‭Recorders Lesson 1‬

‭Introduction and First Note - B‬

‭4th Grade General Music‬
‭Rolling Ridge Elementary School‬

‭ bjectives‬‭:‬
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‭Students in 4th grade will demonstrate proper carriage and hand position with recorders.‬
‭Students in 4th grade will play the note B on recorder with proper hand position, fingering, and‬
‭characteristic tone using their airstream.‬
‭Students in 4th grade will demonstrate skills in reading rhythm and pitch using standard notation‬
‭on their recorders with the note B.‬

‭ tandards Being Addressed‬‭:‬

S
‭MU:Pr4.2.4a‬‭Demonstrate understanding of the structure‬‭and the elements of music (such as‬
‭rhythm, pitch, and form) in music selected for performance.‬
‭MU:Pr4.2.4b‬‭When analyzing selected music, read and‬‭perform using iconic and/or standard‬
‭notation.‬
‭MU:Pr5.1.4b‬‭Rehearse to refine technical accuracy‬‭and expressive qualities, and address‬
‭performance challenges.‬
‭MU:Pr6.1.4a‬‭Perform music, alone or with others, with‬‭expression and technical accuracy, and‬
‭appropriate interpretation.‬

‭Materials of Instruction‬‭:‬
‭●‬ ‭Audio/Visual Technology - laptop with‬‭slides‬‭, projector and screen, speakers, remote‬
‭●‬ ‭Recorders - one per student (labeled with names in cases by class) and personal recorder‬
‭for teacher modeling‬
‭●‬ ‭Plastic bucket for “recorder rest stop” - able to hold mouthpiece of recorders‬

‭ esson Sequence‬‭:‬
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‭Entry Activity/Transition‬‭: As students enter the room,‬‭the known procedure is to quietly come‬
‭in, place their belongings by the column in the center of the room, stand on their assigned dot on‬
‭the ground, and begin practicing the challenge rhythm on the board quietly. Once all students are‬
‭in their spots, T leads S through saying and clapping the challenge rhythm together. All students‬
‭are then instructed to sit on their dots.‬

‭ ctivity #1: Students will demonstrate proper care for their recorders and compliance with‬
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‭expectations.‬
‭1.‬ ‭T Introduces new unit: Recorders!‬
‭a.‬ ‭T explains expectations for the unit as follows:‬
‭i.‬ ‭Maintain a positive attitude – “I can’t do it . . . yet!”‬
 i‭i.‬ ‭ ry your best! – Mistakes are going to happen, and that is alright.‬
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‭iii.‬ ‭Respect yourself, your teacher, and your classmates – be safe, do not talk‬
‭over one another, listen closely, and follow instructions.‬
‭iv.‬ ‭If you play before I say, the recorder’s head goes away. – if S make any‬
‭sound on their recorder out of turn, the “head” (mouthpiece) will be‬
‭removed and placed in the recorder rest stop. If they show they can be‬
‭respectful and responsible, they may earn it back later in class.‬
‭v.‬ ‭Be prepared! – some students purchased recorders they are allowed to take‬
‭home, but they must remember to bring them back to school for class!‬
‭2.‬ ‭T: “I know you are very excited to play, so I will step out of the room for 7 seconds, and‬
‭during that time you are allowed to make any noise you would like on your recorders‬
‭safely and in your spots. Once I open the door again, the noise must stop.”‬
‭a.‬ ‭T exits the room and provides a countdown on fingers for 7 seconds.‬
‭b.‬ ‭S explore making sounds on their recorders.‬
‭c.‬ ‭When time is up, T opens the door to enter and the sound stops.‬
‭3.‬ ‭T: “Those were some crazy sounds! Now let’s learn how to make some nice sounding‬
‭music.”‬
‭a.‬ ‭T explains airstream used for proper recorder tone–soft, warm air‬
‭i.‬ ‭Have S hold up “finger candles,” and practice making it wiggle with warm‬
‭air rather than blow it out with cold air‬
‭b.‬ ‭T explains carriage with left hand on top and right hand on button‬
‭c.‬ ‭T explains common issues that create squeaks or incorrect sounds‬
‭i.‬ ‭Blowing too hard, not covering holes all the way, or covering/uncovering‬
‭the wrong holes‬
‭d.‬ ‭T and S practice making their first proper sounds on the recorder–T plays first,‬
‭then S echo short phrases‬
‭Assessment:‬‭T walks around the room and observes S‬‭carriage, hand placement, and first‬
‭sounds. Watching and listening, T makes individual or group corrections, repeating instructions‬
‭or tasks as necessary for S proficiency.‬

