EATS: Learning-Focused Strategies Lesson Plan
Teacher: D. LeNoir Unit: Musical “Singin’ in the Rain” Class: 6th Grade Music Date of lesson:______
Concepts:
d.
e.
a.
b.
c.
Objectives:
Music Standards:
Expression through music and dance.
Song
a. meaning
b. emotion
c. story
Dance
a. movement
b. expression
Theatre
scenery
colors
mood
1920s culture and historical events
Students will be able to:

answer questions about Singin’ in the Rain.

answer essential questions using RARE.

discuss and describe song’s meaning, story, and emotion song is conveying.

discuss and describe dance movements and how it relevant to expressing the music

discuss and describe how the scenery and background colors sets the mood for a scene, music, and
lines being spoken or sung

define characteristics of a musical.

describe the difference between a play and musical.

describe how music and movement tell the story.

describe and explain facts about the 1920s culture.

Describe and explain 1920s historical events.
Music Standard VII: Evaluating music and musical performances
Music Standard VIII: Making connections between music, the other arts, and other curricular areas
Music Standard XI: Understanding music in relation to diverse cultures, times, and places
Theater Standard VI: Comparing and integrating art forms.
Theater Standard VIII: Understanding theatre works in relation to cultures, times, and places
Dance Standard III: Understanding dance as a way to create and communicate meaning
Dance Standard VII: Making connections between dance and other disciplines
NEW MUSIC STANDARDS
MU:Cn11.0.6
Demonstrate understanding of relationships between music and the other arts, other disciplines, varied contexts,
and daily life.
#MU:Re7.1
Process Component: GMS-Select - Choose music appropriate for a specific purpose or context.
Anchor Standard: Perceive and analyze artistic work.
Enduring Understanding: Individuals' selection of musical works is influenced by their interests, experiences,
understandings, and purposes.
Essential Question: How do individuals choose music to experience?
Grade 6

MU:Re7.1.6a

Select or choose music to listen to and explain the connections to specific interests or experiences for a
specific purpose
MU:Re7.2
Process Component: GMS-Analyze - Analyze how the structure and context of varied musical works inform the
response.
Anchor Standard: Perceive and analyze artistic work.
Enduring Understanding: Response to music is informed by analyzing context (social, cultural, and historical) and
how creators and performers manipulate the elements of music.
Essential Question: How does understanding the structure and context of music inform a response?

MU:Re7.2.6

a.Describe how the elements of music and expressive qualities relate to the structure of the pieces
b.Identify the context of music from a variety of genres, cultures, and historical periods.
#MU:Re8.1
Process Component: GMS-Interpret - Support interpretations of musical works that reflect creators’/performers’
expressive intent.
Anchor Standard: Interpret intent and meaning in artistic work.
Enduring Understanding: Through their use of elements and structures of music, creators and performers provide
clues to their expressive intent.
Essential Question: How do we discern the musical creators’ and performers’ expressive intent?


MU:Re8.1.6
Describe a personal interpretation of how creators’ and performers’ application of the elements of music
and expressive qualities, within genres and cultural and historical context, convey expressive intent.
TH:Cn11.1
Process Component: Interrelate
Anchor Standard: Relate artistic ideas and works with societal, cultural, and historical context to deepen
understanding.
Enduring Understanding: Theatre artists understand and can communicate their creative process as they analyze
the way the world may be understood.
Essential Question: What happens when theatre artists allow an understanding of themselves and the world to
inform perceptions about theatre and the purpose of their work?

TH:Cn11.1.6

a. Identify universal themes or common social issues and express them through a drama/theatre work.
TH:Cn11.2
Process Component: Research
Anchor Standard: Relate artistic ideas and works with societal, cultural, and historical context to deepen
understanding.
Enduring Understanding: Theatre artists critically inquire into the ways others have thought about and created
drama processes and productions to inform their own work.
Essential Question: In what ways can research into theatre histories, theories, literature, and performances alter
the way a drama process or production is understood?

