Learning Ukulele: Music for Parkinson’s Disease (MfPD) Setting 

Context Statement: ​The learners in this setting are primarily people with Parkinson’s disease and their caretakers
in mature or late adulthood. They are almost exclusively white and middle-upper class. The learning will take place
in university performing arts center rehearsal spaces, which has the potential to be both an empowering and
inhibiting space to learn. Engaging with music in the same place that professional musicians do could be exciting,
but some people may not feel they’re worthy of being in such a space and could have their learning inhibited.
With large, wide open spaces and an unobstructed floor, being in a large ensemble rehearsal space for this
learning process will allow us to integrate the Music for Parkinson’s classes with Dance for Parkinson’s classes by
facilitating learning on the ukulele along with creative movement. Most of the learners will not have any
experience on the ukulele itself, but will be able to transfer knowledges and skills such as song melodies and lyrics,
sense of tonality (if not concrete knowledge using Western classical music theory terminology), and potentially
some skills from playing other instruments based on their extensive experience singing and musicking over the
course of their lives.

Stage 1 - Desired Results 

Virginia Standards of Goals:

Learning - Grade 8
General Music

8.2​ The student will

perform a varied
repertoire of music,
including

3. ​using indicated I can play louder or softer as directed by strumming the ukulele harder or softer at the
dynamics, phrasing, and end of the experience, and I can apply those dynamics to a given section of music
other elements of consistently. (S)
music.

8.4​ The student will I can comfortably navigate strumming chord progressions within duple and triple
perform rhythmic rhythmic frameworks by the end of the experience, even if I can’t identify the meter of
patterns in duple and the music I’m playing. (M)
triple meters.

8.5​ The student will

respond to music with
movement by

1. ​creating movements By the end of the experience, I can create short movement sequences inspired by
individually or music that I hear by using a vocabulary of movements given to me. (M)
collaboratively to
interpret a musical
composition;
8.6​ The student will
create music through a
variety of sound and
notational sources by

1. ​improvising I can sing a sixteen-measure improvised melody over a simple chord progression played
sixteen-measure by me or someone else on a ukulele or a piano by the end of the experience. (T)
melodic and rhythmic
phrases;

8.7 ​The student will

explore historical and
cultural aspects of music
by

2. ​comparing and I can identify characteristics of the music I hear using technical vocabulary or other
contrasting musical adjectives by the end of the experience, and I can identify similarities and/or
periods and styles; and differences between my characterizations of contrasting songs. (M)
by

6. ​explaining the I can describe ways in which the music I hear does or does not complement movement
relationship of music to or visual art that I see by using specific technical or layman descriptive vocabulary, and I
the other fine arts and can do this by the end of the experience. (T)
other fields of
knowledge;

8.10 ​The student will

investigate aesthetic
concepts related to
music by

2.​ describing personal I can identify characteristics of the music I hear using technical vocabulary or other
emotional and adjectives by the end of the experience. (M)
intellectual responses to
works of music; and by

3. ​analyzing ways in By the end of the experience, I can identify specific elements of the music that
which music can evoke contribute to my assessment of the music as evoking the adjectives I identified in
emotion and be 8.10.2. (T)
persuasive;

Generative Questions:

- How are music and dance related and/or unrelated?

- How do music and dance evoke the same and/or different responses in me?
- Why is music a good or bad complement to dance?
 Stage 2 - Evidence 

I can play louder or softer as directed by strumming the ukulele harder or softer at the end of the experience,
and I can apply those dynamics to a given section of music consistently.

Meets: The student will be meeting expectations if they strum the ukulele harder and softer as directed, and they
do so consistently in given passages when directed.

Exceeding: The student will be exceeding expectations if they demonstrate exceptional levels of dynamic contrast,
and they do so almost always in given passages when directed.

Approaching: The student will be approaching expectations if they demonstrate an effort at playing louder and
softer, and they do so inconsistently in given passages when directed.

I can comfortably navigate strumming chord progressions within duple and triple rhythmic frameworks by the
end of the experience, even if I cannot identify the meter of the music I’m playing.

Meets: The student will be meeting expectations if they strum a consistent or inconsistent strum pattern in time in
both duple and triple rhythmic frameworks, even if they do know they are changing meters or cannot identify
technical language to describe the meter in which they are playing.

Exceeding: The student will be exceeding expectations if they strum a consistent strum pattern in time in both
duple and triple rhythmic frameworks, and they know when they are playing in a duple or triple rhythmic
framework, even if they do not describe it using technical language.

