LESSON FIVE: PRACTICE

Standards Being Addressed:

MU:Pr4.2.2a – Demonstrate knowledge of music concepts (such as tonality and meter) in music
from a variety of cultures selected for performance.
MU:Pr4.2.2b – When analyzing selected music, read and perform rhythmic and melodic patterns
using iconic or standard notation.
MU:Re7.1.2a – Explain and demonstrate how personal interests and experiences influence
musical selection for specific purposes.
Materials of Instruction:
Pattern Work:

La Raspa:
..\Downloads\La Raspa.pdf
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=edUxc_LaJ1E
Lesson Sequence:
Entry Activity: “Everybody find your groups of four and groups of eight you were in last time.
We’re going to do some more with our rondo cakes.”
Activity #1 Objective: Students will personalize their section (four-ingredient rhythm) of
their rondo cake to help further distinguish the difference between each section.
1. Teacher: “We will be creating our rondo cakes just like we did last time, however, we’re
going to add another way to distinguish your section. So, we already have the clapping
pattern for the “A” section, now you are going to add some movement to your sections.”
2. Teacher asks the groups to create movement or body percussion for their four-ingredient
recipe. Give the groups time to refine and practice their recipe with the additional
movements.
3. Teacher has students perform rondo cakes like last time, except the group that went
second last time will go first this time.
Assessment: Students created movement or body percussion to personalize and distinguish their
section of the rondo cake.
3 – Able
2 – Attempted, but not able
1 – Didn’t try
Transition: “That was great everyone! I loved seeing all of your creative dance moves and body
percussion for your sections of the rondo cake! Now, let’s learn a new song that also has
movement.”
Activity #2 Objective: Students will demonstrate their knowledge of rondo form by
differentiating sections of the piece through different movements. Students will also learn
basic history and culture of “La Raspa”.
1. Teacher: “First, let’s become familiar with our new song. Listen carefully. Are there three
different sections? What order are they in? Is this in rondo form?”
2. Teacher plays recording of “La Raspa” (attentive listening)
3. Teacher: “What did you hear? Were there three distinct sections? There were? What
instruments did you hear?” Teacher continues to ask specific guiding questions about
what the students heard. (attentive listening)
4. Teacher: “Were going to listen to it again, but this time as you are listening feel free to
tap along move, without getting up, to the music. Also, write down how many different
sections you hear. See if you can figure out which section is the “A” section. Remember
the “A” section is the first musical idea you hear.” (engaged listening)
5. Teacher plays the recording again. (engaged listening)
6. Teacher: “Good job! Are you more familiar with the different sections now? Do you
think you can sing the “A” section melody with me? Let’s try it!” (enactive listening)
7. Teacher helps students sing the “A” section melody and fades out the more confident
they get. (enactive listening)
8. Teacher: “Let’s learn a little more about this song! What area of the world do you think it
comes from? Mexico, that’s right! We’ll talk more about that in just a second, but first,
how many of you like to make new friends?”
9. Teacher: “Yeah, all of you! Now how many of you like to dance? Lucky for you, we’re
going to learn that new song we just listened to and it’s about dancing and making new
friends!”
10. Teacher: “Our new song we just listened to is called “La Raspa.” Can you say “La
Raspa” with me class?”
11. Teacher/Students: “La Raspa”
12. Teacher: “Good job! Like we discovered earlier, “La Raspa” comes from the country of
Mexico. Show of hands, how many of you know where Mexico is? Where is it?
a. Just below America, just south of the United States? Yeah, that’s right!
13. Teacher shares historical context of La Raspa (Integrating World Music)
a. Since it is a folk dance, it is often heard at social gatherings to mingle and meet
new people. Why? Because dancing is fun.
 b. La Raspa is said to have begun in Veracruz, a state that has major port city off the
Gulf of Mexico. With shipments of trade goods also came music and dance from
around the world. Modern Mexican folk dances, like La Raspa, are mixtures of
Aztec, Mayan, Yaqui, African and European movements—sacred and secular—
which were forged together as many cultures intermingled over the centuries.
i. In short – it is made up from a lot of different cultures that combined over
the years
c. Teacher shares a video with students of Mexican children dancing to help students
relate. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IIkDW0duECY
d. Teacher reads “En Mi Familia” by Carmen Lomas Garza to help students see that
the culture is not frozen in time and so that they can relate.
14. Teacher: “Since there is dancing it is very fitting that La Raspa is fun sounding music,
wouldn’t you say?”
15. Teacher: “Let’s learn the dance!” (Creating World Music)
16. Dance instructions: Have students find a partner and stand a few steps away from each
other – anywhere in the room. Don’t worry too much if students are using right or left
feet. Teacher teaches the dance moves for the three different sections, utilizing the
recording.
17. Teacher teaches the first dance move and makes it clear to the students that it goes with
the “A” section that we identified earlier.
a. “A” section dance: Hands on hip, 4 beats - jump on right foot, extend left heel
forward, jump on left foot, extend right heel forward, jump on right foot, extend
left heel forward, freeze in place. Repeat pattern until next section.
18. Teacher teaches the “B” section dance move.
a. “B” section dance: Hook right arms and swing with partner (8 beats), hook left
arms and swing with partner (8 beats)
19. Teacher: “What section would that be? Is it the same as the “A” section? No. We have a
different dance movement. It’s the second musical idea we’ve heard.”
20. Students: “The “B” section” Teacher: “That’s right!”
21. Teacher reviews the “A” section dance
22. Teacher teaches the “C” section dance move.
a. “C” section dance: Stand facing partner, hands behind backs. 4 steps forward, 4
steps back (8 beats)
23. Teacher plays recording (back to “A” section at this point in the song) “Can you show me
which section of the song this is by doing the appropriate dance move for this section.”
24. Teacher: “Good, it’s the “A” section! Let’s put it all together now!”
25. Teacher: “What is this first section called again?”
26. Students: “The “A” section” Teacher: “Right!”
27. Students perform the whole dance with the song one time through with the teacher
pausing it at the beginning of each section to ask which section of the song it is. Teacher
writes the students responses on the board as the give them to him in order to visually
show them the order. Students will discover the order is ABACA
28. Teacher: “So, is “La Raspa” in rondo form?”
 29. Students: “Yes”
30. Teacher: “Great work everyone! Let’s do the dance to it one more time, but this time I
won’t pause it. Do you think everyone can say the letter of each section when you start
doing that section’s dance move? Let’s find out”
Assessment: Students can identify the different sections and order of rondo form by matching
the dance with the coordinating the section of the song.
3 – Able
2 – Attempted, but not able
1 – Didn’t try
Closure: “That was some great dancing today everybody!”