Call and Response

Elementary Unit

2nd grade

Ryan Moos
 Table of Contents

Introduction to the unit..Pg. 3

Unit outline

Prepare..Pg. 5

Present..Pg. 6

Practice..Pg. 7

Pre-Assessment..Pg. 8

Lesson Plans

Prepare Lesson 1Pg. 9

Prepare Lesson 2.Pg. 11

Prepare Lesson 3....Pg. 13

Present Lesson 4..Pg. 15

Present Lesson 5..Pg. 17

Present lesson 6.Pg. 19

Present Lesson 7..Pg. 22

Practice Lesson 8..Pg. 25

Practice Lesson 9Pg. 27

Practice Lesson 10.Pg. 30

Post Unit Assessment.Pg. 32

Song analysis table and songs .Pg. 36

Sources Cited.Pg. 47
 Introduction to the Unit
The focus of this unit is call and response for second grade. This is a
concept that includes a call a musical thought, and a response that is
thought of as a reply to the original musical thought. This concept for
second grade is based off of USD 383s Manhattan Public School districts
curricular model. According to this curricular model students should
already be familiar with pulse vs no pulse, and the solfege syllables Mi, So,
and La. Students will also be familiar with matching pitch through vocal
exploration and learning the difference between high and low pitches. AB
and ABA forms will have been explored prior to this unit as well as broad
umbrella tempo and dynamic concepts such as loud, soft and andante vs
allegro. With this prior knowledge students will be ready to learn and
perform call and response songs.

Pre-Assessment:
For the pre-assessment students will be grouped into pairs with a full
class activity after working in pairs. While the students are grouped into
pairs each partner will write three questions so the pair will in total have six
questions. Once the partners have finished writing their questions they will
trade papers and answer their partners questions. These questions may not
have simple yes or no answers. Partner one will then ask partner two the
question and partner two will respond with their answer. I will then call on
each pair to tell me their favorite question and answer and I will write it on
the board. Then together as a class I will read the question and students will
respond with the answer written on the board.
This pre-assessment tool will help me determine my students
knowledge on answering after hearing a certain prompt. If my students
continue to ask the question with me or fail to say the answer I will know
my students need some help strengthening this concept. I can strengthen
this concept through more exercises like my pre-assessment. First we will
prepare this concept by having the students write out questions for their
partner to answer. Then we will present the concept of question and answer
by asking the students to identify the question and answer. Finally, we will
continue to practice this concept by asking each other questions every day
either written or aurally. This unit was prepared for second grade. All of the
included activities, songs, games, and warmup exercises were created to
continue developing new and prior musical skills and knowledge.
Post-Assessment
Three summative assessments will take place at the end of the unit.
These assessments will be a self-reflection, student quiz, and a teacher
rubric. Students will have the opportunity to reflect on their experiences
with developing their own Call and Response in groups of four. The
development of this exercise will take place over several class periods and
at the end of the unit students will be able to reflect over the experience
and final product in their groups. Students will be tested over their
knowledge and asked to identify the concept of call and response aurally
and visually and write down the distinguishing characteristics of a call and
response piece. Lastly, students will be graded on a rubric at an end of the
year performance. Students will be graded based on pitch, rhythmic,
dynamic, and lyric accuracy as well as student engagement during the
performance.
As students learn more about the concept of call and response, they
will continue to develop skills such as pitch, rhythm, and lyric
memorization through musical creativity, song learning, and cross-
curricular connections. Students will also practice instrumental technique
with xylophones and rhythm sticks.
The main aspect of this unit is to have students identify the large
form of Call and Response. In order to do this it is important for students to
be competent in their understanding of what a musical form is. To solidify
this knowledge students will compare and contrast a musical form they are
familiar with (AB form).
As well as gaining new knowledge and polishing prior musical
knowledge, students will learn about the history of each piece through
historical connections. Students will gain knowledge about the African
American culture through African American spirituals and childrens songs
such as Swing Low, East Coast Line, and Daniel. Students will have the
opportunity to learn more about this culture through musical and historical
interaction.
 Outline of the Unit
Prepare
The prepare stage is an opportunity for students to learn and interact
with the concept of call and response without formally labeling the
concept during the lessons. In this stage students have the opportunity to
interact with the concept of call and response through pattern work, games,
songs, and improvisational work. The activities and songs utilized in this
portion of the unit begin developing the students abilities to perform and
identify call and response by using the terms question and answer.
Activity 1: Daniel
In this activity students will transfer their knowledge of question and
answer into a body percussion activity. Students will take a question and
answer phrase provided by the teacher and work in pairs to clap, pat, or
stomp the syllables for the answer instead of verbally answering. The
students will also learn their first call and response song by rote. Once the
students become proficient in the response T will begin singing the call and
gesturing to the students to sing the response. The students will also
explore movement and rhythm sticks in this activity.
Activity 2: Way Down Yonder
In continuation with the first prepare activity students will continue
to transfer their knowledge of question and answer into a body percussion
activity. During this activity the pairs of students will be allowed to develop
their own question and answer. The students will learn the response to
Way Down Yonder through echo and become proficient in singing the
response by themselves. T will begin to assess for pitch, rhythm, and lyric
accuracy. The students will also have the opportunity to interact with
rhythm sticks again in this activity.
Activity 3: Soup
Students will learn the song Soup and be introduced to African
American musical culture. Students will begin to explore melodic
improvisation after hearing a specific call through xylophones. The call in
Soup will be taught through aural identification of the word by having the
students raise their hands when they hear the word in a recording and then
sing along with the recording when they hear the word. The recording will
be taken away shortly after and S will sing the response on their own in
response to Ts call.
Present:
In this portion of the unit students will move from the terminology of
question and answer to call and response. The concept of call and
response will be identified visually and aurally and students will be given
the opportunities to work in small groups, as a class, and individually to
label and identify this form through aural and visual activities.
Activity 4: Daniel
Students will revisit a song they are already familiar with. In this
lesson students will be introduced to the concept of call and response
through identifying the form of Daniel. Students will first revisit a song
form they are already familiar with (AB) form through the song Twinkle
Twinkle. Students will then compare this form with the song Daniel and
determine if they think Daniel is in AB form. Once the students determine it
is not T will explain the concept of call and response and have students
label the form of Daniel as a whole class.
Activity 5: Way Down Yonder
In this lesson students will revisit the song Way Down Yonder.
Students will be asked to identify the call and response by underlining the
calls and responses with different colors as a class. Students will also be
asked to write their own call and response. In this lessons students will
determine the overall form of the song and whether or not it is call and
response through listening examples.
Activity 6: Soup
Students will revisit the song Soup and label the call and response
with aural and visual clues. Students will work with partners to underline
the call and responses on the Soup sheet music. For the last activity
students will work together as a class to create their own call and response
piece based off of the song Soup.
Activity 7: Peep Squirrel
Through aural identification students will identify the response in
peep squirrel and learn to sing the response through echo. Students will
identify call and response aurally and create two new responses for the
song peep squirrel. After reading the book The Sneaky Squirrel students
will create movement for the song peep squirrel.
Practice
At this stage of the unit students will be given the opportunity to
interact with a call and response piece in a variety of ways. Students will
write their own calls and responses, identify the concept aurally and
visually, and improvise with body percussion, and instruments. Students
will work as a class, individually, and in pairs throughout all of these
activities.
Activity 8: Shoo Turkey
Students will begin to answer a call with an improvised melodic
response. Students will work in groups to create two sets of calls and
responses where the leader of the group will play the call and the other
students will respond with the call that matches the response. Through this
activity students will learn to listen for a specific call and respond with a
variety of memorized responses. Students will also be given the opportunity
to act as the leader in a call and response setting.
Activity 9: East Coast Line
With this lesson the students will learn the history of the slave states
on the East Coast line through a map and brief lecture. Students will learn
the piece East Coast Line by rote and sing along with the teachers melodic
accompaniment on the xylophone. Melodic texture will also be explored in
this lesson through the use of body percussion ostinatos, rhythmic
instruments, and the xylophone.
Activity 10: Swing Low
Students will discuss feelings that arise when they listen to various
recordings of Swing Low and learn about the history of African American
spirituals. Students will learn the piece by rote and perform a rhythmic
body percussion ostinato while they sing.
Pre-Assessment:

