Esslinger Unit Plan

Unit Plan
Sarah Esslinger Fall 2023
Overview
Class: Grade 6 Chorus
Goal: Students will be able to sing repertoire in two-part harmony.
Objective: Students will be able to sing measures 5-12 of “Winter Waltz” in two-part harmony.
Standards:
• National Standard: MU:Pr5.3.E.8a Develop strategies to address technical challenges in a varied repertoire of music and
evaluate their success using feedback from ensemble peers and other sources to refine performances.
• PA Standard: 9.1.9.A. Know and use the elements and principles of each art form to create works in the arts and humanities.
Prior Learning:
• Ability to sing in unison with healthy vocal technique
• Experience singing two-part rounds, learned by rote
• Established lesson routine: warm-ups, sight-singing, round, repertoire
Accommodations:
• For students who have a limited range, notated parts will be adjusted as necessary.
• Students with physical disabilities can remain seated.
• Students with learning disabilities are assigned “buddy” students.
• Advanced students will be given the opportunity to “perform” for the class and receive feedback.
Materials: Piano, “Winter Waltz” by Vicki Tucker Courtney, student Chromebooks with recording capabilities
Unit Plan
Lesson 1
Objectives:
• Students will be able to identify their part in the “Winter Waltz” score.
• Students will be able to sing measures 5-8 and 9-12 of “Winter Waltz” in two-part harmony.
Standards:
• National Standards:
o MU:Pr5.3.E.5a Use self-reflection and peer feedback to refine individual and ensemble performances of a varied
repertoire of music.
o MU:Pr5.3.E.8a Develop strategies to address technical challenges in a varied repertoire of music and evaluate their
success using feedback from ensemble peers and other sources to refine performances.
Prior Learning:
Assessment: My assessment plan is formative. I will carefully watch and listen to students, and the results will be used to inform my
verbal feedback and vocal modeling. For instance, if students are not speaking text with clear articulation, I will identify specific
consonants that students should make clearer.
Differentiation:
• Incorporating different learning styles: kinesthetic learning of rhythms in the warm-up, visual learning with music scores,
auditory learning from teacher model
• Adapting my lesson plan based on formative assessment
• Breaking concepts into 2-measure chunks
• Using guiding questions with planned partners
Unit Plan
Sequence of Skills Worked Procedure How It Is Time

Lesson On Assessed Estimation
1. Warm-ups 1. Body 1. clapping: eighth-eighth half, repeat Watch body 12 minutes

engagement, • Invite students to stand engagement
rhythm pattern • Introducing rhythm pattern in “Winter Waltz”
• Model rhythm, students copy
2. Breath
awareness 2. breath/articulation: 3-beat consonant call-and-response
• Reinforcing ¾ meter of “Winter Waltz” Listen to
3. Connection to • Demonstrate 3-beat consonant pattern (example: ts sh sh) articulation
breath • Gesture to students to copy
4. Closed vowel, 3. lip trill: 1-2-3-4-5-4-3-2-1, C4-A4 Listen to breath
tone consistency
4. [zu]: 5-4-3-2-1, G4-B3
5. Voiced Listen to vowel
• Start exercise with piano, demonstrate next starting pitches
consonants vocally
6. Diction Listen to pitch
5. zinga zinga zoo: 1-5 1-5 5-4-3-2-1, D4-A4
accuracy and “z”
• Demonstrate on speech, students copy
7. Pitch pattern
6. “the lips, the teeth, the tip of the tongue”: 1-2-3-4-5-4-3-2-1, C4-E4
8. Solfege Listen to
articulation
7. legato [du]: 3-4-3 2-3-2 1-2-1 7-1-7 1 Listen to
• Introducing pitch pattern in “Winter Waltz” technical
• Demonstrate vocally twice, students copy accuracy
8. sight-singing exercise Listen to pitch,
• Posted on board watch hand signs
Unit Plan
2. Round: Diction 1. Text Listen to diction 10 minutes

“Hey Ho, • Demonstrate 2-measure phrases, students copy
Anybody Technical • Demonstrate measures 1-4, students copy
Home?” accuracy • Demonstrate entire text, students copy
• Repeat multiple times, varying vocal inflection
Balance Listen to
2. Text in rhythm technical
• Demonstrate 2-measure phrases, students copy accuracy
• Demonstrate measures 1-4, students copy
• Demonstrate entire song, students copy
Listen to
3. Pitches, unaccompanied
technical
4. Unison Listen to balance

