Recorder: This Land is Your Land

Grade Level: 6 Subject: Music

Lesson Aim/Objective: Students will be able to play ‘This Land is Your’

on the recorder, and will be introduced to the idea of chords. They will
learn the history of the folk music. Students will also know how to
practice, and how to turn in their practice logs, and belt tests.

Materials:
‘This Land is Your Land’ sheet music
Recorders for all students
Colored music and recorders for those who need it
Pete Seeger’s video of ‘This Land is Your Land’ at the Obama
inauguration
Piano

Common Core Standards:

6.2.1 Singing and playing music in unison
6.3.1 Playing melodies of increasing difficulty written on the treble
staff with accompaniment
6.7.1 Identify and describe cultures using the music literature being
studied

Instruction/Procedure:
Class 1
Students will receive a copy of the sheet music for This Land is Your
Land, and will get out their recorder.
Teacher will review/model the correct sequence to practice a new
piece of music:
- Count the rhythm while clapping
- Say all of the note names not in rhythm
- Say the note names in rhythm while clapping the rhythm
- Say the note names in rhythm while fingering the notes on the
recorder
- Play the song on recorder
Students will then work in small groups to practice phrases in that
sequence. They are eligible to earn tickets.

Class 2
Students will be taken through the procedure of turning in a practice
log, and playing for belt tests (30 minutes including time for questions)
Students will have 10 minutes on their own to practice the music.
Students will play This Land is Your Land all together led by the
teacher.

Class 3
Students can use the first 30 minutes of the class to get individual
help, practice This Land is Your Land, and do their belt test.
If they do their belt test, they will be given new music to practice
individually.
After 30 minutes, the class will play This Land is Your Land all
together, then we will finish this class by talking about the history of
American Folk Music, who Pete Seeger is, and watch the video.

Class 4
Students will be introduced to the concept of chords and chord
symbols. They already know what it is, but this is the first time they
are officially seeing what it is called. We go over how they can be
notated, how they can be used, and how they can color a piece of music.
The class will sing This Land is Your Land while being accompanied with
written out chords on the piano.
The class will play This Land is Your Land while being accompanied with
written out chords on the piano.
Half of the class will play and half of the class will sing This Land is
Your Land while being accompanied with written out chords on the
piano, then we will switch.

Assessment Activity:
Belt test to show proper playing techniques. Will not be assessed on
Orff instruments.

Reflections