Long-Term Planning Calendar: Music
Teacher(s): Ms. Sánchez, Mr. Frelly, Mr. Hwang, Mr. Ma, Mr. Clifford
Grade/Class/Ensemble: Jazz Band, 6th Grade
Unit’s Main Objective: Students will understand the basics of swing, improvisation, and playing in a jazz ensemble by rehearsing and performing “I Got
Rhythm”.
Primary Repertoire: Methods Book/I got Rhythm
Monday
3 4
Main Obj: SIght Read “I Got
Rhythm” & Listen to “I Got
Rhythm”
Activity 1: Sight Read through
chart
Activity 2: Listening and
reflection (following along with
the piece on playback)
Repertoire: “I Got Rhythm”
10
Main Obj: Get more
comfortable with the chart and
clean up mm. 1-9 of “I Got
Rhythm”
Activity 1: Listen to
professional recording of “I Got
Rhythm”
Activity 2: Read through whole
chart
Activity 3: Spend time on
cleaning up m. 1-9 of chart
Repertoire: “I Got Rhythm”
17
Main Obj: Run through of
measures 1-40 of “I Got
Rhythm” and refine what needs
Tuesday
Main Obj: Focus on different
articulations found in “I Got
Rhythm” by incorporating them
in the concert E flat major
scale
Activity 1: Play concert E flat
major scale with swung eighth
notes and changing the
articulation each time with
articulations found within “I Got
Rhythm”
Activity 2: Play through “I Got
Rhythm”
Repertoire: “I Got Rhythm”
11
Main Obj: Clean up mm. 9-17
of chart
Activity 1: Play through the
whole chart
Activity 2: Clean up rhythms
and notes in mm. 9-17
Activity 3: Play through mm.
1-17 of chart
Repertoire: “I Got Rhythm”
18
Main Obj: Review chord
changes/improv theories in
solo section
Wednesday
5 6
Main Obj: Have students
engage in a call and response
as an ear training exercise to
help guide the student’s
improvisation in “I Got Rhythm”
Activity 1: Call and response
with the students on the root,
then root and third, then root,
third, and fifth of the concert Eb
triad with different rhythms and
articulation
Activity 2: Play through “I Got
Rhythm”
Repertoire: “I Got Rhythm”
12
Main Obj: Clean up mm. 17-25
of the chart and start putting
mm. 1-25 together
Activity 1: Play through the
whole chart
Activity 2: Clean up rhythms,
notes, and chords in the
rhythm section in mm. 17-25
Activity 3: Play through mm.
1-25 of chart
Repertoire: “I Got Rhythm”
19
Main Obj: Review mm. 65-75
of the chart then polish chords
at the rhythm section
Thursday
Main Obj: Students will
improvise on the chords of the
solo section of “I Got Rhythm”.
Activity 1: While rhythm section
plays through solo section,
students will improvise first on
the root, then the root and the
third, then the root, third, and
fifth on the chords of the solo
section.
Activity 2: Play through “I Got
Rhythm”
Repertoire: “I Got Rhythm”
13
Main Obj: Clean up mm. 25-33
of the chart and try to put mm.
1-33 together
Activity 1: Play through the
whole chart
Activity 2: Clean up rhythms,
notes, and chord progression
in the rhythm section in mm.
23-33
Activity 3: Play through mm.
1-33 of chart
Repertoire: “I Got Rhythm”
20
Main Obj: Clean up mm. 65-75
of the chart and try to work on
phrasing and dynamics of the
whole chart
Friday
7
Main Obj: Students will
improvise on the chords of the
solo section and add notes of
the scale to the solo section of
“I Got Rhythm”
Activity 1: Improvise on the
chord members of the solo
section, then add other notes
in the different scales.
Activity 2: Improvise together
as a group, then play through “I
Got Rhythm” & have some
students improvise individually
Repertoire: “I Got Rhythm”
14
Main Obj: Clean up mm. 33-40
of chart, refine any other
sections in mm. 1-40 that need
detailed work, and listen to
random jazz artist
Activity 1: Play through the
whole chart
Activity 2: Clean up rhythms,
notes, and overall chord
progression in mm. 33-40
(going into the solo section)
Activity 3: Play through mm.
1-40 of chart and clean up any
spots that may need it
Activity 4: Listen to random
jazz artist
Repertoire: “I Got Rhythm”
21
Main Obj: Multiple run through
of then tune and listen to
random jazz artist
more attention in those
measures
Activity 1: Run through
measures 1-40 of “I Got
Rhythm.”
Activity 2: Listen to
professional recording of tune
for reference
Repertoire: “I Got Rhythm”
24
Main Obj: Selecting solos and
improvisation.
Activity 1: Focus on solo
aspect/improv and who will be
playing solos. Find who would
like to play solos.
Activity 2: Listen to
professional recording of tune
for reference.
Repertoire: “I Got Rhythm”
Activity 1: Review/Refine solos
and chord progression
knowledge from previous
lessons
Activity 2: have students
participate in a SOE activity
where half the band plays the
improv solos and the other half
scat sings the solo on “dah”
both groups will follow the
chord changes then switch
(student pg. 21)
Repertoire: “I Got Rhythm”
25
Main Obj: Talk to class about
how concert will work (who,
what, when, where)
Activity 1: Play in concert
space. Have a feel
acoustically.
Activity 2: Procedures on
getting on/off stage.
Repertoire: “I Got Rhythm”
Activity 1: learn mm. 65-75 of “I
Got Rhythm”
Activity 2: review chord
changes at the rhythm section
Repertoire: “I Got Rhythm”
26
Main Obj: Refine music.
Activity 1: Check for problems.
Activity 2: Run-through.
Repertoire: “I Got Rhythm”
Activity 1: Review/Refine mm.
65-75 of the chart
Activity 2: implement ideas of
phrasing and dynamic
contrasts within the piece.
have students write this down
with a pencil so they remember
for future run throughs of the
song
Activity 3: Run through the
piece if there is extra time
Repertoire: “I Got Rhythm”
27
Main Obj: Refine music.
Activity 1: Check for problems.
Activity 2: Run-through.
Repertoire: “I Got Rhythm”
Activity 1: Run through the
song several times and refine
areas that need work after run
throughs. this is the time to
treat run throughs as
“performance ready”
Activity 2: Listen to random
jazz artist
Repertoire: “I Got Rhythm”
28
Main Obj: Perform “I Got
Rhythm” for lunch time
performances.
Activity 1: Talk/go over problem
spots in music.
Activity 2: Perform concert
during lunch showcase. Pizza
party!
epertoire: “I Got Rhythm”