• Explain how to end song (“Hey ho, anybody home?” repeats)
• Students sing entire song once in unison
• Students sing entire song twice in unison
5. Two-part singing Listen to balance

• Tell: “Raise your hand if you are in part 1” (repeat for part 2)
• Students sing entire song twice in two-part harmony
o Part 1 begins, followed by part 2
Unit Plan
3. Repertoire: Diction 1. Measures 5-12: text Listen to diction 15 minutes

“Winter Waltz” • Demonstrate 2-measure phrases, students copy
Technical • Demonstrate 4-measure phrases, students copy
accuracy • Demonstrate entire text, students copy
Balance 2. Measures 5-12: text in rhythm Listen to

• Demonstrate 2-measure phrases, students copy technical
• Demonstrate entire text, students copy
• Recall: “This is the rhythm we clapped at the beginning of
class.”
3. Identify two-parts
• Show and tell: “Part 1 – you are on the top line.”
• Student identification: “Part 1 – turn to the singer next to you,
Listen to student
and show them your line.” responses, watch
o Check in with “buddies” (students with learning student shares
disabilities and their assigned partners)
• Show and tell: “Part 2 – you are on the bottom line.”

and show them your line.”
o Check in with “buddies”
4. Measures 5-8: pitches with piano accompaniment

• Ask: “Do you start low on the staff or high on the staff?” Listen to
o Unison student response: “low” technical
accuracy
• Demonstrate 2-measure phrases, students copy
• Demonstrate 4-measure phrase, students copy
Unit Plan
• Recall: “These are the same notes we learned in our [du] warm-
up.”
• Repeat measures 5-8
5. Identify two-part split

• Ask: “So far, parts 1 and 2 have been singing the same notes.
But what happens on ‘waltzing by’?” Listen to student
o Student volunteer: “We sing different notes.” responses
• Ask: “Which part has the higher notes?”

o Unison student response: “part 1”
• Ask: “Which part has the lower notes?”

• Part 1 alone
o Demonstrate 2-measure phrases, students copy
o Demonstrate 4-measure phrase, students copy Listen to
technical
• Part 2 alone
accuracy and
balance
o Demonstrate 4-measure phrase, students copy
• Tell: “Parts 1 and 2 start on the same notes”

• Parts 1 and 2 together

Unit Plan
Lesson 2
Objectives:
• Students will be able to sing measures 5-12 of “Winter Waltz” in two-part harmony.
• Students will be able to identify two-part harmony as they listen to measures 5-12 of “Winter Waltz.”
Standards:
Prior Learning:
• Learned the rhythms and pitches for measures 5-8 and 9-12 of “Winter Waltz”
Assessment: My assessment plan is formative. I will carefully watch and listen to students, and the results will be used to inform my
verbal feedback and vocal modeling. At the end of the lesson, small groups will sing measures 5-12 of “Winter Waltz” for the entire
class, and I will use the results to inform my future instruction on part independence.
Differentiation:
• Incorporating different learning styles: kinesthetic learning of rhythms in the warm-up, visual learning with music scores,
auditory learning from teacher model
Unit Plan

1. Warm-ups 1. Body 1. stepping: eighth-eighth half, repeat Watch body 12 minutes

rhythm pattern • Reinforcing rhythm pattern in “Winter Waltz”
2. Breath
awareness 2. breath/articulation: 3-beat consonant call-and-response Listen to
• Reinforcing ¾ meter of “Winter Waltz” consonant
3. Connection to • Demonstrate 3-beat consonant pattern (example: ts sh sh) accuracy
breath • Gesture to students to copy
4. Closed vowel, 3. “v”: 1-2-3-4-5-4-3-2-1, C4-A4 Listen to breath
tone consistency
4. [zu]: 5-4-3-2-1, G4-B3
5. Voiced Listen to vowel
consonants and “z”
vocally
6. Diction Listen to vowel
5. beedy beedy bee: 1-2-3-4-5-4-3-2-1, D4-A4
placement
7. Pitch pattern
6. “red leather, yellow leather”: 1-2-3-4-5-4-3-2-1, C4-E4
8. Solfege Listen to
articulation
7. legato [du]: 3-4-3 2-3-2 1-2-1 7-1-7 1 Listen to
• Introducing pitch pattern in “Winter Waltz” technical
• Demonstrate vocally twice, students copy accuracy
8. sight-singing exercise Listen to pitch,
• Posted on board watch hand signs
Unit Plan
2. Round: Diction 1. Remind: text Listen to diction 10 minutes

