Samantha

McCloghry
Middle School
Piano Unit Plan

I: Introduction
6th, 7th, 8th in chorus class
Playing basic piano, reading music on the staff, and composing piano/ vocal
music
Taught over the course of 2 weeks (10 class days) for 43 minute classes
As a break from the choral curriculum, this piano unit is taught for 2 weeks in
the spring semester to broaden the musical background of the students,
specifically focusing on their ability to read music, play piano, and compose
their own pieces.
Student objectives:
o Students will feel comfortable playing a keyboard instrument
o Students will be able to identify and play basic notes and chords on
the piano
o Students will be able to read all the notes on the staff
o Students will understand how the fingers are labeled with numbers
for playing piano
o Students will learn about the history of the blues and how it came
about
o Students will learn how to identify the 12 bar blues in music
o 8th grade students will be able to play basic chord progressions
smoothly and correctly
o 6th and 7th grade students will be able to compose their own 12 bar
blues (playing the 12 bar blues on the piano and with their own
original lyrics)
o 8th grade students will be able to write their own original composition
either using sample lyrics or creating their own (performing the lyrics
with chord progressions)
National Standards used during this unit:
o Singing, alone and with others, a varied repertoire of music.
o Performing on instruments, alone and with others, a varied repertoire
of music.
o Improvising melodies, variations, and accompaniments.
o Composing and arranging music within specified guidelines.
o Reading and notating music.
o Listening to, analyzing, and describing music.
o Evaluating music and music performances.
o Understanding relationships between music, the arts, and disciplines
outside the arts.
o Understanding music in relation to history and culture.

II: Day by Day Outline

Week One

Day One: Introducing the piano

We will go over how to read notes on the staff and how to recognize notes on
the piano. We will also introduce the fingerings for playing notes in C position.
Students will be given two pieces of paper with blank piano keys on them. With a
partner they will cut up the papers to make a guide they can lay across the top of the
piano. Students will also write in the notes C-C on the keyboard to help them.
Specifically the 6th and 7th graders may use this guide for the next two weeks, but 8th
graders may remove them if they feel comfortable. Students will fill out a piece of
paper that has a blank staff and a piano underneath to write in the note letters and
where the notes belong on the staff.

Objectives:
Students will label and create a piano guide.
Students will be able to play in C position using the correct fingerings.
Students will successfully name the notes on the staff.

Materials:
Piano papers for guide
Blank staff/ piano paper
Scissors
Pencils
White board
Markers
Keyboards


Day Two: Exploring the Keyboards

Students will place the piano guides they made with their partners on the
keyboards and spend the class doing an exploration worksheet. This worksheet
includes directions as to how to use the piano, which we go over in the beginning of
class. Question one asks students to explore the buttons and settings and find their
favorite voice. Question two asks if the student can figure out on their own how to
play a song they already know. There is a space for the teacher to come by and check
it off. Question three has the student place their hand in C Position. There are two

songs written out but only with the fingerings. They must play the song and try and
figure out what it is.

Objectives:
Students will explore the piano and find a voice setting they like.
Students will figure out how to play a song they already know.
Students will figure out what the songs are that are written with the
fingerings.
Students will be able to correctly play those songs with their hand in C
position.

Materials:
Keyboards
Keyboard exploration worksheet
Pencils


Day Three: Playing songs on the keyboard and labeling notes

This is the first day that the students will see actually sheet music with songs.
Two pieces of paper will be given. One of them has 8 songs on the front and back
and the other is a worksheet with notes written on the staff. On the latter
worksheet, students need to write in the letter and may choose to write in the
fingerings. As a class, we will play through this worksheet together before we move
on to the next one. Students will then start practicing the songs on the other
worksheet. They will choose one to perform for the teacher on an individual basis,
to show theyve been working and practicing during class. Specifically for the 8th
graders, if it seems they are passing through this worksheet quickly, we play
through the songs together as a class.

Objectives:
Students can write in the notes of C, D, E, F, and G on the staff on a worksheet.
Students can play the songs on the worksheet with correct fingerings and
with a steady beat.
Students can individually perform a piece for the teacher.
Students can play as a group with the teacher.

