Storytelling through Music

Syncopation, call and response form, Minor, Ostinato, and

dotted eight-sixteenth notes
4th Grade General Music

Brian Buechele
MUS_149
Dr. Talbot

I affirm that I have upheld the highest principles of honesty and integrity in my
academic work and have not witnessed a violation of the Honor Code
– Brian Buechele
Essential Question: How can the use of musical concepts enhance storytelling through music?
Description
In this unit students will identify, connect, compose, sing, define, and perform different
musical concepts to create a song that tells a story. This song will include call and response form,
be in a minor key, use syncopation, contain a dotted eighth-sixteenth note, and include an
ostinato. Students will work in groups of three to co-create these songs by singing and using
instruments found in the classroom. Students will learn repertoire, chosen by the teacher, to help
them further their understanding of these musical concepts.
Standards
1. MU:Cr1.1.4b Generate musical ideas (such as rhythms, melodies, and simple
accompaniment patterns) within related tonalities (such as major and minor) and meters.
2. MU:Cr2.1.4a Demonstrate selected and organized musical ideas for an improvisation,
arrangement, or composition to express intent, and explain connection to purpose and
context.
3. MU:Cr3.2.4a Present the final version of personal created music to others, and explain
connection to expressive intent.
4. MU:Pr4.1.4a Demonstrate and explain how the selection of music to perform is
influenced by personal interest, knowledge, context, and technical skill.
5. MU:Pr4.2.4b When analyzing selected music, read and perform using iconic and/or
standard notation.
6. MU:Pr5.1.4a Apply teacher-provided and collaboratively developed criteria and feedback
to evaluate accuracy and expressiveness of ensemble and personal performances.
7. MU:Pr6.1.4a Perform music, alone or with others, with expression and technical
accuracy, and appropriate interpretation.
8. MU:Re7.1.4a Demonstrate and explain how selected music connects to and is influenced
by specific interests, experiences, purposes, or contexts.
9. MU:Re7.2.4a Demonstrate and explain how responses to music are informed by the
structure, the use of the elements of music, and context (such as social and cultural).
10. MU:Re9.1.4a Evaluate musical works and performances, applying established criteria,
and explain appropriateness to the context.
11. MU:Cn10.0.4a Demonstrate how interests, knowledge, and skills relate to personal
choices and intent when creating, performing, and responding to music.
Repertoire
1. “Hill and Gully Rider”
2. “Scarborough Fair”
3. “The Clucking Hen”
 Focus and Review Concepts
Day 1 Day 2 Day 3 Day 4 Day 5 Day 6
Focus Minor key Dotted Syncopation Ostinati/ Call Composition Presentation
Concepts eighth- /Call and and Response
sixteenth Response
notes
Review Major key Minor and Dotted Syncopation All concepts All concepts
Concepts Major eighth-
sixteenth
notes
Main “Scarborough “The “Hill and “Hill and Song we Student
Song Fair” Clucking Gully Rider” Gully Rider” create in class performances
Hen”

Key Concepts
1. Minor - A series of tones that defines a minor tonality.
2. Natural Minor - The natural minor scale has the same tones as the major scale, but uses
the sixth tone of the major scale as its tonic. Thus, the semitones (half steps) are between
the second and third tones and the fifth and sixth tones.
3. Major - Term referring to a sequence of notes that define the tonality of the major scale.
4. Dotted Rhythms - Rhythms that consist basically of a dotted note and a
neighboring note worth one third the duration of the entire duration of the dotted note.
5. Syncopation - Deliberate upsetting of the meter or pulse of a composition by means of a
temporary shifting of the accent to a weak beat or an off-beat.
6. Ostinato - A short melodic, rhythmic, or harmonic pattern that is repeated throughout an
entire composition or some portion of a composition.
7. Call and Response Form - Performance style with a singing leader who is imitated by
a chorus of followers. This is also known as responsorial singing.