Approaching: The student will be approaching expectations if they strum an inconsistent strum pattern in or out of
time in both duple and triple rhythmic frameworks, and they cannot identify when they are changing meters.

By the end of the experience, I can create short movement sequences inspired by music that I hear by using a
vocabulary of movements given to me.

Meets: The student will be meeting expectations if they can demonstrate individually or in groups creating short,
simple movement sequences inspired by music they hear.

Exceeding: The student will be exceeding expectations if they can demonstrate with ease individually or in groups
creating medium-length or longer movement sequences of chosen difficulty level, obviously inspired by music they
hear.

Approaching: The student will be approaching expectations if they struggle to demonstrate creating a short,
simple movement sequence; they still are able to create movement, but it seems uncomfortable and may or may
not have a clear connection to the music they hear.

I can sing a sixteen-measure improvised melody over a simple chord progression played by me or someone else
on a ukulele or a piano by the end of the experience.
Meets: The student will be meeting expectations if they can improvise and sing an 8-beat melody using simple
rhythmic material with reasonable comfort and sense of pulse over medium-tempo accompaniment,
demonstrating an aural sense of tonality by singing primarily notes within a given tonality.

Exceeding: The student will be exceeding expectations if they can improvise and sing an 8-beat melody with
intermediate or advanced rhythmic material and a strong sense of pulse over medium- or up-tempo
accompaniment, demonstrating a strong aural sense of tonality by singing exclusively notes within a given tonality.

Approaching: The student will be approaching expectations if they can improvise and sing an 8-beat melody with
simple rhythmic material but an uncertain sense of pulse over medium-tempo accompaniment, with pitches that
may or may not be within the tonality of the accompaniment.

I can identify characteristics of the music I hear using technical vocabulary or other adjectives by the end of the
experience, and I can identify similarities and/or differences between my characterizations of contrasting songs.

Meets: The student will be meeting expectations if they can identify simple adjectives that they associate with
music they hear, and the comparisons they make between characterizations are clear.

Exceeding: The student will be exceeding expectations if they can easily identify intermediate and advanced
adjectives with music they hear, they may be able to identify specific aspects of the music that bring them to these
words, and the comparisons they make between characterizations are obvious and potentially nuanced.

Approaching: The student will be approaching expectations if they cannot identify simple adjectives that they
associate with music they hear, but do respond to the music, and they respond in different ways to contrasting
music.

I can describe ways in which the music I hear does or does not complement movement or visual art that I see by
using specific technical or layman descriptive vocabulary, and I can do this by the end of the experience.

Meets: The student will be meeting expectations if they can identify simple adjectives that they associate with
music they hear and with movement or visual art they see, and they can identify when those adjectives
complement each other or do not.

Exceeding: The student will be exceeding expectations if they can easily identify intermediate and advanced
adjectives with music they hear and with movement or visual art they see, they may be able to identify specific
aspects of the music/movement/visual art that bring them to these words.

Approaching: The student will be approaching expectations if they cannot identify simple adjectives that they
associate with music they hear and with the movement or visual art they see, but can identify when they sense
music and movement/visual art go together.

I can identify characteristics of the music I hear using technical vocabulary or other adjectives by the end of the
experience.

Meets: The student will be meeting expectations if they can identify simple adjectives that they associate with
music they hear.
Exceeding: The student will be exceeding expectations if they can easily identify intermediate and advanced
adjectives with music they hear, and they may be able to identify specific aspects of the music that bring them to
these words.

Approaching: The student will be approaching expectations if they cannot identify simple adjectives that they
associate with music they hear, but do respond to the music.

By the end of the experience, I can identify specific elements of the music that contribute to my assessment of
the music as evoking the adjectives I identified in Goal #7.

Meets: The student will be meeting expectations if they, using technical vocabulary, identify at least two musical
elements that contribute to their assessment of the music as evoking the adjectives they identified in 8.10.2.

Exceeding: The student will be exceeding expectations if they, using technical vocabulary, identify at least three
musical elements that contribute to their assessment of the music as evoking the adjectives they identified in
8.10.2, and they specify how those elements contribute to that characterization.

Approaching: The student will be approaching expectations if they, using technical or layman vocabulary, identify
at least one musical element that contributes to their assessment of the music as evoking the adjectives they
identified in 8.10.2.

