Lesson Planning Form for Accessible Instruction Calvin College Education Program

Teacher Kendra Walters

Date April 26, 2017 Subject/ Topic/ Theme High School Choir, Expression and Dynamics Grade ___9-12_____

I. Objectives
How does this lesson connect to the unit plan?
The unit plan is about choral habits and this lesson focuses on producing vowel shapes and blending their tonetwo habits that they should be building.

cognitive- physical socio-

Learners will be able to: R U Ap An E C* development emotional
Sight-read music to a small degree U, Ap
Understand how dynamics and expression shape a song
Sing at different dynamic levels both in warmups and in the Seal Lullaby U
Know the difference between each dynamic level, know what they stand for and what they mean Ap x
U, Ap

Common Core standards (or GLCEs if not available in Common Core) addressed:
-Sing music written in four parts, with and without accompaniment
-Perform an appropriate part in large and small ensembles, demonstrating well-developed ensemble skills
-Sight read accurately and expressively, music with a moderate level of difficulty
-Demonstrate extensive knowledge and use of the technical vocabulary of music
-Sing with expression and technical accuracy a large and varied repertoire of vocal literature with a moderate level of difficulty
(Note: Write as many as needed. Indicate taxonomy levels and connections to applicable national or state standards. If an objective applies to particular learners
write the name(s) of the learner(s) to whom it applies.)
*remember, understand, apply, analyze, evaluate, create

II. Before you start

Identify prerequisite -Students must be able to sight-read music to a small degree. They also should remember how to
knowledge and skills. stand/sit with correct posture, breathe correctly, produce an even tone, sing with correct vowel
shape, and blend with the group.
Pre-assessment (for learning): None

Formative (for learning): Ask students to rate themselves on a scale of 1-5 with their eyes closed as to how
well they know their part.

Outline assessment Formative (as learning): Review the posture exercise, ask students what parts of our bodies we should pay
activities attention to. Review exercises from the past few lessons like hissing, tone, vowel hand signs, etc. and see if they
(applicable to this lesson) remember how to do each one correctly and will use the concepts in the song later.

Summative (of learning): Sing the song up until the stopping point from today and listen carefully to see how
well the students are remembering all of the habits weve been working on. Also listen to make sure they have
the right notes. Listen for problem spots and mark them to work on in the following class.

What barriers might this Provide Multiple Means of Provide Multiple Means of Provide Multiple Means
lesson present? Representation Action and Expression of Engagement
Provide options for perception- making Provide options for physical Provide options for
information perceptible action- increase options for recruiting interest-
interaction choice, relevance, value,
What will it take
-Sing a messa di voce on 1 note authenticity, minimize
neurodevelopmentally, -Explain what a messa di voce is -Relaxing posture exercise in threats
experientially, emotionally, -Show a picture of a messa di voce beginning
etc., for your students to do -Sing a messa di voce in a warmup -Point and hiss, firm abdomen
this lesson? -Sing a messa di voce in the Seal Lullaby -Pull invisible string out of head
-Sit and relax while not singing,
sit/stand tall while singing.

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 Provide options for language, mathematical Provide options for expression and Provide options for
expressions, and symbols- clarify & connect communication- increase medium sustaining effort and
language of expression persistence- optimize
challenge, collaboration,
mastery-oriented
feedback

-Sing the Seal Lullaby on

a neutral syllable
-Sing it with only vowels
-Sing it with all of the
words
-Sing it with all of the
dynamics and phrasing
weve talked about

Provide options for comprehension- Provide options for executive
activate, apply & highlight functions- coordinate short &
long term goals, monitor progress,
and modify strategies
Provide options for self-
regulation- expectations,
personal skills and
strategies, self-
assessment & reflection

-The music, The Seal Lullaby

Materials-what materials -Chairs
(books, handouts, etc) do -Pencil
you need for this lesson and
are they ready to use?

In two rows with S T A

How will your classroom be S B A
set up for this lesson?

III. The Plan

Describe teacher activities AND student activities
Time Components for each component of the lesson. Include important higher order thinking questions and/or
prompts.
10:34- -Posture exercise. Ask students which parts of their bodies are -Thinking about which parts of their
10:36 Motivation important to warm up. Say any of the parts listed below that the posture are important for singing and
(opening/ students didnt bring up. sharing with the class. Then
introduction/ -Feet: shoulder-length apart, one slightly in front of the other, physically fixing their posture.
engagement) weight evenly distributed
-Knees: slightly bent, relaxed
-Chest: raised comfortably
-Shoulders: relaxed and lowered comfortably, parallel to your
chest
-Arms: resting at sides, hanging relaxed, fingers hanging
-Chin: resting on a table, parallel to the ground
-Face: relaxed yet engaged, eyebrows raised

