Gateway

Lesson Plan Template

Teacher: __Mrs. Alexis Spina / Mr. Aaron Dugger_______ Subject: Music___
KNOW
Jazz is an important and defining style of
American music.

Improvisation is a key element is all styles of
Jazz

Duration: ____50 min ___

UNDERSTAND
A broad time-line of Jazz and how it developed in to the
music we listen to today

Improvisation can be spontaneous but needs to have
some structure and guidlines

Essential Question(s): Can you perform a 12 bar
improvisation alone or with others?

DATE: April 20th 27th

DO
-Improvise alone and with others
-Evaluating music performances.
-Understanding music in relation to
history and culture
-Performing on instruments alone and
with others
-Vary jazz rhythms and implement them
in to personal improvisation

Pre-Assessment: Knowledge and familiarity of Jazz

Introduction/Anticipatory Set Definition and timeline of Jazz / Listening example of famous improvised solos
Instructional Input/Modeling: Model Jazz rhythms (swing style) and improvised examples
Learning Experiences:

1. Listen to examples of familiar Jazz tunes and improvised solos
2. Discuss the history and importance of Jazz in the development of American music. How has it transformed
in to what we listen to today?
3. Introduce simple swung rhythms using du-de. Students echo patterns (Gordon Syllables)
4. **Intoduce blues scale (E Blues E,G,A,Bb,B,D,E and play each note**
5. Move to orff and have students echo rhythm patterns. Begin with any note of blues scale then move to
melodic patterns saying the notes accordingly.
6. Using E blues backing track, demonstrate 12 bar blues improvisation using examples from echo patterns.
7. In groups, allows students to practice their own 12 bar improvisation over backing track
8. Groups perform improvisation then ask for volunteers to improve.
9. If extra time, introduce call and response improvisation and have a musical conversation with students.

Resources/Materials:
-Speaker
-Computer
-Rhythm Charts for Swing
-Various Orff instruments
equipped for E Blues Scale
-E Blues backing track
12bars

Closure: Review development of jazz. Have students perform individual improv as a form of assessment if time at the end of class.
Post-Assessment Teacher will plan next lesson according to how much students have progressed in the music.

April 2016