References
Find Songs. (n.d.). Retrieved April 21, 2020, from https://www.bethsnotesplus.com/find-songs
OnMusic Dictionary -. (n.d.). Retrieved On April 21, 2020 from
http://dictionary.onmusic.org/

“Scarborough Fair.” Alfred's Basic Adult Piano Course: Lesson Book, Level One, by Willard A.
Palmer et al., Alfred Publishing, 1996, p. 87.
 Day by Day Breakdown

Time Day 1: Day 2: Day 3: Day 4: Day 5: Day 6:

(mins) Minor Key Dotted eight- Syncopation/ Ostinati Composition Presentation
sixteenth Call and
notes Response

0-5 Warm Up: Warm Up: Warm Up: Warm Up: Warm Up: Warm Up:
Vocal Warm Up Review minor Review Review “Hill and Vocal warm up Vocal warm
key “TCH” Gully Rider” up
5-10 Learn the song Learn the song Learn the song Review songs
“Scarborough “The Clucking “Hill and Gully Review/define Call “Scarborough
Fair” Hen” Rider” through and response and Fair” and “The Extra time to
call and define ostinati Clucking Hen” finish
response /
10-15 Define and Peer sharing
notate dotted Go over and feedback
eight- Take out Djembes melodic and on
Comparing Major sixteenth notes and gather in a circle rhythmic compositions
and Minor keys in rhythmic Body Go over ways to play notation
/ percussion of Djembe (review) Create a story
Pair Share the syncopation song together
in piece/
15-20 Define Call and
Take Out Orff Response
instruments Define ostinati
Define rhythmic
ostinati, do this by Perform the
Locomotive doing a call and compositions
20-25 Activity response activity with
Define the Djembe Students work
syncopation Create a Rhythmic on their own
notate ostinati compositions
Orff Instrument
Activity

25-30 Split into

groups and Clean up
Sing song notate a rhythm Discussion of
together again containing how students
with scarves syncopation Pass out rubric and Clean Up felt
while also discuss it performances
using body Pass out invitation to went
Clean up
percussion parents/guardians to
come into the school
Exit If a song is in a Write a Write a How does ostinati Connect Reflection
Ticket minor key how rhythm using syncopated enhance storytelling? concepts to
does it affect the dotted eight- rhythm with a aspects of
story? sixteen notes melody storytelling
 Day 1

Focus Concept – Minor Key

Review Concept – Major Key
Learning Outcomes
• Students will sing a song in a minor key
• Students will define and notate in a minor key
• Students will harmonize in a minor key using Orff instruments
• Students will connect minor key as a storytelling device
Assessments
• Teacher will aurally assess if the students sang the correct pitches when the students are
split into groups by using a +/- scale.
+: Student sang the correct pitches with few mistakes
-: Student did not sing the correct pitches for most of the performance
• Teacher will assess the student’s definition and notation in a minor key by having the
students turn in their notated compositions.
• Teacher will aurally assess student’s performance of harmonization in a group by using a
+/- scale
+: Student played the correct harmonization with few mistakes
-: Student did not play the correct harmonization for most of the performance
• Teacher will assess student’s connection to minor key and storytelling devices through
an exit ticket.
Materials
• Xylophones

“Scarborough Fair” sheet music (“Scarborough Fair.” Alfred's Basic Adult Piano Course: Lesson
Book, Level One, by Willard A. Palmer et al., Alfred Publishing, 1996, p. 87.)

Activities/Procedures
1. Teacher will greet the students and invite the students to join in a vocal warm up,
working on major scales and triads.
2. Teacher will sing “Scarborough Fair” and invite the students to sing along on the second
time through.
3. Teacher will ask the students what was different in this song than what and how we
warmed up. If the students do not know the teacher will play on the piano a chord in D
major and in D minor and ask the question again.
 4. Teacher will tell the story of the Scarborough fair and ask the students why the key
might be in minor after hearing this.
5. Teacher will discuss the difference between the two keys and explain this through hand
signs. Have the students sing this with a visual aid projected on the board “Do Re Mi Fa
Sol La Ti” for major and “Do Re me Fa Sol le te” for minor.
6. Teacher will ask the students to take out the Orff instruments while projecting the sheet
music on the board, while inviting a student to hand out the sheet music to the piece
including the Orff part.
7. Teacher will invite students to get acquainted with the instruments and remind the
students that we are playing in D minor and that “Do” or tonic is D. The sheet music will
have when the students are to change off a D minor chord and switch to a different
arpeggiation.
8. Teacher will sing the song while the students play the Orff part that is written in the
score, or just remind the students the root of each measure, so “Do Do Do Do te Do, etc.”
9. Teacher will split the class into two groups one group will sing the song while the other
group plays the Orff part, switching.
10. Teacher will invite students, in groups of 3, to write a different harmony on a sheet of
staff paper and create a harmony to the first bars of the piece.
11. Teacher will invite the students to perform their 6-bar harmonization.
12. Teacher will hand out the exit ticket and explain the directions.

