Kevin Reyes 5482712

Hispanic Heritage Centered Lessons

These lessons are designed to flow into other lesson plans, keeping a centered idea and building upon its
self throughout each activity.
Key

Tone
Set

Materials

Musical Engagement
Include what questions

Goals

Assessment
(formative)

Getting the students

familiar with
common rhythmic
tropes of three
different Hispanic
music styles and by
extension, begin
introducing the
triplet division of a
beat and introducing
simple syncopation.
The two childrens
songs will be taught
later in this week.

The
assessment in
this activity
would be just
who needs
assistance
with rhythms
as well as
who
generally
pays
attention, as
this requires a
fair amount
of attention to
do the
complete
activity.

you will ask (and some

possible responses and
how you will respond to
those questions)

Rhythmic N/A
clapping

Flag printouts, White

board

Benedict MUE 3340 Fall 2014

Section 1:
(This first activity also
acts as a focal point for
the full 8 activities)
Arrange the class so
that everyone can see
the whiteboard as well
as the legal size flag
printouts of: Mexico,
Cuban, and Peru.
Have the flags propped
on the holder beneath
the white board and
write three different
small segments of
rhythms.
Atop the Mexican flag,
write (III) (III) (III) (I)
[After the popular
song Mexican Hat
Dance]
(Parenthesis indicate
the beats, will be
written in stem and
bars, not complete
music notation)
Atop the Cuban flag,
write (II)(II)(I)(I)
[After the Cuban
nursery rhyme Senora
Santana].
Lastly, above the
Peruvian flag, write
(/I)(II)(II)(I) [/ is a rest
and will be notated as
such. This is the
opening rhythm to
Pinpon, another

popular childrens
song from Peru.]
Ask the class what
countries these flags
represent and have
them raise their hand.
if they dont get them
all theres no need to
push it, just point out
the one(s) that they
dont know of.
Afterwards, point to
the rhythm bracket
above the first flag, the
Mexican flag, and ask
the class to discuss
quickly what they
should do if there are
three lines under 1
beat. Shortly
thereafter, say it means
you clap three times
under that beat. Being
an introductory lesson,
being displaying for
them keep the pulse at
a moderate tempo (80
BPM or so, slow
enough to have relaxed
triplets) and then clap
the rhythm for them at
least three times. Then
ask one half of the
room to clap the
rhythm while the other
half keeps the pulse,
then switch. Clap with
them until they get a
relatively good grasp
on the concept.
Afterwards, ask if
anyone recognizes the
rhythm. Sing the
excerpt from the hat
dance. Have them clap
it once more and move
on to the next flag
rhythm. Its unlikely
for everyone to
recognize the song, so
have them read the
Benedict MUE 3340 Fall 2014

rhythm, assisting like

before if theres
extreme trouble
(Which there shouldnt
be too much) and say
this is a rhythm from a
Cuban childrens song
titled Senora
Santana. Next is the
Peruvian flag/rhythm.
This starts with an
upbeat, so explain
instead of clapping on
the first of two notes
(II), you clap on the
second one. Have the
students keep the pulse
and model the entire
line for them twice
before just doing the
up-beat at the
beginning. Stop the
pulse and have them
join you in practicing
the upbeat. When it
seems the majority
gets it, do the entire
line again with one
half pulse and the
other half clapping,
then switch yet again.
Go back to the upbeat
if problems arise. This
part of the activity can
be repeated throughout
the week between
other segments of
class, when everyone
(mostly) has a good
handle on these
rhythms and flags, you
may then point to flags
and have them play the
rhythms in different
orders, strengthening
their comprehension of
the common basic
rhythmic patterns.
The following two
Benedict MUE 3340 Fall 2014

D=Do

Do-Ti

similar activities are

semi-expansions of the
past activity. This will
be teaching the class
the actual songs of
Senora Santana and
Pinpon.
Senora Santana:
This song uses the full
range of the D major
scale but centers
around stepwise
motion throughout,
making it a simple
song to sing. Arrange
for the students to sit
in a circle and have
them keep the pulse as
with any song we
learn. Sing the song
through three times
and then have them
echo you procedurally.
As the song The echo
pattern will go through
as such:
Senora Santana, Por
que llora el nino
Por una manzana, que
se le ha perdido
Yo te dar una, yo te
dar dos
Una para el nio y
otra para vos
Yo no quiero una, yo
no quiero dos
Yo quiero la ma
Que se me perdi.
After echoing, have
the entire class sing in
tandum twice through.
If time allows in the
day, go over any
common big issues
with the class.