Materials:
Front and back song worksheet
Note worksheet to write in letter names
Keyboards

Pencils

Day Four/Five:

6th and 7th grade students will receive two new songs, When the Saints Go
Marching In and Merrily We Roll Along. These songs introduce a C major chord
and a G major chord. We will discuss how to play these chords and practice them
during class. Students will practice the chords and eventually play the chords in the
left hand and the melody in the right hand. This will take two classes. Students will
spend the bulk of the two classes practicing these pieces. When they are ready, they
will perform them for the teacher on an individual basis.

8th grade students will receive the two new songs as well as a paper with

simple chord progressions found in pop songs they will recognize. We will spend
these two classes going over the new chords and getting comfortable playing them.
A lot of the time in these two classes will be spent walking around checking on the
students and helping them one on one. Some will be more advanced than others,
and that is the purpose of the pop chord progressions.

Objectives:
6th and 7th grade students will play C and G chords.
6th and 7th grade students will play chords in their left hand and the Merrily
and Saints melodies in their left hand.
Students will play with a steady beat.
Students will transition between chords with a fluid motion.
8th grade students will play pop chord progressions, such as C Am F G C and
understand how the chords make up the pop songs.

Materials:
Keyboards
When the Saints sheet music
Merrily sheet music
Pop chord progressions paper
Pencils

Week Two

Day Six: Introduce the blues, 12 bar blues project, 8th grade composition
project

All grades will be introduced to the blues. Students will share where they

believe the blues came from and we will have a class discussion. The teacher writes
the chord progression for a 12 bar blues on the board and shows the students how
to play it. We already know C G and F chords from last week, and those are the
chords included in the 12 bar blues. We then listen to songs that include the 12 bar
blues. Big Mama Thonrtons, Hound Dog is one example we listen to that has the
12 bar blues. Then we listen to another song that doesnt have a 12 bar blues so they
can hear the difference.

The 6th and 7th grade students are required to write their own 12 bar blues.

This includes three verses with three lines in each. The first two lines are the same
and the last line rhymes with the last word in the first lines. This is all written out
for the students on the 12 bar blues assignment worksheet.

The 8th grade students have already done the 12 bar blues assignment in the

previous year and are familiar enough with piano where we allow them to become a
little more creative. For their project, they must compose a song using any of the
pop chord progressions we gave them and the song must include lyrics. We gave the
students a couple poems that they could use for lyrics if they were stuck. We also
said that the students can create their own lyrics. There is no required length, just
that it sounds like a song. For both of these projects, we modeled what the finished
product could look like, so the students knew the direction they should be headed
in.

Objectives:
Students will have an understanding of the history of the blues.
Students will be able to listen to a blues song and identify if it has the 12 bar
blues in it.
6th and 7th grade students will be able to name the chords in the 12 bar blues.
6th and 7th grade students will understand how the lyrics of a 12 bar blues are
to be written.
6th and 7th grade students will begin either practicing playing the 12 bar
blues or composing lyrics for their project.
8th students will understand their project assignment and begin working on
choosing a chord progression they would like to use.

Materials:

Keyboards
CD Player
Big Mama Thornton song, Hound Dog
Muddy Waters song without 12 bar blues
12 bar blues assignment worksheet
Poem texts
Pencils
Whiteboard
Markers

Day Seven through Day Nine: 12 Bar Blues and Original Composition Project

The students have three days to work on their composition. Some of them
work faster than others, so by the time day nine comes around, we begin assessing
some of the students who are finished. Throughout these three days, we walk
around and work with the students one on one. Some of them need help with
fingerings or coming up with words to rhyme and some of them are so advanced
that we can show them alternate fingerings for the chords. This is an excellent way
to informally assess the students before the formal assessment and see who needs
individual attention and perhaps a little more time.

The 6th and 7th grade students receive two pieces of paper on day nine. One is

the scoring rubric that we use to grade the students. We grade them on a 1-4 based
scale in the categories of Overall composition, Chord structure, Lyric structure,
Lyrics expression, and Performance grade. On the rubric, they can see what each
number represents in each section. And the other paper is a formal assessment for
the students to rewrite the lyrics to their 12 bar blues and on the bottom is where
they self-evaluate themselves using the rubric and where we evaluate them is right
next to it.