Materials of instruction:

Paper, pencil, marker board

Students will be grouped into pairs. Each student will make up three questions that their partner must
answer. Sample questions will be on the board for students to model after and the questions may not
have yes or no answers. After the students have written their three questions they will take turns
recording their partners answers to each of their questions. I will call on each pair to share a question
and answer and I will record these on the board. After each pair has given me a question and answer I
will ask the students to respond as a class with the answer after I ask the question

T: What is your favorite color?

S: Purple!
T: What color is the sky?
S: Blue

I will then ask my students to share their questions and answers verbally with their partners with one
saying the question and the other responding with the answer.
Lesson 1: Daniel
Standards: MU:Cr1.1.2a Improvise rhythmic and melodic patterns and musical ideas for a specific
purpose.
Materials of instruction: Metronome or backing track, rhythm sticks, guitar
MU:Cr2.1.2b Use iconic or standard notation and/or recording technology to combine, sequence, and
document personal musical ideas
MU:Cr3.1.2a Interpret and apply personal, peer, and teacher feedback to revise personal music.
Objective: Students will improvise call and response questions with a set number of syllables. Students
will perform Daniel on solfege and text while keeping a steady beat in their feet and utilizing shakers and
rhythm sticks.
Warmup activity
As a class ask students to think of a short phrase that has only five syllables and a response that has two
syllables. Record responses on the board.
Teacher calls out phrase and students respond with the answer
Example How are you today? Im great!
Teacher pairs students up and asks them to pick a phrase on the board and show the syllables with their
body using stamps, claps, or pats.
Students will take turns going in front of the class and showing the rest of the class their creation
Teacher will have a pair of students find another pair and teach them their creation and explain how
they did it
Students will show the class the new creation they learned
Activity 1: Teacher will put on a metronome or backing track and ask students to step to the steady beat
T: begins singing response rhythm on do while stepping
After some time T invites students to join in
T: tells students to pause and begins adding in the response that goes from la-do and alternating back
and forth
T: invites students to join in
T: once students are competent on their own T will begin singing her part over them as they continue
their response.
T: gestures for students to be silent but continue marching.
T: sings both the call and response part but gestures to herself when singing the call and pointing to the
students when singing the response.
T: invite students to join in when the teacher points to them on the response and alternating the
response between the straight do and the alternating la-do but says the word Daniel now
Activity 2:
T: Class was there a name of a person I said a lot during this song?
T: plays piano or ukulele along with students and T sings the actual words and S sing the response
T: Gives a brief history of the song Daniel is a ring shout which is a form of worship that comes from an
African tradition. With this song there is also a shuffle step that people would do as they sang this song.
Theyd stay low to the ground and shuffle their feet without their heels leaving the ground or feet
crossing. Can we all get up and try this step moving around in a circle?
T: Ok were going to do this shuffle step while singing, before we join together in a circle can we
practice this step in place going back and forth?
T: Once students gain greater confidence with the step Ill continue to sing the call and you guys are in
charge of singing the response. Alright lets try and move altogether
T: Has students move back to their spots and gives them rhythm sticks
T: Starts stepping in place while clicking sticks on beats 1 & 3 with students following along
T: Layers on singing the response on only the do, students follow along
T: Begins to alternate the response on the do and la-do, students follow along
T: Pauses class, has them only step and click on beats 1 & 3,
T: Begins singing song with students singing response
Post-Assessment: Exit ticket: As students walk out the door teacher will have them answer the
question What did you notice about the way we sang our song today? T will see if S noticed they
took turns singing.
Lesson 2 Way Down Yonder
Standards
MU:Cr1.1.2a Improvise rhythmic and melodic patterns and musical ideas for a specific
purpose.
MU:Re8.1.2a Demonstrate knowledge of music concepts and how they support creators/performers
expressive intent.
Materials of instruction: Rhythm sticks, guitar, paper and pencil
Objectives: Students will improvise a rhythmic call and response within a set of syllables. Students will
also learn and sing the response to Way Down Yonder.

