ARTS EDUCATION TEACHER HANDBOOK

MUSIC :: MIDDLE SCHOOL LESSON PLAN

MIDDLE SCHOOL LESSON PLAN

 

Submitted by Danny Waynick Green, Winston-Salem/Forsyth Schools

Lesson Title:
Starting at the Beginning

Grade Level or Course:
Beginning Band (6th Grade)

Time Allotment:
One Week

Targeted Goals and Objectives from the 2000 North Carolina Arts Education Standard Course
of Study and Grade Level Competencies, K - 12:

  • 2.01 Play at least one instrument with appropriate posture, playing position, and technique.
  • 2.02 Respond to the cues of the conductor
  • 2.04 Show respect for the instrumental playing efforts of others

Targeted Goals and Objectives from the North Carolina Standard Course of Study and Grade
Level Competencies, K - 12 for other content areas:

Mathematics, Grade 6 - relating fractions, decimals and percents;
English Language Arts, Grade 6 - interacting appropriately in group settings by: listening attentively, showing empathy, contributing relevant comments, monitoring own understanding;
Healthful Living, Grade 6 - initiating requests for help or assistance, communicating own feelings
Information Skills, Grade 6 - partcipate in various reading experiences;
Guidance, Grade 6 - understanding and appreciation of life-long process of learning, growing and changing

 

Lesson Objective(s):

  • Learn to recognize the name of the first note in a music sample.
  • Learn to count the whole note.
  • Learn to assemble the instrument.
  • Learn to form the proper embouchure.
  • Learn the proper fingering for the first note.
  • Learn to produce the first note.
  • Learn to play the whole note on cue from the conductor.
  • Learn to play four quarter notes on cue from the conductor.

Materials/Equipment Needed:

  1. Sharpened Pencil.
  2. Staff Paper.
  3. Instrument and Appropriate Accessories. (This lesson teaches Flute, Clarinet, Trumpet and Trombone.)
  4. Beginning Band Book. (This lesson uses Essential Elements 2000. Any other method book may be substituted.)

 

Lesson Procedure:

