Beginning Band Unit 1

Barn Dance Saturday Night

Table of Contents
Goals and Objectives 2
Brief Overview 3
Barn Dance Saturday Night 4
Warmup Sequence #1 4
Lesson Plan #1 6
Warmup Sequence #2 8
Lesson Plan #2 10
Lesson Plan #3 12
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Barn Dance Saturday Night

Goals and Objectives

Throughout this unit I have designed to teach ​Barn Dance Saturday Night​ by Pierre LaPlante,
several goals and objectives were in mind. Overall in any music classroom, there are a variety of
tasks all being accomplished at once that help students grow as musicians and as people.
Ultimately the objective that can be summed up in any unit or lesson plan for music is to
continually build and layer concepts needed to be a good musician and provide a musical and
complete performance for our audience.

Here are a few of the goals that I have in mind to be accomplished by this piece:
● Tone Quality
○ Throughout any piece of music, Tone is king and this will be reflected in the
warmups and the lesson plans. With various tone building exercises and constant
evaluation of whether we are producing a good, representative tone we will
continue to develop this crucial concept.
● Ear Training
○ In this lesson, the melody given is simple and within a great singing range for the
students. Continued use of singing and aural learning will help ensure students
continue to develop a strong musical ear.
● Counting/Rhythm
○ In any piece based around a dance, rhythmic accuracy and a good tempo is
crucial. With a heavy emphasis on counting as well as body movement in our “ho
down” we will help students internalize pulse, count correct rhythms and
gradually up the tempo as we progress on the piece.
● Responses
○ Students throughout this Unit will be asked to evaluate themselves through both
recordings and written prompts. These opportunities to evaluate will help them
guide their own practice and learn how to become a stronger and more
independent learner.
● Historical Context
○ The Barn dance is a tradition that is distinctly American and throughout work on
this piece, we will dive into the historical significance of music in early American
culture.
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Barn Dance Saturday Night

Brief Overview

Why ​Barn Dance Saturday Night?​

Barn Dance Saturday Night i​ s a simple piece of well-written music that is perfect for a beginning
band ensemble. The piece is easily broken down into workable parts with there never being more
than three different parts at once. As an early ensemble, the piece presents a challenge in terms
of counting and playing in tune with non-unison parts though it keeps difficult concepts to a
reasonable amount with keeping the ensemble within a small range of simple rhythms. Besides
those aspects, the tradition of the barn dance provides a fun historical connection that explores
American history.

Guide

Activity: ​Focus Page

Warmup #1 Air Support, Pitch Accuracy, 4

Rhythm

Lesson Plan #1 Beginning to letter C 6

Warmup #2 Pitch Accuracy, Intonation in 8

non-unison playing

Lesson Plan #2 Letter D-F 10

Lesson Plan #3 Letter F- End 12

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Barn Dance Saturday Night

Barn Dance Saturday Night

Warmup Sequence #1

Objective: ​Students will work on fundamentals of air support, pitch accuracy and rhythmic
accuracy.

Material Pulled from Piece:

● Main melodic idea
● Phrase lengths

Concepts:
● Singing/Chanting
● Listening
● Instrument Playing

Sequence:
1. Breathing
a. Teacher will turn on the metronome to QN = 76 and instruct the class to stand up.
i. Make sure that they are fully up! Have the class do a couple stretches to
relax and fully engage their minds and body
b. Perform breathing exercises as follows:
i. In for 4, out for 4 x2 → in for 4 out for 8 x2 → … → in for 4 out for 16 x2
ii. In for 4 out for 4 → in for 3 out for 5 → in for 2 out for 6 → in for 1 out
for 7 → in for 1 out for 8. (x2 each)
2. Rhythm/Moving
a. Have the students stamp on counts 1 & 3 (demonstrate).
b. After they are doing so steadily, ask them to stop and observe you as you do the
stamp pattern from the piece.
i. “What did I do differently?”
c. Now have them count with you while you stamp then have half the room stamp
while the other half counts. Switch the roles.
d. Have the whole class stamp the pattern on repeat, after they do so successfully on
a consistent loop, add in the clap pattern with the students stamps.
e. Repeat a similar process for learning the clap pattern.
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Barn Dance Saturday Night

