LESSON PLAN TEMPLATE:

Musical Selection: Remember (From Two Rossetti Songs) by Stephen Chatman

Concert Title: Spring Chorus Concert
Ensemble: High School Select Chorus
Time Required: 10 Rehearsals

Common Core Standards:

Performing Arts:
1) MU: Pr6.1.8a Perform music with stylistic expression, technical accuracy,
interpretation, and culturally authentic practices.
2) MU: Pr4.2.H.8b Use aural skills and standard notation(rhythmic, melodic, and harmonic)
when analyzing selected music.
3) MU: Pr 6.1.8c Respond appropriately to aural and visual cues
4) MU: Re8.1.H.8a Identify and explain how the expressive qualities; elements of music; and
social, cultural, and/or historical context influence performers’ interpretations to reflect
expressive intent.
5) MU: Cr3.2.H.8b Demonstrate and explain expressive intent, and development and
organization of musical ideas, based on evaluation criteria and craftsmanship.
Literacy:
1) Interpret words and phrases as they are used in a text, including determining technical,
connotative, and figurative meanings, and analyze how specific word choices shape meaning or
tone.
2) Analyze how two or more texts address similar themes or topics in order to build knowledge
or to compare the approaches the authors take.

Objectives:
Through this piece students will know/identify:
1) dynamics(piano, crescendo, decrescendo, mezzo forte, mezzo piano, forte)
2) text painting
3) dotted rhythms and triplets
4)
Through this piece students will be able to:
5) sing with accurate and expressive dynamics
6) identify and describe text painting
7) sing and chant dotted rhythms and triplet rhythms accurately

Assessments: (Every objective must be linked to an assessment-formal or informal)

Objective 1: Students can answer out loud what each dynamic level means. [informal-
teacher will listen as students answer]
Objective 2: 5: Students can sing with distinct differences in dynamic and tone between
the sections of the piece [informal- teacher will listen during rehearsal]
Objective 3: Students can bring out the entrances throughout the piece making sure
each entrance is brought out above the other voices. [informal- teacher will listen during
rehearsal]
 Objective 4: Students can sing and chant with correct rhythms [informal- teacher will
listen during rehearsal]
Objective 5: Students can describe text painting and pick out a section or line where text
painting is occurring [formal- teacher will grade students papers]
Preparatory Exercises:
Warmups: (choose warmups that lead to appropriate vocal production for this
piece)
1) “Me-ah” - phrasing crescendos and decrescendos
2) “Diction is Done with the Tip of the Tongue and the Teeth” - diction
3) “Mmee, mmeh, mwah, mmoh, mmoo”- pure vowels; different dynamic levels
4) “No-Ah” in rounds with dynamics – work dynamics and part independence when
different sections are coming it at different times
Sight-reading: (choose measures from the repertoire that can be used for sight-
reading)
1) From ‘remember’ to ‘silent land’ (focusing on phrasing) -pg. 1
2) From ‘For’ to ‘had’ (focusing on tempo changes) -pg. 3

Rehearsal of Piece:
Day 1: -explain to students what free tempo is and explain how the piece is going to be sung
-listen to the piece and follow along with the score (https://www.youtube.com/watch?
v=HAGUtO37Y7M)
- correct errors as necessary
Day 2: -sight read from beginning to ‘silent land’, focusing on phrasing (with piano)
- correct errors as necessary
Day 3: -sight read from ‘for’ to ‘had’ (pg. 3), focusing on tempo changes and getting eyes up
(with piano)
-have students go through their score and highlight/circle all the tempo changes
- correct errors as necessary
Day 4: -review beginning of page 1 (without piano)
-rote teach from ‘when’ (pg. 1) to ‘understand’ (pg. 2) (with piano)
- correct errors as necessary
Day 5: -rote teach from ‘it’ (pg. 2) to ‘leave’ (pg. 3) (with piano)
- correct errors as necessary
Day 6: -work on memorizing the song (sing all pages with little piano reminders if necessary)
-while students are memorizing the song, make sure they are looking up at the conductor for
tempo changes and dynamics and phrasing
- correct errors as necessary
Day 7: -explain what text painting is and provide and example (not from the music)
-have students look through their music and see if they can find an example of text painting and
assign them the following: Look through Remember (From Two Rossetti Songs) and find an
example of text painting and explain why it is text painting (due at next rehearsal)
-give students time in class to start working on their assignment and to ask any questions (if
they finish their assignment, they can turn it in early)
Day 8: -students hand in assignments from last class if they have not done so already (without
piano if possible)
-sing through song from memory, paying attention to phrasing and expression
Day 9: -sing through the song from memory, paying special attention to diction and tuning (NO
PIANO!)
- correct errors as necessary
Day 10: -sing through full song from memory and polish as teacher seems necessary (go over
diction, expressive gestures, dynamics, phrasing, tuning chords) (NO PIANO!)

Modifications: provide extra time; large printed music, scribe for written assignment; reading
written questions out loud (on assignment sheet)

Changes for next time: