Veteran’s Day Concert Prep

Grade Level: 3 Subject: Music

Lesson Aim/Objective: Sing the Armed Forces Salute using Singers

Secrets (Little Mighty Consonants, Head Voice, Good Breath, Thinking,
Open Mouth)

Materials:
Armed Forces Salute
Videos of people singing and playing the songs

Common Core Standards:

3.2.1 Sing in tune with a clear tone quality;
3.2.2 Sing melodies within the range of an octave;
3.2.3 Sing melodies written on the treble staff;
3.2.4 Sing with expression, using a wide range of tempos and dynamics;
3.2.5 Sing rounds, partner songs, and ostinatos in two-part ensembles;
and
3.2.6 Maintain proper posture for singing.

Instruction/Procedure:
Class 1
- Introduce the unit: Singing at the veteran’s retirement community
- Pass out the music, and listen to the piece
- Have students name all five armed forces units, then match up the
titles of each song in the medley to each unit
- Learn the Caisson Song focusing on diction, energy, and head voice

Class 2
-Warm-up
- Review Caisson Song
- Listen to Semper Paratus bagpipe video
- Learn Semper Paratus section by section, focusing on tempo
(slow/fast), Latin roots, and energy
- Run Caisson Song and Semper Paratus together.

Class 3
-Warm-up
- Review Caisson Song and Semper Paratus
- Listen to Coast Guard video
- Learn Coast Guard section by section, teach first and second endings
and repeat signs
- Run Caisson Song, Semper Paratus and Coast Guard Song together.

Class 4
-Warm-up
- Review Caisson Song, Semper Paratus and Coast Guard Song
- Listen to Air Force Song video
- Learn Air Force Song section by section, and talk about the meaning
of the words. Lots of metaphors in this section.
- Run Caisson Song, Semper Paratus, Coast Guard Song, and Air Force
Song together.

Class 5
-Warm-up
- Review Caisson Song, Semper Paratus, Coast Guard Song and Air
Force Song
- Listen to Anchor’s aweigh video
- Learn Anchor’s aweigh section by section, focusing on how to find
your note, diction, and how to pop up to high notes without making them
sound like mistakes
- Run the whole medley

Class 6
-Warm-up
- Review Thank You Soldiers (learned last year), review the trick to
know when to come in, and review the 4 consonants that need to be
heard
- Sing whole medley twice, once with voices, once without voices
- Review any huge mistakes

Class 7
- Run the medley and make note of any big mistakes that stand out.
- Fix problems in first 3 sections
- Run medley again
- Introduce Splish Splash or Yakety Yak (depending on class)
- Listen to the song, then talk about what it’s about
- Run medley again

Class 8
- Warm-up
- Fix problems in last two sections of medley
- Run medley twice, once with voices, once without voices
- Review Splish Splash or Yakety Yak (depending on class) by listening
- Teach the notes to Splish Splash or Yakety Yak (depending on class)
- Add small choreography to help with memory
- Sing Splish Splash or Yakety Yak (depending on class) with
choreography

Class 9
- Warm-up
- Review Splish Splash or Yakety Yak (depending on class) by singing
with choreography (as many times as needed)
- Run Thank You Soldiers and Medley together, and make small
corrections
- Run Splish Splash or Yakety Yak (depending on class)
Class 10
- Warm-up
- Run-fix-run all pieces
- Memorize the music

Class 11- Field Trip!

- Warm-up
- Run set
- Walk to retirement home
- Sing set
- Walk back

Assessment Activity:
The performance! The students will get a 100% for this concert grade
if they are there, behave appropriately, and sing their best.