Music by Mrs. Sturgeon

Grade Level:  Fourth Grade

Materials needed for lesson:

• One Fish, Two Fish, Red Fish, Blue Fish by Dr. Seuss
  
• Rhythm Instruments
  
• Lyric sheet to "Boogie Woogie Bugle Boy"
  
• Music to "Boogie Woogie Bugle Boy"
  
• Computer with internet connection, Youtube account, and blog account
  

Arts:

• Musical arts
  

Multiple Intelligences:

• Verbal Linguistic – The students will listen as I read the book, One Fish, Two Fish, Red Fish, Blue Fish
  
• Musical – Students will recognize and keep the beat in literature as well as listening to and performing a song
  
• Interpersonal – The students will work together to make music using percussion instruments
  

Curricular Areas:

• Language Arts 
  
• Music
  

Objectives:

• The students will listen to a story and find the beat in the words
  
• The students will use various instruments to keep beat with the words of the book as it is read 
  

Standards:

National Standards for Musical Education:

• #2:  Performing on instruments, along with others, a varied repertoire of music
  
• #3:  Improvising melodies, variations, and accompaniments
  

Anticipatory Set/Energizer:

Read the book, One Fish, Two Fish, Red Fish, Blue Fish to the children.  Ask the children if they notice a certain beat, or cadence, to the words.  Does this author often use this cadence in his books?  What other books can you think of that sound like this?

Teaching Presentation:

Information/Skill Instruction:

• Show the children the bucket of instruments.  Included is a xylophone, bells, bongos, tambourine, noisemaker, rhythm blocks, triangle, bells, rhythm sticks, castanets, cymbal, lap harp, wrist bells, among others.  Have them each choose an instrument. 
  
• Read the book again, this time with the students using their instrument of choice to keep the beat.  After a few pages, stop and ask the children how they felt that went.  Is it necessary to make a noise for each syllable?  
  
• Discuss the idea of rhythm in poetry, with stressed and unstressed sounds.  
  
• Read again, and have the children show the beat trying to find the stressed sounds.  
  
• Now play the song, “Boogie Woogie Bugle Boy” by the Andrew Sisters.  Have the children listen to what instruments they hear.  Do you hear all the instruments all the time?
  
• Remind the students that the voice is an instrument, too! 
  
• Give the students lyric sheets for the song and have a “performance”!
  

Modeling:

I may use instruments and sing along if the children need my assistance.  (Not likely; the kids know “Boogie Woogie Bugle Boy” well.)

Check for Understanding:

Throughout the lesson, watch how the children work together and make sure no one is taking over, and that they are not making ugly noise rather than music.

Guided Practice:

Let the children take turns with reading the book, using different instruments, and giving out directions 

Independent Practice, Application, and Assessment:

Students should feel comfortable singing and making music in groups and independently

Students will appreciate music of other time periods

Assessment is informal

Closure:

Put the performance on the Internet, and watch it online!  

Resources:

See  http://www.mrssturgeon.com.