Jazz Introduction

Class and Time Allotment: 2nd Grade (60 minutes)

Week of Instruction/Semester placement: Week 21
Materials of Instruction: Google Slides, Grade Book, scat and rhythm cards, Jazz
Exploration worksheet
Lesson Sequence (lessons may have more or less activities as appropriate):

Warm-Up and Greeting: Name Game (5 minutes)

1. T: “Do you remember last week’s name game activity? I sang your name and you sang
your favorite color back to me? This time we are going to say our favorite instrument of
music. I would love to hear from one or two of you about what your favorite music is!”
a. T: Sing a new interval from last week, pick three notes this time. T will go around
the seating chart and hear each student's favorite instrument. Markdown for
participation and singing voice for the day in the grade book.

Activity #1 Rhythm Review and Movement (10 minutes)

1. T: Take the class through their rhythm worksheet, numbers 10 - 12.

2. T: “Class, I am sure you have heard about weak and strong beats in music right? A strong
beat is where you feel the urge to clap and move to. So for this example to help us feel
the strong beats, lets place accents on certain beats and then lets clap those notes louder?
Should we try it on beat 1 first?....”
a. Take them through with strong beats on each beat by itself, then on the first two,
middle two, and last two, then on 1 and 3, and finally 2 and 4.
3. T: “So friends, now that you have explored weak and strong beats, you can use the phrase
‘friends don’t let friends clap on 1 and 3’ because we feel how much better 2 and 4 is.
This feeling is going to help us a lot as we move into our introduction to jazz. Let’s do a
quick movement and rhythm game. Stand up…”
a. During this time T should be inputting grades for participation if not completed
yet.

Activity #2 Jazz Genre/Groups Exploration : Students will listen and identify types of jazz
ensembles. (20 minutes)

1. T: “Today friends, we are going to dig deeper into some of the music we heard last
week.”
a. T will go through the example slides and talk about each specific type of jazz
group.
b. Take questions or comments, allow students to make connections to the
music.
2. T: “Now that we have a good overview of those types of jazz groups, I am going to
pass out a worksheet for us to work on together. I am going to play an example or
 two of a group we just discussed. I want you to listen and take some notes about what
you hear or see and then we will discuss.”
a. Pass out pencils, clip boards, erasers, worksheets
b. Consider having students discuss in small groups or pairs before coming back
to the main group
c. For an extension, don’t tell students what group they are listening to first and
see if they can figure it out on their own.
Notes:

Assessment: Informal. Collect students worksheets at the end of class and check for participation
and highlight good notes on each students worksheet. This grading could be done in the
following day’s 2nd grade class time while students are listening to and discussing examples.

Transition: T: “Students, thank you for your work, I cannot wait to read these notes and see
what you thought of this music. I need you to set your paper on the counter and pick up one pack
of each set of cards when I call your color group. Ready?”

Activity #3 Build Your Own Scat: Students will perform with accurate rhythms and scat
syllables. (20 minutes)

1. T: “You will first start by arranging your words you have in your hand into a pattern you
like. You do not have to use all of them but you must use at least 5 of the 8. Then you
will use your rhythm cards to add rhythm to your words. Speak your rhythms and clap
along with them.”
a. Place scat cards in desired order.
b. Speak it aloud a few times until you are comfortable.
c. Arrange rhythm cards underneath the scat cards. Make sure you can speak your
words in the rhythm you’ve put beneath it.
d. Add a melody.
e. You have sung some jazz!
2. T: “Students I need you to take a picture with your ipad of your rhythm so that we can
pick this pack up next week!”

Assessment:

Closer:

Notes: