Oren Logan

April 24th, 2017

25 minutes
Fort Collins High School Concert Band Lesson April 25th : Clearwater Creek
Setting:
Fort Collins High School Concert Band. This band consists mostly of freshman and sophomores and are relatively familiar with grade
2-3 literature. The band is lacking an alto saxophone and only has 1 Horn and 1 Tenor Saxophone to help fill that gap. The band also
only has 2 consistent clarinet players and 4 bass clarinet players, so some reorchestration will be necessary.

Rationale: Students are doing a really good job with Clearwater Creek, regarding correct notes and mostly correct style, however,
some students still need to work on style and blending techniques, especially when it comes to exposed soli parts.
Standards addressed:
Colorado:
Expression of Music:
2. Demonstrate informed participation in music-making activities
Theory of Music
1. Interpretation of musical elements and ideas
Aesthetic Valuation of Music:
. Informed judgments through participation, performance, and the creative process

Objectives:

SWBAT: Sing, Follow Along, and Play notes on a concert Bb scale using solfege, and be able to identify the Bb pentatonic scale
SWBAT: Identify the two main stylistic differences between 17-22 and the rest of the piece, and identify how rhythms will stylistically
change in the format of a story.
SWBAT: explain and demonstrate balance, blend, and correct rhythms 100% of the time in soli sections of Clearwater Creek
SWBAT: Play through the entirety of Clearwater Creek and assess how they did regarding style and story interpretation (fixing
sections along the way if needed)

Materials: Chairs, Stands, Music, instruments, pencils

Anticipatory Set: 5 minutes

Engage:
Have students play the Bb and Bb pentatonic scales as a group and in a round changing style based on what the conductor is
doing.
Have students sing solfege up and down the Bb major and pentatonic scales, following the teachers hand signs
Frame: Address the learning targets for the day: Students will address and respond to key story, style, and technical ideas in
Clearwater Creek, and assess their performance on the piece.
Activities/Procedure:

Obj #1: 3 minutes

Acquisition: Have students play the Bb concert and pentatonic scales
Elaboration: Have students follow along with singing and hand-signs, and recall the improvisation exercise from last time.
Memory Strengthening: Play exercises again.
Assessment: Formative Have students give a thumbs up/thumbs down if they used/didnt use hand signs for this activity.
Obj #2:
Acquisition: Have students play from 9-25 in Clearwater Creek
Elaboration: Have students respond by raising hands, on what the stylistic and dynamic differences are between 9 and 17
Memory Strengthening: Play through group melody sections.
Assessment: Formative--peer: have students write on the board 3 major stylistic/rhythmic/dynamic (1 each) differences between 9 and 17
Obj #3: 7 minutes
Whole: Play through each soli section
Part: Have individuals SFP (say finger play) sections or match tone with other instruments.
Whole: Play through the piece again.
Assessment: Formative -- Have students identify/respond to their performance regarding their balance, intonation, and direction of line

Obj #4: 7 minutes

Whole: Play through the piece
Part: SFP any sections that need work
Whole: Play through piece/ select sections again.
Assessment: Formative Have students give a thumbs up/thumbs based on their performance and their ability to address blending, style,
dynamic contrast, and soli sections in the piece.

Closure: Give students overall feedback on their growth during the lesson, and ask students to recall the exercise with Bb pentatonic
scale, and the melodies in Clearwater Creek, as next time, students will be using their knowledge of scales, solfege, ostinatos, and
group improvisation to compose individual themes that will be combined into a semi-composed work throughout the ensemble.