What: Two 7th grade music classes (class size 12-13)
Where: At the WeLearning Center (the new school is still under construction), 未来城。
When: Alternating days (class A one day, class B another day, etc.), from Sunday to Friday (there was a make-up work day for a holiday last week)
How: Using no musical instruments, a whiteboard, markers, my iPhone, a speaker system, and paper. Decided to take an Orff(-ish) approach.
Here are my lesson plans that I used (please excuse any possible errors):
9/6/15
Class:
7th Grade General Music
|
Unit
(Central Focus): Introductions – Who Are We? How Is
Music Relevant To Us?
|
Objectives:
Students will learn more about each other, and I will get to know the
students. Students will learn basic rules for a musical classroom (LISTEN).
|
Standards:
(Doesn’t matter for now)
|
Materials:
Survey Sheets (x25), iPhone (to play music), Audio System,
Pencils (?), Pen, Whiteboard, Markers
|
Duration:
60 minutes
|
Anticipatory
Set: (5 minutes) Quickly go around and ask students for their
name and their favorite thing in music – artist, genre, instruments, etc. I
will share a little bit more about myself.
|
Part
1: (10 minutes)
·
Name Game: “My mama told me to tell
you to say your name just like I do.” (x2)
o Show
kids an example (“Do it with me”)
o Go
around – then ask, “What kinds of different things were your classmates
doing?” Write on whiteboard, for them to think about it.
o Try
it one more time, but this time try something different.
|
Part
2: (5 minutes)
·
Quick discussion:
o Were
we doing music? What does it mean to be musical?
o What
are things we need to keep in mind while doing music?
§
Possibilities: listen, be
intentional, don’t ruin it for everybody, wait your turn, participate, try,
respect each other, be supportive, etc. (write on board)
|
Part
3: (25 minutes)
·
Survey Game (Similarities and
Differences)
o Spend
4 minutes filling out the survey (passing out, doing, etc.)
o Now,
gather in groups when I tell you the category; as big of a group as you can!
Look for: SIMILAR RESPONSES or DIFFERENT RESPONSES
o Just
so it doesn’t get too chaotic, what are things we need to keep in mind? No
shouting across the room, don’t push each other over.
o This
will be TIMED (like musical chairs). Brownie points if you could recognize
the song being played!
·
Discussion: go through responses one
at a time, giving space to each individual. Open up the space for questions,
comments, responses, etc.
·
At the end, I will share my responses
too.
·
Leave extra time at the end for
questions.
|
Independent
Practice:
|
9/8/15
Class:
7th Grade General Music
|
Unit
(Central Focus): Basics of Music (Beat, Rhythms,
Tempo)
|
Objectives:
Students will gain understanding and play with: beat, rhythm, doo, doo-day
|
Standards:
(Doesn’t matter for now)
|
Materials:
Whiteboard, Marker, Timer, Blank Beat Template (2 sheets)
cut, Scissors
|
Duration:
60 minutes
|
Anticipatory
Set: (10 minutes)
·
Human Knot Game
o Divide
into 2 groups (of 6 each)
o Explain
rules (unknot yourselves, without letting go of hands)
o Go!
(Compete) Then try doing it as a class.
|
Teaching:
(25 minutes)
·
Introduce the word: Beat
o “A
beat is a unit of time in music.”
o Here
is a steady beat: (Clap, etc.) Let’s clap together.
o Provide
the visual component (lines on the board) – try different ones!
·
Introduce the word: Rhythm
o “Rhythms
are patterns that fit into beats.”
o We
will learn two: “Du” and “Du-de” (Write visual on board)
o Repeat
after me: (Say the rhythms, and clap the beat) – build it up.
·
Assessment: in PAIRS (set up
expectations at this time!), I will give you a written rhythm, using the
system we used today. I want you and your partner to say it and perform it
together. Clap the beat, say “Du” and “Du-de.”
o Perform
for class!
|
Guided
Practice: (20 minutes)
·
Pass out blank beat sheets (8 lines)
and have pairs of students come up with their own rhythms!
·
They will then give the rhythm to
another group, and will receive new ones themselves.
·
Practice the rhythm—performance
quality!
·
Performance: SET EXPECTATIONS (how
can we be a good audience?)
o Have
the entire class decode it together (I will ask a student to be the scribe).
o Compare
what we have on the board with what was written on the paper.
|
Closing:
(5 minutes)
·
We’ll chill—let students ask me
questions (just talk at this point – building rapport, speaking in English,
etc.).
|
Independent
Practice:
|
9/10/15
Class:
7th Grade General Music
|
Unit
(Central Focus): Basics of Music (Beat, Rhythms,
Tempo)
|
Objectives:
Students will apply concepts from the last lesson (beat, rhythm) into new
contexts.
|
Standards:
(Doesn’t matter for now)
|
Materials:
Whiteboard, Marker, Stuffed Animals (variety), Homework
Assignments, Animaniacs Nations of the World video!
|
Duration:
60 minutes
|
Anticipatory
Set: (15 minutes)
·
Welcome students, gather in a circle!
·
Take out a stuffed animal, and tell
them the exact steps. Start with one student, pass it to another while saying
their name (across from you!)
·
Make one round through, don’t give
them too much yet (the goal is to go all the way through).
·
Ramp it up, add one more stuffed
animal.
·
Go until we are challenged – ask:
what can we do? (Communicate, eye contact, keep a beat, etc.)
|
Teaching:
(15 minutes)
·
Review beat, rhythm, syllable.
·
Review a couple of examples.