“Hey Ho, • Demonstrate measures 1-4, students copy
Anybody Technical • Demonstrate entire text, students copy
Home?” accuracy • Repeat multiple times, varying vocal inflection
Balance 2. Remind: text in rhythm Listen to

• Demonstrate measures 1-4, students copy technical
Interpretation • Demonstrate entire song, students copy accuracy
3. Remind: pitches, unaccompanied

Listen to
technical
accuracy
4. Unison
• Remind how to end song (“Hey ho, anybody home?” repeats) Listen to balance
5. Two-part singing
• Tell: “Raise your hand if you are in part 1” (repeat for part 2)
• Students sing entire song twice in two-part harmony Listen to balance
6. Extension: word stress Listen to

• Ask: “Which word is most important in the _____ line?” interpretation
o 1 line: “anybody,” 2 line: “money,” 3 line: 2 “very”
st nd rd nd
• Demonstrate word stress, students copy in unison

Unit Plan
3. Repertoire: Diction 1. Remind: two-parts Listen to student 15 minutes

“Winter Waltz” • Student identification: “Part 2 – turn to the singer next to you, responses, watch
Technical and show them your line.” student shares
accuracy o Check in with “buddies” (students with learning
disabilities and their assigned partners)
Balance
and show them your line.”
2. Remind: measures 5-8

• Text
o Demonstrate entire text, students copy Listen to diction
• Text in rhythm
o Demonstrate entire text, students copy
o Recall: “This is the rhythm we stepped to at the Listen to
beginning of class.” technical
accuracy
• Pitches
o Ask: “Do you start low on the staff or high on the
staff?”
o Unison student response: “low” Listen to student
responses
o Recall: “These are the same notes we learned in our

[du] warm-up.”
Unit Plan
3. Remind: two-part split Watch student

• Student identification: “Turn to the singer next to you, and tell shares
them: when do parts 1 and 2 have different notes?”
o After discussion – student volunteer: “waltzing by”
• Ask: “Which part has the higher notes?”

o Unison student response: “part 1” Listen to student
• Ask: “Which part has the lower notes?” responses
4. Remind: measures 9-12

• Text Listen to diction
o Demonstrate entire text, students copy
• Text in rhythm Listen to

o Demonstrate entire text, students copy technical
accuracy
• Part 1: pitches with piano accompaniment
Listen to student
• Part 2: pitches with piano accompaniment
responses
• Parts 1 and 2: pitches with piano accompaniment

o Tell: “Parts 1 and 2 start on the same notes”
Unit Plan

• Ask and point: “Look at the first line you sing. Now look at the
second line. Do the lines start the same or differently?”
o Unison student response: “same” Listen to
technical
• Demonstrate combined phrases, students copy accuracy
6. Small-group “performance”: measures 5-12

• Tell: “Now that we know the first page of ‘Winter Waltz,’ who
would like to sing their part in a small group for the class?” Listen to
technical
• Student volunteers form two groups at the front of the room accuracy and
(part 1 and part 2) balance
• Tell: “While the small group is singing, listen for the two parts.
After they sing, I will ask whether you heard both parts.”
• Small group performs measures 5-12 with piano

accompaniment
• Ask: “Did you hear both parts? Raise your hand if you heard
both parts. Raise your hand if you did not.”
Watch student
o If several students did not – repeat exercise with same
responses
group
• If more students want to sing in a small group, repeat step 6

Unit Plan
Lesson 3
Objectives:
• Students will be able to sing measures 5-12 of “Winter Waltz” in two-part harmony.
• Students will be able to identify two-part harmony as they listen to measures 5-12 of “Winter Waltz.”
• Students will be able to accurately record their part in measures 5-12 of “Winter Waltz.”
Standards:
Prior Learning:
• Learned the rhythms and pitches for measures 5-12 of “Winter Waltz”
Assessment: My assessment plan is summative. While the choir sings measures 5-12 of “Winter Waltz,” I will have each student
individually record themselves. After class, I will listen to the recordings, and I will use the results to inform future instruction on part
independence.
Differentiation:
• Incorporating different learning styles: kinesthetic, visual, auditory
Unit Plan