TH:Cn11.2.6
b. Investigate the time period and place of a drama/theatre work to better understand performance and
design choices.
TH:Pr4.1
Process Component: Select
Anchor Standard: Select, analyze, and interpret artistic work for presentation.
Enduring Understanding: Theatre artists make strong choices to effectively convey meaning.
Essential Question: Why are strong choices essential to interpreting a drama or theatre piece?
Grade 6

TH:Pr4.1.6

a. Identify the essential events in a story or script that make up the dramatic structure in a drama/theatre
work.
Process Component: Evaluate
Anchor Standard: Apply criteria to evaluate artistic work.
Enduring Understanding: Theatre artists apply criteria to investigate, explore, and assess drama and theatre work.
Essential Question: How are the theatre artist's processes and the audience's perspectives impacted by analysis
and synthesis?
Grade 6
TH:Re9.1.6

Identify a specific audience or purpose for a drama/theatre work.
DA:Cn10.1
Process Component: Synthesize
Anchor Standard: Synthesize and relate knowledge and personal experiences to make art.
Enduring Understanding: As dance is experienced, all personal experiences, knowledge, and contexts are
integrated and synthesized to interpret meaning.
Essential Question: How does dance deepen our understanding of ourselves, other knowledge, and events around
us?

DA:Cn10.1.6

a.Observe the movement characteristics or qualities observed in a specific dance genre. Describe
differences and similarities about what was observed to one’s attitudes and movement preferences.
DA:Cn11.1
Process Component: Relate
Anchor Standard: Relate artistic ideas and works with societal, cultural and historical context to deepen
understanding.
Enduring Understanding: Dance literacy includes deep knowledge and perspectives about societal, cultural,
historical, and community contexts.
Essential Question: How does knowing about societal, cultural, historical and community experiences expand
dance literacy?

DA:Cn11.1.6

a.Interpret and show how the movement and qualities of a dance communicate its cultural, historical,
and/or community purpose or meaning.
DA:Cr1.1
Process Component: Explore
Anchor Standard: Generate and conceptualize artistic ideas and work.
Enduring Understanding: Choreographers use a variety of sources as inspiration and transform concepts and
ideas into movement for artistic expression.
Essential Question: Where do choreographers get ideas for dances?

DA:Cr1.1.6

a.Relate similar or contrasting ideas to develop choreography using a variety of stimuli (for example,
music, observed dance, literary forms, notation, natural phenomena, personal experience/recall, current
news or social events).
#DA:Re8.1
Process Component: Interpret
Anchor Standard: Interpret intent and meaning in artistic work.
Enduring Understanding: Dance is interpreted by considering intent, meaning, and artistic expression as
communicated through the use of the body, elements of dance, dance technique, dance structure, and context.
Essential Question: How is dance interpreted?

DA:Re8.1.6

a.Explain how the artistic expression of a dance is achieved through the elements of dance, use of body,
dance technique, dance structure, and context. Explain how these communicate the intent of the dance
using genre specific dance terminology.
DA:Re9.1
Process Component: Critique
Anchor Standard: Apply criteria to evaluate artistic work.
Enduring Understanding: Criteria for evaluating dance vary across genres, styles, and cultures.
Essential Question: What criteria are used to evaluate dance?