Benedict MUE 3340 Fall 2014

This adds context to

rhythm and has
students continue to
absorb that music is
a combination and
can be broken down
into small details.
This also begins
reinforcing the stepwise pattern in
scales as the song is
comprised of that
ascending and
descending motion
akin to common
scale patterns.

Take note of
how the
classes does
in step-wise
motion as
compared to
the
arpeggiated
motion
theyre used
to.
Commonly,
stepwise
motion is
easier, but it
may differ
due to
conditioning
and learning
with that
emphasized
arpeggiated
motion.

D=Do

Do-Sol

Benedict MUE 3340 Fall 2014

Pinpon:
Contrary to Senora
Santana, Pinpon
focuses on the major
arpeggio pattern as
opposed to pure stepwise motion. This
time, have students
keep the pulse by
patting on their
shoulders, followed by
knees, and finally
floor, then reverse to
come back. Following
a similar model to
Senora Santana, sing
through the song three
times and then echo
once more.
This time going in a
different pattern as
opposed to the usual,
its a much shorter
song excerpt than
Senora Santana, so
begin with a pick-up
and go through 4 bars,
then the last 4 bars.
Pinpn es un mueco
de trapo y de carton
Se lava la carita,
con agua y con jabn
After singing the song,
ask the students what
the song is about. The
song Pinpon is about
a boy doll, the literal
translation of the song
is Pinpon is a boy
doll,
Made of rag and
cardboard.
He washes his face,
With water and soap,
it doesnt exactly hold
the same charm in
English as it does in
Spanish.

This song focuses on

the arpeggio pattern
and pick-up beat/upbeat, and should
strengthen the ideas
if done on a
consistent basis.

Assess the
overall
concept of
Sol-mi
interval in
particular, as
it is apparent
in almost
every song
weve done.
If nothing
else, students
should be
familiar with
that excerpted
interval.

D=Do

Do-Ti

Mrs. Santana:
This time through,
well be translating the
song to English.
Refresh the students
memory of Senora
Santana and then begin
singing it in English,
because of the syllable
discrepancy caused by
the translation, you
must repeat the line
Because I lost my
apple, (this is the
repeated line) because
I lost my apple.
The full verse is
Mrs. Santana, why
does the boy cry?
Because I lost my
apple, Because I lost
my apple.
I will give you one, I
will give you two,
One for the boy,
another one for you.
I don't want one, I
don't want two,
I just want mine,
That I lost.
Follow the common
pattern for teaching a
song even though
theyve sang this in
Spanish already. The
rhythms are very
different but retain the
same pitches. Sing
through twice and
have them echo in four
bar sections. Echo
map:
Mrs. Santana, why
does the boy cry?
Because I lost my
apple, Because I lost
my apple.
I will give you one, I

Benedict MUE 3340 Fall 2014

Besides enforcing a
disconnect between
similar songs, this
introduces the idea
of
covering/arranging
a song as well as
reinforcing that just
because a song is in
one language does
not mean it can only
be sung in that
language. By having
that repeated line
Because he lost his
apple that
compensates for
missing syllables, it
also introduces the
idea of creative
liberty without going
overboard and doing
massive change.
This song in English
also has frequent
half-note values at
the end of each
phrase.

will give you two,

One for the boy,
another one for you.
I don't want one, I
don't want two,
I just want mine,
That I lost.
Have everyone sing
together, take note of
how the retention of
the overall singing has
improved or stagnated.
These past four
activities are designed
to be done over the
span of two weeks and
build upon each other,
the next four activities
correlate to the first
activity in the plan.

PC/MP3

Benedict MUE 3340 Fall 2014

Section 2:
Cultural music
identification: This
lesson is the precursor
to the next lesson. On
the available
computer, show two
different videos
focusing on
Latin(Hispanic) music
groups. The most
recognizable groups
would be a Mariachi
ensemble and a latin
percussion ensemble.
Be sure to focus on
percussive instruments
as it is imperative to
the next lesson. After
watching the two
videos, ask the class to
discuss what
instruments they saw
being played, 2 minute
maximum to avoid

This activity will let

the students see
commonplace
instruments among
Hispanic music.
These instruments
include several kinds
of guitar,
trumpet/bugle,
trombone, tuba,
bongo drum, conga
drum, xylophone
and similar bell bar
instruments. It also
lets them hear some
of the rhythms from
the first activity in
the lesson, as theyre
rather commonplace.