1. Warm-ups 1. Body 1. stepping and clapping: eighth-eighth half, repeat Watch body 12 minutes
rhythm pattern • Reinforcing rhythm pattern in “Winter Waltz”
2. Breath • Part 1 steps, part 2 claps
awareness • Switch roles
Listen to
3. Connection to 2. breath/articulation: 3-beat consonant call-and-response consonant
breath • Reinforcing ¾ meter of “Winter Waltz” accuracy
• Demonstrate 3-beat consonant pattern (example: ts sh sh)
4. Closed vowel,
• Gesture to students to copy
tone Listen to breath
consistency
3. “v”: 1-2-3-4-5-4-3-2-1, C4-A4
5. Open vowel
Listen to vowel
4. [zu]: 5-4-3-2-1, G4-B3
6. Diction and “z”
vocally
7. Pitch pattern Listen to vowel
placement
5. “blah”: 5-4-3-2-1, D4-A4
8. Solfege
• Demonstrate on speech, students copy Listen to
articulation
6. “the lips, the teeth, the tip of the tongue”: 1-2-3-4-5-4-3-2-1, C4-E4
• Demonstrate on speech, students copy Listen to
technical
7. legato [du]: 3-4-3 2-3-2 1-2-1 7-1-7 1
accuracy
• Introducing pitch pattern in “Winter Waltz”
Listen to pitch,
8. sight-singing exercise
watch hand signs
• Posted on board
Unit Plan
2. Round: Diction 1. Remind: text Listen to diction 10 minutes

“Hey Ho, • Demonstrate entire text, students copy
Anybody Technical • Repeat multiple times, varying vocal inflection
Home?” accuracy
2. Remind: text in rhythm
Balance • Demonstrate entire song, students copy Listen to
• Repeat multiple times, varying vocal inflection technical
Interpretation accuracy
3. Remind: pitches, unaccompanied
Listen to
4. Unison technical
accuracy
• Explain how to end song (“Hey ho, anybody home?” repeat)
5. Two-part singing
• Students sing entire song twice in two-part harmony Listen to balance
6. Extension: word stress Listen to balance

• Ask: “What are the three important words?”
o 1st line: “anybody,” 2nd line: “money,” 3rd line: 2nd “very”
• Demonstrate word stress, students copy in unison
7. Two-part singing with word stress Listen to

• Students sing entire song twice in two-part harmony interpretation
Unit Plan
3. Repertoire: Technical 1. Remind: two-parts Listen to student 15 minutes

“Winter Waltz” accuracy • Ask: “Is part 1 the top or the bottom line?” responses, watch
o Unison student response: “top” student shares
Balance • Ask: “Is part 2 the top or the bottom line?”
o Unison student response: “bottom”
Diction
• Student identification: “Turn to the singer next to you, and tell
them: when do parts 1 and 2 have different notes?”
o After discussion – unison student response: “waltzing
by”
2. Remind: pitches in measures 5-8, with piano accompaniment Listen to

• Demonstrate 4-measure phrase, students copy technical
accuracy
3. Remind: pitches in measures 9-12, with piano accompaniment
• Part 1: pitches
• Part 2: pitches
• Parts 1 and 2: pitches with piano accompaniment

o Tell: “Parts 1 and 2 start on the same notes”
4. Remind: pitches in measures 5-12, with piano accompaniment

Listen to student
• Ask and point: “Look at the first line you sing. Now look at the
responses
second line. Do the lines start the same or differently?”
o Unison student response: “same”
Unit Plan
• Demonstrate combined phrases, students copy Listen to

• Repeat measures 5-12 technical
accuracy
5. Recording
• Tell: “Get out your Chromebooks, and open your recording app.
When we sing this section again, record yourself singing.” Listen to balance
• Wait for questions
• Students sing measures 5-12 with piano accompaniment as they

record themselves
• Tell: “Submit your recording to Google Classroom.”
6. Measures 25-32: text Listen to diction