DA:Re9.1.6

a.Discuss the characteristics and artistic intent of a dance from a genre, style, or cultural movement
practice and develop artistic criteria to critique the dance using genre-specific dance terminology.
Unit Essential
Question
Materials:
In what ways does music and dance enhance the story line of a musical?
How is a musical different from a play?
How is music shaped by the text?
If a song was a person who would it be?
What musical elements are found in a musical theatre production?
How would one write a story with music?
If a song was a person, who would it be?
Singin’ in the Rain Musical, paper, pencil, PowerPoint, Projector, viewing guide
EATS: Learning-Focused Strategies Lesson Plans
Teacher: D. LeNoir Unit: Musical Singin’ in the Rain Class: 6th Grade Music Date of lesson:______
DAY 1 1-20
CONCEPT:
expression through music and
dance
DAY 2 21-50
CONCEPT:
expression through music and
dance
DAY 3 50-120
CONCEPT:
expression through music and
dance
DAY 4 120-end
CONCEPT:
expression through music and
dance
DAY 5
CONCEPT:
expression through music and
dance
musical, music, and dance
musical, music, and dance
Musical, music, and dance
Musical, music, and dance
Musical, music, and dance
1920 culture and historical
events
ESSENTIAL QUESTION:
1920 culture and historical
events
ESSENTIAL QUESTION:
1920 culture and historical events
How are thoughts expressed
through music and dance?
Who is Donald Lockwood and
Cosmo Brown and how would
you describe him?
ACTIVATING STRATEGY:
Complete Character Chart
for Don Lockwood and
Cosmo Brown
What is the difference between a
silent film and a talking picture?
1920 culture and historical
events
ESSENTIAL QUESTION:
How would you predict the
musical Singin’ in the Rain will
end?
How would you describe a silent
movie?
VOCABULARY:
Silent Movie, expression, dance
VOCABULARY:
VOCABULARY:
TEACHING STRATEGIES:
THUMBS UP THUMBS
DOWN THINK-WRITESHARE: Don Lockwood
worked for Monumental
Pictures as a stunt man and
then became an actor.
VOCABULARY:
Don Lockwood, Cosmo Brown,
Lina Lamont, Kathy Seldon,
expression, dance
TEACHING STRATEGIES:
1920 culture and historical
events
ESSENTIAL QUESTION:
What idea is Donald Lockwood
trying to explain to his boss R.F.
in the song “The Old
Broadway”?
ACTIVATING STRATEGY:
THINK-WRITE
Students will answer essential
question in their learning log.
During the performance of
“Singin’ in Rain, how is song
and dance used to enhance
Don, Kathy, and Cosmo’s
feelings and ideas ?
TEACHING STRATEGIES:
TEACHING STRATEGIES:
TEACHING STRATEGIES:
Teaching Strategy # 1:
Teacher will use a PowerPoint
or SMARTBoard lesson to
guide instruction.
Teaching Strategy # 1:
Teacher will use a PowerPoint
or SMARTBoard lesson to
guide instruction.
Teaching Strategy # 1:
Teacher will use a PowerPoint or
SMARTBoard lesson to guide
instruction.
Teaching Strategy # 1:
Teacher will use a PowerPoint
or SMARTBoard lesson to guide
instruction.
Teaching Strategy # 1:
Teacher will use a PowerPoint
or SMARTBoard lesson to guide
instruction.
Assessment Prompt #1:
Teacher will assess students'
understanding of presented
material through observation.
Assessment Prompt #1:
Teacher will assess students'
understanding of presented
material through observation.
Assessment Prompt #1:
Teacher will assess students'
understanding of presented
material through observation.
Assessment Prompt #1:
Teacher will assess students'
understanding of presented
material through observation.
Assessment Prompt #1:
Teacher will assess students'
understanding of presented
material through observation.
Teaching Strategy #2:
Students will take notes while
watching the musical “Singin’
in the Rain”.
Teaching Strategy #2:
Students will take notes and
complete a character chart
while watching the musical
“Singin’ in the Rain”.
Teaching Strategy #2: Students
will take notes and complete a
character chart while watching the
musical “Singin’ in the Rain”.
Teaching Strategy #2:
Students will take notes while
watching the musical “Singin’ in
the Rain”.
Teaching Strategy #2:
Students will take notes while
watching the musical “Singin’ in
the Rain”.
Assessment Prompt #2:
Teacher will assess students’
understanding through reviewing
students’ notes and character
chart.
Assessment Prompt #2:
Teacher will assess students’
understanding through reviewing
students’ notes.
Assessment Prompt #2:
Teacher will assess students’
understanding through reviewing
students’ notes.
ACTIVATING STRATEGY:
THINK-WRITE Students will
answer essential question in
their learning log. What is the
difference between a
musical and a movie?
VOCABULARY:
Musical, Scene, Overture,
Mood, expression, enhance
Assessment Prompt #2:
Teacher will assess students’
understanding through
reviewing students’ notes.
Assessment Prompt #2:
Teacher will assess students’
understanding through
reviewing students’ notes and
character chart.
ESSENTIAL QUESTION:
ACTIVATING STRATEGY:
THINK-WRITE-PAIR SHARE
Students will answer essential
question in their learning log.
ACTIVATING STRATEGY:
Pair-Share Students will answer
essential question in their
learning log.
How would you predict the
musical Singin’ in the Rain will
end?
Teaching Strategy #3: Option
1: Teacher will review Singin’ in
the Rain Quiz Questions and
have students create a study
guide
Option 2: Students will create
their own ten question quiz and
provide the correct answers.
SUMMARIZING
STRATEGIES:
