H.B.

du Pont Middle School

6th Grade Choir: 4/12/17
Aimee Pearsall

1. Summary of Lesson:
T will have the S complete a written warm-up (do-now) within their warm-up packets (p. 45 #5).
T will have a S leader lead the class in sight singing. T will lead choral warm ups that are meant
to promote healthy singing and a unified choral tone. T will check parts in All Things Bright
and Beautiful, and then rehearse the piece in its entirety. S will rehearse the piece, When I am
Silent in its entirety with the accompaniment, and will finally rehearse the piece Lava in its
entirety with students playing the ukuleles as accompaniment.

2. Student Characteristics and Prior Knowledge:

The students are in 6th grade and attend a public middle school in Delaware. Many students
participated in choir last year. This choir is unauditioned and the students have a basic
understanding of the voice and music theory. They have learned all of All Things Bright and
Beautiful, but the soloists were selected yesterday to sing the top part on p. 8-10 and p. 12.
Therefore, they have never rehearsed those sections with the new parts. The students have
learned all of When I am Silent but struggle with part independence at times. The S have been
rehearsing Lava for the most part without the ukulele accompaniment by the students, and just
recently learned the harmonies (last week). In each piece, the S should work on part
independence, blending, balance, and a darker tone (except Lava). They struggle with
transitions from section to section in each piece. There are some S in this class that have
difficulties staying on task and are excessively chatty. Some students will forget to bring their
warm-up book to class. Those students know that it is their responsibility to share with a
neighbor for the day and to make up the warm-up at home. If they forget their book for several
days in a row, its an expectation that they will copy the warm-ups onto a separate piece of paper
so as to not fall behind.

3. Learning Goals/Objectives/Assessments/Standards
Learning Goal: Students will sing with a healthy and supported vocal tone, while
demonstrating independent musicianship by singing in multiple parts.
Objectives:
1. Students will engage the body through moving their bodies in natural ways that relate to
the sound, helping to connect their breathing to their singing voice.
a. T will assess S on how they move their bodies in relation to the sound, informally
noting who is connecting their breath to the sound.
2. Students will engage the ear through exercises that focus on unison and chordal singing,
as well as exploring different tone qualities and dynamic levels as an ensemble.
a. T will informally assess S as a whole as they respond to the gestures of a
conductor.
3. Students will sing all of All Things Bright and Beautiful, When I am Silent, and
Lava in two/three parts with correct pitches and rhythms, in duple meter and major
tonality.
 a. T will informally assess S based on observation and listening.

Learning Goal: Students will read and write rhythmic and melodic compositions using
rhythm syllables and solfeggio in duple and triple meter, and major and minor tonality.
Objectives:
1. Students will assign solfeggio to a duple, meter, major sight singing example in 4/4.
a. T will walk around the room, checking S warm-ups for accuracy. They have
written exams on this.
2. Students will sight sing a duple meter, major sight singing example in 4/4.
a. T will also informally assess S as a whole as they sight sing.

Learning Goal: Students will learn to play vernacular instruments to accompany others
and/or themselves while singing cover songs or original songs.
Objectives:
1. Students will use the ukuleles to accompany their peers on the song Lava. They will read a
chord chart and accurately change between four different chords, C, G, D, and F.

National Core Arts Standards:

Performing
MU: Pr4.3.6a Perform a selected piece of music demonstrating how their interpretations
of the elements of music and the expressive qualities (such as dynamics, tempo, timbre,
articulation/style, and phrasing) convey intent.
MU:Pr4.2.8b When analyzing selected music, sight-read in treble or bass clef simple
rhythmic, melodic, and/or harmonic notation.
MU:Pr6.1.E.8a Demonstrate attention to technical accuracy and expressive qualities in
prepared and improvised performances of a varied repertoire of music representing
diverse cultures and styles.
MU: Pr6.1.6a Perform the music with technical accuracy to convey the creators intent.

4. Instructional Materials:
o Piano, chalkboard, chalk, sheet music, ukuleles, warm-up books, how to lead a warm-up
worksheet

5. Vocabulary:
Duple meter, time signature, blend, balance, dynamics, crescendo, decrescendo, forte,
piano, mezzo forte, mezzo piano