Stage 3 – Learning Plan 

MEETING #1

At the beginning of the first meeting, students will explore the ukulele and how they themselves find it easiest to
play it. While this will be an essentially individual process, it will be highly supported by frequent teacher verbal
feedback and students will have the opportunity to learn alongside one another to share their successes. At this
stage, there will be no teacher-centered activity; rather, the teacher will simply float and provide guidance as
necessary. Assessment will be conducted using a checklist to determine whether or not the students can
intentionally strum at more than one dynamic level.

Students will then practice, again essentially on their own but with heavy modeling and guiding feedback, playing
one-, two-, and three-chord progressions at a minimum of two dynamic levels. These one-, two-, and three-chord
progressions will be put into context when the teacher sings familiar songs or melodies in both duple and triple
meters with them and invites students to imitate and join. It is at this point of coming together that assessment
will occur on a rubric measuring their ability to “navigate strumming chord progressions within duple and triple
rhythmic frameworks.” As part of this activity, students will also be asked to listen to the pop or folk song the
teacher sings and describe it using any words that come to mind. For students that struggle to do this, examples
will be provided to help students begin to develop a vocabulary for describing music. For students that don’t
struggle with this, ideas expressed will be classified using technical terminology by the teacher, allowing students
to more precisely describe their experience of music the next time they’re prompted.

As a final activity for the first meeting, students will be split into two large groups, one of which will continue
playing the simple chord progression along with the teacher, who will still be singing the familiar song or melody.
The other group will be responsible for creating a short movement sequence for one repeating phrase found in the
song being played. Dance assistants will scaffold this activity and help provide a vocabulary of movements from
which to choose. Assessment at this point will be on the basis of participation, assessing only whether or not
students participated in the process of designing this short movement sequence. This second group will then
perform their sequence to the first group, who will be providing the chordal accompaniment with their ukuleles
and the instructor and assistants singing the melody. Roles will then be reversed and the process repeated. After
each group performs, a debrief will be conducted in which the instructor prompts students to think about the
ways in which the movement they saw did or didn’t complement the music they heard and were playing. Verbal
responses will not be prompted at this stage, allowing students who struggle with this activity to not feel left
behind by those who command it more readily.

MEETING #2

The beginning of the second meeting will consist of a restart of the lesson plans from Meeting #1, although the
intention will be to move through them somewhat more quickly on the assumption that the students will have
retained some of the knowledges and skills they gained at the previous meeting. The final co-creative activity from
Meeting #1 will not be repeated.

To begin scaffolding Goal #3: “sing a sixteen-measure improvised melody over a simple chord progression,” the
teacher will initiate a call-and-response activity using a familiar pop or folk song, moving one (or a fraction of one)
line at a time. Once the teacher assesses that the students can effectively respond to the teacher’s calls, the use of
fragments of a pop song for the calls will morph into four-beat tonal or pentatonic pitch patterns. To let this new
skill solidify and become more readily available to students, the completion of Goal #3 will be put off until Meeting
#3.

A continuation of the final activity from Meeting #1 will then occur, with the teacher first initiating another
call-and-response activity using pop and folk tune fragments and then four-beat tonal or pentatonic pitch
patterns. This will serve as a simple check to assess whether students have retained the skills from Meeting #1.
Having intentionally used at least two contrasting pop and/or folk songs in this call-and-response activity, the
teacher will then return to one of them and prompt students to recall some of the characteristics they used to
describe music and movement in the activities of the previous meeting. The teacher will then facilitate a
discussion by the students on the characteristics of the music they just called-and-responded to and some
potential musical elements that could have led them to perceive these characteristics. One of the ways in which
the teacher will give feedback at this stage is by providing students with technical terminology to potentially use to
help communicate their perceptions of music and movement.

MEETING #3

Few new skills or knowledges will be introduced in Meeting #3, which will consist mostly of repeating previous
activities for longer periods of time and/or at higher levels.

First, a return to the activities at the beginning of Meeting #1 will be provided with students playing simple one-,
two-, and three-chord progressions. In addition to providing an assessment opportunity (by rubric) to the teacher,
the expectation is that this will be an encouraging experience for students, showing them how much they’ve
learned in a fairly short period of time.

The remainder of Meeting #3 will be an integrative project begun and completed within the temporal confines of
the meeting. After individually (again in essence, but with appropriate feedback from teachers and peers)
practicing the one-, two-, and three-chord progressions they will have been learning since Meeting #1, the teacher
will once again initiate a call-and-response activity. This time the teacher will begin by calling four-beat pitch
patterns instead of with pop or folk song fragments. The teacher will then stop and ask students to individually
(completely this time) come up with a four-beat pitch pattern in the style of those that have been been presented
up until that point. After giving students sufficient time to do this, the teacher will again initiate a
call-and-response activity, this time passing the “call” duties off to students one at a time, who will have signaled
in a way appropriate to their own needs (given that raising the hand may not be comfortable or possible with
some students in this particular population) that they’d like to present their pitch pattern.