Exit Ticket

Story Unit – Minor Key

If a song is in a minor key how might it alter the message of the
story?
 Day 2

Focus Concept – Dotted eight- sixteenth notes

Review Concept – Minor Key
Learning Outcomes
• Students will sing a song containing dotted eight-sixteenth notes
• Students will define and notate dotted eight-sixteenth notes
• Students will connect different rhythmic patterns as storytelling devices
Assessments
• Teacher will aurally assess if the students sang the rhythms when the students are split
into groups by using a +/- scale.
+: Student sang the correct rhythms with few mistakes
-: Student did not sing the correct rhythms for most of the performance
• Teacher will assess the student’s definition and notation using eight-sixteenth notes by
having the students turn in their notated compositions.
• Teacher will assess the student’s connection between rhythmic patterns and storytelling
by handing out an exit ticket by using a +/- scale.
+: Student answered each question fully.
-: Student did not complete the homework or did not answer the questions fully.
Materials
• “The Clucking Hen” sheet music (The Clucking Hen. (2020, April 20). Retrieved from
https://www.bethsnotesplus.com/2017/02/the-clucking-hen.html)
• Projector
• Scarves
Activities/Procedures
1. Teacher will start off the class with a vocal warm up in both major and minor keys,
encouraging the students to use solfège and the hand positions if they can.
2. Teacher will sing through the first verse of the song “The Clucking Hen”, after doing so,
the teacher will invite a student to hand out the sheet music to the rest of the class.
3. Teacher will encourage the class to sing along and to look for any strange or new
rhythmic patterns in the sheet music. The teacher will review what a dotted note is and
how a dotted eighth note is related to both eighth notes and sixteenth notes.
4. Teacher will define the dotted eight-sixteenth note and will show notation in the sheet
music. The teacher will show how to notate it and invite students to the board to write a
rhythm using the dotted eight-sixteenth rhythm.
5. Teacher will encourage the class to clap the rhythm written by their peers. After this, the
teacher will have the students clap the rhythm while also singing.
 6. Teacher will invite the students to move around based on how the rhythms and melody
of the piece. The teacher will give examples of some movement that could be appropriate
for this activity. The class will sing the 2 verses and move while singing.
7. Teacher will invite students to move in a way that it mimics the movement of the dotted
eight-sixteen notes in the piece.
8. Teacher will maintain a steady pulse and sing strong while the students move around.
9. Teacher will take out scarves and have this to an added movement element that could
help express the students’ movements. The teacher will demonstrate with the scarves on
how to help express these rhythms. The class will sing the song twice more.
10. Teacher will hand out the exit ticket.

Exit Ticket

Story Unit – Dotted eight-sixteen note

How can a rhythm play an important role in storytelling? How
was it used in “The Clucking Hen”? Can you think of any
examples in which the rhythm is a main story telling element?
 Day 3

Focus Concept – Syncopation and Call and Response form

Review Concept – Dotted eight-sixteenth notes
Learning Outcomes
• Students will sing a song containing syncopation
• Students will define and notate syncopation
• Students will create body percussion to accompany their composed syncopated rhythm
• Students will connect syncopation and call and response to storytelling
Assessments
• Teacher will aurally assess the students while they sing the song using a +/- scale.
+: Student sang the correct rhythms with few mistakes
-: Student did not sing the correct rhythms for most of the performance
• Teacher will assess the student’s definition and notation using syncopation by having the
students turn in their notated compositions.
• Teacher will aurally assess the student’s performance of rhythmic body percussion while
in a group by using a +/- scale
+: Student performed the rhythm and body percussion with few mistakes
-: Student did not perform the correct body percussion and rhythm for most of the
performance
• Teacher will assess the student’s connection between storytelling and syncopation/call
and response by handing out an exit ticket using a +/- scale
+: Student handed in the exit ticket and had examples of music they listened to and answered
the question fully.
-: Student did not hand in their assignment or did not answer the questions fully.
Materials
• Projector
• Sheet music for “The Clucking Hen” (The Clucking Hen. (2020, April 20). Retrieved from
https://www.bethsnotesplus.com/2017/02/the-clucking-hen.html) and “Hill and Gully
Rider” (Hill and Gully Rider. (2020, April 25). Retrieved from
https://www.bethsnotesplus.com/2013/05/hill-and-gully-rider.html)

