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Mi Alma Latina: Middle School Lesson Plan

Middle School Lesson Plan, PDF version
Gibraltar

Back to Mi Alma Latina Introduction

OBJECTIVES:

  • Students will identify monophonic, homophonic and polyphonic music.
  • Students will perform monophonic, homophonic and polyphonic rhythms.
  • Students will identify individual instruments or types of instruments.

MATERIALS:
  • Mi Alma Latina track 5 (Gibraltar.mp3)
  • Kodaly instruments, drums, or other instruments (if available)
  • Pieces of paper, labeled evenly with the numbers 1-4
PROCEDURES:
  1. On the board, write out four two-bar rhythms that your students already have the knowledge/skills to perform. Each two-bar rhythm should be different and clearly labeled as Group 1 thru Group 4.
  2. When the students enter the room, they will draw a piece of paper indicating to which group they will be assigned.
  3. As they enter have Gibraltar playing, cued past 3:05.
  4. Begin class by reviewing the terms monophonic, homophonic, and polyphonic.
  5. Students will sit by group and as a class, clap, play, or speak each of the rhythms on board.
  6. Pick two of the rhythms and, dividing the class in half, have each half play one of those rhythms as an ostinato.
  7. Now have students play their numbered rhythms one group at a time.
  8. Conduct your students to play their hocket repetitively; stagger entrances and rearrange the sequential order in which they perform.
  9. Discuss "layering" and invite them to create an order for their rhythms.
  10. Listen to Gibraltar. Ask students to indicate when a new instrument begins to play, and what instrument they believe it to be.
  11. How does the music relate to the terms already discussed? When is it monophonic, homophonic, or polyphonic?
  12. Although it begins polyphonically, underscore the other terms by turning their attention to segments cued to the following: 1:39, 1:53, 2:08, 2:21, 2:36, 2:49, 3:05.
  13. Ask them to describe texture of each cue. Which term best describes each cue?
  14. Have them play again as a class, in the two divided groups, and finally in four groups with layered entrances.
  15. Ask them to describe the differences in the texture of their performance.
  16. Re-listen to Gibraltar, asking students to identify textures as they recognize them. It may help to leave the students in Groups 1-4 and reassign them each a particular texture.

ASSESSMENT:
  • Did students identify the defined textures correctly?
  • Did students perform the textures in unison and in groups correctly?
  • Did students identify instruments correctly?

NATIONAL STANDARDS:*
2.

Performing on instruments, along and with others, a varied repertoire of music.

  • 2a. Students perform on at least one instrument accurately and independently, alone and in small and large ensembles.
  • 2c. Students perform music representing diverse genres and cultures, with expression appropriate for the work being performed.
5.

Reading and notating music.

  • 5a. Students read whole, half, quarter, eighth, sixteenth, and dotted notes and rests in 2/4, 3/4, 4/4, 6/8, 3/8, and alla breve meter signatures.
6.

Listening to, analyzing, and describing music.

  • 6a. Students describe specific music events in a given aural example, using appropriate terminology.
  • 6b. Students analyze the uses of elements of music in aural examples representing diverse genres and cultures.

*From National Standards for Arts Education. Copyright © 1994 by Music Educators National Conference (MENC). Used by permission. The complete National Standards for Arts Education and additional materials relating to the Standards are available from MENC—The National Association for Music Education, 1806 Robert Fulton Drive, Reston, VA 20191