Anne McTighe

Tina Yao
Lesson Plan #1: Body Percussion
Context: To be taught to peers in Classroom Instruments class. Lesson is geared towards elementary school.
Goal: Objectives:
• #1 Singing, alone and with others, a varied • Students will learn the song Down The River
repertoire of music.  and be able to sing it.
• #2 Performing on instruments, alone and with • Students will learn the game that goes with
others, a varied repertoire of music.  Down The River and be able to play that while
• #3 Improvising melodies, variations, and singing the song.
accompaniments.  • Students will be able to tap the beat and use
• #8 Understanding relationships between music, the body percussion as an accompaniment to the
other arts, and disciplines outside the arts.  piece.
Materials:
• A classroom large enough do walk around and play a game
• Instruments (if you would like instruments instead of body percussion)
Time: Detailed Sequencing: Assessment:
0:00 1. Anne: Begin by singing the song for the students. Ask the Students can explain what the song is
students to listen, so that they can tell you what the song is about.
about. Tina: Ask what it’s about. Summarize response.
1:00 2. Both: Sing the last half of the song for your students; then Students correct rhythms and pitches.
(Tina) invite them to sing along. Correct if not.
2:00 3. Anne: Ask the students to stomp their feet lightly to the Students should be able to tap the
beat as they sing the song. Ask them to join in for their beat and sing their part.
part.
2:30 4. Tina: Have each student pair up. Have them stand Students should be able to slide and
opposite each other. Teach students the slide part of the step while singing.
game. Slide, walk 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8. Have everyone try it
as a group.
3:30 5. Anne: Have the students on the outside do the stomping. Students can slide and clap while
The students sliding can give a little solo percussion part. singing the second half. Students can
Both: Sing the song enough times that the students all get improvise a solo part to go along with
to try. the song.
5:00 6. Tina: Once everyone has had a chance to slide, sing the Students can sing the first half with
first half once. Ask the students if they can try to sing the correct pitches and rhythm.
first half of the song with you.
6:00 7. Anne: Teach the students to stomp on one and clap on 4. Students can perform the stomp-clap
“River” (Stomp) – “Up” (Clap). Relate to stomping in rhythm, while singing.
second half. Sing once.
6:30 8. Tina: Teach the “and” – “Strong” (eight, dotted quarter). Students can clap the rhythm
Ask them to clap this rhythm as they sing the first half, accurately. They clap for “and-
including the stomp-clap. strong”, as well as “a-long.”
7:30 9. Anne: Teach the students the dance to this part. In-2-3- Students correctly step in and out,
partner clap, Out-2-3, individual clap. Sing once and try while performing rhythms.
this.
8:30 10. All: Perform the song and dance! Students can perform song and dance.
Reflection: In evaluating this lesson we will look for evidence of learning, and look to see if students
understanding the rhythms and dance motions. We will assess whether they were able to sing the song and
perform the dance/rhythms. We will consider unexpected event that happened during this lesson, and think about
how it could be improved for the future.
Extension(s): To extend this activity, we could give students different rhythms to clap while creating the river
channel. We could add instruments. We could talk about the notation and the fact that this is in 6/8.