Experience design:

Summary/Overview
At the arboretum, I intend to facilitate a ukulele teaching activity. I will begin by
showing students how to hold their instruments. We will then practice strumming the
ukuleles so that students can gain a better understanding in how it feels to be playing
this instrument. I might start with a basic down, down, down, down pattern. I then might
add in a down, up, down, up, down, up pattern. Then I will show them basic,
fundamental chords that we will be using for our time together. I will do this using
different modalities, especially incorporating a variety of visual components. I plan on
showing them C, F, G, Am, and Em. These are chords that will be used in the songs
that we will be learning throughout this experience. The songs that I have chosen for us
to sing have a bit of variety. This is important, knowing that any kind of learning might
be at this event. I intend to have some nursery rhyme songs about fall, but then some
other songs that might be heard on the radio. I want to make sure that the learner stays
engaged and interested in this experience throughout.
Rationale:
Community engagement is an important quality of successful teaching. Being
able to show any kind of learner the importance of music is an incredible power. At an
event like this, people are coming from varying and diverse backgrounds of musical
experience. They all share a desire to stay connected with this music. Being able to
have people play songs that they already know is a terrific way to stay connected with
this desire. Having learners engage in playing the ukulele is an opportunity to inspire
them engage in music making on a daily basis. Knowing that many of these students
will be much younger, this experience is also an opportunity to introduce people to their
passions in music. This is why it is helpful to have a hand out so that there is a larger
chance people will go home and continue this activity.
Standards: Select between 2-5 Core Arts Standards that will act as the focus
of your experience design
National Core Arts Standards #2- Organizing and develop artistic ideas
and work.
This can be seen as the students begin to understand and
conceptualize how this instrument works.
National Core Arts Standards #3- Refine and complete artistic work
As participants play songs, they refine their craft as ukulele players.
National Core Arts Standards #5- Develop and refine an artistic work for
presentation
 I Can Statements: Reword/fold the standards into statements that the
participants might say at the end.
I can hold the ukulele correctly.
I can understand what sounds can be made with a ukulele.
I can strum different patterns on a ukulele.
I can participate with others in performing and music making.
Materials and Visual Aids: what do you need, specifically? Include the
visual aids you will need to use here
Ukuleles
Chord charts (visual aid for teaching chords)
Projector
PA system (this is an outdoor event)
Powerpoint with slides of songs and chords
Detailed process:
Introduction to Ukulele
The instructor will pass out the ukuleles.
Participants with learn how to hold their ukuleles.
The instructor and participants with begin to experiment with
different strum patterns.
D, D, D, D
D, U, D, UDU
Instructor will ask guiding questions in order for students to gain a
better understanding of how a ukulele works.
What sounds can you make with this ukulele?
How does this instrument make sound?
What do the strings feel like?
What happens if you put your finger here?
Chords
Using the visual aids, I will begin to teach the different chords
I will start with C, F, G
As we continue with each song I will then add teaching Am,
and Em. I dont want to overwhelm or confuse the learners
with too many chords too soon.
Songs
Participants will go through all of the songs together on the
powerpoint.

Assessment:
 Assessing a community experience like this can be somewhat challenging. I do
not want to grade participants, however I do want to see what knowledge or skills they
have absorbed from this activity. Before each song I will ask them how to play each
chord. This quick review will not only assess what was previously taught, but also
prepare them for the piece that they were asked to do.
Extensions:
The most convenient way to continue this activity, is to have prepared a plethora
of songs. This way, it is almost impossible to run out of things to do. Conversely, I found
that repeating songs does not impede on the growth of individuals in this type of
experience. Repetition helps participants to gain a sense of confidence in their musical
skill.
Beyond this experience, students will be sent home with a handout that will offer
them more information on how to play ukulele. It will have resources for them to
continue this musical journey. This resources will include chord charts, and different
websites to find songs that they might enjoy.
Adaptations: How will you adapt your teaching and the tools so a wide
variety of people, ability levels, and interests can be engaged? Consider
adaptations to:
Size
Color
Pacing
Modality

he use of the handout is also a way to make this experience more adaptable in
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the sense of adaptations. Some might need extra time to process these new skills. Our
group tends to create an inclusive environment, we hope to communicate and work with
all of the children. The use of visual aids will also make our activity more adaptable.

I will also be making different visual aids for this experience. There will be large
cue cards showing a chart of each different chord. Not only is this a clear visual aid, but
it is also necessary if the projector may not want to cooperate. This will be color
coordinated so that this might help associate the different colors with different chords.
Perhaps associating different sounds of the chords with the colors could also apply to a
more audible modality. I also intend to have stickers on many of the ukuleles to show
where the fingers are supposed to go on the instrument for different chords. This action
applies to providing many variants of size for the learner. These different visuals will
help the students to learn the ukulele as quickly as possible.