f. Combine both the clap and stamps, first have one half of the class do stamps, and
the other do claps on a consistent loop, have them switch roles several times.
g. Finally have the students do both the clapping and the stamping as a full class.
3. Singing
a. Teacher will move right into singing the first measure of the melody on “bums”
While the students are performing the rhythm exercise. Do so twice, then once
more having the students stop the body percussion and asking the students to
repeat after you.
b. Continually add in the full phrase of the melody
i. First measure → Second measure → First two measures → Third Measure
→ Fourth measure → Second two measures → Entire melodic phrase
(four measures).
1. NOTE: repeat as needed to ensure a full class understanding.
c. Now add in Solfege instead of “bums”
i. Incorporate a similar process as above but expedited (as they know the
pitches already)
ii. First two measures → Second two measures → Full phrase
1. NOTE: repeat as needed or break down further if class struggles
with transition.
d. Have the class sing entire melody on Solfege twice through. The second time,
model on your instrument.
4. Listening/Playing
a. Have students grab instruments and sit down.
b. Once more, a similar process to above, of having them play after you. Break it
down a little further for the first two measures but as they pick it up, reflect in
your pacing.
c. Have them play through the full melody twice after the full sequence is learned.

Transition into Lesson: ​Teacher will then pass out Melody Sheet #1 to ​Barn Dance Saturday
Night ​and ​Barn Dance Saturday Night​ and ask the students, “Can you point to me something that
looks familiar” (this will be the melody or help guide them to that answer)
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Barn Dance Saturday Night

Lesson Plan #1

Objective:​ Students will play the beginning to letter C in ​Barn Dance Saturday Night​ by Pierre
LaPlante with accurate pitch, rhythm and air support.

Goals:
● Tone Quality
● Performance Fundamentals

Materials:
● Barn Dance Saturday Night
● Barn Dance Saturday Night Melody #1 Sheet

Teaching Sequence:
1. Teacher will set metronome to QN = 76
a. Ask the students to look at Melody Sheet #1 and have them play the first four
bars.
i. This should simply be a review and move along quickly.
b. Now move to the next four bars and have the class count and finger as the teacher
models.
c. Class will then sizzle and finger while the teacher will model once more.
d. Woodwinds will play and brass will buzz along with the teacher model.
e. Entire class will play mm. 5-8 on Melody Sheet #1
f. Combine mm. 1-8 on Melody Sheet #1 and have class sizzle and finger while the
teacher models.
g. Class will then play full melody.
2. Teacher will have students pull out ​Barn Dance Saturday Night​ a​ nd ask, “Can you tell
me where you see what we just played?”
a. “Who has the melody first (earliest)?” - Cl/Sax
b. Have Clarinets and Saxophones play through melody and ask if everyone else can
look for where they have the melody.
i. Keep things moving but don’t accept inaccurate playing. Have the first
group play a couple times.
c. Move to the next melodic group at B - Fl, Ob, Tpt (have them do this atleast three
times. Work on this in four bar chunks
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Barn Dance Saturday Night

i. While you are working through this group, ask that everyone else fingers
to their part at B.
ii. On the next go through, have the harmony finger and sizzle at B
iii. On the third time through, have the harmony play with the melody at B.
3. Teacher will move back to the beginning of the piece and ask what is at the beginning or
if we have seen that before? (This is the claps/stamps)
a. Have students perform mm 1-4 on the clap/stamp pattern.
b. Now have the students start at the beginning and play through to Letter B. With
melody and clap/stamp pattern. Ask that the low brass and low reeds finger (not
play) through their part one before B.
c. Isolate one before B with the low brass (Sizzle and finger - Play)
d. Have class perform all parts from beginning to letter B.
4. Teacher will then work on letter B-C
a. Have the melody play on their own while the harmony sizzles and fingers.
b. Then combine both melody and harmony
c. Isolate one before C for low brass and low reeds. Sizzle and Finger → Play
5. Class will then play from the beginning to letter C.

Assessment:
● In Class: Class will play from the beginning to letter C of ​Barn Dance Saturday Night
with minimal errors in pitch and rhythm.
● Homework: Class will record at home Melody Sheet #1 three times and submit to the
teacher via Google Classroom all three recordings.
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Barn Dance Saturday Night

Warmup Sequence #2

Objective: ​Students will practice good air support, rhythmic counting and fundamentals of
playing in thirds.

Material Pulled from Piece:

● Melody #2 (Starting at D)
● Rhythmic line starting at D

Concepts
● Listening
● Reading
● Instrument Playing

Sequence:
1. Breathing
a. Teacher will turn on the metronome to QN = 76 and instruct the class to stand up.
i. Make sure that they are fully up! Have the class do a couple stretches to
relax and fully engage their minds and body
b. Perform breathing exercises as follows:
i. In for 4, out for 4 x2 → in for 4 out for 8 x2 → … → in for 4 out for 16 x2
ii. Ski’s breathing (this is a fun way to get them engaged and woken up) (turn
off met for this)
1. Have them raise their hands up as if they are holding ski poles, and
then bring them down like you are trying to gain speed on a slope.
Start slow, then steadily increase speed and slow down once more.
Finally have one really good deep breath and let it out with a sigh.
2. Pass out Melody Sheet #2 (this will have two lines, one for the upper split and one for the
lower split of the melody at D.) (turn met back on)
a. Top line:
i. On the top line in four measure chunks, have the class count and finger
twice. The second time through, play along while the class counts and
fingers.
1. Ensure that the last two measures are rhythmically accurate and
emphasize the rest!
ii. Move into sizzling and fingering, with the teacher modeling.
iii. Then have woodwinds play while brass buzzes (continue to model)
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Barn Dance Saturday Night

iv. Have the entire class play. (Assess and evaluate)

b. Second line:
i. Repeat the same process as above for the second line. (once again in four
measure chunks)
c. Top line & Second Line:
i. Repeat a similar process as before and work on playing two different lines
at once (in thirds).
1. Mix up the instrumentation/students doing each line.
a. Brass Vs. WW
b. Highs Vs. Lows
c. Class split half and half
d. Count off system (1’s & 2’s)
e. Etc…
ii. Break it down into smaller, two measure chunks at first to ensure listening.
iii. Have entire class play various splits (assess and evaluate)

Transition into Lesson:​ “Pull out ​Barn Dance Saturday Night​ and tell me where we have this
melody first?”
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Barn Dance Saturday Night

Lesson Plan #2

Objective: ​Students will play from letter D - F in ​Barn Dance Saturday Night​ by Pierre LaPlante
with accurate pitch, rhythm and intonation.

Goals:
● Tone Quality
● Ear Training
● Tuning/Intonation
● Evaluation

Materials:
● Barn Dance Saturday Night
● Melody Sheet #2

Teaching Sequence:
1. Start at letter D with the melody and play until E (Fl & Oboe & have Clarinets play flute
cues). Have the other parts sizzle and finger along. (Make sure assign splits - I would
have them number off 1 & 2)
a. This should move along smoothly as it is exactly what they were doing in the
warmup
i. Ensure that two before E is played rhythmically correct!
b. Assess and Evaluate
2. Next have the melody from letter E to two before F play (Tpt, Alto Sax (playing tpt
cues)). Have the other parts sizzle and finger along.
a. Once again, this will be review at this point in the lesson and should move
smoothly.
b. Assess and Evaluate
3. Move back to letter D, this time everyone without the melody. In four bar chunks, work
to E. Have the melody finger and sizzle along.
a. Isolate two before Letter E in the low brass/low reeds
b. Then add in Melody for letter D - E
c. Assess and Evaluate
4. Move to Letter E, this time without the melody. In four bar chunks work to letter F. Have
the melody finger and sizzle along.
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Barn Dance Saturday Night

a. Isolate two before Letter F in all parts (including melody). Take time to count and
finger, sizzle and finger, and play to ensure accuracy.
b. Then add in Melody for letters E - F
c. Assess and Evaluate.
5. Put together Letters D - F
a. Assess and Evaluate
6. Review the previous lesson and play through beginning to letter C.
a. Assess and Evaluate
7. Play through Beginning to letter F (note that they haven't played from C-D, transitions
will be covered in a later lesson)
a. Assess and Evaluate.
i. Ask for students to write down feedback
1. What did we do well?
2. What might need improvement?
3. What can you do individually to practice?
ii. Have them turn in feedback on the podium.

Assessment:
● In Class: Students will play letters D-F with accurate pitch, rhythm and intonation on
thirds
● Student written assessment (turned in at end of class)
○ I will compile the answers and make a graph or chart to show what the class as a
whole thinks
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Barn Dance Saturday Night

Lesson Plan #3

Objective: ​Students will play letters F to the end in ​Barn Dance Saturday Night​ by Pierre
LaPlante with accurate pitch, rhythm and intonation.

