Make sure to signal the end of the 9 bars on the hand drum in some way.
 4. T: “Now let’s all play the accompaniment on our drums together and sing the song at the same
time, and then when the song is over, I’ll keep playing the accompaniment and I want you all to
improvise a melody like you did just now. Does that make sense?” Check first, then count them
in and play and sing the song together, then keep playing while students improvise.

5. T: “Now let’s put it all together! Let’s split into the same groups as before and I want group 1
to play their drums while group 2 sings their improvisation, and then we’ll switch groups - so
group 2 will play and group 1 will improvise. Then, we’ll end the song by playing our drums and
singing the normal song all together without improvising.”

Assessment: Are students able to improvise a new sung melody over the 9 bars in 2/4 time?

Transition: “That was really cool to see you all come up with new melodies! Now let’s all put away our
drums together.”

Closure: “Great job learning today everyone! You learned a brand new song, learned how to play the
accompaniment on hand drums while singing, and you all created your own melodies. That is really
neat!”