Impact on Student Learning Project Introduction and Goals

For this project I created a beatboxing unit for a 6th grade Exploratory music class. The
goals for this unit were: to teach how to make the three basic beatboxing sounds, for
students to create a song using Incredibox, to learn about the history of beatboxing, and
to perform their own beatboxing pattern over their Incredibox song.
 Summary Reflection
Pre-Assessment Average results- 0.25 points out of 5 (5%)
*Post-Assessment Average results- 3.5 points out of 5 (70%)

*It should be noted that the Post-Assessment also graded for the performance but this
was not factored into these averages, only the questions that were the same as the
Pre-Assessment.

During this project I was always adapting and improving my teaching and assessment.
When I first created the final formal assessment I wanted the beatboxing pattern to be
16 sounds. I realized that this was too many sounds and not feasible. I then shortened
the requirements to be 8 total sounds. I still thought this was too many and not
necessary. The final assessment required the pattern to have at least 4 sounds. However
each student’s final pattern had more than 4. A differentiation I included was that
students could perform their pattern at any tempo. Another one was that while the
pattern had to have at least B, T, and K sound, the pattern could have as many sounds as
they wanted. This meant that if a student struggled with the B sound but loved the T
sound, their pattern could include as many Ts as they wanted, with only one B sound.
Another method of differentiation I included was that students had the option to
perform in front of the class or just for me. This made the project less stressful as
students did not feel as much performance anxiety. If I were to teach this unit again, I
think I would include more opportunities for individual students to be able to freestyle
beatbox. I think this could have been great to incorporate in the beginning of the unit so
that students could have more practice beatboxing in front of a group. If I were to teach
this unit again I would have reinforced more what the specific instruments that
beatboxing sounds are mimicking. Many students got confused that ‘B’ stands for ‘Kick
Drum’ and not ‘Bass Drum’, and that ‘K’ stands for ‘Snare’ and not ‘Kick Drum’.
Beatboxing Unit Lessons and Outcomes
Link to Slideshow used throughout unit: Beatboxing Unit Slides

Unit plan outcomes:

● The student will demonstrate vocal techniques for beatboxing. They will use

proper posture and breathing techniques that support vocal production. VDOE

MCB.14

● The student will apply a creative process for music by performing and creating

beatboxing patterns. (VDOE 6.2)

● The student will explore historical and cultural influences of beatboxing. (VDOE

6.6)

● The student will explore the functions of beatboxing, including the use of

beatboxing as a form of expression, and entertainment. (VDOE 6.7)

● The student will identify and demonstrate communication skills for music,

including active listening. (VDOE 6.5)

Lesson 1
Intro to Beatboxing! 20 minutes
● Students will take Pre-Assessment
● Show Tom Thum Beatboxing video
https://youtu.be/LcTrtGWgYVo?si=5142QWo1Hj93jGIU
● Teach basic sounds and patterns
● Open Incredibox on the board
● https://www.incredibox.com/demo/
● Explain different the different colors and types of sounds
Lesson 1 Outcomes
 ● The student will explore the functions of beatboxing, including the use of

beatboxing as a form of expression, and entertainment by watching the Tom

Thum video. (VDOE 6.7)

Lesson 2
Start Beatboxing Project! 20 minutes
● Open Incredibox on the board
● Explain Beatboxing Project!
● Pass out Beatboxing Project Worksheet
● Students will start making their incredibox beat and beatboxing pattern
● links: Incredibox

Lesson 2 Outcomes

● The student will apply a creative process for music by creating beatboxing

patterns. (VDOE 6.2)

● The student will demonstrate vocal techniques for beatboxing. They will use

proper posture and breathing techniques that support vocal production. VDOE

MCB.14

○ Activity- Students will practice breathing exercises and lip buzzes before

attempting new beatboxing pattern

● The student will identify and demonstrate communication skills for music,

including active listening. (VDOE 6.5)

○ Activity- Students will listen to the beatboxing sounds and patterns before

attempting. Students will demonstrate proper rehearsal behaviors with an

unconventional ‘instrument’
Lesson 3
More Beatboxing! 20 minutes
● Review B, T, and K sounds and basic patterns
● Pass out Beatboxing History worksheet
● Introduce history of the drum machine and beat boxing
● Show videos of Roland TR-808 and Doug E Fresh
● links: Roland TR-808 DougEFreshApolloUtube
Lesson 3 outcomes

● The student will explore historical and cultural influences of beatboxing. (VDOE

6.6)

● The student will explore the functions of beatboxing, including the use of

beatboxing as a form of expression, and entertainment. (VDOE 6.7)

