Lesson+Plan

**Analyze Learners:** Grade 5, ages 9-11, ethnic groups: hispanic, african american, caucasian, both male and female, many of the students come from low income families.
 * Lesson Plan**

**State Objectives:** **Audience:** The objective of this lesson is to teach fifth grade students to identify instruments of the band and orchestra based on their appearance and sound.

**Behavior:** They should be able to name the instrument if presented with a picture of the instrument, or if they see one physically. They should also have some idea of how each instrument sounds. **Condition:** The students should be able to complete this objective in both a classroom setting, and a real life setting should the opportunity present itself.

**Degree:** The students should be able to successfully identify the instrument based on appearance at least 8 out of 10 times, while being able to successfully identify the instrument based on sound at least 5 out of 10 times, as identifying completely by sound is much more difficult.

**Select Instructional Methods, Media, and Materials:** The lesson will be a five day unit, broken into 50 minute segments, one to occur each day. The methods used will include lecture with use of visual and audio support, one on one time spent as the instructor walks around the classroom while students are working on assigned group projects, and a final presentation at the end of the week. Media that will be used will include images projected from the computer so that the students can learn what each instrument looks like, as well as audio clips of what each instrument sounds like. The students will also need to access the classroom wiki, so some time will be spent on computers. Materials that will be needed include computers (enough for each group to have access to one), a printer, printer paper, ink for the printer, poster board, tape, glue, markers, and pencils.

**Utilize Media and Materials / Require Learner Participation:** **Day One:** **Introduction**: Explain to students what this week’s lesson will be about. Give them a basic introduction to what instruments are if necessary, as well as an introduction to what a band and an orchestra is. Explain to the students what they will be able to do by the end of this week, and let them know that there will be group presentations on the final day. **10 minutes**

**Lecture With Media:** Display an image of an orchestra on the screen for students to look at while explaining that an orchestra is made up of many different instruments. Point to the different instruments while naming a few examples. Display each instrument individually and tell students the name of the instrument. Have them repeat it back to you a few times. **20 minutes**

**Student Participation:** Once each instrument has been shown and the students have learned their names, ask questions. Which instrument do students think looks the ‘coolest’? Which instrument, if any, have the students seen and/or heard before? If so, where have they seen and/or heard this instrument? Do any of the students play an instrument that was spoken about? Etc. **10 minutes** **Form Groups:** Break the students up into groups of three, or groups of five, depending on how large or small your class it. There should be 3-5 groups of students ideally once this is completed. **10 minutes** **Day Two:** **Review:** Display the images of the instruments again for the students, and have the students raise their hands and identify the instruments. The students should be able to remember quite a few, but expect that they will have forgotten some of the information since the previous day. **10 minutes** **Lecture With Media:** Explain to the students that today they will learn how to identify the instruments based on their unique sounds. Display each instrument as was done the previous day, and play the sound clip for each to demonstrate what said instrument sounds like. Repeat the sound clip a few times for students to really listen to it. **20 minutes.** **Student Participation:** Once the lecture is complete, ask questions similar to how you did the day before, but focused on the sounds. Which instrument did students like the sound of the most? Do the students know any songs in which they might have heard one or more of these instruments? If so, what song? Etc. **10 minutes.** **Day Two Assignment:** Have each group get out a piece of paper, and designate one person as the ‘writer’. Have them discuss in more detail some of the questions brought up during the student participation segment, and write down their own personal answers. The paper should reflect the groups ideas, not the ideas of one individual. Have the students explore why they prefer a certain sound over another sound. **10 minutes**

**Day Three:** **Review**: This review should include both the previous days findings, and day one’s findings. Review both what each instrument looks like and sounds like. It will take a little longer than before. **15 minutes**

**Day Three Assignment Explanation:** Explain to the students the assignment they will be working on over the next three days. The students will be choosing one instrument per person (no two students in a group may choose the same instrument) in the group to research on the internet. They will have to give reasons as to why they chose that instrument, as well as create a poster with an image of the instrument on it, and various information about the instrument. They will have Day Three to do research on the computer and choose their instruments. Day Four they will have time to continue any research they need to complete, and create their poster. Day Five each group will give their presentation in front of the entire class. Pass out printed instructions as well. **10 minutes** **Research Time:** Allow students to work on the computers in their group to begin their research for the project. **25 minutes** **Day Four:** **Assignment Reminder:** Remind students what is expected of them. Review the assignment explanation and allow students time to ask any questions they may have. **10 minutes** **Research and Poster Construction Time:** Students will complete any research they still need to complete on the computer, as well as print off any images they wish to use for their posters. The students will then construct their posters and discuss their presentation ideas with the group. **40 minutes** **Day Five:** **Presentation Day:** Students will present their projects one group at a time. They will have to show their posters and explain the information on them about the instrument, and then give reasons as to why they chose the instrument. If there is time at the end of all the presentations, the class can discuss what they’ve learned about the instruments and if it changed their perspective on music in any way. The students will be graded on the accuracy of information provided, the effort put into their poster, and how well the teams collaborated together. **50 minutes.** **Evaluate and Revise:** After completing the lesson, look back on the week. How well did it go? Was there enough time to complete all of the daily tasks? Could more time have been used? Did the students respond well to the material presented? Did the students have difficulty with the project? If so, what problems did they have? Etc.