Goals:
● Tone Quality
● Counting/Rhythm
● Phrasing
● Note Reading

Materials:
● Barn Dance Saturday Night

Teaching Sequence:
1. Teacher will turn on met at QN=76 and start with breathing and stretching exercises
a. Breathing
i. Make sure that they are fully up! Have the class do a couple stretches to
relax and fully engage their minds and body
ii. Perform breathing exercises as follows:
1. In for 4, out for 4 x2 → in for 4 out for 8 x2 → … → in for 4 out
for 16 x2
2. In for 4 out for 4 → in for 3 out for 5 → in for 2 out for 6 → in for
1 out for 7 → in for 1 out for 8. (x2 each)
2. Warm-up the instruments with Remington exercise with a drone.
a. Do so twice, first with brass on mouthpieces then on instrument.
b. Model and play with them.
3. Have the class pull out ​Barn Dance Saturday Night​ and look at letter F. We will work in
a sequence with four bar chunks.
a. MM. 41 - 44
i. Start with having the students count their part. Ask them to notice the
dynamics and to count in their listed dynamic. (Alto Sax will play tbn.
cues)
ii. Next move to fingering and counting. (x2)
iii. Now have them sizzle and finger twice while you model each part (first
time do the WW part and then do the low part)
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Barn Dance Saturday Night

iv. Have them now put it on their instrument and play.

1. Assess and Evaluate
b. MM 45-48
i. Repeat the same process as above
ii. Note the woodblock solo at mm 46!
iii. Ensure the whole note in mm. 48 is full length
1. Assess and Evaluate
c. MM. 41-48
i. Have them count and finger along for that full chunk
ii. Then sizzle and finger along
iii. Finally play and put it together!
1. Assess and Evaluate
d. MM. 49-52
i. “Is there something familiar here?” (the melody returns!)
ii. Start with the melody (Tpt., Cl. 2, T. Sax) playing at 49 and asking those
who have something different, to finger and count along.
iii. Have the melody play again and this time ask the bass line notes (held out
notes in Alto Sax, Bass Cl. Horn and low brass) to join. Have the harmony
instruments (Fl, Ob. Cl. 1) sizzle and finger along.
iv. Now have every part play from MM. 49 - 52
1. Assess and Evaluate
e. MM. 53-56
i. Have the continuous quarter note (Fl. Ob. Cl. T. Sax. Tpt. Bells) line
sizzle and finger along and have the other parts count in their head and
finger along.
ii. Ask the continuous quarter note line to play and have the other parts sizzle
and finger along
1. Switch - Quarter notes sizzle and finger and other parts play.
iii. Combine both parts playing from MM. 53-56.
1. Assess and Evaluate
f. MM. 49-56
i. Have them count and finger along for that full chunk
ii. Then sizzle and finger along
iii. Finally play and put it together!
1. Assess and Evaluate
g. MM. 57-58
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Barn Dance Saturday Night

i. Have Tpt and Hn count and finger along for that full chunk
ii. Then sizzle and finger along
iii. Finally play and put it together!
1. Assess and Evaluate
h. MM. 59-60
i. Have the moving line (Low voices + A. Sax) count and finger along for
that full chunk
ii. Then sizzle and finger along
iii. Finally play and put it together!
iv. Then have the held out notes repeat the same process (i-iii)
v. Combine the two parts.
1. Assess and Evaluate
i. MM. 61-62
i. Have them count and clap along for that full chunk
1. Pay special attention to the rests.
2. Do this in two groups - Ob, Cl., Sax, Tbn/Bar/Bsn and then Fl.
Bass Cl. Tpt, Hn and Tuba
ii. Then sizzle and finger along
iii. Finally play and put it together!
1. Assess and Evaluate
j. MM. 57-62
i. Combine and play through the full chunk!
4. Review in large chunks
a. MM. 41-48
b. MM. 49-56
c. MM. 57-62
5. Combine and play Letter F - End

Assessment:
● In Class: Students will play with accurate pitch, rhythms and intonation as evaluated by
the teacher during performance.
● Out of Class: Students will submit a recording with metronome at QN = 76 of letter F to
the end.
○ This will be used to evaluate individual student progress and assess what the next
step or focus needs to be.