○ Activity- Students will fill out worksheet on the history of the drum

machine and beat boxing

Lesson 4
Work on Beatboxing Project! 20 minutes
● Can you make your pattern line up with your song?
○ Informally assessing for if students can create a pattern that matches the
steady beat of their song

Lesson 4 Outcomes
● The student will demonstrate vocal techniques for beatboxing. They will use

proper posture and breathing techniques that support vocal production. VDOE

MCB.14

● The student will apply a creative process for music by creating beatboxing

patterns. (VDOE 6.2)

Lesson 5
Perform Beatboxing Project! 20 minutes
● Practice beatboxing pattern with Incredibox song
● Fill out Post-Assessment and perform their beatboxing pattern!
○ Differentiation- Students can perform their pattern to the entire class or
just to me

Lesson 5 Outcomes

● The student will apply a creative process for music by performing their final

beatboxing pattern. (VDOE 6.2)

Name_______________ Beatboxing Pre-Assessment

1. What instrument does the letter ‘B’ represent?

a. Kick drum

b. Bass

c. Bongos

d. Snare drum

2. What instrument does the letter ‘K’ represent?

a. Kalimba

b. Kick drum

c. Snare drum

d. Violin

3. What instrument does the letter ‘T’ represent

a. Hi-hats (cymbals)

b. Kick drum

c. Bongos

d. Triangle
Write out your Beatboxing pattern in the space provided (At least 8 sounds and one of

each of the main sounds: B, T, K)

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Name_______________ Beatboxing History Worksheet

1. What is a drum machine?

2. What is a Roland-TR808? When was it first manufactured?

3. What sounds did beatboxing first mimic?

4. What genre of music was the Roland-TR808 central to?

5. Who was one of the earliest beatboxers?

Name___________

Beatboxing Project

Task: Create a song on Incredibox and write/perform a beatboxing pattern

to go with it!
Step 1. Open Incredibox and click on the Sunrise Version

Step 2. Create a song that includes at least one blue part, one red part and
one yellow part. Do not include a green part because that is what you
will be writing and performing!
Step 3. Write a beatboxing pattern that includes at least one of each of the
three basic sounds: B (kick drum), T (hi-hat) and K (snare drum). The
pattern has to include at least 8 total sounds. Your pattern can be as
slow or as fast as you would like!
Example:

| B-T-B-KT-B-TT |
Step 4. Practice looping your beatboxing pattern over your Incredibox
song. You might find that you have to change part of your beatboxing
pattern or your Incredibox song in order to be able to beatbox over the
song!
Name_______________ Beatboxing Post-Assessment

1. What instrument does the letter ‘B’ represent?

a. Kick drum

b. Bass

c. Bongos

d. Snare drum

2. What instrument does the letter ‘K’ represent?

a. Kalimba

b. Kick drum

c. Snare drum

d. Violin

3. What instrument does the letter ‘T’ represent

a. Hi-hats (cymbals)

b. Kick drum

c. Bongos

d. Triangle
Write out your Beatboxing pattern in the space provided (At least 4 sounds and one of

each of the main sounds: B, T, K)

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Name:_________________________ Date:_______________

Beatboxing Project & Post Assessment

Directions: Create song on Incredibox that utilizes the Sunrise version and includes

at least 1 blue (bass) part, 1 red (harmony) part and 1 yellow (melody) part. The song

should not have a green part. Write a beatboxing pattern using at least one B sound, one

T sound and one K sound. The pattern should have at least 4 sounds total that can be

looped.

Rubric 9 points total

2pts Awesome! 1pt Good 0 Missing

Incredibox song Sunrise Version- ● Song has some ● Song has none
● Song has at least of the mentioned of the mentioned
one blue part, elements but elements
one red part and some are
one yellow part. missing/green
● The song does part was used
not have a green
part.

Written Beatboxing ● Pattern is clear ● Pattern is mostly ● Pattern is

Pattern and easy to read easy to read illegible or
● Pattern has at ● Pattern is nonexistent
least one B, T missing one of
and K sound the sounds/ or
● Pattern has at has less than 4
least 4 total total sounds
sounds

Performance ● Performance of ● Performance is ● Performance

beatboxing soft cannot be heard
pattern is able to ● tempo is not ● Performance
be heard, always does not match
● has a consistent consistent what is written at
tempo ● Performance all
● matches what is does not always ● tempo is never
written match what is consistent
written

1st Written Question ● Correct Answer ● Incorrect Answer

2nd Written Question ● Correct Answer ● Incorrect Answer

3rd Written Question ● Correct Answer ● Incorrect Answer