Printed from the MusicK8.com Idea Bank

Non-Threatening Group Activity for Early in Year

Submitted by Cheryl Pfister, Sturgeon Bay, Wisconsin

Idea posted 2010-01-05

For my second week of lesson plans this year, I have cut/pasted the melody lines for "Gonna Play Guitar" (from Music K-8, Vol. 19, No. 1), with no title and copied for my 4th-6th graders. I plan to have students listen to the instrumental version of this song and in cooperative learning groups talk about the feel/mood of the music, phrasing, etc. Then, each group will be asked to write lyrics to fit the melodic line.

Assessments: 4 points for cooperative group work, 4 points for appropriate lyrics that fit the melodic line, 8 points for group performance of the lyrics for the class. After we have completed these activities, I will then have the students hear and sing the original lyrics written by Teresa. Students/groups that finish early will be allowed to go to learn the melody on classroom pianos/bells.

I'm hoping this will be a very non-threatening and fun way to get my students involved in a group project early on in the year.