Lesson Planning Form for Accessible Instruction Calvin College Education Program

Teacher
Date

Karen Yonkers
11-17-16

Subject/ Topic/ Theme Musical Quality: Practice Strategies

Grade ____7-12____

I. Objectives
How does this lesson connect to the unit plan?
In this fourth lesson of our series on Musical Quality, the emphasis is on developing strategies for individuals to practice on their own, along with defining What to
practice, How to practice, and finally, Why we practice.
cognitiveR U Ap An E C*

Learners will be able to:

R
U, Ap
E, C
Ap, An

Activate prior knowledge of practice strategies

Demonstrate strategies presented by teacher
Apply practice strategies to Bb scale
Apply practice strategies to band music

physical
development

socioemotional

x
x
x

Common Core standards (or GLCEs if not available in Common Core) addressed:
ART.M.I.8.1 Sing and play, with expression and technical accuracy, a diverse repertoire of vocal and instrumental literature, with and without notation, including
selections performed from memory.
ART.M.III.8.5 Evaluate the quality and effectiveness of ones own and others musical performances and creations by applying specific and appropriate criteria and
offering constructive suggestions for improvement.
(Note: Write as many as needed. Indicate taxonomy levels and connections to applicable national or state standards. If an objective applies to particular learners
write the name(s) of the learner(s) to whom it applies.)
*remember, understand, apply, analyze, evaluate, create

II. Before you start

Identify prerequisite
knowledge and skills.
Pre-assessment (for learning):

Activate prior knowledge of practicing. What do students remember from past rehearsals or lessons?
Formative (for learning):

Outline assessment
activities
(applicable to this lesson)

What barriers might this

lesson present?
What will it take
neurodevelopmentally,
experientially,
emotionally, etc., for your
students to do this lesson?

11-17-16

Teacher presents various strategies for practicing so students can understand and apply these to class.
Formative (as learning):

Students apply practice to band repertoire with whole group, then in small groups, creating their own
strategies together.
Summative (of learning):
Come together to play scale in specific pattern. Students analyze if their technique has improved.
Provide Multiple Means of
Representation
Provide options for perceptionmaking information perceptible
information is presented on white
board (visual), orally (aural), by
modeling, with clapping
(kinesthetic), and saying counts
aloud (speaking)
Provide options for language,
mathematical expressions, and
symbols- clarify & connect
language
Connections with music elements
from beginning of unit tied to
increasing proficiency
Provide options for comprehensionactivate, apply & highlight
Students take notes in their journals
so they can refer to them while
practicing in the future.

Provide Multiple Means of Action

and Expression
Provide options for physical actionincrease options for interaction
Students are involved by singing,
clapping, playing echo, playing on
own, playing in group

Provide options for expression and

communication- increase medium
of expression
Students will work with large
group, small group and on own in
class
Provide options for executive
functions- coordinate short & long
term goals, monitor progress, and
modify strategies
Tie lesson to past and future lessons
in this unit.

Provide Multiple Means of

Engagement
Provide options for recruiting
interest- choice, relevance, value,
authenticity, minimize threats
Students raise hands to participate in
class. There are no wrong answers,
teacher encourages all to participate
by calling on many different people.
Provide options for sustaining effort
and persistence- optimize challenge,
collaboration, mastery-oriented
feedback
Students apply practice strategies to
their current band repertoire
Provide options for self-regulationexpectations, personal skills and
strategies, self-assessment &
reflection
Practice strategies will be used
extensively in band rehearsal.
Individual practice, self assessment
and reflection is part of this process.

Music, stands, instruments, chairs. White board, marker. Teacher with clarinet for demonstrations.
Standards of Excellence, Book I, II or Essential Elements, book II, band music (depending on grade)
Elements of Music display from lesson one.
Materials-what materials
(books, handouts, etc) do
you need for this lesson
and are they ready to
use?

Sources: Hallam, Susan (2011). What predicts level of expertise attained, quality of performance, and future musical
aspirations in young instrumental players? In Psychology of Music 41(3) 267291
Smeltz, Hanna (2012). Reframing Student Practice to Facilitate Lifelong, Joyful Musicianship. Music Educator Journal 99(2)
51-55 The emphasis on practice strategies in this article applies to the lesson topic.
Musco, A. M. (2011, 09). Beyond "Line by Line": Strategies for Performance and Learning Transfer. Music Educators Journal,
98(1), 59-67. Many scaffolding techniques, practice repetitions, and fluency activities from this article applied to this lesson
topic.