There is no formal rubric or grading system for the 8th graders. This is

because their project is extremely creative and almost entirely up to them. We tell
them that we expect they have lyrics and a chord progression to fit the lyrics, and
then the rest is up to them.

Objectives:
Students will practice and create their compositions over the course of 3
days.

Students will take what theyve learned about the 12 bar blues or chord
progressions and lyrics (for the 8th graders) to write these compositions.
Students will take advantage of teacher help and ask questions when needed.

Materials:
12 bar blues rubric
12 bar blues assessment paper
Poem texts
Keyboards
Pencils


Day Ten: Composition Assessments

On the last day of the two weeks we assess the students. We assess the 6th
and 7th graders using the rubrics and we assess the 8th graders simply based on
whether they have the required elements of the project and if they can perform it.
For 6th grade, we do not require the students to play and sing their composition.
They have to play the 12 bar blues while we sing their lyrics and then they sing the
lyrics and we play the blues. 7th graders must play and sing both. 8th graders must
perform their entire composition.

Objectives:
6th grade students can play the 12 bar blues correctly while we sing their
lyrics.
6th grade students can sing their own original lyrics while we play the 12 bar
blues.
7th grade students can sing and play their entire 12 bar blues composition
together.
6th and 7th grade students can time the words of the song correctly with the
piano accompaniment.
6th and 7th grade students can play the 12 bar blues in the correct order.
6th and 7th grade students can write their own lyrics of 3 verses and have
each pair rhyme.
6th and 7th grade students can write their own lyrics that tell a blues story.
8th grade students can play a pop chord progression with lyrics they either
wrote or borrowed.
8th grade students can play the chords correctly and in time.


Materials:
Keyboards
12 bar blues rubric

12 bar blues assessment paper

Blank paper for grading
Pencils

III: Two Lesson Plans
Day Two: Exploring the Keyboard- Lesson Plan
Objectives-
Students will explore the piano and find a voice setting they like.
Students will figure out how to play a song they already know.
Students will figure out what the songs are that are written with the
fingerings.
Students will be able to correctly play those songs with their hand in C
position.

Materials-
Keyboards
Keyboard exploration worksheet
Pencils

Procedure-
1. Hand students their piano guides they created on day one as they enter the
classroom. The guides were created in pairs, so one person in each pair will
receive a guide.
2. Students will sit down at the piano in pairs.
3. Teacher will hand out Keyboard exploration worksheet and go over each
question.
4. Students will spend class filling out the Keyboard exploration worksheet.
5. Teacher will walk around and check on each student individually.
6. Ask students to raise their hand and share some of their answers for each
question.
7. Collect completed worksheet at the end of class
8. Give a brief overview of class the next day.

Assessment-
Did the students complete the worksheet?
Did the students complete the worksheet correctly?

NAfME standards addressed-
2. Performing on instruments, alone and with others, a varied repertoire of music.
3. Improvising melodies, variations, and accompaniments.
6. Listening to, analyzing, and describing music.

Day Six: Introduce the blues, 12 bar blues project, 8th grade composition
project
Objectives-

Students will have an understanding of the history of the blues.

Students will be able to listen to a blues song and identify if it has the 12 bar
blues in it.
6th and 7th grade students will be able to name the chords in the 12 bar blues.
6th and 7th grade students will understand how the lyrics of a 12 bar blues are
to be written.
6th and 7th grade students will begin either practicing playing the 12 bar
blues or composing lyrics for their project.
8th students will understand their project assignment and begin working on
choosing a chord progression they would like to use.