Warmup activity:
S will pair students into groups of two I will then ask them to write two questions for their partner to
answer that do not have a yes or no answer.
After S are done writing their questions they will exchange papers and their partner will write their
answer.
T: I want whoever wrote the question to say the question and then whoever wrote the answer to say
their answer back. Make sure you get through all four questions so youll have to switch roles at some
point.
T: I want you to pick one question, maybe its the shortest one and re-write it on the paper with a
hyphen between each syllable. (Teacher demonstrates on board an example) When youre finished hold
your pencils in the air
T: Instead of saying the question and answer now one partner will clap the question and the other
partner will clap the answer following the syllables of the question. The syllables can vary in how fast
and slow you take them or you can clap it nice and steady
T: Do we have any volunteers to share what you did?
After a few minutes T will bring the class back together.
T: I want one pair of students to volunteer their question and answer for the class to use
T will write down question and answer on board
T: Ill say the question and you guys say the answer
T will ask students how many syllables are in each of the words and rewrite the question and answer
with hyphens separating the syllables

Activity 1: Improvise rhythmic call and response utilizing syllabic duration

T will put on a backing track in the same meter as Way Down Yonder
T: Can we clap each of the syllables now in the answer?
T: Now lets all clap the syllables in the question
T: After I clap the question, you guys will say the answer with your claps
T&S will go back and forth for sometime with this exercise

Activity 2: Learn rhythm and background for Way Down Yonder

T: Today were going to learn a song called Way Down Yonder, Sometimes this song talks about magic
animals and courtships. Youre all probably wondering what is a courtship, raise your hand if you know
what a courtship is
T: A courtship is a romantic relationship that only begins if they think they could possibly marry one
another. So this song is talking about courtships, but we say the word sometimes quite a bit in this
song. You know how we use the words sometimes if were unsure about something? For example if I
say I like apples then I like apples! but if I say the word sometimes the sentence becomes different!
Because sometimes I like apples and sometimes I dont. So this song is saying things that should happen
in a courtship.but sometimes they might not be happening.
T: I want you guys to echo back the word I say
T: Will echo back and forth with the students the word sometimes while patting their legs
T: Will begin saying the word sometimes with pitch
T: Class did you notice something different about the word I way saying just now?
S: Answer
T: Guides students to understanding that she alternated the pitch
T: Ok class no matter what I say your response will be sometimes lets continue to pat on our legs as
we do this
T will speak the different rhythms in the song way down yonder with students saying the response
sometimes. If needed T will point at S and say the response with them so the get the feel of always
coming in on beat one.

Activity 3: Learn melody to Way Down Yonder

T: will begin strumming chords on guitar and motion for students to be silent and listen
T: Will sing and strum through the first part of the song
T: Will stop singing and continue strumming Alright class echo after me
T: Will continue strumming the same chord and sing Sometimes and have the students echo.
T will do this until students develop mastery of the pitch, then T will begin singing the verse and
gesturing to the students when to sing the response
T&S: Sing through the song and student join in on sometimes
T will pause strumming and ask if any students would like to play rhythm sticks
T will instruct students to continue patting the beat and T will demonstrate the rhythm used with the
sticks
T will have the students with the sticks join in with her strumming and the other students continue
patting
Once students have developed a mastery of the rhythm T will have all the students join in with song and
T will begin strumming again and have students sing the response

Post assessment: Small group performance, informal assessment through observation

T will ask students to stand up and perform for the class in groups of four. S will play rhythm sticks and
sing response while T plays the guitar and sings the call.
Lesson 3: Soup:
Standards: MU:Cr1.1.2a Improvise rhythmic and melodic patterns and musical ideas for a specific
purpose.
MU:Re8.1.2a Demonstrate knowledge of music concepts and how they support creators/performers
expressive intent.
Materials of instruction: Xylophones, recording, ball
Objectives: Students will improvise to hot cross buns on the xylophone and sing the response to
Soup.

Warmup
Pair students up and give them each a xylophone
T will play Hot Cross Buns. After playing T will ask
T: Did anyone recognize that song?
S: Yes! Hot Cross Buns
T: Good, everyone sing along this time as I play T will stop playing after hot cross buns, hot cross
buns
T: Was it shorter this time? Did I play the whole song?
S: You didnt play the whole song
T: Can anyone tell me the words I left out?
S: One a penny, two a penny, hot cross buns
T: Good! Ok were going to sing the whole song this time T will stop playing after hot cross buns, hot
cross buns but continue singing
T: This time I want everyone to improvise on your instrument while we sing one a penny, two a penny,
hot cross buns, but only I will play the beginning part
T and S will do this exercise a few times until S can begin to improvise for the correct duration of time
without having to sing along.
The end goal is T plays hot cross buns, hot cross buns and then S improvise for one a penny, two a
penny, hot cross buns

Activity 1: Learn response for Soup/ Historical context

T: Ok, class Im going to play you guys a recording and I want everyone to raise their hand up and down
when they hear the word soup
T: Im going to play the recording again and I want everyone to sing the word soup when they hear it
T: This song is called Soup and its from the African American culture. Unlike many cultures today the
African culture incorporated song into their everyday living, and they still do today. The people of this
culture would add song to dances, religion, and stories. This song may seem quite silly though because it
is a song that children sing
T: Begins singing the song but claps the response instead of singing it.
T: Students join in with me on the claps
S: Clap instead of sing response
T: Lets stand up class and begin to step back and forth
T: T will now sing the response as well as clap and see if students catch on and begin to sing with her
S: Sing and clap the response
T: Does this remind you of the warmup we did yesterday? Who remembers the warmup and can tell
me what we did?
S: Answer
T: Exactly just like yesterday we clapped the syllables
T: Lets sing it through again and take away the claps
T&S: Sing through song
T: I think this song really needs some instruments
T: Passes out egg shakers You have 20 seconds to shake them as much as you want and then its all
eyes on me
T: Demonstrates how she wants students to shake the eggs (eighth notes)
T: Passes out rhythm sticks and has some students play quarter notes
T: On my count off were going to all start together just practicing the rhythms of the egg shakers and
rhythm sticks

