Lesson Plan All About that Ear Training Aural Skills

I.

Sabrina Fellenbaum and Corrine Frederick, November 14, 2014: Orchestra

Grades 9-12

II.

Musical Concepts: Melody melodic contour (pitches may move up, down,
or stay the same)

III.

Learning Outcome: Students will also be able to play the chorus of All
About that Bass by Meghan Trainor without reading notation.

IV.

Students Prior Knowledge:

Entry Ability: Students have various levels of expertise on their major
instrument and can match pitches with relative ease. Students also know the
pitches and fingerings to correctly perform an E-flat major scale.
Exit Ability: Students will be able to play the melody of the popular song
All About That Bass by Meghan Trainor based on a starting pitch, matching
pitches played by the teacher, and by rote.

V.

PA Standard(s): 9.1 Production, performance, and exhibition of music

National Standard(s): MU:Pr5.3.E.5a

VI.

Materials:
Each student will need his/her instrument
Saxophone (to demonstrate pitches)
Piano (to accompany students)

VII.

Teaching Procedures:
Introduction:
1. T. reviews scale of the week (Eb major)
2. T. Has Ss. sing the scale they have just played
Teaching Steps:
3. T. gives guidelines of the exercise that Ss. will be doing today
4. T. plays starting pitch on the saxophone
- Ss. are given time to discover this pitch
- Ss. play and hold the note once they have discovered what pitch was
played
5. T. plays another pitch in the scale
- Ss. are given time to discover this pitch
- Ss. play and hold the note once they have discovered what pitch was
played
6. T. plays the same pitch; this time in a rhythm
- Ss. play back rhythm on correct pitch as a group
7. T. plays two pitches

- Ss. are given time to discover these pitches

- Ss. play back the pitches as a group as directed by T.
8. T. plays the same two pitches in a rhythm
- Ss. play back rhythm on correct pitches
9. Series of pitches and rhythms will gradually increase as Ss. become
comfortable with the exercise
Closure:
10. T. will play short phrases of All About that Bass
- Ss. will repeat phrases back as a group
11. T. will play all phrases again; this time combining phrases together
- Ss. will repeat back
12. T. continues to teach by rote until Ss. show signs of knowing the melody
13. Ss. will play full melody
14. T. will accompany Ss. on the piano
VIII. Assessment of Students: Students will be informally assessed based on their
participation during class and the questions asked during class. Students will
be informally observed on their accuracy when playing the chorus to the song
All About that Bass.

Post Lesson Reflection:

During the lessons, students were uncomfortable without music in front of

them to look at.
Ss. expressed worry that they would remember all the notes and rhythms
from previous sections as we were moving on.
Ss. who struggled with the activity began to lose interest in the activity.
Confident Ss. had an easier time with the activity and were more willing to
participate.
Ss. did a great job answering all the questions. Some answers were not
correct the first time but Ss. were given a second chance and usually
answered correctly.
Some Ss. needed to be encouraged to answer questions and to play out.

Suggestions for next time:

Go slower! After we began to go a bit slower students were able to hear the
pitches and rhythms with ease. This also allowed them to play back what
they heard with more confidence.
Pick a song with fewer pitches if Ss. are doing this kind of activity for the first
time.
Be sure to stick with small sections; the larger the sections, the more
overwhelmed and nervous the students become.
Ask Ss. the purpose rather than telling them.