EDFD268 TEACHING AND

LEARNING: PREPARING FOR THE Shannon Victory

CONTEXT OF THE FIELD

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Lesson Plan

Time: 40 minutes

Year 3 19 April 2017 Start: 10.30am

Finish: 11.10am
Learning Area: Lesson Topic:

The Arts: Music Creating music that conveys an emotion using percussion.

Strands:

Not applicable for Creative Arts: Music.

Achievement Standards:

By the end of Year 4, students describe and discuss similarities and differences between music they listen to, compose and perform. They discuss how they
and others use the elements of music in performance and composition.
Students collaborate to improvise, compose and arrange sound, silence, tempo and volume in music that communicates ideas. They demonstrate aural skills
by singing and playing instruments with accurate pitch, rhythm and expression.

Recent Prior Experience:

Prior to this lesson, the students in Year 3 were an audience to stickStoff Bucket Drummers. Year 3 students have had a class discussion taking note of how the
percussion performers used pitch, rhythm and dynamics in their drumming piece. Students were able to talk to and ask questions of the 8 performers in the
stickStoff performance group.

(stickStoff, 2012)

Content Descriptors: Elaborations: Assessment:

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Develop aural skills by - exploring and varying instrumental Students successfully meet the criteria if they arrange sounds and silence in a
exploring, imitating and timbres in isolation and combination, for deliberate,
recognizing elements of example, playing softer or louder, faster or - Pattern
music including dynamics, slower, repeating phrases - Volume
pitch and rhythm patterns - Tempo
(ACAMUM084)
 Numeracy:
Recognise and use
patterns and
relationships Students successfully meet the criteria if they use symbols notation to represent a
sound.
Create, perform and record
compositions by selecting - experimenting with ways of using voices
and organizing sounds, and instruments, combining sounds, Students successfully meet the criteria if they create and perform a music piece with
silence, tempo and volume silence, tempo and volume to create and percussion instruments.
(ACAMUM086) perform music
 Numeracy:
Understand and
use numbers in
context

Adjustments for Diverse Learners:

- Student’s with a learning disability might need assistance during the group work. Letting the student and parents know of the lesson
beforehand will help ensure they are ready to participate in the lesson. Pairing the student with a learning disability with a confident
performer might extend both students during this lesson’s activities (Rafdal, McMaster, McConnell, Fuchs, & Fuchs, 2011). If a Teacher Aide
is available for the lesson, it might be useful for them to work with that particular group as well. Depending on the student’s ability, the task group
task might be adapted (Mitchell, 2016). The task might be cut in half for that student (they might have the learn and present the first 4 beats,
and leave the second 4 beats to the rest of their group). Or the task might be to clap the 8 beats in time with their group rather than playing
complicated percussion instruments.

- Students with behavioral disorders might find it difficult to concentrate on the task at hand. These students might need to be paired with students
that are known to stay on task. In the break (morning tea or lunch) before this lesson, the teacher might inform the student of what they’ll
be doing during the lesson to give them time to be excited about it and pull themselves into focus. This student might also need extra
responsibilities during the lesson, like handing out music books and handing out instruments to ensure they don’t get bored and disruptive
(Esturgó-Deu & Sala-Roca, 2009). This group should be asked to practice inside the classroom during the lesson (not outside the door) and a

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teacher’s watchful eye might be needed. This student’s parents might like to be made aware of the slight adjustments being made to ensure
inclusion for their child.

- Students with a hearing impairment might need more assistance with the lesson in its entirety. The student will need a clear view of the teacher
in the introductory stages of the lesson to ensure they can see the beat being tapped out. The student might also need to turn down the sound
on his or her hearing implements as percussion can get quite loud. It is important to consult the students’ parents if changes in their hearing
equipment need to be made. The student will need to use their vision more than their hearing to keep in time with the beat and create the same
sounds as their group – this is in keeping with Strengths-Based Approach and the Social Learning theory and will assist the student to develop
resilience (Lietz, 2004). Pairing this student with helpful students will assist their success in the group activity.

Extension Activities:

- Should a group finish early or need extended learning, they might make their performance more exciting by incorporating dance moves. Two
students will play the composition while the other two students perform 1 freeze frame for every 2 beats. The group will run through the
composition again but the roles will be reversed so that the teacher is able to witness all students playing the percussion piece. Ask if the students
can combine the two different ‘performances’ and make the transition seamless.

- Groups that are working ahead of schedule might like to add another 8 counts to their performance. This will extend the time in which they need
to keep the beat steady while performing.

To keep parents involved in what the students are doing, pictures or videos might be taken (with permission) and submitted into the students portfolios or even
presented during a parent evening.

Any safety issues to be Resources:

considered: List resources you used in preparing the lesson AND those used in the lesson implementation.