A repeat of the penultimate and final activity from Meeting #1 will then occur.

Finally, a debrief in which students will participate in a discussion on the differences among themselves in their
characterizations of the same music or movement sequence, facilitated by the teacher.

Final Assessment Rubric 

Goal/Quality  No  Approaches  Meets  Exceeds 

Evidence  Expectations  Expectations  Expectations 

1 ​Play louder or softer Little to no Demonstrates an Strums the ukulele Demonstrates

by strumming the evidence of effort at playing harder and softer as exceptional levels of
ukulele harder or softer, growth. louder and softer, directed, and does dynamic contrast, and
and apply those and does so so consistently in does so almost always
dynamics to a given inconsistently in given passages in given passages when
section of music given passages when directed directed
when directed

2 ​Navigate strumming Little to no Strums an Strums a consistent Strums a consistent

chord progressions evidence of inconsistent strum or inconsistent strum pattern in time
within duple and triple growth. pattern in or out of strum pattern in in both duple and triple
rhythmic frameworks time in both duple time in both duple rhythmic frameworks,
and triple rhythmic and triple rhythmic and knows when
frameworks, and frameworks. May or playing in a duple or
cannot identify may not know triple rhythmic
when they are meter is changing or framework, but may
changing meters cannot identify not describe it using
technical language technical language
to describe the
meter

3 ​Create short Little to no Struggles to Demonstrates Demonstrates with

movement sequences evidence of demonstrate creating short, ease creating
inspired by music heard growth. creating a short, simple movement medium-length or
simple movement sequences inspired longer movement
sequence that may by music heard sequences obviously
or may not have a inspired by music heard

4 ​Sing a sixteen-
measure improvised
melody over a simple
chord progression
5 ​Identify characteristics
of the music heard, and
identify similarities
and/or differences
between
characterizations
6 ​Describe ways in
which the music heard
does or does not
complement movement
or visual art that seen
7 ​Identify characteristics
of the music heard using
technical vocabulary or
other adjectives
clear connection to
the music heard
Little to no Improvises and Improvises and Improvise and sings an
evidence of sings an 8-beat sings an 8-beat 8-beat melody with
growth. melody with simple melody using simple intermediate or
rhythmic material rhythmic material advanced rhythmic
but an uncertain with reasonable material and a strong
sense of pulse over comfort and sense sense of pulse over
medium-tempo of pulse over medium- or up-tempo
accompaniment, medium-tempo accompaniment, and
with pitches that accompaniment, demonstrates a strong
may or may not be and demonstrates aural sense of tonality
within the given an aural sense of
tonality tonality
Little to no Cannot identify Identifies simple Easily identifies
evidence of simple adjectives adjectives that they intermediate and
growth. associated with associate with advanced adjectives
music they hear, music they hear, with music heard, may
but does respond to and the be able to identify
the music in comparisons made specific aspects of the
different ways to between music that bring them
contrasting music characterizations to these words, and the
are clear comparisons made
between
characterizations are
obvious and potentially
nuanced
Little to no Cannot identify Identifies simple Easily identifies
evidence of simple adjectives adjectives that they intermediate and
growth. that associated with associate with advanced adjectives
music heard and music heard and with music heard and
with the movement with movement or with movement or
or visual art seen, visual art seen, and visual art seen, may be
but identifies when can identify when able to identify specific
they sense music those adjectives aspects of the music/
and movement/ complement each movement/visual art
visual art go other or not that bring them to
together these words
Little to no Cannot identify Identifies simple Easily identifies
evidence of simple adjectives adjectives intermediate and
growth. that associated with associated with advanced adjectives
music heard, but music heard with music heard, and
may identify specific
 does respond to the aspects of the music
music that evoke these words

8 ​Identify specific Little to no Using technical or Using technical Using technical

elements of the music evidence of layman vocabulary, vocabulary, vocabulary, identifies
that contribute to growth. identifies at least identifies at least at least three musical
assessment of the music one musical two musical elements that
as evoking the element that elements that contribute to
adjectives identified in 7 contributes to contribute to assessment of the
assessment of the assessment of the music as evoking the
music as evoking music as evoking adjectives they
the adjectives the adjectives identified in 7, and
identified in 7 identified in 7 specifies how those
elements contribute to
that characterization