Development -Continue with warmups -Warming up

10:36- (the largest -Breathing -Hissing with controlled air
10:38 component or -Hiss in 8 out 8, in 7 out 8, in 6 out 8, etc. Talk about
main body of controlled, supported air throughout the exercise
10:38- the lesson) -Tone -Singing with a controlled, blended
10:39 -Noo on so-fa-mi-re-do, pull golden string from head tone

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10:39- -Vowels -Reviewing the hand signs while
10:42 -Review hand signs with mee, meh, mah, moh, moo on so- singing clear, blended vowels
fa-mi-re-do
-mee eh, mee ah, mee oh on so-do, so-do, so-do-so-mi-do -Singing while throwing imaginary
while throwing an imaginary ball, tell them to throw the sound balls
out and get right to the next vowel
10:42- -Dynamics -Listening to the teacher talk about
10:46 -Talk about dynamics dynamics. Answering questions along
-Whats happening is similar to breathing. Remember the the way about breath management and
three important things about breath management? (amount of then seeing the words written on the
air, pacing of air, steadiness of air) These apply here. Which do board so they can think about them
you think will change the most? (amount) Have these three later. Learning about how breath
things written on the board so the students can see them and control and dynamics go hand in
think about them while singing later. hand.
-When we hiss, ask what does our finger pointing
represent? Size of finger=amount of air. Moving finger=pacing.
Straight finger=steadiness. Have students hiss for 8 seconds to
remind them of this.
10:46- -Know that just because youre singing quietly doesnt -Singing with focusing motion
10:47 mean your abdominal muscles disengage. Your body will
10:47- always be singing forte on the inside, but the amount of air you -Singing while holding an invisible
10:59 let out will decide what dynamic level you sing at. beach ball to get abdominal support
-Sing hello on so-do three times: forte, mezzo piano, then while they get louder and softer.
piano. Use focusing hand motion in front of eyes. Following along with the dynamic
-Sing 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1 on F, getting louder as levels on the board.
10:49- you go up and softer as you go down. Hold beach ball. Ask what
10:50 the musical term for this is called (messa di voce) and draw it on
the board. Also write p>mp>mf>f and back down (ask what
10:50- these mean too). Do it again. -Singing the messa di voce on a long
10:52 -Explain that the messa di voce is what you do on most group of notes with holding the beach
phrasesstart quiet, crescendo to the climax and back down to ball and leaning back for a physical
the end. Its not always written in but you can still do it yourself. connection to the sound.
-Sing the following warmup with the messa di voce in it.
Hold the beach ball and slightly lean back on your heels as you
crescendo to the loudest part and come back as it gets softer.

10:52-
11:04 -Boys move into a different room to
work on a piece with Mrs. Spangler.
Girls stay in this room and sing with
all of the dynamic markings in mind.
Girls Sectional (12 min)
-Review pg. 2-3 with words, work on pg. 4-top of 6 on a
neutral syllable, then add words. Sopranos first then altos.
-Pay attention to all of the dynamic markingsmf vs. mp,
lots of diminuendos, messa di voce in asleep in the arms
and pg. 3 for ATB. After they dont need the piano, walk around
the room to listen closer to this and conduct along with gestures
that will enhance the dynamic levels.
-Near the beginning of the lesson, I sing page 2 with no
11:04- -Girls move to work with Mrs.
dynamics, then sing it again with expression to show how much
11:16 Spangler and boys come back to work
more enhanced the song can be with dynamics. Then students on the song with dynamics in mind.
try the same thing.

Guys Sectional (12 min)

-Same as above. Start with basses then tenors.
11:16- Closure Come together (6 min) -All move back into the same space
11:22 (conclusion, -Sing it from the beginning up until that point with and sing what theyve learned so far.
culmination, accompaniment. Have it recorded on the piano so I can Students are watching me conduct and
wrap-up) conduct. Use gestures that will enhance the dynamics. are expected to react to the different
Pay a LOT of attention to dynamics and phrasing. Yell

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 out things like, messa di voce coming up, crescendo dynamics and expression that I
here, watch this phrase, etc. to encourage more conduct.
dynamic expression.
Your reflection about the lesson, including evidence(s) of student learning and engagement, as well as ideas for improvement
for next time. (Write this after teaching the lesson, if you had a chance to teach it. If you did not teach this lesson, focus on the
process of preparing the lesson.)

I think that they were listening to what I was saying on this one, but I could have done a better job of having it be more interactive. I
did have them do a lot, more than normal, but dynamics are something that can be really fun to play around with and I could have
done that more. I think I was just too worried about losing control because thats an easy thing to do with this topic. I was super
happy with how they sounded at the end though because they ended up having beautiful phrasing.

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