MUED LESSON PLAN

(Beginning Fall 2018)

Class: Vocal Music

Grade/Level: 5th grade
Unit Title/Musical Composition: Posture and Breathing

General Goal: For students to understand, and utilize, proper posture and breathing while singing.

Student Learning Outcome(s):

Students will be able to explain the what makes up good posture
Students will be able to demonstrate proper posture for singing
Students will be able to judge/correct my posture
Students will be able to explain the ways we use our breath
Students will understand how the way we breath influences our singing
Students will be able to show how to take a proper singer’s breath

Standards: MU:Pr6.1.E.5a Demonstrate attention to technical accuracy and expressive qualities in prepared and improvised performances of a
varied repertoire of music.

What academic and content-specific vocabulary will be introduced? Diaphragm

How can you use educational technology to enhance this lesson?

I can use a sound wave demonstration to show how sound waves work to point to the importance of the breath, and to show why the way we use our
breath changes depending on the pitch we are singing.
https://musiclab.chromeexperiments.com/sound-waves

Identify
 Musical Skills: Producing a strong tone
 Musical Concept(s): Breath Support
 Musical Actions (e.g. composing, improvising, performing, listening, etc.): Performing

How will you assess student learning of skills, content and concepts taught in the lesson? Through observation of the students performing proper
breathing in a good posture.
Through closure discussion.

Where does the lesson fall in the unit? It would be the 2nd lesson after posture.
Signa
Learning Activities:
Time Measures Issue/ Scaffolded Activities Check for Understanding
allocation Musical  Warm-up and/or Anticipatory Set  Beyond teacher observation
Element  Activities incorporating musical skills, concepts, and actions
 Include transitions where appropriate
3 min Stretches: Encourage straight/relaxed posture.
- Stretch Shoulders
- Stretch length of body
- Bend down to align back
- Shake out muscles
3 min Vocal Warmups: Class’ standard warmups
Prepare the voice for singing, and vary use of breath in
warmups (legato vs staccato)
- D R M F S F M R D on “oo” ascending
- S F M R D on “oo” descending
- D D R, M M F S M D on “hee” and “ha”
ascending
- D D R D D R M R D … on numbers (1 1 2
1…)
2 min Breathing warmup: to focus students on the breath and
breathing down and out.
(Put at end of warmup sequence for scaffolding)
- Fill up the bag kinesthetic with breath
- Staccato hisses
- Long hiss
- Held “oo”
1 min Anticipatory Set:
- Discuss breathing
- How breathing helps us sing
- How to take a proper breath for singing
3 min Class discussion on what they know about breathing.
(Activate previous knowledge)
2 min Deep Breaths and sound
Silent scream: Students will be instructed to ‘whisper
scream’ and asked what they did right before.
(deep breaths are needed for powerful sound)
Explore deep vs. shallow breath when trying to sing
 leading into balloon demonstration
3 min Balloon Demonstration:
Use balloon to simulate vocal chord vibration and the
amount of air used
Vibrations are big and lots of air is used for low notes
Vibrations are tiny and less air is used (but more
support/is needed)
2 min Breathing and Posture: Students will peer-assess during the
Students will attempt to sing a long “oo” after taking a pairing.
breath while hunched over, and then after taking a breath Teacher will listen to groups during
while sitting with good posture. pairing and sharing.
Students will think/pair/share about the differences in
their singing after each breath.
3 min Proper breath revisited (putting it all together): Teacher will visually check each student’s
- Have students stand, Point out proper posture breathing to make sure it matches the hand
- Students will mimic the teacher by standing with motion (especially for down and out)
good posture, putting both hands together in front
of them, and then taking a breath as they move
their hands down and out (simulating the way we
should breath).
- Have students recognize the placement of the
breath (show how the stomach (not the chest)
moves.
- Bad example: students will do the same mimic but
this time the hand will go up causing a shore
breath
- Point out the lack of air gained
- Have students mimic teacher (down and out) again
and sing a beautiful sound
2 min Recap: Students will assess teacher
Ask students what they learned.
Make sure each main point is covered.
- Importance of Breathing
- Breathing and singing
- Proper breathing technique
Have students assess teacher’s breathing
What assessments will be used to check for comprehension—informal assessment, student self-assessment that leads to change, performance task
(e.g., checklist, rating scale, rubric written assessment)? Assessment through student response will happen during class discussions (particularly the
think/pair/share and recap), and through observations made while watching the class especially during the last segment (proper breath revisited).
Students will also assess the teacher to show their understanding of what a proper breath looks like.

What higher-order thinking questions will you ask to engage students in analysis and discussion? The Think/Pair/Share is based on the analysis
and synthesis of how posture affects breath. There will also be some light self-analysis as the students reflect on the breath they need to make
powerful sound (during the whisper scream) as well as observations about how much air they use for low versus high pitched sounds. Students will
be asked to evaluate the teacher.

How will you differentiate for diverse learners (e.g. ELL, student IEP/504/GATE, and student who has faced some form of life challenge)?
Extensive modeling will be used throughout the lesson; think/pair/shares are great for students of all levels; and minimal written language will be
used throughout the lesson.

Extension Activity/Closure (beyond thanking the students): I will have the students recap and/or demonstrate the things they learned from the
lesson.

Required Materials: 1 balloon (optional: balloons for everyone in the class)