Activity 2: Layer more instruments

T: Alright class were going to sing our song and use our instruments
T&S: Perform song
T: Today some students are going to play the xylophone, but if you dont get a turn today dont worry
because youll get a turn later in the week
T: Put one mallet on D and the other on A, now alternate back and forth like this
T: Lets add in the rest of our instruments, no singing yet!
T&S: Practice with the new layer of instruments
T: Same thing, put one mallet on D and the other on A but each strike gets two beats (teacher
demonstrates)
T&S: Practice layering on these instruments
T: Were going to add the song on now!
T&S: Sing the song and play instruments together
If time is left allow students to switch instruments

Post assessment: Exit ticket mini quiz

T will hand students a slip of paper that has two questions on it
1. What culture was this song from?
a. African American
b. Hispanic
c. Korean
2. What was the name of the song we learned today? _________________________
Present lesson 4: Daniel
Objectives: Students will identify call and response aurally.
Students will identify call and response visually through the use of symbols.
Students will identify call and response with the use of standard notation.
Standards: MU:Cr2.1.2b Use iconic or standard notation and/or recording technology to combine,
sequence, and document personal musical ideas.
MU:Pr4.2.2b When analyzing selected music, read and perform rhythmic and melodic patterns using
iconic or standard notation.
Materials of Instruction: Letters A&B, a copy of Daniel to project on the board, recording of twinkle
twinkle little star, xylophones
Warmup
T: Will have Twinkle Twinkle Little Star playing as students walk in the door with song projected on a
screen
T: Welcomes class Were going to give this song one more listen because I want everyone to think
about the form of this song
T: How do we label the form of a song? Do we use certain letters or numbers?
S: We use A &B
T: Ok, so what part of the song is A? Can I get a student to come up to the board and label this part of
the song with the letter A?
S: Labels A
T: I need another student to label the second part of the song with the letter B
S: Labels B
T: Ok, and Im going to label the last bit of the song with the letter A again

Activity 1: Label Daniel with symbols call and response

T: Now were going to review the song we learned yesterday!
T&S: Sing through song together
T: Can anyone tell me about the form of the song? Was there a reoccurring word or pattern?
S: Yes! We say Daniel a lot
T: (Will have words to Daniel written on the board and Red and blue pieces of paper for students to use)
Ok, so were going to label the form of this song using the letters A & B.
S: Will label the song using A & B
T: What did you think of that class? Did it work yes or no, and if not why?
S: It didnt work
T: What is different about this song than a normal AB song?
S: Will answer and T will guide students along eventually helping students come to the realization that
this is a new form and is called Call and Response
T: Can I have a student come up here and place one of these red blocks on one of the calls?
S: label the call
T: Can I have a student label the response?
T: asks students to come to the board and label the rest of the song with the red and blue blocks

Activity 2:
T: Projects the song Daniel showing students proper notation
T: This is the notation for the song weve been singing. Now looking at this I want us to label the call
and response. Ill do the first one for you
T: Ill call on a raised hand for someone to read a set of words they think might be a call
S: Answers
T: repeats this process until all call and responses are labeled
T: If we were going to give Daniel a form label we would say it is not A,B but it is call and response.
So now we know two forms of song. AB and Call and response

Post-Assessment: Can students differentiate between C&R and AB form?

T: Im going to pair everyone off and with your partner I I want you to brainstorm the ways that AB form
and call and response form may be similar or different. You may have one thing to say, or you may have
five, but do your best. You will hand this to me on the way out of class so make sure it has both of your
names on it.
Practice lesson 5: Way Down Yonder
Objectives: Students will aurally identify call and response and read and write a call and response song.
Materials of Instruction: xylophone, worksheets, hearts on marker board, recording of Kye Kye
Koolay, copy of Who has the penny and Way Down Yonder
Standards: MU:Cr1.1.2a Improvise rhythmic and melodic patterns and musical ideas for a specific
purpose
MU:Cr1.1.2b Generate musical patterns and ideas within the context of a given tonality (such as major
and minor) and meter (such as duple and triple).
MU:Cr2.1.2b Use iconic or standard notation and/or recording technology to combine,sequence, and
document personal musical ideas.
MU:Cr3.1.2a Interpret and apply personal, peer, and teacher feedback to revise personal music.
Warmup: C&R with claps
T: Will clap four quarter notes and students will echo
T: Will clap two half notes and students will echo
T: This time when I clap four quarter notes, echo back with the two half notes
T: Claps, S echo
T: When I clap two half notes (demonstrates) echo back with four quarter notes (demonstrates)
T: Claps, S echo
T: Goes back and forth with these two calls and responses
Activity 1: Aurally identify response in Way Down Yonder
T: Will begin playing Way Down Yonder on xylophone and ask students just to listen
T: Can anyone tell me what song that was?
S: Way Down Yonder
T: It is! Remember how yesterday we talked about call and response and what that was? Well Im going
to play this song again and with a new set of ears raise your hand when you think Im playing the
response.
T: Plays through Way Down Yonder while S raise their hands
T: It seems like most of you are thinking this is the response
T: Plays la-do, Can someone tell me what word we sing on those two notes
S: Sometimes!
T: Yes! Very good. With that knowledge I want everyone to sing the response when you think it is time
for that. Remember it occurs on these two notes
T &S: Sing through Way Down Yonder, T will have students sing it again if clarification is needed
Activity 2: Practice writing call and response
T: Passes out a worksheet that has a call and students will be responsible for writing a response. They
may choose from one of the three calls
T: Im passing out a worksheet that has a call on it and I want you guys to pick from one of the three
calls and write a response Calls will say Who has the penny? What is your pizza order? and Whats
your favorite color? T will not specify that it has to be a specific amount of words or fit into a meter. T is
only looking for an answer.
T: After students have filled out an answer T will ask a couple students to give their call and response
and T will write them up on the board. At this point T will now help students fit their responses into a
4/4 one measure response. T will have hearts on the board for each beat and will have the calls already
written under the hearts. T will guide the students to change their words to fit it into her criteria.
T: Will then group students into groups of 4 and allow them to do this process on their own.
Activity 3: Practice reading call and response and identifying call and response
T: Will project Who has the Penny? onto the board
T: Will ask students if this is a call and response song
S: Will raise their hands and give their opinions
T: Will tell record students opinions on the board without telling them if they are right or wrong
T: Will then play a recording of Kye Kye Koolay
T: Will ask students if this is a call and response song
S: Will raise their hands and give their opinions
T: Will record student responses on board without telling them if they are right or wrong
T: Defines call and response in terms of what it is not
T: Call and response is not an echo, the response must be different than the call, now looking back at
the song who has the penny, is this a call and response?
S: no
T: Alright let me play the song we listened too. Is this a call and response?
S: No
T: Will project Way Down Yonder onto the board.
T: Is this a call and response and why?
T: will ask students to identify the call and put a label above it that says call
T: Will ask students to identify the response and put a label above it that says response
T: Before we meet tomorrow give some thought to if you think the song soup is a call and response,
or not

