Sarah Tracey

September 30, 2019

Dr. Lisa Maynard
Objectives/Goals
 To effectively play The Banana Boat Song with 80% note and rhythm
accuracy.
 To learn the origination of The Banana Boat Song.
Procedure
 Introduce myself to the class, say hello.
 Inform the class on what song we will be working on and what page it
is on.
 Ask if anyone has heard the song before.
 Talk about the historical significance of The Banana Boat Song:
o It was sung by workers who loaded ships with bananas down at
the docks. The dockworkers typically worked at night so when
daylight arrived, they knew the boss would come to tally up the
loads so they could go home
 The students will run the piece with clapping the rhythms and singing
the note names
 Ask students for a good posture demonstration on each instrument
o Jackson will explain what good posture looks like for violin/violas
o Willie will explain what good posture looks like for the cello
o Lauren will explain what good posture looks like for the bass.
 The students will run through the piece using pizzicato
o Ask the class to show their pizzicato fingers by holding them in
the air
o “Show me your small crab fingers!”
o Run though the piece with pizzicato
 Ask the class if anything in the piece looks familiar, see if they notice
that the piece repeats ideas.
o Measures 3-4 repeat in 7-8 and 11-12
o Measures 5-6 repeat in 9-10
 Run measures 3-4, repeating twice on pizz. to get it under the
students fingers.
 Run measures 5-6, repeating twice on pizz. to get it under the
students fingers.
 Ask students for feedback, ask for thumb-o-meter on how they are
feeling about the piece
 The students will add bows/arco to the piece.
o Ask Justus to demonstrate how to hold the bow properly
o Run the piece all the way through
 Ask the class how to make the piece more interesting
o It is supposed to be tropical, so maybe suggest jamming out and
having fun with it.
 o Imagine you’re playing in a string ensemble on the beach in
Jamaica.
 The students will run through the piece again with what a student has
said in mind
Assessment
 To assess the students, I will break the students down into groups of
one per instrument and have them play.
o This will allow me to be able to hear each instrument individually
without spending a lot of time in class.
o The students should be able to play the piece with 80% note and
rhythmic accuracy.
National/VA Standards of Learning
 6.2 The student will perform a varied repertoire of music, including 1.
demonstrating acceptable performance behaviors; 2. following
dynamic and tempo markings; and 3. singing or playing music in
unison and simple harmony.