Introduction to the Blues

6th grade combined class

Day 3 of Unit 4
Third day of first decades Sequence
Standards
6. Listening to, analyzing, and describing music.
8. Understanding relationships between music, the other arts, and
disciplines outside the arts.
9. Understanding music in relation to history and culture.
MU:Re7.2.6b: Identify the context of music from a variety of genres,
cultures, and historical periods.
MU:Cn10.0.6a: Demonstrate how interests, knowledge, and skills relate
to personal choices and intent when creating, performing, and
responding to music.
MU:Cn11.0.6a: Demonstrate understanding of relationships between
music and the other arts, other disciplines, varied contexts, and daily
life.
MU:Re7.2.6a: Describe how the elements of music and expressive
qualities relate to the structure of the pieces.
MU:Re8.1.6a: Describe a personal interpretation of how creators and
performers application of the elements of music and expressive
qualities, within genres and cultural and historical context, convey
expressive intent.
MU:Pr4.2.6c: Identify how cultural and historical context inform the
performances.
Objectives
Students will dance the Charleston Stomp and find connections
between this dance and the dances that they learned previously, as
well as connections to modern line dances, such as the Cupid Shuffle.
Students will learn about early blues artists and style, and will figure
out what the lyric form of a blues is.
Students will sing the roots for a 12-bar blues and then learn a walking
bassline for the 12-bar blues on their real piano apps.
Procedures
1. Students will learn the Charleston Stomp to and connect it to the
dances they have learned from the 1920s and 1930s, as well as
connect it to contemporary line dances such as The Cupid Shuffle.

2. Students will listen for lyric structure in Sweet Home Chicago,

performed by Roosevelt Sykes.
3. Students will learn about the rote tradition used in early blues, and
how Robert Johnsons music was preserved and passed down for later
artists to perform with the same or developed style.
4. Students will connect lyric form to the harmonic form of a 12-bar
blues. Students will learn how to use roman numerals.
5. Students will sing the roots of a 12-bar blues using numbers then
note names.
6. Students will learn the blues progression on their real piano apps,
playing the roots together as a class, then practicing the walking
bassline pattern on their own before playing as a class.
Assessment
Assessment is formative in this lesson, continuous and throughout,
asking students to vocalize connections that they are making between
history and music, and assessing their understanding visually as they
respond to the dance moves. Constant monitoring happens while
students have their iPads, walking around during independent practice
time and leading while listening for unison playing at other times.
Continuation
This lesson will continue into a blues composition unit in the next
rotation, where students will compose their own blues lyrics and
perform them in their own blues bands comprised of digital, electric,
or acoustic instruments.

Review and Continuation of the Blues

6th grade class
Day 1 of Unit 5
Beginning of blues unit following the 20s and 30s decade unit
Standards
1. Singing, alone and with others, a varied repertoire of music.
2. Performing on instruments, alone and with others, a varied
repertoire of music.
6. Listening to, analyzing, and describing music.
8. Understanding relationships between music, the other arts, and
disciplines outside the arts.
9. Understanding music in relation to history and culture.
MU:Re7.2.6b: Identify the context of music from a variety of genres,
cultures, and historical periods.
MU:Cn10.0.6a: Demonstrate how interests, knowledge, and skills relate
to personal choices and intent when creating, performing, and
responding to music.
MU:Cn11.0.6a: Demonstrate understanding of relationships between
music and the other arts, other disciplines, varied contexts, and daily
life.
MU:Re7.2.6a: Describe how the elements of music and expressive
qualities relate to the structure of the pieces.
MU:Re8.1.6a: Describe a personal interpretation of how creators and
performers application of the elements of music and expressive
qualities, within genres and cultural and historical context, convey
expressive intent.
MU:Pr4.2.6c: Identify how cultural and historical context inform the
performances.
Objectives
Students will sing the roots for a 12-bar blues and know the
corresponding numbers and letters.
Students will learn about influence of the times on the blues lyric
contents and style of the genre.
Students will be able to play a walking bassline for the 12-bar blues on
their real piano apps at a slow and medium tempo with a backing track
while teacher monitors. They will be able to play the roots or the
bassline at a fast tempo.