Post Assessment: Did the students retain what we practiced at the beginning of class?
T: Alright class before you may leave you must answer my call
T: Claps four quarter notes
S: Respond
T: Claps two half notes
S: Respond

T checklist:
Could the students respond correctly on the
First try
Second try
More than three

What percentage of students retained the information on the first try?

25%
50%
75%
100%
Practice lesson 6: Soup
Objectives: Students will identify the call and response in the song Soup aurally and through notation.
Students will write their own call and response song.
Materials of Instruction: Index cards and markers for each student, individual copies of soup, red and
blue colored pencils for each student,
Standards: MU:Cr1.1.2a Improvise rhythmic and melodic patterns and musical ideas for a specific
purpose
MU:Cr1.1.2b Generate musical patterns and ideas within the context of a given tonality (such as major
and minor) and meter (such as duple and triple).
MU:Cr2.1.2b Use iconic or standard notation and/or recording technology to combine, sequence, and
document personal musical ideas.
MU:Cr3.1.2a Interpret and apply personal, peer, and teacher feedback to revise personal music.
Warmup: C&R clap from the day before and adding a new C&R clap
T greets class with the clapping call and response they did the day before
T: Claps four quarter notes
S: Respond with two half notes
T: Claps two half notes
S: Respond with four quarter notes
T: Claps two quarter notes and a half notes
S: Are probably confused
T: After this call you will respond with this (teacher demonstrates a half note and two quarter notes)
T&S: Practice these different calls and responses
Activity 1: Aurally identify the call and response
T: Plays Soup, on xylophone
T: class what song was that?
S: Soup
T: Does everyone remember the question I asked at the end of class yesterday? Do we think this is a
call and response song?
S: Answers
T: This is a call and response song! Im going to sing through this song and listen for what you think the
response is.
T: What do we think the response is?
S: Soup
T: Lets only sing the response this time as I play through T plays through song on xylophone and T&S
only sing the response
T: This time raise your hand when I play the call but sing the response
T&S: Go through soup again

Activity 2: Write call and response

T: Will hand out index cards and a marker to each student
T: Class I want you to think of your most favorite soup youve ever had and write it on your card. For
example, I love Chicken Noodle! Maybe your favorite is potato, tomato, chili, chowder, if you need help
thinking of your favorite soup raise your hand
S: Will be given five minutes to think of their favorite soup and write it on their card
T: Class I want everyone to hold their cards like this in front of their chest.
T: Sings My favorite soup is T looks at a students card and sings their favorite soup as the response
Chili
T: Gestures for that student to come up to the front
S: Sings My favorite soup is then looks at another student and sings their favorite soup Potato
T: Does this until all of the students get a chance to be up front in front of the class

Activity 3: Read Call and response

T: Passes out Soup sheet music to each student.
T: Asks them to circle or underline all the calls in red and responses in blue
T: Gives students five minutes to do this
T: Has students pick and check their work with a partner
T: Gives students two minutes to do this
T: Has S return to their seats
T: Projects soup onto the board and has red and blue markers ready
T: With a raised hand who can tell me what the response is?
S: Soup!
T: Yes, Soup! Can another student tell me why they think this word is the response and not other words
in the song?
S: Answers question
T: It does repeat a lot and is always after a statement or question in the song
T: So how many responses are there?
S: Answer
T: Circles all the responses
T: With a raised hand what is the very first call we have in this song?
S: Answer
T: Underlines the first response
T: If we havent already circled it in blue, do we think it is a call? Thumbs up for yes, thumbs down for
no.
T: Yes is correct! Im going to underline the rest of these in red
T: Look over your own paper, is this what you have? If not I want you to raise your hand and tell me
what you circled or underlined and why
T: Answers a few statements to help the second graders understand call and response in terms of what
it is not and help to clarify any confusion they may have.

Post Assessment: Soup Worksheets from in class

T assess: Were the students able to identify the different calls and responses? If not where was the most
troublesome area that students were confused with?
Practice lesson 7:
Peep Squirrel
Objectives: Students will identify call and response aurally and create two new responses for the song
peep squirrel. Students will also develop creative movement for the song peep squirrel.
Materials of instruction: Book Sneaky Little Squirrel text about peep squirrel, xylophone
Standards: MU:Cr1.1.2a Improvise rhythmic and melodic patterns and musical ideas for a specific
purpose
MU:Cr1.1.2b Generate musical patterns and ideas within the context of a given tonality (such as major
and minor) and meter (such as duple and triple).
MU:Cr2.1.2b Use iconic or standard notation and/or recording technology to combine,sequence, and
document personal musical ideas.
MU:Cr3.1.2a Interpret and apply personal, peer, and teacher feedback to revise personal music.

