Lesson+Plans

Below is a lesson plan that is one of many in a recorder unit that I do in fourth grade. It is the "bare bones" of what I do as a project-based activity at the end of the unit - sort of a culminating final project. The students are assigned (by me) to a group of 3 (sometimes 2) people. I assign the students based on their performance grades from playing quizzes they have done for me throughout the unit - I put them into groups based on the principles established by differentiated instruction. Each group has a process that we go through. They write a rhythm using given parameters. They write the note letter name above the rhythmic notes as per given parameters. They copy everything onto staff paper. They practice it together. They name it. They play it for the class. They grade themselves. the class gives them a grade, and I give them a group and individual grade. The group may only proceed to each step after I have seen and approved the step that they are on. I observe how they work together - they are notified ahead of time that this is part of their grade as well as how well they perform their song at the end of the project.