Materials-
Keyboards
CD Player
Big Mama Thornton song, Hound Dog
Muddy Waters song, Rollin Stone
12 bar blues assignment worksheet
Poem texts
Pencils
Whiteboard
Markers

Procedure-
1. Play blues music as the students walk in and have students sit down in their
pairs at the piano
2. Ask the students what they know about the blues.
3. Have a discussion about the blues and where it originated.
4. Ask students if they know about the 12 bar blues and if they have a guess as
to which chords are used.
5. Introduce the 12 bar blues by writing the 3 chords and how many times
theyre played on the board.
6. Play Big Mama Thorntons Hound Dog and walk through with the students
where the chords from the 12 bar blues are found.
7. By the end of the song, have the students identify where the hear the 12 bar
blues.
8. Play Muddy Waters song Rollin Stone and see if they can figure out that it
doesnt have the 12 bar blues.
9. Explain that not every blues song has it, but they all have the blues feel and
theme of sadness to it, to some extent.
10. For 6th and 7th grade students introduce the 12 bar blues project. For 8th
grade students introduce the original composition project.
11. 6th and 7th grade students will create their own lyrics to sing with the 12 bar
blues making sure they rhyme and time correctly with the music. 8th grade
students will use a pop chord progression and either the provided poem text
or their own lyrics write their own composition.

12. Model for the 6th and 7th grade students what a 12 bar blues composition will
sound like. Model for the 8th graders what a working original composition
with the pop chords and provided poem text could sound like.
13. Give the students some time at the end of class to begin the project.
14. Tell the students they have time for the next three days to work on this
project at the end of class.

Assessment-
Were the students able to have a discussion about the blues and how they came
about?
Could the students name the chords in the 12 bar blues and recognize them in a
song?
Do the students understand the guidelines of the project?

NAfME standards addressed-
1. Singing, alone and with others, a varied repertoire of music.
2. Performing on instruments, alone and with others, a varied repertoire of music.
3. Improvising melodies, variations, and accompaniments.
4. Composing and arranging music within specified guidelines.
5. Reading and notating music.
6. Listening to, analyzing, and describing music.
7. Evaluating music and music performances.
8. Understanding relationships between music, the arts, and disciplines outside the
arts.
9. Understanding music in relation to history and culture.


IV: Assessment Procedures
Day One-
Were the students able to label and create a piano guide?
Were the students able to play in C position using the correct fingerings.
Were the students able to successfully name the notes on the staff?

Day Two-
Were the students able to successfully fill out the worksheet entirely and
correctly?
Could the students figure out what the songs are that are written with the
fingerings?
Could the students correctly play those songs with their hand in C position?

Day Three-
Can the students write in the notes of C, D, E, F, and G on the staff on a
worksheet?
Can the students play the songs on the worksheet with correct fingerings and
with a steady beat?
Can the students individually perform a piece for the teacher?

Can the students play as a group with the teacher?

Day Four/ Five-
Can the 6th and 7th grade students play C and G chords?
Can the 6th and 7th grade students play chords in their left hand and the
Merrily and Saints melodies in their left hand?
Can the students will play with a steady beat?
Were the students able to transition between chords with a fluid motion.
Can the 8th grade students play pop chord progressions, such as C Am F G C
and understand how the chords make up the pop songs?

Day Six-
Were the students able to have a discussion about the blues and how they
came about?
Could the students name the chords in the 12 bar blues and recognize them
in a song?
Do the students understand the guidelines of the project?

Day Seven through Day Nine-
Did the students practice and create their compositions over the course of 3
days?
Could the students take what theyve learned about the 12 bar blues or chord
progressions and lyrics (for the 8th graders) to write these compositions?
Did the students take advantage of teacher help and ask questions when
needed?

Day Ten-
** formal assessment day
Were the 6th grade students able to play the 12 bar blues correctly while we
sing their lyrics?
Were the 6th grade students able to sing their own original lyrics while we
play the 12 bar blues?
Were the 7th grade students able to sing and play their entire 12 bar blues
composition together?
Were the 6th and 7th grade students able to time the words of the song
correctly with the piano accompaniment?
Were the 6th and 7th grade students able to play the 12 bar blues in the
correct order?
Were the 6th and 7th grade students able to write their own lyrics of 3 verses
and have each pair rhyme?
Were the 6th and 7th grade students able to write their own lyrics that tell a
blues story.
Were the 8th grade students able to play a pop chord progression with lyrics
they either wrote or borrowed?
Were the 8th grade students able to play the chords correctly and in time?