Lesson: Understanding Music Through Reading and Listening

Lesson Plan

Lesson: Understanding Music Through Reading and Listening Length: 45-50 min. Age/Grade Level Intended: 10th Prepared by: Russell Turner

Academic Standard(s): Mus.CHH.6.1 Listen to recordings of a variety of ensembles and repertoire. Identify and describe voicing, language, accompaniment, texture, form, compositional devices, style, and genre. English 10.2.5 Make reasonable statements and draw conclusions about a text, supporting them with accurate examples.

Performance Objective(s): Given the materials needed for the lesson students will listen to different compositions and give their thoughts on it. Then the students will read about the composer and discuss what was learned as evaluated by peers.

Assessment: Students will form a circle as the teacher plays a composition by the composer they are learning about. The students will be assessed on participation within the discussion as well as the knowledge shared within the discussion.

Advance Preparation by Teacher: The teacher should already know the time era in which the composer lived and wrote. He/she should choose music that is simple interesting to the class as a whole.

Procedure: Introduction/Motivation: Using highly effective teaching methods the teacher will have already mapped out the day for the students. When the students are all together ask them to stand and put their desks in a circle. The teacher should already be playing music at this point. Once they are in a circle ask them to sit and listen to the music being played. Step-by-Step Plan: 1. As the students enter be playing a piece of music through the sound system in your room. 2. Ask students to quietly arrange desks as they listen to the music being played. (Gardner: Bodily/ Kinesthetic) 3. Have the students listen to one more piece of music as they are sitting in their desks and following along in a musical score. (Gardner: Visual/ Spatial) 4. After the music is done playing ask the students “What was interesting about this composition?” (Bloom: Analysis) 5. Have the students discuss the different points of interest that was mentioned while taking notes. (Gardner: Interpersonal)(Gardner: Verbal/Linguistic) 6. Have the students read the pages in the book covering the composer. 7. After reading give any further information about composer. 8. Have the students discuss what was read in class as a whole. 9. Have the students put their desks back in original order. Closure: After the discussion is over play another composition by the same composer. As the students are putting their desks back in place ask them questions about the piece being played and how it fits with the composer and his style of composing. Ask them “How the composer modified music from the era before?” (Bloom: Synthesis)

Adaptations/Enrichment: Student with Learning disability in reading: Have this child read a small paragraph and help pronounce words if necessary. Also allow peers to help read the text. Student with ADHD: This student will be involved in the group discussion where everyone is equally important, but if the child has more to say let them say it only if it pertains to the topic at hand. Student with Gifts and Talents in Math and Reading: Allow this student to read the more complex passages in the reading, first asking if they would like to read the passage (talent in reading). If the student is gifted in math have the student clap out the meter if they can hear it as the music is playing.

Self-Reflection:

1. My lesson engages the students by having them work together as a collaborative unit to discuss and analyze a reading and listening example. This allows for all the students to share their knowledge on the subject and to answer questions their peers may have.

2. This will allow the student to utilize their higher order thinking skills because they have to formulate their thoughts into one cohesive statement for the class discussion. It also makes them plan ahead as they are listening to another student give his /her information.