How will your classroom

be set up for this lesson?

Band is seated in typical arch for rehearsal. There is a white board at the front for writing down practice
ideas. Music, stands, instruments, chairs.

III. The Plan

Time
00:01

Components
Motivation
(opening/
introduction/
engagement)

Describe teacher activities

AND
student activities
for each component of the lesson. Include important higher order thinking questions and/or
prompts.
Today we are going to discuss practice strategies to help
Students raise hand to answer questions and supply
improve our overall sound. We usually think of technique for
ideas for practicing. Students demonstrate prior
this subject. Who remembers what technique is? Let's
knowledge of definitions. Remember
Brainstorm ways to practice. What has worked for you? How do
you tackle difficult passages? [teacher writes students' answers
on white board in columns under letters: To, R, T, M, and I,
according to the musical element category that it fits]
Please get out your process journals to take notes today.

Students use process journals throughout class

today.

00:06

Development
(the largest
component or
main body of
the lesson)

00:12

11-17-16

Let's look at each of our musical elements and see how these
strategies fit in.
To is for Tone: [point out any student contributions which
match tone builders, that were placed under To in opening
activity] What is our definition of tone?
Tone is best improved by practicing long tones. Use of a tuner
may be helpful. You can get a free app with tuner and
metronome for individual practice.
Teacher models long tone on concert Bb with crescendo and
decrescendo. your turn [conduct crescendo and decrescendo]
The main point is to have a controlled sound, without variance
of pitch as you crescendo and decrescendo. Also, make the line
of sound equal in duration (slow crescendo, slow decrescendo)
[teacher shows shape with hand going up and down at same
rate, then demonstrates again on concert F] Support the sound
with a steady airstream.

Students demonstrate prior knowledge of

definitions.
Students listen to explanation/demonstration.

Students imitate long tone sample to show

understanding of concept on concert Bb.

Students repeat long tone on concert F.

R is for rhythm. [point out any student ideas under R].

There are several ways we have practiced rhythm in class, and
you can do this on your own as well: [write on board under R]
1) count aloud
2) clap rhythms
3) slow it down

Students listen to explanation/demonstration.

Copy my rhythms by clapping them: [play combinations of

quarter and eighth notes over eight beats, using the same pitch,
increasing in complexity]

Students echo teacher, analyzing and creating the

rhythms through clapping.

Can you count these rhythms? [play combinations again,

students then repeat, using counting language, i.e. 1 2 and 3, 4]
Now, can you play these rhythms? [play again, students play in
response]

Students apply knowledge of rhythms to supply

counting.
Students echo teacher, playing on their instruments.

In the music we are currently working on, where is a place that

is a challenge for you? The technique of playing smoothly all
correct notes and rhythms is challenging...where?
Here are four ways to practice this: [be sure to praise and point

Students identify a part which needs practice.

This is the part in which the four practice strategies
will be learned.

out if any are already on board from opening activity]

1) slow it down: metronomes are good for measuring what
tempo you can play, and measure your increased proficiency.

2) beat to beat, This involves isolating just one beat at a time,

connecting to the first note of the next beat only. [demonstrate:
i.e.: series of eighth notes, play 1 and 2, stop, repeat. Then play
2 and 3, stop, repeat, etc. ]
3) part to whole, In this technique, you play a part of the
passage, repeating until it is smooth, then add notes before and
after.
4) add a note, I find this one works better if you start at the
end: play the final 2 notes repeatedly, then add the note before,
and play final 3 notes repeatedly, and so on, until the whole
challenging part is learned. It is effective, because you are

Students play the part under tempo, showing

understanding of practice strategy #1.

Students play the part beat to beat, repeating three

times, showing understanding of practice strategy
#2.
Students play a part of passage repeatedly, then put
the whole part together, showing understanding of
practice strategy #3.
Students play the final note, then two notes, etc. as
directed, showing understanding of practice
strategy #4.

always moving into the more familiar and practiced. This is

00:25

better than starting at the beginning, playing until it falls apart,

then starting at the beginning again. You can practice and
reinforce as you progress.

