Lesson Plan

Name: Abigail “Abi” Varsos Date: 3/15/2021

Grade: 8th Grade Class Type: Virtual Choir

1. Measurable Objective(s): (Measurable learning objectives use action verbs to describe

what you want the students to be able to do by the end of the class.)
● Students will know and be able to define “groove.”
● Students will be able to identify musical attributes that contribute to the groove of
songs in a variety of genres.

2. Assessment: (What evidence will show that the students understand? Describe the
assessment used – formal and informal assessments based on learning objectives.)
● Formal: Students have the option to use groove changes in their “Anthem”
arrangements. This project is ongoing, and the grooves lesson is one of many they’ve
received throughout their arranging process.
● Informal: Throughout the lesson, students will be asked to identify genre as well as the
musical qualities that lead them to that answer. This is a lesson about active listening,
and the expectation is for students to fill in all the blanks throughout the discussion.
Students will also be asked at the end of the lesson to define “groove” in their own
words.

3. National Standards: (Creating, Performing, Responding – Write out the standards that
you will be addressing in their entirety.)
● MU:Cr1.1.8a - Generate rhythmic, melodic and harmonic phrases and harmonic
accompaniments within expanded forms (including introductions, transitions, and
codas) that convey expressive intent.
● MU:Cr2.1.8a - Select, organize, and document personal musical ideas for
arrangements, songs, and compositions within expanded forms that demonstrate
tension and release, unity and variety, balance, and convey expressive intent.
● MU:Cr3.1.8a - Evaluate their own work by selecting and applying criteria including
appropriate application of compositional techniques, style, form, and use of sound
sources.
● MU:Cr3.1.8b - Describe the rationale for refining works by explaining the choices,
based on evaluation criteria.
● MU:Pr4.2.8a - Compare the structure of contrasting pieces of music selected for
performance, explaining how the elements of music are used in each.
● MU:Pr4.2.8c - Identity how cultural and historical context inform performances and
result in different musical effects.
● MU:Re7.2.8b - Identify and compare the context of programs of music from a variety
of genres, cultures, and historical periods
● MU:Re8.1.7a - Support personal interpretation of contrasting programs of music and
explain how creators’ or performers’ apply the elements of music and expressive
qualities, within genres, cultures, and historical periods to convey expressive intent.
● MU:Cn10.0.8a - Demonstrate how interests, knowledge, and skills relate to personal
choices and intent when creating, performing, and responding to music.

4. State Standards: (Creating, Performing, Responding, Connecting - Write out the

standards that you will be addressing in their entirety.)
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● 7-8.M.Co.11 - Relate artistic ideas and works to societal, cultural and historical
contexts to deepen understanding. Identify how musical ideas and traditions migrate
with the people who originated them to affect other cultures, historical periods, and
musical genres and styles (e.g., immigrant European folk music).
● F.M.Cr.01 - Generate and conceptualize artistic ideas and work. Explore ideas for
interpreting a work (e.g. Improvise embellishments to musical passages).
● F.M.Cr.03 - Refine and complete artistic work. Refine musical interpretations exploring
different phrasing (e.g., incorporating tension, release, unity, and variety).
● F.M.P.06 - Convey meaning through the presentation of artistic work. Describe how
decisions about a performance are connected to what students want to express,
evoke, or communicate.
● F.M.R.07 - Perceive and analyze artistic work. Analyze the style a musician uses and
how it manifests itself in a given musical work.
● F.M.R.08 - Interpret intent and meaning in artistic work. Identify elements from a work
that connect it to a specific genre or style.
● F.M.Co.10 - Synthesize and relate knowledge and personal experiences to make art.
Describe what has influenced changes in one’s own musical style, and musical
preferences.