Warmup: C&R clapping in small groups

T: claps various calls of four quarter notes, two half notes, and two quarter/half note
S: Respond accordingly
T: Splits students up into groups of four
T: everyone will take turns being the leader and will switch leaders when I tell you to do so, the leader
will clap the calls that Ive been clapping and the other three students in the group will respond with the
same responses
T: Will allow each student to get a turn being the leader

Activity 1: Identify call and response aurally

T: Starts class by reading this passage starting at About a little boy (See song analysis chart for
text)
T: What animal did this text talk a lot about?
S: Squirrel
T: Could the little boy in the story catch the squirrel?
S: No
T: The boy couldnt catch the squirrel at all even with the help of his mule friend
T: Class, lets put our music ears on T begins playing the response on the xylophone
T: Sings along with the xylophone this time ya di da di deedy um
T: Gestures for students to sing along with her
T: Pauses students and has them stop singing, T begins singing the song from the beginning
T: Stops singing halfway through the song Does this song have the form of AB, or is it a call and
response song? Close your eyes, now raise your hand if you think it is call and response
S: Either raise or dont raise hands
T: Can anyone tell me what they think the response is?
S: Ya di da di deedy um
T: Yes! Im going to start the song over and join in when the response comes along
T: About halfway through the song the response changes so T will pause and ask the students to identify
the new response
T&S: Sing through the song together with T singing the call and S singing the response
Activity 2: Allow a group of students to become the leader and write a new response
T: Projects song onto the board
T: All together were going to just read through the words
T&S: Read through the song
T: Can I have four volunteers to sing the response while we all sing the call?
T&S: Sing through the song
T: Will keep asking for volunteers until all the students who have wanted to be the leader have been the
leader
T: Class I want us to think of a new response instead of ya di da di diddy um maybe we could write
Dont run away! What a cute squirrel. Raise your hand if you have an idea of a response we could
use!
S: raise hands and give response ideas, T will pick two responses to use and together they will fit them in
to fit a one bar phrase
T&S: Sing through the song with the new responses

Activity 3: Story time and movement

T: This squirrel is quite sneaky in the story, he kept running and hopping away from the little boy. Even
the mule couldnt help him. Well I know why the squirrel wouldnt stop to play with the boy, he was too
busy! This is the story of our squirrels busy little life!
T: Reads The Busy Little Squirrel by Nancy Tafuri
T: That squirrel was soooo busy! No wonder he didnt have time to play!
T: Sometimes do we feel to busy to play? Raise your hand if you feel like youre too busy to play
sometimes
T: Ok I want everyone to stand up, using your body how could you show the word peep?
S: Show their actions
T: Good! I think it may look something like what (name of student) is doing, or something like this
(demonstrates)
T: Using our bodies again how can we show hop
S: Show actions
T: Lastly, how can we show run while staying in place
T: These are all great actions and well use them in a moment after we learn our actions for the
response
T: Demonstrates a patting clapping pattern that matches the rhythm of the response
T: Do it with me this time Does it slower and then begins speeding up once students understand it
T: Lets add the words
T: Spread out and find your own space in the room when I say peep squirrel what are you going to
do?
S: Show actions
T: When I sing the response what are you going to do?
S: Do actions and sing response
T: etc.
T: Sings through first line of song while playing on the xylophone and students do actions and sing
response for peep, hop, run and response
T: Ends class with I hope you enjoyed playing our game today and remember to play every day but also
work hard like our busy little squirrel

Post-Assessment:
T: Will assess students through observation.
Were S able to identify the two different calls and response visually and aurally?
Were S able to identify the form of the song (either AB, or C&R) through an aural listening example?
During the actions T will walk around the room and see if S are actively participating in the motions and
doing the correct actions.
Lesson 8: Shoo Turkey
Standards:
MU:Cr1.1.2a Improvise rhythmic and melodic patterns and musical ideas for a specific
Purpose
MU:Cr3.1.2a Interpret and apply personal, peer, and teacher feedback to revise personal music
Materials of Instruction: Xylophones
Objective: Given metric and scale degree parameters students will improvise in large and small groups.
Students will work in groups to create two sets of calls and responses where the leader of the group will
play the call and the other students will respond with the call that matches the response.
Warmup: C&R claps in groups of four, students improvise
T: I want everyone to get back into their groups of four from yesterday, today your group will be
making your own call and response. T will give the students no criteria so she can see what they come
up with first
T: After five minutes S will demonstrate
T: Those were great call and response examples! Now in your groups take that call and response
examples!
Activity one: Improvise in large groups
T: Starts class inviting students to sit close in a circle while she sings first half of Shoo Turkey
T: Gestures for students to be quiet as she moves to the xylophone and plays Shoo Turkey again and
plays the melody as she sings.
T: will pause before playing the response and look at the students to see if they catch on that Yes mam
is the response
S: Yes mam
T&S: Will sing through the songs a few times so students can get a feel for the song
T: Asks students to go get xylophones out, students will only have the notes FAC on the board still
T: Play F this time as you sing the response
T&S: Sing through the song together
T: Pick two different notes now to play as you sing the response
T&S: Sing through the song
T: Put your listening ears on class! T will play and sing the first call and then improvise for eight beats
T: Class what did I do instead of saying the response?
S: Improvised
T: If there are four beats in a measure can anyone tell me how many measures I improvised for?
(If S does not know the answer T will do it again and have students count out loud)
S: four measures
T: All together lets improvise using F A C
T&S: Improvise
T: Can I have three volunteers to improvise for four measures after I say the call?
T: Sings Little girl little boy
S: Improvise for four measures
T: Thank you to my volunteers! Ok class so were going to go in groups of four (numbers children off) Ill
say little girl little boy then these four will go, after the next call well did you go down town? the
next group will go. Ready?
T&S: Sing through the song improvising after each call for four measures in groups
Activity two: Improvise in smaller groups and develop a new set response
T: Ok students pair up with the person on your left and that will be your partner this time that you
improvise with
T&S: Sing through song and improvise
T: Im going to give you and your partner five minutes to come up with a response on the xylophone
that is four measures long
T: Its been five minutes, were going to go around in the circle and when its not your turn you will be
the leader and say Little girl, little boy after we say the response and the pair plays their set response I
will play three beats on the xylophone so we know when to come in with little girl, little boy
T&S: Do the call with set response around the room
Activity three: develop calls and responses as a pair
T: Ill give you guys three minutes in your pair to think of two questions that dont have yes or no as an
answer
T: Were going to go around the circle and one partner will ask the question and the other partner will
answer
S: Say their questions and answers in pairs
T: Taking your question and answer I want you to put it into music T will demonstrate an example
T: But! You have two questions and answers so you must put them each into a question and answer
with music. You have five minutes
T: Ok Ill pick three pairs to volunteer their questions and answers
T: Pick one partner to be the leader and they can choose either question to play and the person being
the responder will have to listen to see which call they give and respond with the answer they came up
with
T: Pick another partner group and share your calls and responses with each other. I want you guys to
teach each other one of your calls and responses to the other pair
T: Now that you guys are in groups of four you should know two call and responses. Take turns being
the leader and the other people in the group have to listen closely to what call they give

