Lesson Plan for the Elementary Music Class (Peer #4)

Teacher Name___Timmy Roberts_______________Target Grade Level______3rd_______

Standards Being Addressed:

Improvisation:
MU:Cr1.1.3b Generate musical ideas (such as rhythms and melodies) within a given tonality an
d/or meter.
Song/Arrangement/BP:
MU:Pr5.1.3b Rehearse to refine technical accuracy, expressive qualities, and identified perform
ance challenges. MU:Pr6.1.3a Perform music with expression and technical accuracy

Materials of Instruction:

“Great Big House in New Orleans” (Altered lyrics, Transposed to C)

Bass Accompaniment:

Alternate Accompaniment:

-Mallet Instruments
Lesson Sequence (lessons may have more or less activities as appropriate):

Entry Activity/Transition:

-Watch and repeat humming

T: Begin humming the main melody to GBHINO while pointing at yourself
“Now its your turn” (Breath and point)

Activity #1 Objective: (This is where you teach the students to sing the song. Use the
“whole/part/whole” teaching process.)

1. Step 1- Rhtyhm
T: “Who here thinks music class is fun?!”
S: “We Do!”
T: Can you repeat after me… “Mu-sic class is so much fun”
S: Repeat word in rhythm (but not pitch)
T: “We love Mi-ster Ti-mmy” (Breath and point to cue student entrance
S: Repeat words in rhythm (but not pitch
T: Put the first two together and have students repeat
- Repeat anything as needed
2. Step 2- Singing the first phrase
T: “Now lets sing!”
- Sing the whole first phrase
T: “Think you got it? Lets listen one more time.”
-Sing first phrase again
-Cue in students to sing by saying “Your-turn!”
S: Sing first phrase
T: Lets sing it together now
TS: Sing first phrase
-Repeat as needed
3. Second Phrase
T: “This time we are going to sing something slightly different! Pay attention”
-Sing Through the second phrase 2 times
T: Do you guys like to sing and dance?
S: “Yesss!”
T: This time, I am going to sing the whole song, but I was you to show me your bet dance
move when say “Sing and dance”.
-Sing through both verses
T: “This time I am going to sing through the song, but leave some words out. Can you
say the correct words when I stop?
S: Yeah!
-Sing through and point to the students when leaving words out
-Repeat as needed
Assessment:
Students will be able to sing through both phrases of the rendition of “Great Big House
in New Orleans” Without teacher assistance.
 Transition: Great! Now can we all sing this song together while we get out our mallet
instruments?
-Sing (on repeat) the song while slowly getting up to grab instruments

Activity #2 Objective: (This is where you teach the students the harmonic accompaniment,
either a vocal, recorder, xylo or uke accompaniment. Be sure to go from “simple to
complex” and use body percussion to teach the parts, singing the song over the top at
each step.)

1. Bass accompaniment

T: Model for the students while singing

T: “I spy with my little eye the note C. Can you find it with your eyes. When you’ve
got it can you give me a thumbs up?”
-Have students find C and then place their mallet on the note
T: Model just the bass accompaniment
T: “Join me when you think you’ve got it
-Pause and assist students as needed
T: Begin playing the melody on your instrument while students perform the bass line
T: CHALLENGE ROUND: If you are feeling up to it, try to sing our new song while
playing the bass line
-model for students singing and performing. Make sure they know that either option
is good.
2. Step 2- Alternate accompaniment

T: Now let’s learn a new accompaniment! Can you find that note C again?
T: This time I was you to find the note E with your right hand mallet.
- “Do you notice how there is one note between the two? They are skipping over a
note!”
T: Model the rhythm of the accompaniment on C and E
- Say either the lyrics that fall on the beats or count to ensure students are thinking
“off” beat rhythms in their head
T: “Now we are going to move to E and G”
- Perform each set 4 times and then switch to the next
T: Now lets do F and A!
 - Repeat the same process as E and G
T: Now G and B!
- Repeat the same Process as before
T: Model for students the full accompaniment
- Say the root note for each chord while playing it
- Have students join when they are ready
T: If you want to try something harder, try singing with it!
- Model singing and playing at the same time
T: “Now I want you to pick your favorite accompaniment and we will perform it together!”
- Play/sing the melody while students do this
Assessment:
Students will be able to successfully perform combined accompaniment parts on their
mallet instruments
Transition:
T: Great! Now who here remembers the very last word of our song?
S: “Create!”
T: Yes! What do you think that means?

Activity #3 Objective: (This is where you have the students improvise through modeling.
Be sure the harmonic accompaniment is being played—by you, by a small group of
students, or some other way---model the improvisation, and ask “What did I do
differently?” Then help the students move safely into improvisation, culminating in each
student doing some sort of improvisation).

1. Step 1- Understanding form

T: When we improvise, we are creating on the spot! Today we are going to improvise
after we sing our song.
T: If you can sing and play at the same time go for it, but don’t worry if it is too hard!
T: “Lets all play our song. After we say create, I will show you what improvisation
looks like! Ready?”
- Cue students to play their accompaniment part to the song
-Demonstrate improvisation
T: “Let me show you one more time”
T: “Did it sound the same as the last time?”
S: “No!”
T: “Good. When we improvise, we create something new each time. Let me give you
some ideas of things to play.”
-Do a call and response of simple melodic patterns
T: Now I want each of you to try! When we improvise, we can use any of the notes
on our mallet instruments, but we want to start and end with C. Got it?
S: Got it!
T: Alright! Each person is going to get to create while we play the accompaniment
part two times each. Ill point to help you know when to go!
- Go in a circular fashion
2. Step 2- Putting it all together
T: Now we are going to do all that and sing our song. After we say the word “Create” we
 will improvise in a circle. After we improvise, we will sing the song one more time. Got
it?
-Perform the song (accompaniment) and melodic improvisation with the help of the
teacher.
- Aid students as necessary.
Assessment: With limited guidance, Students will be able to successfully improvise
the phrase length starting and ending on the note C.
Transition:
Great job guys! You are rock stars. We learned a whole new song today.
Closure:
T: Which accompaniment was harder? (alternate)
T: Why?
- Have a simple discussion about syncopation