5. Required Prior Knowledge and Skills: (What must students know to be successful.)
● Basic instrumentation knowledge
○ Ability to identify instruments by their sound
○ Ability to identify instrumental techniques by sound (or acknowledge a
difference in techniques from recording to recording)
● Varied music listening experiences
○ To be able to define the genre of a piece, one must first be familiar with the
sounds of a variety of genres

6. Material, Repertoire, Equipment needed: (Be sure to include music titles,

composer/arranger, text etc.)
● Recordings:
○ “Tennessee Whiskey,” Chris Stapleton (country)
○ “Take Five,” Dave Brubeck (jazz)
○ “Night Fever,” Bee Gees (disco)
○ “Thank U, Next,” Ariana Grande (pop)
■ Arr. Scary Pockets (funk/r&b)
■ Arr. Dave Days (punk)
■ Arr. Fabrik DJ (bachata)
■ Arr. Mitch Paulsen (acoustic)
■ Arr. First to Eleven (rock)
○ “Bad Guy,” Billie Eilish (groove change)
○ “Love Bug,” Jonas Brothers (groove change)
● PowerPoint presentation

7. Review Needed: (What needs to be reviewed to reinforce prior learning related to this
lesson.)
● Elements of Groove - This activity is meant to get students’ brains moving. By listening
to a variety of different genres that use varying musical techniques, students will be
encouraged to use active listening, identifying the reasons why certain genres sound
the way they do. If the lesson is about groove, than this activity is about learning how

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to listen.

8. Accommodations: (Special Needs, ELL, etc.)

● ELL - Every text aspect of the lesson is written and presented clearly in a PowerPoint
presentation which they can reference if they choose to take notes. The activities are
all about active listening and make use of a variety of genres.
● ADD/ADHD - The visual elements of this lesson involve minimum movement. This is
to keep the focus on the audio elements.
● Visual Impairment - There is no text in the visual examples that is not verbally
explained throughout the lesson. Again, this lesson is about listening, not reading.

9. Agenda: (List items to be taught and post.)

● Define “Groove”
● Break It Down
● “Thank U, Next” Six Ways
● Groove Changes
● Independent Work - Anthems Project

10. Lesson Sequence (Be sure to list time in the Pacing Section) Pacing
A. Brief Opening: (A teacher posted group or brief individual A.
assignment. Brief reading writing, editing, or problem-solving activity to
ready them for learning – may be a question about the rehearsal music
or at the younger levels it may be a learning activity to set up for today's
lesson such as a "Do Now.")
● Slide 1 - Define “Groove” - Students will discuss as a class what
the word “groove” means. This is a no-wrong-answer kind of
discussion where any suggestions are validated. This is to get
their brains working and to see if they can establish a similar
definition to the one they will be getting.
“What is a groove? Have you ever heard that word before?
What does it mean? There are no wrong answers here!”
○ Spitball ideas as a class 2 min
■ Keywords: feel, vibe, mood, tone
○ Reveal the actual definition 1 min
■ Groove is a pattern or characteristics specific to a
certain “feel” of a song.
■ KID SPEAK: Grooves are patterns that establish
the “feel” of a song.
“Grooves are patterns that establish the ‘feel’ of a
song. These patterns are what make the song’s genre
so easily identifiable!”

B. Learning Activities: (What learning experiences and instruction will B.

enable students to achieve the desired results – have more learning
activities than you need.)
1. Slide 2 - Break Down the Elements of Groove - After listening to 10 min
a song of a distinct genre, students will be asked to identify that
genre and defend their answers with the “why.”
“We’re going to listen to three songs, all of contrasting genres.