Post-assessment: Observation and Small group performance

T will observe S as they improvise for four measures and watch for correct duration of improvisation and
a steady pulse.
T will have S perform their set call and response improvisations for the students in the class in their
pairs.
Lesson 9: East Coast Line
Objective: Students will learn the history of the slave states on the East Coast line through a map and
brief lecture.
Students will learn the piece East Coast Line by rote and sing along with the teachers melodic
accompaniment on the xylophone.
Students will learn and perform a clapping ostinato along with East Coast Line.
Standard: MU:Cr1.1.2a Improvise rhythmic and melodic patterns and musical ideas for a specific
Purpose.
MU:Cr3.1.2a Interpret and apply personal, peer, and teacher feedback to revise personal music.
MU:Cr1.1.2b Generate musical patterns and ideas within the context of a given tonality (such as major
and minor) and meter (such as duple and triple).
Materials of Instruction: Map, xylophones

Warmup: C&R clapping

T: Get into your groups of four and review the call and response your group made from the last class.
T: Now take that call and response and pick two instruments
S will have the option to choose between tambourines, egg shakers, rhythm sticks
T: Now take those instruments and add them into your Call and Response by either making it longer or
instead of using body percussion
Activity one: Background information about East Coast line and slavery/emancipation
T: Will teach students about the East Coast line
T: Project a map of the U.S. onto the board and highlight the East Coast line
T: We have fifty states in all but only 48 in that are touching because Alaska and Hawaii are farther
away. These 48 states are defined by the west coast and east coast. Today were going to be focusing on
the East coast! The East Coast is over here (points to area) and this is where the first thirteen colonies
started off when they came from Great Britain.
T: Show students new map below

T: This map looks a little different doesnt it? This is the east coast line here on this map and if we look
over at the key we can see that most of the states along the east coast line are in red. This means that
they were slave states. The song were going to sing today is about the East Coast Line. But, this song is a
happy song because were singing about slavery being done! In 1863 President Lincoln issued the
Emancipation Proclamation which meant that all slaves were now free.
T: Will take the map down and post the words of the song up on the board and read through some of
the key sentences They eat syrup by the gallon and meat by the pound, she pretty neat in the waist and
pretty in the face. The children singing this song are children whose parents were slaves. Slaves were
not given much food or water to have so the children know from their parents stories how little food
and water their parents were given. The children singing this song think that if you eat good food youll
be very pretty and beautiful because you wont be small and scrawny. Theyre dreaming of being able to
have that much food.

Activity two: Identify Call and Response and learn the song
T: Will read through the words
T: Class was there one word that was repeated quite often?
S: Hey
T: Do you think this piece is in AB form or Call and Response?
S: Call and response
T: What is the response?
S: Hey
T: Were going to speak it together, Ill be the lead and you guys say the response of hey
T&S: Speak through it together
T: Moves over to xylophone and begins playing the melody as she sings and students join in on the
response (Students will probably get confused during the last four measures because the response goes
away)
T: Lets go over that last bit again echo after me class
T: Begins patting her legs and echos back and forth the last four measures with students
T: Silent lips, Ill play the melody on the xylophone and you think the words in your head
T: Did anyone have any trouble spots?
T: Follow me class, (Begins clapping an ostinato for students to layer on while they sing)
T: After some time when T feels like S are confident with the ostinato T will begin singing and at the last
four measure students will stop the ostinato all together and just sing
T: Gestures for students to watch and makes the ostinato slightly harder
S: Join in on the ostinato
T: Begins singing while continuing the ostinato

Activity three: Ostinato with xylophone

T: Alright class go to your xylophone with your partner
T: put your left hand on C and your right hand on E, were going to take that same rhythm we just did
and put it onto the xylophone, watch me first
T: Demonstrates
T: All together now one, two, ready, go
S: Practice ostinato on xylophone
T: Trade with your partner and let them try
T: One, two, ready, go
S: Practice on xylophone
T: This time when we sing through the song partner one will clap the rhythm and partner two will play
the rhythm on the xylophone, then well switch.
T: but when do we stop playing the rhythm and just sing? What words do we say?
S: Shake it to the east, Shake it to the west, Shake it to the very one that you love best!
T&S: Sing through song twice alternating partners

Activity four: Improvisation

T: Instead of singing the last four measures all together I want partner one to improvise on their
xylophone. Watch me (Teacher demonstrates)
T: So after I say and shake it back partner one will improv on the xylophone. Lets practice that much
ready?
T: sings So shake it back
S: Partner one improvs for four measures
T: Now hand off the mallets to the other partner and they will try
T: Practices with partner two
T&S: Sing through song two times with improvisation at the end

Post-Assessment
T will assess students through observation of lyric, pitch, and rhythmic accuracy. T will also assess
students rhythmic accuracy of the ostinato when clapping and on the xylophone.
Lesson 10: Swing Low, Sweet Chariot
Objectives: By the end of the lesson students will sing both the call and response of Swing Low with
90% accuracy.
Students will discuss feelings that arise when they listen to Swing Low and understand how spirituals
relate to the African American culture.
Standards: MU:Pr4.1.2a Demonstrate and explain personal interest in, knowledge about, and purpose
of varied musical selections
MU:Pr4.2.2a Demonstrate knowledge of music concepts (such as tonality and meter) in music from a
variety of cultures selected for performance.
MU:Pr4.2.2b When analyzing selected music, read and perform rhythmic and melodic patterns using
iconic or standard notation.
Materials of Instruction: Worksheet, Recordings
Warmup: Final presentation of C&R Body percussion and instruments
T: Ill give everyone five minutes to review and your call and response with your group and then well
perform them for each other
S: Performs C&R set improvisations for the rest of the class
Activity one: Recording of Swing Low, and history
T: Turn your listening ears on and were going to listen to a recording (Recording by plantation singers)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ljup8cIRzIk
T: Turn to you partner and discuss what you heard and how the recording made you feel
T: Now turn your listening ears back on and get ready for another recording (recording by Etta James)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HYbRwSjAir4
T: Turn to your partner again and compare this second recording to the first recording.
T: Will ask for partners to share their thoughts with the class
T: Can anyone tell me what song they think this is?
S: Swing Low
T: This song is called a spiritual. Everyone say that word with me
S: Spiritual
T: A spiritual is a religious song created by African Americans. These people were enslaved in the
United States. They created and sang these songs to give themselves and other hope and courage to
continue on.
T: Displays words on board Can someone read this line for me?
S: Coming for to carry me home
T: Can someone tell me what they think home is?
S: Answer
T: Home to the enslaved African Americans was heaven. They believed that no matter what hardships
they endured here on earth their God would save them and take them home

