Exploring the American Revolution Through Song

Lesson Teacher: Terri Gleason Date: 4/18/16 4/20/16

Lesson Grade Level: 5 Timeframe: 1:00 to 2 30

Content Area: Social Studies (American History) and Grouping Strategy: Small Groups
Music

Preparing for Lesson Development

1. What does your pre-assessment observation indicate about your students needs and current
performance and educational needs? Students have learned basic rhythm patterns in their music classes.
Their prior experience with playing recorders in fourth grade also gives them background knowledge of
songs being composed of notes. Students are learning the basic facts about the American Revolution this
year, but have some difficulty in retaining facts.

2. How will you design the lesson to meet the needs of all learners in your classroom? The
teacher conducted a survey prior to forming groups to make sure 1-2 confident singers are in each group.
Students who are not comfortable singing may take writing or other supporting roles in creating and
recording the final song. They will not be required to sing.

Lesson Plan Development

Lesson Title: Exploring the American Revolution Through Song
Common Core and/or State Standard:
Content Standard 2Students analyze how people create and change structures of power, authority, and governance
to understand the operation of government and to demonstrate civic responsibility.
Assessment of Learning: Student songs will include
accurate dates of relevant historical events for their assigned
topic.
Lesson Objective: Students will be able to recount
the basic timeline of events in the American
No dates included in song 0 pts.
Revolution.
At least one date accurately referenced in song 1pt.

Assessment of Learning: Student songs will include

references to at least 2 historical figures.
Lesson Objective: Students will be able to identify
the primary historical players in the American
No historical figures referenced 0 pts.
Revolution.
1 historical figure accurately referenced 1 pt.
2 historical figures accurately referenced -2 pts.
Based on the lesson objectives, select an appropriate teaching model Madeline Hunter

Indian Education For All (IEFA) XNo Yes. If yes, please describe
Classroom
Lesson Procedures/Activities Materials
Management Needs
Anticipatory Set Elmo w/ laptop Students gather on
hooked up and ready floor near front of
Tell students that they will be producing a video to help them to go. room. Make sure
remember the facts they have been studying about the American everyone can see.
Revolution. Bookmarked music
video spoofs of
Show an example of a historical music spoof video. This was historical events:
made by a history teacher.
 Mr. Bettss Class: The
Students will be using the instrumental version of All About Jamestown Colony
that Bass by Meghan Trainor to make their songs. Go through https://www.youtube.c
the instrumental and clap out the beats. Help students recognize om/watch?
how many syllables are in each line of the song. v=shwNBBJj15M

Talk about how they can cheat the number of syllables by

slowing down or speeding up their speech for some words.

Teacher Input Chromebook lab with Students placed into

copy of the predetermined groups
Place students into groups and assign them their topics: instrumental version based on teacher
of the song on the survey.
Group 1: The Colonists complaints against England desktop.
Group 2: The Boston Tea Party
Group 3: King Georges Response
Group 4: The Declaration of Independence
Group 5: Help From the French
Group 6: End of the War

Give students guidelines:

Each group will create 2 6 lines of the song. Some will have
the melody of the song; others will have the refrain. (Play these
for students and allow them to choose).

Each group will need to include:

At least 1 accurately referenced date (can be just the year)
At least 2 accurately referenced historical figures

The song lyrics must reasonably fit with the music. (Note: The
teacher will provide support to help students adjust lyrics prior
to the recording).

Guided Practice/Check for Understanding Students use a graphic Students may work
Students will meet in their group to consult with their notes and organizer to record within the classroom
textbook to identify what facts they want to represent. their lyrics. where they will be
able to be productive.
The students may write sentences and count out the syllables.
See if the sentences will fit with the number of beats in each
song line. If not, can the sentence be adjusted or the beats
cheated to make them fit?

The teacher will conference with each group to approve their

lines and provide assistance.
Independent Practice (Day 2) Half the students will
Students will finish up their song writing and begin rehearsals. use the library space to
They may also plan for costumes if desired. practice (no classes in
session at this time)
After hour independent rehearsal, the class will return to the and the librarian will
main classroom. Furniture will be moved so we can do a full support with
rehearsal with all the groups. supervision.

Student groups will line up in the wings. When one group

finishes, the next group must be ready to jump in and sing their
part of the song.
Closure Students will gather to
watch the playback of
The teacher sets up a video recorder facing an American Flag the recording at the
backdrop. The students perform their songs. The teacher will end of the day.
record and add the lyrics for each group at the bottom of the
screen.

Students view the final performance. The performance will be

viewed daily for one week to solidify facts about the
Revolutionary War.

Evidence of Lesson Effectiveness/Student Learning: The teacher will conference with students to make sure they
are keying in on the most important facts about their assigned topic. Students are evaluated based on their responses
on their graphic organizer.

Reflection and Recommendations for Next Time: These topics could be expanded on further to allow each group
to produce an entire song. Alternatively, now that students have had this experience, this method of assessment may
be offered as an option in the future for other topics.

Attachments, if required.