“When I wished to sing of love, it turned to sorrow. And when I wished to sing of sorrow, it was transformed
for me into love.”
AUTHOR: Franz Schubert
“Our emotions come out in our music. Many of these emotions are closely related.”
COMPOSER
IVES
Variations on America
Theme and Variations Lesson Plan:
Music and Architecture
Grades: 3-5 (Modifications can be made for older or younger students)
Standards:
• Singing, along and with others, a varied repertoire of music
• Composing and arranging music within specified guidelines
• Understanding relationships between music, the other arts, and disciplines outside the arts
• Listening to, analyzing, and describing music
• Singing, along and with others, a varied repertoire of music
• Composing and arranging music within specified guidelines
• Understanding relationships between music, the other arts, and disciplines outside the arts
• Listening to, analyzing, and describing music
Performance Indicators:
Students will compose a variation on an excerpt of “The Star Spangled Banner” after gaining tools and knowledge on variations in music as well as in areas outside of music.
Objectives:
Students will understand how a variation is created and be able to create a variation on their own. Students will use their own creativity to create an original piece of music.
Listening Repertoire: Ives: "Variations on America"
Procedures:
1) Sing through the original version of “America (My Country ‘Tis of Thee)” as a class.
2) Show the class a picture of a house (you can use the picture provided, or use your own house, or the house of one of your students). You might also want them to all bring in a picture of their own houses so you can have a visual representation of all the different variations.
3) Have the students come up with a list of ways that their houses are different from the one in the picture, and a list of ways that their houses are the same (all have a roof, windows, etc).
4) Talk about how even though the houses may have different variations in the way they are put together and organized, they all have some things in common, and ultimately are all still houses where people live.
5) Discuss how a piece of music can have variations as well. Ask if they can think of any songs that have multiple variations. (Perhaps a remix on the radio, or “The Star Spangled Banner” sung at various sporting events…)
7) Listen to the excerpts from Ives’ “Variations on America” and have the students circle the different types of variations as they hear them.
GENERAL MUSIC
01. KEYBOARD RECITALS
........a. THIRD DAY OF STUDENT RECITALS
........b. EACH STUDENT SIGNED UP FOR A DAY THIS WEEK TO PERFORM A SONG
FOR THE CLASS
............1) STUDENTS LEARNED HOW TO CONDUCT THEMSELVES IN A PERFORMANCE
SITUATION
............2) STUDENTS EXPERIENCED THE NERVES (STAGE FRIGHT) THAT CAN OCCUR
IN PERFORMING
............3) STUDENTS SHOWED THE KNOWLEDGE THAT THEY HAD LEARNED PLAYING
THE KEYBOARD
............4) STUDENTS DEMONSTRATED PROPER CLASSICAL AUDIENCE ETIQUETTE
........a. THIRD DAY OF STUDENT RECITALS
........b. EACH STUDENT SIGNED UP FOR A DAY THIS WEEK TO PERFORM A SONG
FOR THE CLASS
............1) STUDENTS LEARNED HOW TO CONDUCT THEMSELVES IN A PERFORMANCE
SITUATION
............2) STUDENTS EXPERIENCED THE NERVES (STAGE FRIGHT) THAT CAN OCCUR
IN PERFORMING
............3) STUDENTS SHOWED THE KNOWLEDGE THAT THEY HAD LEARNED PLAYING
THE KEYBOARD
............4) STUDENTS DEMONSTRATED PROPER CLASSICAL AUDIENCE ETIQUETTE
ADV. STRINGS
[SPRING CONCERT (THURSDAY; MAY 30TH) PREPARATION]
01. CABALITO
02. LOS MACHETES
BEG. STRINGS
[SPRING CONCERT (THURSDAY; MAY 30TH) PREPARATION]
01. MY HEART GOES ON
02. YOU'VE GOT A FRIEND IN ME
03. SOMEBODY I USED TO KNOW
1) Sing through the original version of “America (My Country ‘Tis of Thee)” as a class.
2) Show the class a picture of a house (you can use the picture provided, or use your own house, or the house of one of your students). You might also want them to all bring in a picture of their own houses so you can have a visual representation of all the different variations.
3) Have the students come up with a list of ways that their houses are different from the one in the picture, and a list of ways that their houses are the same (all have a roof, windows, etc).
4) Talk about how even though the houses may have different variations in the way they are put together and organized, they all have some things in common, and ultimately are all still houses where people live.
5) Discuss how a piece of music can have variations as well. Ask if they can think of any songs that have multiple variations. (Perhaps a remix on the radio, or “The Star Spangled Banner” sung at various sporting events…)
6) Using the list provided, talk about the different ways that a variation can use the original theme and then change it. See if you and the class can add to the list provided.
7) Listen to the excerpts from Ives’ “Variations on America” and have the students circle the different types of variations as they hear them.
8) Using at least 2 of the types of variations from the list, have the students come up with a variation for “The Star Spangled Banner.”
Young People’s Concert
NHSO
GENERAL MUSIC
01. KEYBOARD RECITALS
........a. THIRD DAY OF STUDENT RECITALS
........b. EACH STUDENT SIGNED UP FOR A DAY THIS WEEK TO PERFORM A SONG
FOR THE CLASS
............1) STUDENTS LEARNED HOW TO CONDUCT THEMSELVES IN A PERFORMANCE
SITUATION
............2) STUDENTS EXPERIENCED THE NERVES (STAGE FRIGHT) THAT CAN OCCUR
IN PERFORMING
............3) STUDENTS SHOWED THE KNOWLEDGE THAT THEY HAD LEARNED PLAYING
THE KEYBOARD
............4) STUDENTS DEMONSTRATED PROPER CLASSICAL AUDIENCE ETIQUETTE
........a. THIRD DAY OF STUDENT RECITALS
........b. EACH STUDENT SIGNED UP FOR A DAY THIS WEEK TO PERFORM A SONG
FOR THE CLASS
............1) STUDENTS LEARNED HOW TO CONDUCT THEMSELVES IN A PERFORMANCE
SITUATION
............2) STUDENTS EXPERIENCED THE NERVES (STAGE FRIGHT) THAT CAN OCCUR
IN PERFORMING
............3) STUDENTS SHOWED THE KNOWLEDGE THAT THEY HAD LEARNED PLAYING
THE KEYBOARD
............4) STUDENTS DEMONSTRATED PROPER CLASSICAL AUDIENCE ETIQUETTE
ADV. STRINGS
[SPRING CONCERT (THURSDAY; MAY 30TH) PREPARATION]
01. CABALITO
02. LOS MACHETES
BEG. STRINGS
[SPRING CONCERT (THURSDAY; MAY 30TH) PREPARATION]
01. MY HEART GOES ON
02. YOU'VE GOT A FRIEND IN ME
03. SOMEBODY I USED TO KNOW