Overview 

This experience will take place at the Discovery Museum in Harrisonburg, VA. The purpose is to learn more
about the ukulele and to explore and create music.

Rationale 

This experience matters as children should have a space to experiment and learn about music. This free
experience will teach future teachers about the general student population and how to teach them about
music. The ukulele also is an uncommon instrument, and is not used in general music education so this
experience will be unique in the learner’s life.

I Can Statements (learning goals) 

● VA 2.3 I can play different types of pitched and non-pitched instruments alone and with others
○ I can play melodic patterns that move up, down, and stay the same.
○ I can play with expression, using dynamics and tempo.
○ I can accompany songs and chants by using ostinatos and single chords.
○ I can use proper playing techniques.
● CA Anchor Standard #5. I can develop and refine artistic techniques and work for performance
● VA K.13 I can express personal feelings evoked by a musical experience

Materials 

● Ukuleles
● Projector screen
● Laptop with powerpoint
● Chairs
● handouts

Detailed Process 

Time Required As there are so many students, teachers should be put into small groups and then rotate
after 5 minutes. The first rotation, however, should be longer to include step 2 and 3. After
the first rotation, teacher should just teach chords in their assigned songs.
2 mins 1) Ice breaker- introducing all of the teachers and explaining the purpose of the eve

2) Definition of chords and how they are used in music. A powerpoint slide will show
3 mins an example of what a chord is. One of the teachers will play a chord on the ukulele
to show the students. Teachers will then explain that when chords are put together,
this creates music. A teachers will then play a CM then a GM then a CM chord.

3) A powerpoint slide with an easy children’s song will show up on the screen.
Teacher will teach the chords by showing which finger goes on which fret. Teacher
4 mins can then also show the proper strumming technique. Teacher will lead students
chord at a time. For example, teacher will play a CM chord, then students will play
a CM chord. Teacher will play a GM chord, and then the students will play a GM
 chord. Time between chords should be shortened time after time until there is
hardly any time in between

4) Students will then play the chords of the song all together while saying the names
of each chord as they play them.
1 min
5) The teacher will sing the melody while playing along with the ukulele and the
students will sing the melody back without playing ukulele. Once the students have
5 min sung through the whole melody, the teacher will show where to play each chord,
using the powerpoint as a guide.

6) The teacher and students will sing through the melody while playing each chord,
helping individual students if they need it. They will do this twice, with time for
2 min questions in between.

7) The teacher will demonstrate the strumming pattern for the song and indicate that
the students should copy the action. The teacher will address any questions or
2 min individual issues with the strumming pattern at this time.

8) The teacher will sing and play through the melody while strumming with the proper
strumming pattern. The students are welcome to join in, but if they don’t, they’ll
2 min have a chance to once the teacher is done demonstrating.

9) The students and the teacher will sing and play through the melody while using the
strumming pattern.

10) The students will sing and play through the melody while using the strumming
pattern on their own.

Assessments 

Develop specific assessment mechanisms to help you chart the growth of individual students related to each
specific learning goal (I can statement). Actually make some assessments in these forms:
● Checklists
○ __: The student held the ukulele correctly
○ __: The student was able to play the chords the teacher demonstrated
○ __: The student could strum both up and down steadily
○ __: The student was able to sing while playing the ukulele
● Rubrics
○ 1/5: Student has difficulty holding the ukulele in a way that doesn’t impede their ability to play
and has difficulty strumming. They have a hard time singing a melody while playing.
○ 2/5: Student holds the ukulele with noticeable issues that impede their playing and can strum
and play some chords some of the time. They can sometimes sing a melody while playing.
○ 3/5: Student holds the ukulele in a way that sometimes impedes their playing and can strum
and play chords some of the time. They can usually sing a melody while playing, but
sometimes have issues with steadiness.
○ 4/5: Student holds the ukulele in a way that rarely impedes their playing and can strum and
 play chords most of the time. They can almost always sing a melody while playing.
○ 5/5: Student holds the ukulele in a way that almost never impedes their playing and can strum
and play chords almost all of the time. They can always sing a melody while playing.
● Self-assessments
○ Ask the students to show how they think they’ve progressed with different aspects of playing
the ukulele and how they’ve participated by closing their eyes and giving a thumbs up, thumbs
down, or sideways thumb. They’ll answer these questions:
■ Can you hold and strum the ukulele?
■ Can you play the chords that the teacher showed?
■ Can you sing while playing?
■ Did you have fun?
■ Did you sing or dance along to the music?
■ Did you clap along to the music?
● Performance assessments with clear criteria for how you are assessing.
○ As described in the procedure, the student will play their ukulele while singing. The teacher
will be assessing if the student can hold the instrument properly, strum steadily, play the
correct chords, and sing the melody at the same time. The teacher will also assess whether or
not the student improved over the course of the experience. The teacher will also assess how
much each child participated, either through playing, singing, or dancing along to the music.

Extensions: 

Some ways that we could extend the activity...

-we could teach them another simple chords, such as Am or FM on the Ukulele that could fit into another
short song, or with the song they had just learned
-we could experiment with different strumming patterns throughout the song
-we could add more improvisation to let the students have more freedom musically
-could even ask if any student would like to play for the group on what they just learned to play!

Adaptations 

Size If some learners have smaller fingers you might have to guide them in the best way to
correctly place the chords, so that they can find it easier. For example, If they can’t play a
specific chord, like GM, you can show them the best way to place their hands to approach
it.

Color Some learners react to colors better than numbers. If this is the case, you can place
different color stickers on places of the ukulele so that they know where to place their
hands. Another idea is to place the same colors on the ukulele as the chords that will be
shown on the board.

Pacing If there is a group of learners or an individual learner that isn’t catching up to speed as the
rest of the students, then you can simply solidify each chord of the song until everyone is
on the same page. This is better than one person working with them so the student doesn't
feel left alone.

Modality There is always a different way to learn something. With that being said so that the
different learners understand us, we could tell them what to play by showing them on our
own instrument, we could show them on a screen with chord charts, and or we could
simply just tell them what fingers to put where. The beauty of it is that you could teach
them visually by showing them, auditorily letting them listen first then respond, and
kinesthetically physically making them move in ways that will help them play and sing at
the same time.