Middle/Secondary Education Lesson Template

Candidate Name: LaKyya Washington

Content Area/Grade Level: Choir, 10-12

Unit Topic: Musicality and Expression

Unit Compelling Question: What is the piece portraying and how do we convey it?

Lesson Topic: Legato and Depth

Describe the students in the classroom:

(for example -- cultural and ethnic diversity, religious diversity, number of students who receive free/reduced lunch,
are gifted, are ELL, have an IEP, and/or a 504 plan, have varied learning styles, etc...)

32 students, 15 African-American students, JROTC students, athletes, ??? 504 plans, ??? GSSP (Gifted Special
Service Plan)

Standard(s) Addressed in the Lesson:

- MU:Pr6.1.E.I | Demonstrate attention to technical accuracy and expressive qualities in
prepared and improvised performances of a varied repertoire of music representing
diverse cultures, styles, and genres.

- MU:Re8.1.E.I | Explain and support interpretations of the expressive intent and meaning
of musical works, citing as evidence the treatment of the elements of music, contexts,
(when appropriate) the setting of the text, and personal research.

- MU:Pr5.1.E.II | Develop and apply appropriate rehearsal strategies to address individual

and ensemble challenges in a varied repertoire of music, and evaluate their success.

Essential Content for the Lesson:

“Glow” by Eric Whitacre

Lesson Guiding Question: What steps can we take to bring this music to life?

Lesson Objective(s):
 - I can accurately perform notated dynamics and expressive elements.
- I can interpret a piece’s meaning by analyzing the score.
- I can identify and perform different strategies to reach a musical goal.

Materials for Lesson:

- “Glow” by Eric Whitacre
- Piano
- Whiteboard
- Expo markers

Formative Assessment(s):
- Teacher will have students perform an excerpt of the piece to assess dynamic contrast
amongst sections.
- Teacher will call on individuals and/or small groups to share what they think the piece is
intending to portray.
- Teacher will call on individuals and/or small groups to identify strategies the class could
use to further convey the musical and extramusical messages intended by the composer.

Lesson Procedures and Notes: (add additional rows as needed)

Procedure/Activity/Transition Questions to Ask; Materials to Use; Accommodations
and/or Modifications
Daily stretching and warm-ups: Students with injuries or who are under special
- Adding in a solfege interval activity to circumstances can remain seated for stretches.
reinforce intervals in preparation for
assessment The interval activity:
- I will set the key
- I will play familiar intervals (do-mi, do-sol,
la-sol)
- Students will repeat the intervals back on solfege
Sight singing activity: We will complete our sight reading activity through the
- Sight singing worksheet KMEA assessment method.
Before sight reading, we will review the order of which
we scan our music:
- Clef
- Time
- Key
 - First note
Transition: This exercise is a way to help students get familiar with
- Exercise on “lo” to contrast unconnected my conducting while introducing the topics that will be
and connected syllables discussed in today’s lesson.
“Let’s make this one super connected and flowy”
“Let’s make this one very separated and strict”
“Follow my conducting”
- Each voice part will sing a different pitch in a B
major triad
- My conducting will switch between connected,
unconnected, and all dynamic markings
- “Lo” is being used because of the word “glow”
which is repeated in the text
- This will set students up to get the
consonant in a forward place to move to
the vowel quicker.

Rehearsal: Rehearsal will start with students singing their pitches

- Rehearse “Glow” on and off text to
further prepare students for their concert
on March 7
on text while thinking of the connection they performed
on the word “lo”. I will instruct them to focus on the
dynamic markings with the absence of words.
There will be a listening activity as a transition:
Glow - Eric Whitacre
- “Let’s listen to this performance while following
along. Think about what this piece intends to
portray.”
- “Take 30 seconds to discuss with a partner what
you interpreted.”
- “Can someone sum up their interpretation into
one word?”
- Here, I will write the words students give on the
board behind me.
- “With this new perspective, how can we change
our performance to match what we want to share
with the audience?”
After assessing the shared answers, we will perform
again.
Explain how this lesson addresses the lesson objective(s) and standards.
By isolating the main lesson topics into a short exercise, I have introduced the focus in a
non-applied way. The syllable singing activity addresses the dynamic contrast of the first
objective. The initial performance on syllables assesses the performance of dynamic contrast by
reading notation. The summarized interpretation addresses the “responding” objective. Having
students identify what changes are needed to succeed addresses the third objective.

How did the lesson address the diverse needs/experiences of the students in the classroom?
This lesson has alternatives to daily stretches for students who are not feeling well. Students who
have ideas but are not comfortable sharing them with the entire class have an opportunity to
voice their opinions with a partner instead. With this class being discussion-heavy, there are
several opportunities for response. Students who work well with visuals and not with aural
instruction will have words displayed on the board for inspiration or reminders.