LESSON 1 - Introduction
1. Sing School Song - patsching steady beat while singing
2. Music Room Rules / Announcements
3. Sing Character Counts
1. Sing School Song - patsching steady beat while singing
2. Music Room Rules / Announcements
3. Sing Character Counts
LESSON 2 - Rhythm
1. School Song / Character Counts
1. School Song / Character Counts
2. Seating chart
3. Hoop Rhythms – add body percussion (snap, clap, pat, stamp)
- Use 8-beat patterns
- Play rock beat on keyboard
- Student "conductors" take turns by standing in one hoop at a time while students do the appropriate body percussion: 8 beats in each hoop. I say, "switch" at about beat 6 to help the "conductor" know when to go to a different hoop.
4. Ama Lama
- I sing each line twice, then they do 4 hoops as an interlude between lines (8 beats each) – keep changing conductors.
LESSON 3 - Rhythm
1. School Song / Character Counts
2. 1-2 minutes of echo patterns. (I do 4/4 rhythm, they echo.) I vary body percussion.
3. 4 colored note cards on board I demonstrate a quarter note by patting the steady beat along with the rock beat on the keyboard.
- Ask, "Which note am I doing?"
- Demonstrate (and they do also) all of the notes on the colored cards (whole, half, quarter, eighth). Do hoops again with note durations this time – a few conductors
- Someone to front to put 4 hoops in order. (See hoops page "Variations.")
5. Ama Lama review
- Few more conductors – change to body percussion cards (red = snap)
- Sing each phrase of song 2x, then interludes.
- Add body percussion in interludes (all 4 hoops x 8 beats each = 32 beats)
LESSON 4 - Rhythm
1. Character Counts
2. Ama Lama
- Demonstrate & patsch Beat vs. Rhythm
- Review 4 notes (whole, half, quarter, eighth) and Quarter Rest
- Large yellow rhythm cards with footprints – 6 cards, 1 per riser.
- Before passing out instruments, tell students the instrument rule: play only when you are supposed to - or you lose the chance to play the instrument. As instruments are passed out, I take the time the first few lessons to name and demonstrate each instrument.
- Instruments: Group 1 (4-6 students) = hand drums; 2 = claves; 3 = maracas; 4 = guiros; 5 = triangles; 6 = cabasas
- I start singing song (lyrics up on PowerPoint).
- When I sing it the 2nd time, I ask students to snap when they hear a rest. After giving them a chance to try a couple of times, I help them figure out there are 4 quarter rests. Show where they occur on the PowerPoint.
- Show jazz youtube video of the song.
- Name any instruments they recognize.
- Also, point out how different the song sounds in a "jazz" style.
LESSON 5 - Rhythm
1. Character Counts
2. Sing Ama Lama – (I pat beat) – ask them “Did I pat the beat or rhythm?”
- Write 4 lines of Ama Lama rhythm on board – which one is which line? (Save line 2 till last)
5. Bubbles – Sore Foot March - or pat even or uneven patterns while students demonstrate rhythm in their feet as they walk around the room
6. Lil’ Liza Jane
- Review song, they pat beat
- Add snaps on rests again.
- See if they can locate the dotted pattern:
They find “Tam ti ta ta” pattern and clap when I get to it. ("Oh Eliza)
7. Watch video again – Review instruments and jazz style
LESSON 6 - Rhythm
1. Character Counts
2. Do rhythm practice, like these cards - or put rhythms on the board or PowerPoint.
- Students say rhythms – review names of notes and rests
3. Ama Lama
Group 1: woodblocks & claves
Group 2: guiros & cabasas
Group 3: xylophones & metallophones
Switch parts as time allows. Encourage students to sing while playing.