6. Teaching Methods/Instructional Procedures/Learning Activities:

1. T will greet the S at the door, instructing them to throw out their gum, and reminding
them of the procedure to being focusing on the do-now. One of our designated choir
managers will take attendance on Ts iPad.
2. S will complete the do-now independently and/or with a partner within the 3 minute time
limit (shown by a timer that is projected onto the blackboard). T will navigate around the
room, checking for on-task behavior and accuracy on the do-nows.
3. T will choose a volunteer to lead the class in sight singing their do-now. T will remind
 students that they may use their how to lead a warm-up sheet if they need. T will stick
close by to help the students lead if they need help (because this is a fairly new skill). T
will ensure that S stick to the warm-up steps on the sheet.
4. T will indicate for the S to stand, and will lead the S in a series of vocal warm ups,
encouraging them to move their bodies in order to connect the breath to the sound.
a. T will lead the S in breathing in and out on a hiss for an increasing number of
beats.
b. T will lead students in a vocal siren and vocal fry.
c. T will lead the S in singing a descending five note scale on an ya vowel,
focusing on tuning and blend.
d. T will lead the S in singing the warm up sol mi fa re do on bluh, focusing on
loosening the jaw and articulators.
e. T will lead the S in singing the alphabet warm up, using this to explore different
types of sound (belting, headvoice, chestvoice, bright, dark). T may also use this
as an opportunity to have half of the students hold the root to have them sing in
two parts and work on blend and balance.
f. T will lead the S in singing the warm up Oh how I love to Sing, focusing on
blending, singing the fifth in tune, and the vowel on love.
5. T will begin a chordal exercise with the intention of aligning vowels, focusing on tuning,
balance, and blend within the ensemble. T will have S conduct themselves while
following the Ts conducting, practicing moving their body to align their breath with their
singing, connecting their bodies to the breath. This will allow the S to better follow
conducting within the pieces.
6. T will have the S sit, as T rehearses p. 9-10 of Bright with the bottom two parts,
listening for blend and balance. T will then add the third part, still listening for blend and
balance.
7. T will then rehearse m. 107-end of Bright with two parts, as the T sings the third to
demonstrate. After, T will add the third part of Bright, having the selected students sing
that part.
8. T will instruct the S to stand, and will have the S run the piece without accompaniment
while the T conducts. T will assess for fluidity, blend, balance, and difficulties with
transitions, and will make mental notes for how to prepare for the rehearsals following
spring break.
9. T will cue up the accompaniment for When I am Silent, and students will run the piece
with the accompaniment, with the intention of solidifying the work done on the piece on
Monday. Depending on Mondays rehearsal, the T may decide to rehearse a small section
or two before running the piece with the accompaniment. T will listen mainly for
dynamics, along with blend, balance, and vowel sounts.
10. T will instruct Lava accompanists to walk and grab a ukulele (which will have already
been tuned), and to sit in the front row. T will have other students move out of the front
row in the meantime. T will work with ukulele students on starting the piece with the
conductor. T will have singers stand, and they will rehearse the piece in its entirety. T
will stop periodically when needed with the intention of coordinating the ukulele players
with the singers.
11. T will instruct the ukulele players to put away their ukuleles, and T will play the game,
sol-la-mi with the students until the bell, to prevent students from lining up at the door
 too early.

7. Possible Pitfalls and Teachable Moments:

1. S could have trouble singing in three parts. T will isolate the section, and have the S sing
that section in two parts, before adding in the third part again.
2. S could take longer than their allotted 3 minutes to finish their written warm-up. If this
applies to many students, T will re-set the timer, and give the S more time to finish. If
this only applies to a few students, T will have the S finish the do-now while they are
going over the answers.
8. Extensions:
1. T could have S form pairs and work on singing Lava in two parts while playing the
ukuleles. This would test their part independence.
2. T could have all the S perform Lava memorized, or rap Lava to work on memorizing
the words.
3. T could have S conduct Lava or another section of a piece, to work on connecting their
bodies to the breath.
 How do I Lead a Sight Singing Example?

Name: _____________________________

1. Announce the page number and example number clearly.

a. We are going to sight sing number ____ on page ____.
2. Have the class chant rhythmically first.
a. First, were going to chant rhythmically using rhythmic
syllables.
b. CHOOSE EITHER: Du de du, read-y chant or Du da di
du, read-y chant depending on the time signature (duple or
triple meter).
c. While they chant, keep a steady beat for them by snapping or
clapping. Remember, keep the tempo slow!
3. Have the class chant rhythmically on solfeggio.
a. Next, were going to chant rhythmically on solfeggio.
b. CHOOSE EITHER: Du de du, read-y chant or Du da di
du, read-y chant depending on the time signature (duple or
triple meter).
c. While they chant, keep a steady beat for them by snapping or
clapping. Remember, keep the tempo slow!
4. Have the class sing a 5-note scale.
a. 7th/8th gradeMs. Pearsall will give you Do. 6th
GradeChoose a note thats fairly low in your range for
Do.
b. Sing, Heres Do. Sing a scale.
c. Show them the hand signs for Do, Re, Mi, Fa, Sol, Fa, Mi,
Re, Do.
5. Have the class sight sing.
a. Finally, were going to sight sing.
b. Sing, read-y sing on do.
6. Assess if they did a good job. Its likely that you might want to
have them try again. If so, repeat step 5.