- Move tables and - Whiteboard

chairs out of the
way
- Whiteboard markers
- Supervise - Children’s music books
- Ensure proper - Pencils
use of - Erasers
percussion - Sharpeners
instruments
- Percussion instruments
- Cups, newspaper and other DIY percussion pieces

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- Any percussion instruments available at the school

LESSON SEQUENCE

Lesson Content: Timing Teaching Strategies / Learning Experiences: Resources and Organisation:
(mins)

INTRODUCTION
Direct explicit instruction – students will listen as
10 the teacher role models what is needed from the
minutes students. Students will then be asked to be
involved.

Hand Percussion: T: Today we are going to become composers! - Whiteboard

Use hands to create a piece of music. - Whiteboard marker
Illustrate the sounds using First, we’re going to use our hands to make - Desks
representative symbols. music and then we can start to use instruments. - Music workbooks
- Pencils
- Understand and use numbers Draw boxes on the board. - Erasers
in context
Key Example:

These boxes represent one beat each.

Slowly clap out one beat for each box – pointing

to each box as you clap the beat. For an
extension class, explain the difference between
4/4 (beats per bar) and ¾ (beats per bar) using
waltz music and mainstream music.

- Develop aural skills by Please draw these boxes in your book. Let’s
exploring, imitating and create a composition together. Maybe

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recognizing elements of our first sound could be a clap? And our

music symbol for the clap will be a star. Could
everyone please draw a star in their first
box?

What could our next sound be?

S: Answer (click, tap, stomp, tap knees etc.)

Tap knees

T: Great! What symbol could we use for tapping

our knees?

S: Answer (triangle, squiggle, flower, diamond Picture Notation Example:

etc.)
Diamond.
T: Great! Could everyone draw a diamond in the
second box?

Demonstrate on the board and continue with the

next two boxes.

Let’s try our composition so far. 3, 2, 1, Go!

Clap, tap knees, rub hands together, click.

- Recognise and use patterns
and relationships
Great! One more time!

Clap, tap knees, rub hands together, click.

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The Cup Game:
Use plastic cups to make percussion
sound. Illustrate the sounds using
representative symbols.
- experimenting with ways of
using voices and instruments
EDFD268 Teaching and Learning: Preparing for Contexts of the Field
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Now let’s use those same sounds/symbols to
create the second line of our composition. What
sound should we use first?
S: Rub hands together.
T: Great! Could everyone draw the squiggle in
the first box?
What sound next?
S: Tap knees.
T: Great! Could everyone draw the diamond in
the next box?
- 28 plastic cups
Continue this for the next two boxes. And run
through all 8 beats as a class.
T: Now we’re going to do the same thing but
instead of using our hands, we are going to use
a very special musical instrument: the plastic
cup!
Hand out the plastic cups and let the students
have a play.
T: Alright what sounds are you able to make with
these plastic cups? Hands up.
Choose student to answer.
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S: Bangs the top of the cup like a drum.

T: Good! That’s a louder sound that we could

make with the cup. Anyone else?

Choose student to answer.

S: Swooshes the cup on the desk.

T: That’s a quieter sound that one! I like it!

- combining sounds, silence, Continue until you have 4 or 5 sounds.

tempo and volume to create
As a class, make a composition on the board
and perform music
using the cup sounds and symbols then perform
them together as a class. Add a rest in (a beat of
silence) to ensure students are aware they can
use this option in their composition.

DEVELOPMENT
Co-operative learning – students will work in
20 groups to compose a piece of music.
minutes
T: In a group, you need to create a piece of music - Plastic cups
using percussion. You can use your hands, - Containers from around the classroom
pencils, paper and any percussion instruments - Pencils
we have. Because we don’t have many - Any percussion instruments the school owns
instruments if you would like to use one, I’ll put
your name in a hat and draw out the people who
can use them this time. Next time, different
people may use the instruments. That way it’s
fair.

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I’d like you to work in groups of 4 and compose

your own piece of music. I’d like you to write it
down using the same picture notation we used in
the hand percussion and the cup percussion.

Any questions?

Assign everyone into groups of 4 and give them

a space to create and practice their composition.

- Create, perform and record

compositions Walk around the room checking all groups
understand and are on task. Help where
possible.
CLOSURE
T: Let’s perform our 8-beat composition so far! I
20 would like everyone to be very respectful to the - Performing space
minutes performing group. And I think after the hard work - Instruments and make-shift instruments
we’ve put in this lesson, a round of applause
when they finish will be in order.
Group one, come on up.

- Create, perform and record Group 1: Perform

compositions
Class: Applause

Continue through the groups until everyone has

performed.

T: Great job, year 3’s! Next lesson we’ll add to

this composition, we’re going to try adding 2
sounds in the space of one beat.

What did you enjoy about the lesson today?

S: Answer

T: What did you find difficult?