I'm going to give you all a chance to work as a section on

either: band repertoire, OR Bb concert scale. I will be coming
around to see what strategies you are using. But first: what are
things we need to practice in general? [Remembering concepts]

11-17-16

Students have now applied four practice strategies

to part of their music.

How to practice?

Students answer: scales, band music, solo/ensemble

and lesson assignments (if they take lessons)

We discussed three of our five elements of music: Tone, Rhythm

and Technique. (gesture to board where these are displayed from
our first lesson)

Other two elements are: Musicality: Listen to recordings,

Students comment on strategies done so far in class.

Students raise hands to contribute to review: [possible
answers: Technique: Slow it down, beat to beat, part to whole,
add a note (metronome), Finger notes while singing, Rhythm:
count aloud, slow it down. Tone: long tones, tuner]

finger, follow score, then play with recording. And intonation,

which our whole class tomorrow will be devoted to!

Students listen to instruction, write in process

journal as appropriate.

As we break to work in groups, here is another big tip for

efficiency: [write on board Mark Scores] What sort of things
could you write in pencil on your parts? Raise your hand to tell
me...

Students contribute to brainstorming on what to

mark in scores. [possible answers: mark scores in places
which need more work, directors reminders, fingerings, beats,
subdivisions, flat/sharp reminders, breaths], evaluating what is
worthy of note in scores.

Apply to band repertoire and/or Bb scale: teacher assigns

section leader, then rotates around groups and listening to their
work. Formative assessment

Students split for section practice, applying strategies as a

section, socio- emotional activity .

00:45

Okay, good work everyone! I saw some creative

problem solving going on. Let's come together and play
our Bb concert scale now, with whole notes, then half
notes, then quarter, then eighth, then triplet and sixteenth
notes [last two for high school only]

Closure
(conclusion,
culmination,
wrap-up)

[Try to informally assess which students are getting the

notes and rhythms and steady tempo. ]
Thumbs up if you feel that your playing has improved
today Sideways, if you have improved, but still have
things to fix Thumbs down if you don't feel you are
getting it

Tomorrow, be ready for some surprise as we have

activities related to ensemble sound, listening to each
other even more carefully to create the best band we
possibly can!

Sections play Bb concert scale in whole, then half, then

quarter, then eighth, then triplet, then sixteenth notes.
Applying skills

Students put thumbs up, sideways, or down as self

assessment, analyzing their progress today.

Students put instruments away and pack up.

Your reflection about the lesson, including evidence(s) of student learning and engagement, as well as ideas for improvement
for next time. (Write this after teaching the lesson, if you had a chance to teach it. If you did not teach this lesson, focus on the
process of preparing the lesson.)
11-17-16

I did not teach this lesson. I think that it contains potential for steady student engagement in whole class discussion, in which the teacher can strive to call on different
people, OR cal on people, so that everyone has a chance to contribute. There is also small group or section discussion. Finally, application of concepts to their music.
Immediate application and feedback are successful methods for learning. Incorporating a process journal gives students ability to strive for deeper understanding and
better recall later, as writing things down is proven to help with retention. If I were to teach this lesson, it would be one that could be referred to throughout the year as
we practice repertoire. There are many foundational strategies for practice which could help the motivated students to improve their playing as an individual, and in
their sections. Band is one class which is a team effort with group collaboration as a daily element of the class.

Articles read in preparation of this lesson

Hallam, Susan (2011). What predicts level of expertise attained, quality of performance, and future musical aspirations in young instrumental players? In Psychology
of Music 41(3) 267291
Musco, A. M. (2011, 09). Beyond "Line by Line": Strategies for Performance and Learning Transfer. Music Educators Journal, 98(1), 59-67. Many scaffolding
techniques, practice repetitions, and fluency activities from this article applied to this lesson topic.
Smeltz, Hanna (2012). Reframing Student Practice to Facilitate Lifelong, Joyful Musicianship. Music Educator Journal 99(2) 51-55 The emphasis on practice
strategies in this article applies to the lesson topic.

11-17-16