  1. Instruct the students to leave their instrument in the case and place the case on the floor to the right of their chairs.
  2. Instruct the students to place their staff paper, pencil, and band book on the music stand in front of their chair. (Set up should occur prior to the start of class.)
  3. Instruct the students to open their band books to the designated page (p4 in this example).
  4. Draw on the board a whole note that corresponds to the first note for each instrument. (Flute - top line F, Clarinet and Trumpet - second line G, Trombone fourth line F.) Write the name of each note above each whole note. Draw another whole note for each instrument, this time introducing the concept that the note circles only one line. Draw examples of incorrect whole notes. These examples should include notes that: circle two lines, circle an entire space and part of a line, or circle two spaces and a line. (Staff lines should be drawn on the board prior to the start of class. When drawing the whole notes for Trombone, explain that the notes for trombone are different than for the other instruments.)
  5. Instruct the students to draw their first note six times on the first line of their staff paper. (Move about the room and monitor this activity, making corrections as needed.)
  6. Instruct the students to write the name of their first note above each whole note that they drew.
  7. Explain that each whole note is divided into four parts, or quarters. (Use the analogy of four quarters making a whole dollar.)
  8. Instruct the students to neatly write the numbers 1-2-3-4, directly under each whole note that they drew. (Move about the room and monitor this activity, making corrections as needed.)
  9. Count aloud and clap for the class "one and two and three and four and stop". Clap on the numbers only. Do not clap on the word "stop".
  10. Instruct the students to clap and count aloud "one and two and three and four and stop". Clap on the numbers only. Do not clap on the word "stop". Repeat this activity as needed.
  11. Instruct the students to turn to page three of their band book.
  12. Assembling the instruments: Instruct the students to pick up their instrument cases and place them on their laps. Flute and clarinet cases remain on the lap, while trumpet and trombone cases are now moved to the floor directly in front of the student. All instrument case handles face the student. (Be sure that all instruments are right side up before allowing the students to open the cases.) First, have the clarinet students open their cases and give instructions on applying cork grease. Have the clarinet students begin applying cork grease. (Have paper towels available.) Second, have the flute students open their case and talk them through steps 1 and 2 on page three. (Have students read aloud the steps as they assemble their instrument.) Have the student lay the instrument across their lap. Third, have the trombone students open their cases and talk them through steps 1 and 2 on page three. Have the student lay the instrument across their lap. Fourth, have the trumpet students open their cases and talk them through steps 1, 2 and 3 on page three. Have the student lay the instrument across their lap. Fifth, talk the clarinet students through steps 1, 2, 3 and 4 on page three.
  13. Proper hand position and fingering for the first note: First, talk the clarinet students through step 5 on page three. Emphasize that the right thumb should be placed under the thumb rest at the thumbnail. Use the picture as a guide for instrument angle. Second, talk the flute students through steps 3, 4 and 5 on page three. Use the picture as a guide for instrument angle. Third, talk the trombone students through steps 3, 4 and 5 on page three. Use the picture as a guide for instrument angle. Fourth, talk the trumpet students through steps 4 and 5 on page three. Use the picture as a guide for instrument angle.
  14. Instruct the students to turn to page two in their band book.
  15. Talk the band through the section on "Posture". (Have various students read each portion aloud.) Talk the band through the section on "Breathing and Airstream". (Have various students read each portion aloud.) Talk each instrument group in turn through the section on "Producing the Essential Tone". (Have students read each portion aloud.) Talk each instrument group in turn through the section titled "Mouthpiece Workout". Have the students perform the "Mouthpiece Workout" individually and as a group.
  16. Instruct the students to turn to page 4 in their band book.
  17. Instruct the flutes on the proper fingering for top line "F" pointing out the corresponding fingering chart at the beginning of line 1. Have them try to play this note individually and as a group. (At this point, for every instrument group, praise each individual effort and explain the importance of showing respect for the efforts of others.) Instruct the clarinets on the proper fingering for second line "G" pointing out the corresponding fingering chart at the beginning of line 1. Have them try to play this note individually and as a group. Instruct the trombones on the proper fingering for fourth line "F" pointing out the corresponding fingering chart at the beginning of line 1. Have them try to play this note individually and as a group. Instruct the trumpets on the proper fingering for second line "G" pointing out the corresponding fingering chart at the beginning of line 1. Have them try to play this note individually and as a group.
  18. Prepare the students to play the first note together. Explain that you will count off "Ready-To-Play-Breathe". One word per beat. The student should inhale when you say the word "Breathe". The student should blow the note on the next beat in time. Remind the student to start the note with the syllable learned in the "Mouthpiece Workout" on Page two. Have each student perform this activity individually, and then have the group perform this activity together. Give several examples of yourself doing this before having the students try to perform this activity.
  19. Prepare the students to play the note for four beats. Repeat the preparatory commands and instruct the students to play while they are counting to themselves "one and two and three and four and stop". Have each student perform this activity individually, while you count aloud "one and two and three and four and stop" for each student, and then have the group perform this activity together. Remind the student to start the note with the syllable learned in the "Mouthpiece Workout" on Page two. Give several examples of yourself doing this before having the students try to perform this activity.
  20. Learning to play four quarter notes. Repeat the preparatory commands "Ready-To-Play-Breathe". Instruct the students to perform four notes in time with the preparatory commands. Remind the student to start each note with the syllable learned in the "Mouthpiece Workout" on Page two. Have each student perform this activity individually, while you count aloud "one and two and three and four and stop" for each student, and then have the group perform this activity together.
  21. For homework, assign the students to perform lines 1 and 2 in their band books with the accompaniment CD. An additional assignment would be for the student to look ahead at lines 2 and 3 and also perform these with the accompaniment CD.

Assessment:

The teacher will monitor process of the individual and the group. A record will be kept indicating which student is successful in reaching the next step of the learning process. The teacher will initial the student's individual book as each line is mastered. The student will be introduced to every new concept or note that occurs in the lesson, but repeat every process until a line is mastered. *See Assessment Item that aligns with this Lesson)

Special Considerations:

Each individual student will possess different physical and mental attributes. Consideration must be given in teaching the student the fundamental basics of beginning to play a musical instrument. Allowances must be made for a difference in the size and shape of various hands, lips and mouths. The Band Director will also encounter various degrees of muscle control and digital dexterity. Each Band Director will have personal preferences concerning hand position, instrument position and embouchure, as well as which instruments are offered in beginning band.

 

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