Grade 7 General Music Improvisation Lesson Plan

Teacher:
Grade:

John Kinney

Date: 10/07/16

7 General Music

Learning Outcome/Behavioral Objectives: As a result of this lesson, students will be

able to improvise rhythms, teach these rhythms, transcribe these rhythms, and perform
their improvised rhythms for the class.

Required Prior Knowledge and Skills: Students must be familiar with analyzing meters
and labeling beats with rhythm syllables. They should also be comfortable with tapping,
clapping, and counting rhythms.

Standards and Frameworks / National Standards:

Creating: AS2 Plan, Make AS3 Evaluate, Refine, Present
Performing: AS4 Select, Analyze, Interpret

Assessment: Students will be informally assessed based on how well they work in
groups and how focused their attention is on the objective of the class. I will also assess
students based on the answers they provide while analyzing rhythms.

Materials, Repertoire, Equipment needed:

Handouts
Computer with projector and speaker connection

Markers
Cajon

Accommodations:
A. Special Needs students (non severe) will not need accommodations beyond clear
directions during the lecture. I will check in with these students during the group-work
section of the lesson.
B. ELL students will not need accommodations beyond clear directions either, as I will
be demonstrating my instructions in addition to writing concise definitions on the board.

Lesson Sequence:
a. Activity: Do-Now Listening (Blue Skies). Explain improvisation and have students
listen for when Ella improvises. What does she do that lets you know shes
improvising?

b. Activity: Direct attention to the Mystery Beat/Improvisation page. Have students

analyze the meter of the first example, and call on students to analyze each beat. For
the remaining measures, have students analyze the entire measure.

c. Activity: Introduce the cajon. Then, have students tap, clap, and count the four
measures they just analyzed. Make adjustments as needed based on the way the class
is performing.

d. Activity: Move to the next line of music. Explain that the students are to tap, clap, and
count the first 3 measures only. I am going to perform a rhythm in the fourth measure,
and they will listen extremely carefully to what I am playing. Then, have students clap

back the rhythm. Then, have students transcribe the measure. Then, have everyone
perform the now completed 4 measures. After this, reveal the first rule of improvisation:
Use previously performed material.

e. Activity: Direct attention to the next line. Have students write in Mr. K in the final
measure. Explain to students that they are going to improvise something in the third
measure. This will sound like controlled chaos because everyone will be doing
something different, but I will be playing quarter notes to keep the time. Then, we will all
play the same last measure. Remind students that they are to use the previously used
material.

f. Activity: Go through the same process as seen in activity E, but first remind students
that they are to use at least 2 different patterns. Perform as a class. Then, tell students
that they are to speak these patterns, because by doing so, they are thinking about
exactly what they want to perform before they do it. Perform the four measures. After
this, explain that they are to be confident with their rhythm, enough so to be able to
teach it. Perform the four measures.

g. Activity: Have students write down what they performed, and then perform the four
measures as a class again. Then, have students work in groups to teach each other
their rhythms. Have them face each other. Tell them to write in each others measures in
the missing bars in whichever order they think sounds best.

h. Activity: Have everyone perform their completed four measures at the same time.

i. Activity: Ask students what syncopation is, and tell them to include syncopation in the
measures they just learned from each other. Students should practice with partners their
new measures. Then, perform these.

j. Activity: Have students volunteer to perform their measures for the class. Everyone will
play the first and last measure.

Assignments: LTc2 (listen, tap, count, and clap to music).

Contingency Plan: Have students teach their measures to someone other than their
partner and have them transcribe these new measures.