·
We will then dissect different words
and write the rhythms for them. Starting with my example (Composition). Have
a couple of other words prepared (Homework, etc.) and go through the process
with the students.
o Assessment:
Go around to each student and ask each to prepare one word (how many beats?
What is the rhythm?)
|
Practice:
(20 minutes)
·
Continent chant: tell them that I
wrote a chant for them! We will dissect it together.
·
We will learn it and give them time
to practice on their own.
These are the seven continents:
North and South America,
Asia, Europe, Africa,
Then there is Australia,
And finally Antarctica.
These are the seven continents!
·
Review performance etiquette (don’t
begin until performers are paying attention, follow the leader). Try
performing!
|
Closing:
(10 minutes)
·
Pass out the assignment – see if all
kids understand. Run through instructions with them.
·
End with the Animaniacs video
|
Independent
Practice:
|
Name:
Date:
7th Grade Music Survey
1) What is your favorite genre of music?
2) Do you play any instruments (or sing, compose, DJ, etc.)?
Provide a list:
3) What does the word “music” mean to you?
4) What do you know about music? Anything/everything:
5) What was the last song you listened to on your music
player?
6) What kinds of musical experiences have you had? Provide a
list:
7) What do you like about music?
8) What do you dislike about music?
9) What would you like to get out of music class this year?
10) Is there anything else you’d like to tell us?
Name:
Date:
7th Grade Music
Homework #1
New Words:
Beat: a unit of time in music.
Rhythm: patterns that fit into beats.
Syllable: the
number of sounds in a word (example: “homework” has 2 syllables).
Composition: a written piece of music.
Audience: the listeners of a musical performance.
Du: One syllable, the length of 1 beat ( )
Du-De: two syllables, also the length of 1 beat ( )
Rest: A space in music; the beat continues underneath.
Questions:
1) What are the
three parts of being a good audience member?
1.
2.
3.
2) Practice
these examples (use “Du” and “Du-De”); you will be tested during the next
class.
a) .
b) .
c) .
3) What is the
rhythm of the word or set of words? The first is done as an example:
1.
Audience 5.
Inch
2.
Sketch Book 6.
World Map
3.
Beat 7.
Equal Ratio
4.
Horizontal 8.
Pencil
4) Create a
composition using each of these: Du, Du-de, Rest. Optional: use the words above
in the composition (write the words beneath the lines). Prepare to perform this
piece.
.
Reflections:
- After day one, I noticed that my students had little to no ability to communicate in English (based on instructional time and responses to survey).
- The students were also put through an EAL (like ESL) assessment called W-APT. Most of these students are at level 1 (entry level); they will need a lot of visual/aural support, and may be limited to "yes, no" and identification questions (in English). I can only imagine how frustrating it is for the students - they're smart, but they're unable to communicate.
- Students in different classes reacted differently to the survey; the classes are also organized by age (although this is 7th grade, the ages range from 11-14). The "older class" (A) had more mature students; they were willing to face challenges and asked questions for clarification. The "younger class" (B) has several students who gave up more easily when faced with challenges; their ability to communicate in English is also much lower. This informal assessment led me to completely overhaul the way I approached day two and beyond.
- I understand that my students come from all sorts of musical backgrounds, but they are unable to communicate concepts in English; however, as we're tackling music in English, I will now put more focus on vocabulary as a way to provide students the ability to talk about and understand music.
- My students have BIG issues when it comes to "boys, girls, and cooties": when asked to hold hands for the human-knot game, my students made a very big fuss and were unwilling to hold hands. I literally had to tell them exactly who to hold hands with, but even then they were complaining so much that they were unable to complete the task effectively. I switched it with another activity ("Repeat after me" Body Percussion Rhythms) for class B the following day.
- My students are developmentally behind (we were told to be aware of that during orientation): I brought stuffed animals to class for an activity, and they rubbed their faces all over and hugged them (completely distracted). Moreover, some kids were also unable to look beyond themselves; several kids threw the animals without consideration of the group (i.e. threw it "in style," or at the other kids' faces [especially when boys threw to girls]) - I do not think they understood the musical value in the activity, as it requires much more focus than they are capable of at this point.
- Class A is more willing to cooperate; we have already had several successful "performances" (I set performance expectations for my students, and they cooperated beautifully). Class B, on the other hand, needs to work on this more (we will have more opportunities in the future).
- For some reason, my Chinese students wanted homework. I also felt that it would give them something tangible to guide their learning and to set expectations, so I thought, why not. I'll give them weekend "funwork."
- My students are the kind who are used to reciting correct answers back to the teacher; my students don't necessarily know what to do with their new-found freedom (other colleagues have reflected and took note of this), so we have to teach them how to respect each other (and their teachers) and how to monitor/regulate themselves - it's been kind of nuts! I already have a few students who are difficult to deal with. I will need to think of ways to communicate my expectations and to channel their energy into more productive activities. May require me to spell EVERYTHING out before beginning activities (I can't assume that they'll know what I expect).
- On the bright side, I know I have students who want to try (as seen in attempted responses from the name game). The students are also succeeding when it comes to musical literacy (using another system of symbols that isn't in English or Chinese) - they have already surprised me with what they know and are capable of doing! Moreover, aside from the survey and human-knot game, my students have been engaged in class and seem to be enjoying the time.
To Be Continued! I begin teaching Elementary school this week (4 classes of 1st, 4 classes of 2nd, 1 class of 3rd), and I'm very curious as to how these kids will be; as I am supposed to teach music in English, I may have to find alternative ways to do music with these students...
No comments:
Post a Comment