STP Lesson 2

Name Doug Nanzer
Lesson # 2/3
Date (including day of week) Wednesday 11/29/2023
Grade Level & Class Title 8th Grade Band
Period or Block (# of minutes) 20
Instructional Context
o What do I know about my students that will inform this lesson? Are there any
particular student strengths, interests, background, needs related to the
lesson?
I know that I will have a range of familiarity with improvisation. Some students are
in Jazz Band, and some are not.
o How does this lesson connect with and build on the previous lessons?
This lesson we will review some of the things from the last lesson, such as the 12 bar
blues progression.
Central Focus
o What is the central focus or “big idea” for the content in this lesson?
The central focus of this lesson is to introduce the blues scale and compose a lick.
Standards
o List state, national, and/or Common Core standards addressed in the lesson.
ART.M.I.8.5
ART.M.II.8.4
Learning Objectives and Assessments

List the specific content learning objectives for the lesson. What do I want my
students to know, understand and do? How will I assess these objectives?
Learning Objectives Assessment Plan
Students can play the blues scale We will practice and play the scale as a
group
Students can compose a one measure There will be a written handout that will
lick in the style of the blues. be turned in and I will give written
feedback.
Instructional Strategies and Learning Tasks (Procedures & Timelines)
o Launch/Hook—How will you start the lesson to engage and motivate
students in learning?
Time Instructional Strategies/Learning Rationale/Research & Theory
Tasks/Questions to Ask
3 To start the lesson we will review Performing:
the 12 bar blues progression by This gets the students brains back
playing through the roots. into the blues and helps reinforce
what they learned the day prior
o Middle of the lesson—What will you do to engage students in developing
understanding of the lesson objectives?
4 After playing through the Performing:
progression I will introduce the This is another tool that can be
blues scale. We will play it in used when improvising over the
whole notes, quarter notes and blues and will help the students
then swing eighth notes. later in the lesson.
5 Next we will play a few more of Performing:

the licks from the handout. As This gives students more examples
before we will play them over the of phrases that are appropriate to
blues progression the blues style and gives them a
chance to play over the progression.
7 Next I will have the students write Creating:
a lick of their own that is one to It can be difficult to start
two measures long. I will guide improvising when you aren’t
them to try and use the chord familiar with it so it can be helpful
tones from the progression, the to get notes on paper. This helps
blues scale or ideas from the licks musicians think about the notes
that they have learned. and rhythms they are playing.
Eventually improvisation becomes
spontaneous composition.
o Closing the lesson—How will you end the lesson?
1 The last minute will be designated I like to give students time to ask
for packing up and questions. questions and I find if I don’t give
them time at the end to pack up the
end of class is hectic.
Lesson 2 Reflection
In my second lesson we were able to spend time learning the blues scale,
some licks and writing our own licks. I tried to use repetition to allow students
multiple opportunities to understand what we were playing. For example most of
the licks we played over the progression gave them many chances to figure out
the notes and rhythms. This also gave them a chance to hear what the licks
sounded like over different parts of the blues progressions. I was able to hear
from the confidence of the group when they were getting something and when
they weren’t. The last part of the lesson I had the students try to write their own
licks and this was somewhat successful. I limited them to just one or two
measures to try and not overwhelm them. I collected their compositions and gave
short feedback. Some students used one of the licks we already learned and
then added another phrase as an answer. Some wrote something completely
different using the blues scale. This was a way for me to give individual feedback
to every student without having to hear them play. Although this was great for me
to see where the students are at, I’m not sure it was super effective for all of
them. Overall I felt this exercise was good to get the students ideas out, but not
everyone got the chance to try and play their lick. Because of this I’m not sure
some of the students got as much out of the assignment as they could have. I
know for me if I can’t hear something I am writing then it doesn’t mean as much.
A few students didn’t really write much. In the future if I had more time I would
have loved to workshop more with the students. I would have them write
something, play it and then possibly make suggestions in the moment while their
idea is fresh.
My lesson went mostly as I planned it and I was able to get through
everything I had prepared for. I still felt rushed as I only had twenty minutes, but I
felt my directions were more concise than the first lesson. The thing that I didn’t
plan for was how talkative the group I am teaching is. Sometimes I am not sure
that every student is getting my instructions because they are chatting with their
neighbor. One thing I tried to do was stand up from the piano and move a little bit
to get their attention. This worked sometimes, but I feel I need to vary my
strategies. One thing I plan on doing for my next lesson is making sure
everybody's stand is low enough so that I can see their face. Overall I think the
students are engaged with the content that we are working on, and I am excited
to see them grow more in the next lesson.

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Name Doug Nanzer

Learning Objectives and Assessments

5 Next we will play a few more of Performing:

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