Activities/Procedures

1. Teacher will invite the students do a vocal warmup and include the song that we learned
from Day 2, “The Clucking Hen,” by projecting it on the board. We will also warm up on
major and minor scales.
 2. Teacher will invite the students to learn the song “Hill and Gully Rider,” only doing the
first 3 verses
3. Teacher will tell the story of the Hill and Gully Rider by inviting a student to read off the
board the lyrics off the board. While also talking about effective storytelling devices that
can be enhanced through the musical concepts we are talking about.
4. Teacher will ask a student if they can hand out the sheet music for “Hill and Gully
Rider”
5. Teacher will have the students look at the response section, in this case it is also the
syncopated section. The teacher will ask the students if they know what this rhythmic
pattern is. If no one knows then the teacher will ask the students to clap for an eighth note
and thump their chest on a quarter note. The teacher will model this and then invite
students to join in. The teacher will sing the “call” section and remind the students that
they should only do the “response” section of the piece.
6. Teacher will invite any students that would want to do the call section by themselves, or
do with the teacher, but only do the call section, still doing the body percussion but in the
call section only.
7. Teacher will define and explain what this rhythmic oddity is. They will also explain how
it can be used not only with quarter and eighth notes but also with rests or anyway in
which a weak or off-beat is accented or emphasized.
8. Teacher will show students what this may look like and invite students to create their
own syncopated rhythm and present it if they would like. If not, then the teacher will
invite students to do a “pair share” and perform their syncopated beat. This will also
serve as a way for students to provide feedback one another. The teacher will also be
going around and providing feedback.
9. Teacher will ask the students to pair up, either the partner they are sitting with or with
someone else and have them notate a syncopation and create body percussion.
10. Teacher will invite students to perform this in front of the class, if not have them
perform for each other.
11. Teacher will hand out the exit ticket.
Exit Ticket

Story Unit – Syncopation and Call and Response

How can Call and Response and Syncopation enhance aspects of
storytelling? In the music that you listen to, are there any
examples of these musical concepts? List the songs below.
 Day 4

Focus Concept – Ostinato

Review Concept – Syncopation and Call and Response form
Learning Outcomes
• Students will sing an ostinato
• Students will define and compose a rhythmic ostinato
• Students will perform their own rhythmic ostinati
• Students will connect ostinati and aspects of story telling
Assessments
• Teacher will aurally assess the students while they sing ostinato by using a +/- scale.
+: Student sang the correct ostinato with the correct rhythms with few mistakes
-: Student did not sing the correct rhythms or ostinato for most of the performance
• Teacher will assess the student’s definition and composition of a rhythmic ostinato by
having the students turn in their notated compositions.
• Teacher will aurally assess the student’s performance of rhythmic ostinato while in a
group by using a +/- scale
+: Student performed the ostinato and it made sense in the meter
-: Student did perform the ostinato, but it did not make sense in the meter
• Teacher will assess the student’s connection between storytelling and the use of ostinati
by handing out an exit ticket
Materials
• Projector
• Sheet music for “Hill and Gully Rider” (Hill and Gully Rider. (2020, April 25). Retrieved
from https://www.bethsnotesplus.com/2013/05/hill-and-gully-rider.html)
• Djembes
Activities/Procedures
1. Teacher will start by inviting a student to help pass out the sheet music for “Hill and
Gully Rider” and have the students review this piece. Encourage the students to do the
same rhythmic body percussion that we did last time. Also, invite a student up to lead that
maybe did not get to last time.
2. Teacher will spend time to explain and define call and response and go over some
student’s responses to the exit ticket.
3. Teacher will introduce ostinato and ask students if they have ever heard of it and if so,
what is it. The teacher will then work with the students to define an ostinato.
4. Teacher will then work with the students to create a rhythmic ostinato. This will be an
ostinato that covers two measures in a 4/4 meter and the class will repeat it twice.
 5. Teacher will invite students to take the Djembes out of the closet and gather in a circle.
The teacher will remind the students the 3 ways to play the Djembe (this should be
review) Bass (B), Tone (T), and Slap (S).
6. Teacher will invite the students to sing “Hill and Gully Rider” once again, but this time
instead of using body percussion for the “response” section the teacher will encourage
students to use a Bass for quarter notes and use a Tone for eighth notes. This will be used
to get the students acquainted again with the song and the Djembe.
7. Teacher will then create an ostinato, with the help of the class, using the Djembes we
will play this co-created rhythm to play underneath the actual song. From here the teacher
will split up the class into 2, one half sings the song while the other half will play the
ostinato to accompany the main melody. The teacher will switch when they have
completed one sing through of the piece.
8. Teacher will split the students into groups of 3 and have the students notate and practice
their own ostinato. The teacher will then have the students perform to each other for a
peer review session on the ostinati. The teacher will encourage one group to sing while
the other group plays their ostinato.
9. Teacher will invite students to clean up and put the Djembes back, while the teacher
hands out the rubric and an invitation for their parents to see their final composition
project that will happen on the last day of the unit.

