Name that tune!

This is a student/parent assignment. The students will perform selected lines from their band method books, and their parents (or responsible adults) will listen and try to name the tune.

A lesson plan for grade 6 Music Education

By Mary Beth Smith

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Learning outcomes

Using your preferred band method book, you will choose 10-12 recognizable tunes that the students can perform for their parents. It is up to the parents to “Name that Tune.” It is the responsibility of the students to be able to perform the lines well.

Teacher planning

Time required for lesson

1 month

Materials/resources

• Standard of Excellence Book 1 by Bruce Pearson (or preferred band method book)
• student handout
• parent handout

Technology resources

accompaniment CD (optional)

Pre-activities

• This lesson actually starts at the beginning of the school year; it is ongoing. Part of this assignment is review and the other is independent study.
• The students must be able to understand and demonstrate basic music theory skills, knowledge of their instrument, and performance skills.

Activities

1. The director should choose 10-12 lines from the band method book. These can be lines the students have already played, are presently playing, and/or have not yet played.
2. The lines or tunes should be lines that the parents would recognize, i.e. “Hot Cross Buns,” “Old McDonald had a Farm,” or even classical music like “The William Tell Overture.”
3. Review the lines you choose with your students. I chose at least one line that they had not played in the book yet. The students had to independently practice that line.
4. Emphasize that this assignment is to be completed by both the student and their parents (or responsible adult.) They are to have fun with it; it should not be a chore.
5. The students are allowed to give their parents hints about the music if necessary. However, they are not allowed to tell their parents the name of the tune.
6. I gave the students one month to complete the assignment. I took into account parents’ work schedules, holidays, and the fact that the students would need to make the tunes “peformance ready.”

Assessment

Obviously, I cannot grade the parents on their knowledge of the music. I made the assignment a participation grade for my students. The parents were required to sign the bottom of their answer sheets. (see attachment SP assignment 2.rtf) Many wrote comments about the assignment, saying that it was fun, a good idea, and even commenting on the progress (or lack thereof) of their child.

Supplemental information

The attached documents at the bottom of the page are examples of the handouts used in this assignment.

Related websites

N/A

Comments

Some students finished in a day or two, others wanted to wait until a family gathering so they could perform for their entire family and really make a game of it.