Procedures
1. Students will listen to a recording of 4, 5, and 9 and follow
along by holding up the numbers of the roots during the first
verse. They will then sing the letter name of the roots in the key
of C.
2. Students will review what they learned about the 20s and 30s in
the last rotation, and will watch a short video about the Great
Depression and connect the new knowledge to their understanding of
the time period and the blues.
3. Students will review and practice the walking bassline on their real
piano apps individually and then as a class at various tempos while the
teacher monitors their progress and udnerstanding.
4. Students will listen to Good Morning Blues performed by Leadbelly
before singing along with a track.
5. Students will sing along with the recording of Hound Dog, by Elvis
and then perform the bassline on their iPads along with the track.
6. If there is time, students will listen to a recording of Big Mama
Thornton performing the same song, Hound Dog in a style that is
more blues than rock and roll.
Assessment
Assessment is formative in this lesson, continuous and throughout,
asking students to vocalize connections that they are making between
history and music, and assessing their understanding visually and
aurally as they learn and practice the bassline. Constant monitoring
happens while students have their iPads, walking around during
independent practice time and leading while listening for unison
playing at other times. 1
Continuation
This lesson will continue into a blues composition unit later in this
rotation, where students will compose their own blues lyrics and
perform them in their own blues bands comprised of digital
instruments.

Independent Study of the Great Depression and Blues Lyrics

Composition
6th grade class
Day 2 of Unit 5
Continuation of blues unit following the 20s and 30s decade unit
Standards
1. Singing, alone and with others, a varied repertoire of music.
2. Performing on instruments, alone and with others, a varied
repertoire of music.
6. Listening to, analyzing, and describing music.
8. Understanding relationships between music, the other arts, and
disciplines outside the arts.
9. Understanding music in relation to history and culture.
MU:Re7.2.6b: Identify the context of music from a variety of genres,
cultures, and historical periods.
MU:Cn10.0.6a: Demonstrate how interests, knowledge, and skills relate
to personal choices and intent when creating, performing, and
responding to music.
MU:Cn11.0.6a: Demonstrate understanding of relationships between
music and the other arts, other disciplines, varied contexts, and daily
life.
MU:Re7.2.6a: Describe how the elements of music and expressive
qualities relate to the structure of the pieces.
MU:Re8.1.6a: Describe a personal interpretation of how creators and
performers application of the elements of music and expressive
qualities, within genres and cultural and historical context, convey
expressive intent.
MU:Pr4.2.6c: Identify how cultural and historical context inform the
performances.
Objectives
Students will learn about influence of the times on the blues lyric
contents and style of the genre.
Students will be able to sing the melody for Good Morning Blues and
will be able to use that melody as a template in order to compose
original blues lyrics.
Procedures

1. Students will listen for lyric form in Long Road to Travel by Lonnie
Johnson and answer the prompts.
2. Students will sing Good Morning Blues to review and internalize
the melody for writing lyrics.
3. Students will use blackboard on their iPads to independently watch
videos and respond to questions about the Great Depression and the
Black Blizzard.
4. Once students completed the video questions, they will write their
own blues lyrics
Assessment
Assessment is formative in this lesson, continuous and throughout,
asking students to write connections that they are making between
history and music, and assessing their understanding visually by
walking around the room and observing student work. Constant
monitoring happens while students have their iPads, walking around
during independent work time and answering questions about blues
lyrics.
Continuation
This lesson will continue into a blues composition unit later in this
rotation, where students will perform their own blues blues bands
comprised of digital instruments.

Blues Lyric composition and Band Formation

6th grade class
Day 3 of Unit 5
Midway through blues unit following the 20s and 30s decade unit
Standards
1. Singing, alone and with others, a varied repertoire of music.
2. Performing on instruments, alone and with others, a varied
repertoire of music.
4. Composing and arranging music within specified guidelines.
6. Listening to, analyzing, and describing music.
9. Understanding music in relation to history and culture.
MU:Re7.2.6b: Identify the context of music from a variety of genres,
cultures, and historical periods.
MU:Cn10.0.6a: Demonstrate how interests, knowledge, and skills relate
to personal choices and intent when creating, performing, and
responding to music.
MU:Cn11.0.6a: Demonstrate understanding of relationships between
music and the other arts, other disciplines, varied contexts, and daily
life.
MU:Re7.2.6a: Describe how the elements of music and expressive
qualities relate to the structure of the pieces.
MU:Pr4.2.6c: Identify how cultural and historical context inform the
performances.
Objectives
Students will learn about influence of the times on the blues lyric
contents and style of the genre.
Students will negotiate as a group to determine parts for their band
and whose lyrics they will use.
Students will listen to differentiate between different instruments.
Students will be able to perform all components required to form a
blues band, including melody, rhythm, and harmony, using their iPads
and voices.
Procedures
1. Students will listen for typical blues band instruments in the
recording On My Way to See Moe Asch, by Chamption Jack Dupree
and found instruments in the recording of Minglewood Blues by John
Sebastion.