Listen to
7. Measures 25-32: text in rhythm technical

• Demonstrate 4-measure phrases, students copy Listen to
• Parts 1 and 2 split – measures 29-32 technical
accuracy and
• Ask: “What do you notice?” balance
• Student volunteer: same music as before
• Students sing measures 25-32, repeat

Unit Plan
Scoring
Rubric for “Winter Waltz” Recording 0 errors = 6 / 6 points
1 error = 5 / 6 points
Student Name:__________________________ 2 errors = 4 / 6 points
3 errors = 3 / 6 points
Part:______ (1 or 2) 4 errors = 2 / 6 points
Score: ___/6 6 errors = 0 / 6 points
Measures 5-8 Measures 9-12
Text
Rhythm
Pitch
Comments:
Unit Plan
Example of Completed Rubric

Scoring
Rubric for “Winter Waltz” Recording 0 errors = 6 / 6 points
1 error = 5 / 6 points
Student Name: Mary Pauling 2 errors = 4 / 6 points
Part: 2 (1 or 2) 4 errors = 2 / 6 points
Score: 5/6 6 errors = 0 / 6 points
Measures 5-8 Measures 9-12
Text No error No error
Rhythm No error No error
Pitch Error in measure 8 – ended on C No error
Comments:
Remember to move back down in pitch at measure 8

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Unit Plan

Sarah Esslinger Fall 2023

Class: Grade 6 Chorus

Goal: Students will be able to sing repertoire in two-part harmony.

• Experience singing two-part rounds, learned by rote

• Established lesson routine: warm-ups, sight-singing, round, repertoire

Sequence of Skills Worked Procedure How It Is Time

1. Warm-ups 1. Body 1. clapping: eighth-eighth half, repeat Watch body 12 minutes

2. Round: Diction 1. Text Listen to diction 10 minutes

4. Unison Listen to balance

5. Two-part singing Listen to balance

3. Repertoire: Diction 1. Measures 5-12: text Listen to diction 15 minutes

Balance 2. Measures 5-12: text in rhythm Listen to

• Show and tell: “Part 2 – you are on the bottom line.”

4. Measures 5-8: pitches with piano accompaniment

5. Identify two-part split

• Ask: “Which part has the higher notes?”

6. Measures 9-12: pitches with piano accompaniment

• Tell: “Parts 1 and 2 start on the same notes”

• Repeat measures 9-12

Sequence of Skills Worked Procedure How It Is Time

1. Warm-ups 1. Body 1. stepping: eighth-eighth half, repeat Watch body 12 minutes

2. Round: Diction 1. Remind: text Listen to diction 10 minutes

Balance 2. Remind: text in rhythm Listen to

3. Remind: pitches, unaccompanied

6. Extension: word stress Listen to

• Demonstrate word stress, students copy in unison

3. Repertoire: Diction 1. Remind: two-parts Listen to student 15 minutes

2. Remind: measures 5-8

o Recall: “These are the same notes we learned in our

3. Remind: two-part split Watch student

• Ask: “Which part has the higher notes?”

4. Remind: measures 9-12

• Text in rhythm Listen to

• Parts 1 and 2: pitches with piano accompaniment

5. Measures 5-12: pitches with piano accompaniment

6. Small-group “performance”: measures 5-12

• Small group performs measures 5-12 with piano

• If more students want to sing in a small group, repeat step 6

Sequence of Skills Worked Procedure How It Is Time

2. Round: Diction 1. Remind: text Listen to diction 10 minutes

6. Extension: word stress Listen to balance

7. Two-part singing with word stress Listen to

3. Repertoire: Technical 1. Remind: two-parts Listen to student 15 minutes

2. Remind: pitches in measures 5-8, with piano accompaniment Listen to

• Parts 1 and 2: pitches with piano accompaniment

4. Remind: pitches in measures 5-12, with piano accompaniment

• Demonstrate combined phrases, students copy Listen to

• Students sing measures 5-12 with piano accompaniment as they

• Tell: “Submit your recording to Google Classroom.”

6. Measures 25-32: text Listen to diction

8. Measures 25-32: pitches with piano accompaniment

• Students sing measures 25-32, repeat

Measures 5-8 Measures 9-12

Example of Completed Rubric

Measures 5-8 Measures 9-12

Text No error No error

Rhythm No error No error

Pitch Error in measure 8 – ended on C No error

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