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It’s your job to tell me what genre they are and what about
them made you think that!”
a. Play “Tennessee Whiskey” by Chris Stapleton
b. Ask students what genre it is
c. Ask students what elements of the song made them
think it was that particular genre
d. Create a list of elements the class suggests
i. Keywords: Instrumentation, chord
rhythm/strumming pattern, drum pattern
e. Repeat process with “Take Five” by Dave Brubeck and
“Night Fever” by the Bee Gees
i. Encourage students to not only listen and
identify, but compare the listening examples
2. Slide 3 - Same Song, Different Grooves - Using a variety of 10 min
arrangements of Ariana Grande’s “Thank U, Next,” have
students listen and identify the genre of each arrangement.
“Now, we’re going to listen to the same song six different
ways.”
a. Play the first 30 seconds of the original arrangement
(most students should be familiar), ask students what
genre it is
“Let’s take a quick listen to the original song!”
b. Cycle through other arrangements, playing the same
section of the song and asking after each what genre
they are
i. Arr. Scary Pockets (funk/r&b)
ii. Arr. Dave Days (punk)
iii. Arr. Fabrik DJ (bachata)
iv. Arr. Mitch Paulsen (acoustic)
v. Arr. First to Eleven (rock)
“What genre was that arrangement? How do you
know?”
c. If students are unable to identify the genre, have them
identify specific elements they heard that might give
them hints
“Let’s go back to our elements of groove slide. We
made this big list of all the things that might tell us
what genre a certain song is. What can you tell me
about these elements in the arrangement we just
listened to?”
3. Slide 4 - Listen to Examples of Groove Changes - Have 5 min
students listen to modern pieces that utilize groove changes.
“Alright, we know what grooves are, we know how to identify
them, and we’ve listened to the differences in groove from
genre to genre. Now, let’s listen to these songs where the
groove changes!”
a. Play students Billie Eilish’s “Bad Guy” (aim for about
2:20 in the recording)
b. Ask them if they could hear the groove change
c. Play it again for anyone who missed it
d. Repeat the process with the Jonas Brothers’ “Love Bug”

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C. Closing/Wrap-up: (This is a recap of the key learning of the day to C.

check for understanding. Could be a ticket to leave as individuals or
group answers.)
1. Revisit definition of Groove - Encourage students to share in 2 min
their own words their definition of “groove.”
“So, how would you define groove? Try defining it in your own
words and send me your definition!”
a. Have students send them in the chat as direct messages
to hold everyone accountable and to make sure no one
spoils it
b. Once the student definitions are collected, reiterate the
correct definition

D. Assignment: D.
● Applying Groove Changes (OPTIONAL) - After this lesson, Remaining class
students will be given time to work on their individual time
arrangements, a project that has spanned many lessons.
“Alright, before I send you off to work on your projects, I
wanted to remind you all that you don’t need to have a groove
change in your arrangements, but having one might add a
little spice! The due date for your projects is fast approaching,
so use this time wisely. I’ll be here if you need help with
anything!”
○ Students can apply what they’ve learned about groove
changes or work on other elements of their pieces.
○ They are limited on time to complete the project, so
depending on the stage they’re in, they may or may not
choose to use a groove change for their final
arrangements

11. Reflection Prompt: What do you think went particularly well? How did this strength
impact your students’ learning?
● I was pleased to find that this lesson covered a variety of topics outside of my
expectations. This lesson involved active listening, music appreciation, discussions
about technique, a variety of genres, and a whole lot more. I think we as music
teachers underestimate the value of taking the time to simply listen to music, and I
was really happy to teach a lesson where there was much more listening than talking.
● I thought my learning activities were well sequenced in order to progressively
strengthen students’ ears. We began with genres that are extremely different in
sound, allowing students to compare and identify the obvious differences. From there,
we took a song that was familiar to them and listened to it performed all different ways.
This gave students a chance to spot the different techniques without the confusion of
different material. Finally, I showed them examples of the groove changing. While I’m
unsure if they understood how to change the groove of their own songs, I think it’s
better that I didn’t go into much detail there since my objective was for them to define
groove and the musical aspects that go into different genres.

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12. Reflection Prompt: If you could teach this lesson again, is there anything you would do
differently? How would this have impacted your students’ learning?
● I actually got the chance to try this lesson with four different cohorts and was
constantly adjusting my delivery of this lesson. The biggest change was that I
switched one of my groove-change examples from “Sweater Weather” by The
Neighbourhood to “Love Bug” by the Jonas Brothers, which is in this write-up. My
original song had a much longer transition out of it’s first groove and into its second,
and after swapping it out, I realized that “Love Bug” had a far more contrasting groove
change.
● If I were to teach this again, I would encourage more active participation from
students. Perhaps asking them to type out the different elements and genres of the
examples in the chat while listening to the music may have been a better way to check
for comprehension. Additionally, asking students to use the ‘raise hand’ feature to
indicate where the groove actually changed in the groove-change examples might’ve
been an easier strategy that involves students rather than me asking if they heard the
switch.

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