2. Students will discuss found instruments in history and in the 21st

century, and know that they can use their iPads to create music.
3. Students will sing Good Morning Blues to review melody for use in
their blues lyrics.
4. Students will review their blues bassline and practice other
instrument options on their iPads as a class.
5. Students will finish their worksheets and lyric compositions before
assembling groups and determining their parts and verses.
Assessment
Assessment is formative in this lesson, continuous and throughout,
assessing their understanding visually and aurally by walking around
the room and observing student work. Constant monitoring happens
while students have their iPads, walking around during independent
work time and answering questions about blues lyrics.
Continuation
This lesson will continue into a blues composition unit later in this
rotation, where students will perform their own blues blues bands
comprised of digital instruments.

Blues Band Rehearsal

6th grade class
Day 4 of Unit 5
Final workday in the blues unit following the 20s and 30s decade unit
Standards
1. Singing, alone and with others, a varied repertoire of music.
2. Performing on instruments, alone and with others, a varied
repertoire of music.
6. Listening to, analyzing, and describing music.
9. Understanding music in relation to history and culture.
MU:Re7.2.6b: Identify the context of music from a variety of genres,
cultures, and historical periods.
MU:Cn10.0.6a: Demonstrate how interests, knowledge, and skills relate
to personal choices and intent when creating, performing, and
responding to music.
MU:Cn11.0.6a: Demonstrate understanding of relationships between
music and the other arts, other disciplines, varied contexts, and daily
life.
MU:Re7.2.6a: Describe how the elements of music and expressive
qualities relate to the structure of the pieces.
MU:Pr4.2.6c: Identify how cultural and historical context inform the
performances.
Objectives
Students will negotiate as a group to determine parts for their band
and whose lyrics they will use.
Students will listen to differentiate between different instruments.
Students will be able to perform all components required to form a
blues band, including melody, rhythm, and harmony, using their iPads
and voices.
Students will decide how to structure their blues band performance.
Students will successfully rehearse their performance along with the
backing track.
Procedures
1. Students will listen for instruments and number of musicians
performing in the recording of Train Piece by Charlie Sayles.
2. Students will sing Good Morning Blues to review melody for use in
their blues lyrics.

3. Students will rehearse their parts for their band as a class along with
a backing track while the teacher monitors and checks accuracy and
understanding in parts.
4. Students will rehearse their blues bands in their groups and have a
complete rehearsal of their blues along with the backing track.

Assessment
Assessment is formative in this lesson, continuous and throughout,
assessing their understanding visually and aurally by walking around
the room and observing student work. Constant monitoring happens
while students have their iPads, walking around during independent
work time and answering questions about their blues bands.
Continuation
This lesson will continue into a blues composition unit on the final day
in this rotation, where students will perform their own blues blues
bands comprised of digital instruments.

Blues Band Performance

6th grade class
Day 5 of Unit 5
Performance closing the blues unit following the 20s and 30s decade
unit
Standards
1. Singing, alone and with others, a varied repertoire of music.
2. Performing on instruments, alone and with others, a varied
repertoire of music.
6. Listening to, analyzing, and describing music.
9. Understanding music in relation to history and culture.
MU:Re7.2.6b: Identify the context of music from a variety of genres,
cultures, and historical periods.
MU:Cn10.0.6a: Demonstrate how interests, knowledge, and skills relate
to personal choices and intent when creating, performing, and
responding to music.
MU:Cn11.0.6a: Demonstrate understanding of relationships between
music and the other arts, other disciplines, varied contexts, and daily
life.
MU:Re7.2.6a: Describe how the elements of music and expressive
qualities relate to the structure of the pieces.
MU:Pr4.2.6c: Identify how cultural and historical context inform the
performances.
Objectives
Students will listen to make connections with familiar music that
incorporates the blues.
Students will successfully rehearse their performance along with the
backing track.
Students will negotiate as a group to determine how to do their final
performance.
Students will be able to perform all components required to form a
blues band, including melody, rhythm, and harmony, using their iPads
and voices.
Students will perform as a group in their blues bands.
Procedures
1. Students will listen to I Feel Good and recognize that this familiar
music uses the 12 bar blues progression.

2. Students will rehearse their parts for their band as a class along with
a backing track while the teacher monitors and checks accuracy and
understanding in parts.
4. Students will rehearse their blues bands in their groups briefly and
have a complete rehearsal of their blues along with the backing track.
5. Students will perform their blues bands and listen respectfully to
their peers performing.

Assessment
Summative assessment is used during the performances as the
teacher grades groups effectiveness according the corresponding
rubric. Formative assessment is continuous and throughout, assessing
their understanding visually and aurally by walking around the room
and observing student work. Constant monitoring happens while
students have their iPads, walking around during independent work
time and answering questions about their blues bands.
Continuation
The group negotiation skills required for this performance, along with
the musical skills required to perform as a group will continue to
develop as students create and perform individually and in groups
throughout the year.