Justin Burde

Student Teaching
3rd Grade Guitar Class
23 March, 2014

1. Lesson Identification
a. 3rd Grade Guitar Weekly Lessons
b. RIPTS

i. Standard 1: Teachers create learning experiences using a broad base of

general knowledge that reflects an understanding of the nature of the communities
and world in which we live.
ii. Standard 2: Teachers have a deep content knowledge base sufficient to create
learning experiences that reflect an understanding of central concepts, vocabulary,
structures and tools of inquiry of the disciplines/content areas they teach.
iii. Standard 5: Teachers create instructional opportunities to encourage all
students development of critical thinking, problem solving, performance skills,
and literacy across content areas.
iv. Standard 6: Teachers create a supportive environment that encourages
appropriate standards of behavior, positive social interaction, active engagement
in learning, and self-motivation.
v. Standard 8: Teachers use effective communication as the vehicle through which
students explore, conjecture, discuss and investigate new ideas.
vi. Standard 9: Teachers use appropriate formal and informal assessment
strategies with individuals and groups of students to determine the impact of
instruction on learning, to provide feedback, and to plan future instruction.
c. Content Standards

i Standard 1: Singing, alone and with others, a varied repertoire of music.

ii. Standard 2. Performing on instruments, alone and with others, a varied
repertoire of music.
iii Standard 5: Reading and notating music.
iv. Standard 6: Listening to, analyzing and describing music.

2. Long Term Student Learning Objectives

1. Students will be able to identify and perform basic chords and notes on the guitar.
(Standard 2, 5, 8)
2. Students will be able to read notes on the staff and guitar chord notation (slashes and
charts). (Standard 2, 5)
3. Students will be able to play the guitar, either strumming or melody, with a steady beat.
(Standard 2)
4. Students will be able to sing along with music with a good singing voice. (Standard 1)
5. Students will be able to identify different sections (verse, chorus, bridge, etc) within
songs. (Standard 6)
6 Students will be able to play the songs Fly Like An Eagle and At the Hop for a
performance in June. (Standard 1, 2, 5)
3. Opportunities to Learn
1 Students are consistently engaged through hands on activity. Each student has a chance
to play the guitar as well as guide their partner through the music chosen for that day.
2 There are chords charts posted for those who need help with chords in a visual manner.
3 Students work with partners so they have someone to give them help, whether with the
physical aspects of the guitar or with playing the music.

4. Instructional Procedures
A. Opening
a Begin with a review game of material covered in the previous week. Use
something visual to create associations of chord charts with the guitar.
b Pick well behaved students for electric guitar, pick passer and book

passer.

B. Engagement
a Check students knowledge by asking them to show you whatever chord the song
calls for. For example, go around and look for everyone making a D7 chord.
i Practice each chord for a couple of minutes with help from your partner. Practice
switching between one and the other in time.
ii Give everyone a chance to sing and to experience that sensation. This is an
important part of the students grades. Be sure to point along with the music to
know where we are. Use singing as a tool of getting them engaged with the
song.

iii Play the song. Partners not playing should be following along in the
music and aiding their partner in staying in the right place.

C. Closing
a Students can be assessed throughout the lesson through questioning and by going
around and checking progress during partner work.
b What was something we learned today? What was one thing you think you did well
and one thing you could work on? Allow students to volunteer their own answers.
5 Assessment
a Check student work by walking around as they play the song. Are they playing the
chords correctly? Are they switching chords? Are they playing with the rhythm of the
steady beat or the melody? Are their partners helping them in some way? There are many
things to be looking for.
i Point out what is seen. Tell the class if not enough partners are helping or if
some are struggling with the chords.
b At end of lesson allow time for reflection. What did you do well, what could you
improve on? This gives the students a chance for self and peer evaluation, deepening
their engagement in their learning. What could be worked on for next time?
Weekly Goals
Week of 3/16
1 Sing along with Dont Worry Be Happy, with a discussion of low and high
notes. (Standard 1, 6)
Week of 3/23
1 Sing along with Love Me Do (Standard 1, 6)
2 Learn about D.C. al Coda. What does it look like and what does it mean?
(Standard 5, 6)
3 Learn G, C and D7 chords. (Standard 2)
a Learn Verse and Bridge with just G and C.
b Incorporate D7 once proficiency is reached with G and C
Ursillos Class 3/25 (in classroom)
1 Learn about form using Shambala by Three Dog Night. (Standard 6)
2 Introduce idea of A, B and Coda sections. (Standard 6)

a Use Verse and Chorus for A and B respectively.