Activity two: Identify Call and Response

T&S: Read through all of the words together
T: This is a call and response song, is there one phrase we say a lot that we think could be the
response?
S: Coming for to carry me home
T: Sings Coming for to carry me home!
T: Can we sing that all together?
S: Sing coming for to carry me home!
T: Begins singing Swing Low Sweet Chariot and S Sing response

Activity three: Teach Swing Low by Rote

T: Teaches Swing Low by echo
Once that is finished and students have learned the whole piece
T: Quite lips, Ill play the melody and you guys think the words in your head
T: Did anyone have any trouble spots?
T: Class lets get in our circle spots
T: Begins clapping ostinato from previous class and singing
S: Join in clapping
T&S: Sing the song together and clap the ostinato

Post Assessment: Exit ticket

In two to three sentences write your own definition of what you think Call and Response is.
 Name:__________________

Call and Response Quiz

1) In your own words define how call and response and AB form are
different_____________________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________________

2) Write two of your favorite call and response songs that we learned in
class________________________________________________________________________

3) Take a look at the following song, do you think this is call and response? If so circle the
responses!
 Concert Rubric
Concept Fails to Meet Meets Exceeds Points
Expectations Expectations Expectations
Lyrics Student struggles Student forgets or Student exceeds /3
with lyric gets words at lyric
memorization. confused no more memorization and
Student stops than five times. makes less than
singing for two mistakes.
periods of time.
Rhythm Student does not Student stumbles Student exceeds /3
correctly execute upon a few at executing
rhythm and has rhythms but has a rhythm and
no sense of sense of understands
pulse/tempo. pulse/tempo. pulse/tempo.
Dynamics Student cannot Student Student /3
differentiate understands the understand the
between loud and difference difference
soft dynamics and between loud and between loud and
does not sing the soft but sings the soft and sings the
right dynamics. wrong dynamics correct dynamics.
Student makes five times or less.
more than five
errors.
Call and Student does not Student is Student knows /3
Response know when or somewhat aware when and when
when not to sing of when and not to sing the
the call and when not to sing call and
response. the call and response.
Student makes response. Student makes
more than five Student makes less than two
mistakes. less than five mistakes.
mistakes.
Pitch Student cannot Student can sing Student can sing /3
sing on pitch or on pitch but has on pitch and stays
stay in tune. trouble staying in in tune.
tune.
Performance Student is not Student is Student is /3
interested in the engaged with the interested in the
performance and music, teacher, performance and
does not engage and audience engages with the
 with the music, most of the time, music, teacher
the teacher, or and participates and audience
audience and most of the time. through full
does not participation.
participate.
Total Points /18
 Group names:__________________________________

C&R Group activity reflection

1. As a group, discuss and write down your experiences with developing your Call and Response
in three to five sentences. Here are some ideas to think about as you discuss with your group.
Was it hard to come up with material? Did you have too much material? How did you add the
instruments into your call and response? Was it hard to remember the material you came up with from
class to class?
___________________________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________________________

2. Was this an activity you would enjoy doing again? If so why, if not why? Please explain your
group thoughts in a few sentences.
___________________________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________________________

3. If your group could improve one thing about your Call and Response what would it be? It
could be the tempo, length, instruments, body percussion, or anything else.
___________________________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________________________
Song Analyses Tables and pieces
Song Analysis Table: Way Down Yonder
Tone Set D major
Range
Do, Re, Mi, La
Rhythm Set Quarter and eighth notes

Form
Call and Response

A Songs Pedagogical Use Table:

Melody focus on call and response with la-do

Rhythm Variation of Quarter and eighth notes. Call and response is always
two quarter notes on beats one and two, duple meter

Other
Soup
Tone Set D major
Range
Do, Re, Mi, Fa, Fol, Sol, La
Rhythm Set Quarter, Half, eighth

Form
Call and Response

A Songs Pedagogical Use Table:

Melody Response is La-Sol, call focuses on do-mi

Rhythm Response is eighth notes, duple

Song Analysis Table: Shoo Turkey
Tone Set F major
Range
Do, Mi, Sol, La
Rhythm Set Quarter, dotted eighth note, half note, eighth notes

Form
Call and Response

A Songs Pedagogical Use Table:

Melody Response is always on do,

Rhythm Duple meter

Other
Song Analysis Table: East Coast Line
Tone Set C Major
Range
Do, Re, mi, So, La
Rhythm Set Eighth, quarter, dotted quarter, half

Form
Call and Response

A Songs Pedagogical Use Table:

Melody Do for response

Rhythm Duple meter

Song Analysis Table: Daniel
Tone Set D Major
Range
Do, Mi, La
Rhythm Set Eighth, Quarter, Eighth rests

Form
Call and Response

A Songs Pedagogical Use Table:

Melody Response moves from la to do and also stays on do

Rhythm Eighth, Quarter, Eighth rests

Song Analysis Table: Swing Low
Tone Set G Major
Range
Do, Re, Mi, So, La
Rhythm Set Quarter, dotted half, dotted quarter, eighth

Form
Call and Response

A Songs Pedagogical Use Table:

Melody Response moves from do to mi

Rhythm duple
Sources Cited:

www.bethsnotesplus.com
Those Darn Squirrels by Adam Rubin
Step it Down by Bessie Jones