No specific
assessment
here, its an
overall
discussion.
Will lead into
an important
assessment
point for the
next activity.

trailing off.
Afterwards, ask for
examples, telling the
class what the
instrument names are
when getting answers
such as little handdrum or the like.
Percussion
Instrumental
Interaction:

Small
percussion
instruments
whiteboard

To keep the class from

getting too rowdy,
have 5 small
percussive instruments
set out to allow 5
students at a time.
These instruments
consist of congas,
maraca/shaker
instruments, and finger
cymbals. To begin just
have them go back to
the original flag
rhythms and have
them read through
them on the percussion
instruments.
Afterwards, give them
just a small time to
create their own
percussion music,
limited to about half a
minute. Move on until
everyone has gone and
has gotten a feel for
the instruments.

Circle game song A

la zapatilla por detrs
(The Slipper Behind
Benedict MUE 3340 Fall 2014

Assess how
the rhythmic
This allows the
understanding
students to play
translates in
these percussive
the students
instruments
when theyre
commonly used in
playing an
Hispanic/latin music. actual
By going back to the instrument as
original rhythms in
opposed to
the beginning of this just clapping.
lesson, in tandem
Also take
with listening to the note of how
overall up-beat feel, each student
it ingrains the broad uses the
idea of Latin music
instrument,
in their minds as
do they
well as get excited to naturally go
just be able to play
to (at least a
an actual instrument. simpler) the
The hopeful end
common
result would be an
correct
increased interest in technique?
music and
Whos being
specifically music of conscious of
Hispanic culture.
their volume,
do they play
very loud or
somewhat
controlled?

Similar to the circle

game songs weve

Pay attention
to whos

You Game)
Gesture for the
students to arrange
themselves in a circle
if not done already,
and begin singing the
song. For this activity
only do the first half of
the song to allow time
for all students.
A la zapatilla por
detrs, tris-trs,
ni la ves ni la vers,
tris-trs.
Mirar para arriba,
que caen hormigas.
Mirar para abajo,
que caen escarabajos.
A dormir, a dormir
que los Reyes van a
salir. The second time
singing it, walk in a
circle(on the outside),
gesturing for the
students to tap their
own shoulders on one
and three and clap on
two and four. When
saying the last word,
stop behind a student
and tap their shoe with
yours. This is to
substitute for the
original act in this
game of leaving a sort
of footwear behind the
child. Stop and explain
that this student is now
the zapatilla or
slipper, and will go
around the circle until
the end of the song and
tap the student they
ended up behind in the
same manner. Quickly
pick out several
students to start so
everyone has an
opportunity and begin
the song. Sing along
with them each time to
Benedict MUE 3340 Fall 2014

gone over, the main

focal point of this
game is to have the
students be
conscious that many
other children, not
necessarily just those
in Hispanic
countries, do similar
activities to what
they do. This is in
the sense of living
setting, not just
lineage.
Rhythmically, its an
upbeat song with
sixteenth note almost
swinging
syncopation.

participating
in the sense
of whos
singing and
walking with
confident
posture, as
opposed to
slouching and
unfocused.
The students
who dont
speak
Spanish will
have trouble
with this as
well as the
other
activities, so
take note of
effort and
drive in those
certain
students.

keep the pulse and

tone center present, as
this takes moderate
focus, but not as much
as some other game
songs the class has
gone over. Note: Be
sure to explain quickly
that students who are
it should not choose
those who have
already gone. In the
end the students
should feel like
theyve almost done
this game before,
because its very
similar to two other
circle games weve
done.

D=Do,
original
key is
F=Do

Do-Sol

Benedict MUE 3340 Fall 2014

Lullaby: Arroz Con

Leche
A common lullaby that
Hispanic students may
have heard from their
parents singing to
them. Motion for the
students to sit in a
circle and have them
do the motion for
Hush little baby as
you sing the song.
Arroz con leche,
me quiero casar,
con una seorita
que sepa bailar.
que sepa coser,
que sepa planchar,
que sepa abrir la
puerta, para ir a jugar

Similar to the circle

game activity, this
accentuates the fact
that every culture in
the world has their
own ideas for
lullabies just as the
students do, this will
focus on a common
Spanish lullaby.
Students should hear
and feel the
difference between
this lullaby and
another
English/American
lullaby theyve gone
over such as Hush
little Baby.

Observe how
the class
reacts when
singing the
lullaby, are
they thrown
off by the
opposite tonal
center? When
asking the
questions, are
there any
implications
that some
sudents dont
think of this
song as a
lullaby? Ask
why if such
occurs.
Survey who
has improved
or stagnated
on the
arppegiated
Patterns, how
is the tuning
of the voices?

Benedict MUE 3340 Fall 2014