b Students raise hands when music changes and write new section on the
board. Eventually the entire form will be written out.
3 Add dances to each section. (Standard 2)
a A= Hands on hips. Coda= Stand and dance in place. B= Hands in air.
Week of 3/30
1 Play Love Me Do and review D7 (+ G and C) (Standard 1, 2, 5)
2 Learn A7 (Standard 2)
3 Listen to and Play Low Rider (Standard 2, 6)
Ursillos Class 4/1
1 Continue work on learning about form using Fly Like an Eagle and Sir
(Standard 6)

Duke.

2 Talk about A, B, C and intro and outro. (Standard 6)

3 Do listening test- show the letters with your arms when each section starts. Do test
with eyes closed. (Standard 6)
Week of 4/6
1 Introduce A7 and E. Activate prior knowledge with D7 and show similarities with
the two new chords. (Standard 2, 5, 6)
2 Apply to the song Shambala by Three Dog Night (Standard 2, 5, 6)
Week of 4/13
1 Discuss and learn about proper singing technique in the Pre Chorus and Chorus of
Shambala. (Standard 1, 6)
2 Learn the chord change from A7 to D7 in the chorus. (Standard 2, 5, 6)
Week of 4/27
1 Continue learning the switch from E to D7 in the verse. (Standard 2, 5)
2 Switch from D7 to A7 and play A7 correct number of times. (Standard 2, 5)
3 Make switch to A7 for the chorus at correct time. (Standard 2, 5)
Week of 5/4
1 Listen to, sing and learn first three chords to Surfin USA. (Standard 1, 2, 5, 6)

2 Continue practicing playing E twice, D7 twice and A7 four times to the verse and
pre chorus of Shambala. (Standard 2, 5)
6 Reflections
Student Work
I could check student work on a more individual basis. I could do more by asking
students to play something for the class. I allow students to answer questions about how
to play a chord, how many times to play it, etc. I think that more time needs to be given
to allowing individual students to play. This allows them to show me where they are, as
well as hopefully set a good example for the class.
I know that students are able to play the two chords, C and Em, by my checking
around the room and help from the partners. The singing is a good method to get them to
hear the melody and then contrast it to the rhythm of the guitar. More emphasis could
have been drawn on this to really make it clear. The objectives for playing along with the
entire song could have been met with another week of instruction. There are a lot of
chord changes that happen at odd times that seem like they would best be learned through
repetition and listening. Perhaps there is a clearer way of making these changes easier
than seeing how they line up with the lyrics.
Lesson Implementation
As of this lesson, and for the rest of my teaching experience, classroom
management is the area that needs the most improvement. I need to work on my own
presence, physically and vocally, as well as methods of getting the class focused and the
students quiet. I need to continue to work on waiting until I have everyones attention
before moving forward with the lesson. If everyone is not engaged, we cannot move on
because they will get left behind. I use clapping a rhythm which is mirrored by the
students as a way of focusing them. It works as it is familiar, but I wonder what else I
could use that might be more effective. I know I need to position myself in a way that
allows everyone to see me and for me to see them.
For the future, I will think more about how I can engage the students. In lessons
that proceeded this one, I have used review as a means of attaining the electric guitars. I
have noticed more engagement in questions I ask if I stand in the front where everyone
can see me. I continue to practice waiting for everyone, sometimes pointing out students
who are setting good examples. If I was to teach this lesson again, I would be more wary
about the partners. I need to make sure that the people who are partners will not
constantly distract each other and be goofing around when Im not looking.