‭Transition:‬‭T: “Those are much nicer sounds! Now,‬‭let’s learn our very first real note: B!”‬

‭ ctivity #2: Students will play the note B on recorder with correct hand placement,‬
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‭fingering, pitch, and characteristic tone.‬
‭4.‬ ‭T shows slide 6 on screen with note B on staff as well as graphic of fingering‬
‭a.‬ ‭T explains fingering of left thumb on back hole and pointer finger on first hole‬
‭b.‬ ‭T models sound of B, then invites S to try‬
‭5.‬ ‭T plays a 1-measure phrase in 4/4 time using quarter notes, eighth notes, and half notes‬
‭with the pitch B, then asks S to echo‬
 ‭a.‬ T
‭ repeats several times with different rhythms, listening to S and‬
‭correcting/reviewing as necessary‬
‭6.‬ ‭T plays videos on slide 7 (“B Funky” and “B Note Boogie”), asking students to follow‬
‭along with the video first listening and then playing the rhythms provided on the note B.‬
‭Assessment:‬‭As students follow along with the videos on the screen, T walks around the room‬
‭observing, listening, and providing one-on-one feedback to students regarding hand position,‬
‭fingering, pitch, and producing characteristic tone. If S are still struggling to produce the pitch‬
‭with the above considerations, T reviews the note as a group in between or after the videos as‬
‭necessary considering common mistakes observed.‬

‭ ransition:‬‭T: “Great work everyone, you have learned your first real note on recorder! Let’s‬
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‭hear you each play it in a little game called Recorder Telephone.”‬

‭ ctivity #3: Students will demonstrate ability to individually produce the note B by‬
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‭performing a provided rhythm alone on recorder.‬
‭7.‬ ‭T shows slide 8 to S, which has a 2-measure phrase of rhythm using the note B.‬
‭8.‬ ‭T asks students to clap and say the rhythm with the syllables used in completing the daily‬
‭challenge rhythm (ta, titi, ta-a, sh)‬
‭9.‬ ‭T models the rhythm, playing on the note B on recorder‬
‭10.‬‭T asks S to play the rhythm all together on B.‬
‭11.‬‭T explains how Recorder Telephone will work:‬
‭a.‬ ‭Beginning in the front corner of the room, one student will play the rhythm on the‬
‭board. They will turn to the person next to them, who will then play the rhythm on‬
‭their recorder. This continues around the room until all students have had a turn to‬
‭play the rhythm by themselves.‬
‭b.‬ ‭T leads S in playing Recorder Telephone.‬
‭Assessment:‬‭As students take turns playing the rhythm on the board in Recorder Telephone, T‬
‭marks each student’s level of proficiency using a short checklist of necessary skills at this point.‬
‭After all have played, T addresses any frequently heard or seen issues with the group to correct‬
‭technique on recorder.‬

‭(1=Demonstrated, 0=Not Demonstrated)‬

‭Criteria‬ ‭Score‬

‭Correct Hand Position‬

‭Correct Fingering‬

‭Pitch (B)‬
‭ losure:‬‭T applauds S for their quick progress in learning a new instrument, asks S to put away‬
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‭their recorders, and leads students in the goodbye song as they line up to leave the classroom.‬

‭Reflection:‬
‭This lesson incorporates‬‭progress towards unit objectives‬‭as the foundation for all‬
‭learning which will occur in the unit. Here, students learn the basics of holding and playing‬
‭recorder including carriage, hand position, finger position, airstream characteristics, and their‬
‭first note, B. A‬‭formative assessment‬‭concludes the lesson, allowing the teacher to gain an early‬
‭understanding of which students may struggle with adding more complex fingerings and which‬
‭may excel with an added challenge in future lessons.‬
‭To‬‭adapt for ELL students and specific student IEP/504 plans‬‭, slides are used as a‬
‭means of providing visual aid and additional written instructions for all activities. These slides‬
‭also‬‭integrate technology‬‭, especially with the use of the instructional and practice videos for‬
‭students to follow along with including a more engaging visual of reading music as well as an‬
‭enjoyable backing track.‬
‭Early on in the lesson,‬‭Social-Emotional Learning is highlighted‬‭through establishing‬
‭expectations with students before recorders are even taken out of their cases. Here, a‬‭widespread‬
‭attitude of positivity and support through challenge‬‭is established and encouraged for all. As‬
‭students make their first sounds, they are engaged in‬‭critical thinking‬‭to problem solve the‬
‭squeaks and mistakes they make in playing in order to help them problem solve on their own‬
‭throughout future lessons in which they may face the same or very similar issues.‬