Exit Ticket

Story Unit – Ostinato

How can an ostinato enhance the storytelling of a piece of
music? Define ostinato.
 Day 5

Focus Concept – Composition

Review Concept – All concepts
Learning Outcomes
• Students will compose a song using storytelling aspects, that uses syncopation, a dotted
eighth-sixteenth note, and is in Call and Response form
• Students will compose an ostinato to accompany a song or be a part of the main melodic
line
• Students will compose a melodic phrase, using either instruments or singing, in a minor
key
Assessments
• Teacher will assess students’ compositions using the following rubric, checking the
grade the student receives on each category.
Criteria Excellent Good Needs Improvement
Student incorporated storytelling
through their composition
Student composed their own ostinato
Student composed a melodic phrase
a minor key
Materials
• Djembes
• Xylophones
• Pencil
• Staff paper
Activities/Procedures
1. Teacher will conduct a warmup that involves a minor and major key. After this, the
teacher will review all the concepts and return all the compositions that the students had
turned in throughout the unit. We will review the 2 songs we have not worked with in a
while “Scarborough Fair” and “The Clucking Hen”
2. Teacher will compose a song with the class so that the class has an idea of how to start
their projects.
3. Teacher will give the guidelines for the composition project: it must be at least 10
measures long and tell a story. It can be an ostinato or have a rhythmic ostinato to
accompany it. The song must be in a minor key and contain syncopation, a dotted eighth-
sixteenth note, and be in Call and Response form.
4. Teacher will break students up into groups of 3 and start composing.
5. Teacher will have the groups perform what they have for their composition to their peers
to get peer feedback. Finally, the class will clean up and the teacher will remind the
students to remind their parents/guardians to come in for Day 6. Teacher will send an
email to the families as well. Teacher will invite students to sign up for presentations.
 Day 6

Focus Concept – Composition

Review Concept – All concepts
Learning Outcomes
• Students will finalize compositions
• Students will perform their compositions
• Students will reflect on their performances and connect the musical concepts taught in
the unit and the performances
Assessments
• Teacher will assess students’ compositions using the following rubric, checking the
grade the student receives on each category.
Criteria Excellent Good Needs Improvement
Student incorporated storytelling
through their composition

Student composed their own ostinato

Student composed a melodic phrase

a minor key

Materials
• Djembes
• Xylophones
• Pencil
• Staff paper
Activities/Procedures
1. Teacher will have a vocal warmup in a minor key.
2. Teacher will encourage the students to go and finish their compositions if they have not
finished the composition yet.
3. Teacher will invite student groups to pair up with each other and perform for each other
and give feedback. This will happen at 10 minutes in.
4. Teacher will invite students and parents sit and enjoy the presentations. The groups will
go in order of the signup sheet.
5. Teacher will invite the students to provide feedback with how they thought how the
presentations went.
6. Teacher will thank the students for performing and thank the parents/guardians for
coming in and giving the students an audience.
7. Teacher will hand out a reflection that will ask the students to synthesize all the musical
concepts in the unit.
Reflection

Story Unit – Synthesis

In your own words synthesize how all the musical concepts related
to the idea of storytelling. How did your presentation go?
“Scarborough Fair.” Alfred's Basic Adult Piano Course: Lesson Book, Level One, by Willard A.
Palmer et al., Alfred Publishing, 1996, p. 87.
The Clucking Hen. (2020, April 20). Retrieved from https://www.bethsnotesplus.com/2017/02/the-
clucking-hen.html
Hill and Gully Rider. (2020, April 25). Retrieved from https://www.bethsnotesplus.com/2013/05/hill-
and-gully-rider.html