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S: Answer

T: Thank you for this lesson, year 3. Please pack

away your music books ready for our next
subject.
Lesson Evaluation:

Did the students:

1. Collaboratively compose a piece of music that conveys an emotion by arranging sounds, silence, tempo and volume with percussion instruments?
2. Work collaboratively as a team to illustrate the composition using any symbols of choice?
3. Be a supportive audience to the other groups performances?

Critical Reflection
My personal teaching pedagogy revolves around engaging, inclusive education. I believe all students deserve the right to learn in a classroom
and learning alongside diverse learners will prepare students for the diverse community they will live in and the diverse colleagues they will work
with in the future.
In the planning for teaching, it is important to think of space, time and classroom management strategies. In terms of spatial semiotics, where a
teacher stands plays a role in the way a classroom is managed. Depending on where the teacher stands they might portray an authoritative,
personal, supervisory or interactional demeanour (Lim, O'Halloran, & Podlasov, 2012). During this group work part of the lesson, I will aim to
portray an interactional and supervisory demeanour in which I could assist the students should they need help and direct them to the task when
their ideas have wondered. To do this, I will wander around the classroom and offer help where necessary. Ensuring the proper and consistent
use of these different spaces in the future will serve as an effective classroom management strategy.
The classroom will be set up into two areas. The carpet area with open spaces and no tables, where the children are able to perform their
percussion piece. And the desk area where children are taught explicitly before the group activities. Children are able to spread around the
classroom into either of these areas for their group work activity and a responsible group can be asked to work just outside the classroom door.

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This classroom setup becomes warm and inclusive with the colourful wall decorations, birthday posters and pieces of students work displayed
(Bucholz & Sheffler, 2015). I think that the students will feel comfortable in this classroom because of the inclusion of their own ideas in the
classroom layout.
In terms of time, it is important for the teacher to engage student attention or risk disruption to the lesson (Millares, 2012). To ensure student
attention remains, the lesson needs to run for a reasonable amount of time for the student developmental level and the lesson needs to be
engaging. To ensure students remain attentive, I opted for a group work activity. This way the students take control of their own learning
extending their attention span across the twenty-minute group task (Stahmer, Suhrheinrich, Reed, Bolduc, & Schreibman, 2010).
Where communication is involved, it is important that the teacher, the students and their parents keep an open line of communication. This
helps build student resilience in the classroom and confusion about the performance being presented is minimised when everyone feels able to
clarify what is required of them (Johnson, 2008). Similarly, the lines of communication between teachers remains open as well. This ensures easy
collaboration in the development of the task as well as continuity of mediation between the classes in terms of assessment marks.

Communication between peers needs to be collaborative and respectful. Students working to these standards are praised so that their peers
understand the standard of behaviour for their collaborative communication. Students not working to these standards in group work need to
be guided by a teacher or another student. Students non-verbal communication while their peers are performing needs to be respectful. Students
showing respectful behaviour will be praised in order to reiterate to the class what behaviour is acceptable. Students that are overly disruptive
need to be moved closer to the teacher where a supervisory demeanour is more prominent (Lim, O'Halloran, & Podlasov, 2012).
Overall, taking into consideration my personal pedagogy, planning, classroom set up and communication, the lesson would be a success. Students
will collaborate to compose and arrange sound, silence, tempo and volume to create a piece of musical percussion before performing it to their
peers. They will then practice their roles as audience members, being respectful to their peers.

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References
Bucholz, J., & Sheffler, J. (2015). Creating a warm and inclusive classroom environment: Planning for all children to feel welcome. Electronic Journal for
Inclusive Education.

Esturgó-Deu, M. E., & Sala-Roca, J. (2009). Disruptive behaviour of students in primary education and emotional intelligence. Science Direct, 830-837.

Johnson, B. (2008). Teacher–student relationships which promote resilience at school: a micro-level analysis of students’ views. British Journal of Guidance
& Counselling, 385-398.

Lietz, C. A. (2004). Resiliency based social learning: A strengths based approach. Taylor & Francis Online, 21-36.

Lim, F. V., O'Halloran, K. L., & Podlasov, A. (2012). Spatial pedagogy: mapping meanings in the use of classroom space. Cambridge Journal of Education, 235-
251.

Millares, M. D. (2012). Attention span: in the 5-to 7-year-old music student . American Music Teacher, 20.

Mitchell, D. (2016). Inclusive education strategies in New Zealand, a leader in inclusive education. Estonian Journal of Education, 19-29.

Rafdal, B. H., McMaster, K. L., McConnell, S. R., Fuchs, D., & Fuchs, L. S. (2011). The effectiveness of kindergarten peer assistance learning strategies for
students with disabilities. SAGE Journals, 299-316.

Stahmer, A. C., Suhrheinrich, J., Reed, S., Bolduc, C., & Schreibman, L. (2010). Pivotal Response Teaching in the Classroom Setting. Preventing school failure:
Alternative education for chidren and youth, 265-274.

stickStoff. (2012). stickStoff - Bucket Drum - 2012 . Retrieved from Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=arKMUNfq7pQ

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