Total Learning™ for the Music Classroom
presented by Becky Ventura
Dearborn Public Schools, Music Department
Professional Development, Friday January 24, 2014
This series of two lessons for Grade 1 and two lessons for Grade 2 were adapted from Total
Learning Digital™, a program being pilot tested by the Dearborn Music Staff this year.
Here’s how I adapted the lessons!
Total Learning Grade One, Auditory Lesson One
Objective: Students will demonstrate knowledge and application of call and response by
identifying and singing repetitive text in a call and response song.
NOTE: patterned after SIOP.
Other skills utilized: steady beat, pitch matching
Other vocabulary: group, solo
MATERIALS:
Recordings: “Promenade” from Pictures at an Exhibition, “Magic Sound March,” SOM 1
Visual: “Giant’s New Shoes,” “Polar Bear”
Get Set: Morning Song
Listen to “Promenade” excerpt, from Pictures at an Exhibition
 Do you hear one instrument or many?
 Show you know with your fingers (1 for solo “call”, all fingers for group “response”.
NOTE: This is a total response signal.
Develop:
 Read “Giant’s Shoes” from visual, students join in on response (“Left, right, tie them
up tight.”)
 Pat steady beat (possibly alternating hands, spider fingers.)
 Play recording of “John the Rabbit” and have children join in on response.
 What do you notice? What kinds of voices were used? (Giant = speaking, Rabbit =
singing)
 Identify call & response.
Apply 1:
 Look at visual of “Magic Sound March” – alternate “spider finger” hands, keeping a
pulse on dashes, burst hands above head on red burst icon. Done without sound.
 Listen to “Magic Sound March” and repeat above activity – done aurally.
 Which part is the response in this music?
 Move in shared space to “Magic Sound March,” marching and freezing.
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Apply 2:
 “Polar Bear” – watch/listen to YouTube video of Gwyneth Paltrow reading “Polar
Bear, Polar Bear”.
 Using book or PowerPoint/flipchart of book, have children read the repeating part.
Teacher reads the response or answer.
 Which part did you have this time? The call or the response?
Singing Game:
“My Mama’s Calling Me” (review)
Close:
Stand when you hear the response in this song. (Play “My Mama” instrumental version.)
Grade 1, Auditory Lesson 1 continued, Day Two
MATERIALS:
Recordings: Magic Sound March, My Mama (accompaniment)
Visuals: Polar Bear
Puppets
SOM Teacher’s Manual (“Charlie”, “My Mama’s Calling Me”)
Get Set: Morning Song
 Review “Magic Sound March”, with “hands-feet”
 Then repeat moving in shared space.
Develop:
 Re-read the “Polar Bear” story, children joining in on response.
 Those who are able can help teacher read the call.
 Talk about different sounds animals make. Hold up different puppets and tell words
that describe the sounds, such as oinking, squealing, growling, etc.
Apply:
“Let’s Make a Circle” – form a circle
 Each child has a finger puppet. Put it on your finger and let everyone see it!
 Using “Polar Bear” book as a model, teacher starts the pattern, ie: Squirrel, Squirrel,
what do you hear? I hear a fish bubbling in my ear, etc. – that child continues the
pattern by describing another child’s puppet. Repeat untill all have had a turn.


Review “My Mama” - add piano accompaniment (SOM Grade One)
Charlie Over the Ocean as time allows.
Close:
Which voice did we use for “Polar Bear?” for “My Mama” –etc.
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Total Learning Grade Two, Auditory Lesson One
Objective: Students will demonstrate knowledge and application of the 4 voices by aurally
identifying and performing speaking, whispering, and singing voices.
Additional concepts/skills: composition/arranging, musical form AB, rhythm (eighth,
quarter, half, whole.)
MATERIALS:
Visual: “What’s Your Name” by Sue Snyder, “Underwater” by Sue Snyder and Louise Topie,
“Down by the Bay,” and
Recording: “Amphibious (listening) by Eric Chappelle” from Total Learning Digital Grade 2,
Auditory Lesson 1
Get Set: Morning Song
 “Gilly, Gilly” (SOM Gr.1)– as taught by Rob Amchin – see his YouTube
 Read “What’s Your Name” by Sue Snyder, following directions as a whole group for
the different ways to say your (first) name. Use the ideas in this poem when you say
your name for the game “Say Your Name” (from SOM text, gr. 2.) Children chant
names (4 at a time) in between repetitions of the poem.
Develop:
 Move to “Amphibious” – divide into 2 groups – one group is seaweed, the other fish.
Seaweed is non-locomotor, fish move in shared space. (NOTE: Fish don’t run, and
they have mouths that are full of water or bubbles. Just sayin’.)
 Read “Underwater” by Louise Topie and Sue Snyder together, as written.
 Discover ways to perform with body percussion or movement while chanting text.
 Using puzzle version of visual, rearrange pieces of “Underwater” and chant new
versions together. What kind of voice did we use for “Gilly”, “Say Your Name”, &
“Under Water?”
Apply:
 Perform “Down By the Bay” together using different voices. Ask children for
suggestions (2 verses at a time.) Sing all. Use book or PowerPoint/flipchart visual.
 Create our own verses.
Close:
What voices did we use today? What voice didn’t we use? Why?
NOTE: Use of voices, moving in shared space, and use of names all contribute to a wellmanaged classroom and self-control.
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Grade 2, Auditory Lesson 1 continued, Day Two
MATERIALS:
Recordings: “Amphibious”, “Down by the Bay”
Visuals: “Underwater”, “Down by the Bay”
Underwater puzzles, ocean items, blue canopy, baton, finger cymbal
Get Set:
“Gilly”
“Say Your Name”
Develop:
 Repeat “Amphibious” movement in shared space, this time a finger cymbal chime will
indicate to immediately switch roles. (Don’t be too predictable – strive for focus.)
 Sing “Down By the Bay” – create new verses.
Apply:
 Review “Underwater” as a whole group, then sit in partner pairs and create
compositions with individual “Underwater” puzzles.
 Be able to chant your creation with your partner, add BP/movement also.
Assess:
 Share compositions (assessment)
Extend:
 As time allows, create a soundscape using “ocean items” on a blue canopy. Each
child places an item on the canopy. A conductor “directs” class in “playing” the
“composition.” Touch items one at a time or in layers, using a baton.
Close:
 What is a composition? Did we compose today?
Resources:
Spotlight on Music, McGraw-Hill Education http://www.macmillanmh.com/products/music/
Total Learning Digital, art education IDEAS www.totallearninginstitute.org
Music for Creative Dance, Vol IV, by Eric Chappelle http://www.aventurinemusic.com/creativedance.html
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