Complete Viewing Guide
Questions and Character Chart
Pair Share: How were
thoughts expressed through
music and dance in the
musical “Singin’ in the Rain”.
SUMMARIZING
STRATEGIES:
Complete Viewing Guide
Questions and Character Chart
Pair-Share:
How would describe Don
Lockwood and Cosmo’s Brown
Relationship?
SUMMARIZING STRATEGIES:
Complete Viewing Guide
Questions and Character Chart
Pair-Share
What is the difference between a
silent film and a talking picture?
SUMMARIZING STRATEGIES:
Complete Viewing Guide
Questions and Character Chart
Pair-Share: What idea is
Donald Lockwood trying to
explain to his boss R.F. in the
song “The Old Broadway”?
Assessment Prompt #3:
Teacher will assess students’
understanding through reviewing
students study guide or review
their self-created quiz and
answers.
SUMMARIZING STRATEGIES:
Complete Viewing Guide
Questions and Character Chart
In what ways was your original
prediction of how "Singin’ in the
Rain" correct of incorrect?
EATS: Learning-Focused Strategies Lesson Plans
Teacher: D. LeNoir Unit: Musical Singin’ in the Rain Class: 6th Grade Music Date of lesson:______
DAY 6
CONCEPT:
expression through music and dance
Musical, music, and dance
1920 culture and historical events
ESSENTIAL QUESTION:
How is music and dance used to enhance the story
in a musical?
ACTIVATING STRATEGY:
Pair-Share How is music and dance used to
enhance the story in a musical?
VOCABULARY:
TEACHING STRATEGIES:
Teaching Strategy # 1:
Teacher will use a PowerPoint or SMARTBoard lesson
to guide instruction.
Assessment Prompt #1:
Teacher will assess students' understanding of
presented material through observation.
Teaching Strategy #2: Students will take notes while
watching the musical “Singin’ in the Rain”.
Assessment Prompt #2: Teacher will assess students’
understanding through reviewing students’ notes.
SUMMARIZING STRATEGIES:
Option 1 students will take the Singin’ in the Rain Quiz
Option 2 students will create a 10 question Singin’ in the Rain
Quiz.
Name:_________________________________________________
Period:__________________ Date:____________________
Singin’ in the Rain Quiz
Directions: Students will answer the following questions on a separate piece of
paper. (Students do not need to write the question.)
1. Where does Don Lockwood first meet Kathy Seldon?
2. What is the name of the company that Don, Lina, and Cosmo work for?
3. How would you describe Don Lockwood and Lina Lamont’s relationship?
4. How would you describe Don Lockwood and Kathy Seldon’s relation in the
beginning of the musical?
5. What challenge is Lina faced with when R.F. decides to create a talking
pictures/musical?
6. What is the name of the talking picture/musical that featured and Don and Lina
but used Kathy’s voice?
Directions: Students will answer the following question using complete sentences
and use evidence/examples to support their answer.
7. In what ways does music, dance, and scenery play an important role in telling
a story in a musical? (give examples for each category)
Plot
Don Lockwood (Gene Kelly) is a popular silent film star with humble roots as a singer, dancer, and stunt
man. Don barely tolerates his vapid, shallow leading lady, Lina Lamont (Jean Hagen).
One day, to escape from overenthusiastic fans, Don jumps into a passing car driven by Kathy Selden (Debbie
Reynolds). She drops him off, but not before claiming to be a stage actress and sneering at his undignified
accomplishments. Later, at a party, the head of Don's studio, R.F. Simpson (Millard Mitchell), shows a short
demonstration of a talking picture, but his guests are unimpressed. Don runs into Kathy again at the party. To
his amusement and her embarrassment, he discovers that Kathy is only a chorus girl, part of the
entertainment. Furious, she throws a pie at him, only to hit Lina right in the face. Later, Don makes up with
Kathy and they begin falling in love.
After a rival studio releases its first talking picture, The Jazz Singer, and it proves to be a smash hit, R.F.
decides he has no choice but to convert the new Lockwood and Lamont film, The Dueling Cavalier, into a
talkie. The production is beset with difficulties (most, if not all, taken from real life[citation needed]), by far the
worst being Lina's comically grating voice. A test screening is a disaster. In one scene, for instance, Don
repeats "I love you" to Lina over and over, to the audience's derisive laughter (a reference to a scene by John
Gilbert in his first talkie[2]).
Don's best friend, Cosmo Brown (Donald O'Connor), comes up with the idea to dub Lina's voice with
Kathy's and they persuade R.F. to turn The Dueling Cavalier into a musical called The Dancing Cavalier.
When Lina finds out that Kathy is dubbing her voice, she is furious and does everything possible to sabotage
the romance between Don and Kathy. She becomes even angrier when she discovers that R.F. intends to give
Kathy a screen credit and a big publicity buildup. Lina blackmails R.F. into backing down.
The premiere of The Dancing Cavalier is a tremendous success. When the audience clamors for Lina to sing
live, Don, Cosmo, and R.F. improvise and get Lina to lip-synch while Kathy sings into a second microphone
while hidden behind the stage's curtain. Later, while Lina is "singin’," Don, Cosmo and R.F. gleefully open
the stage curtain behind her, revealing the deception — Lina then flees in embarrassment. When Kathy tries
to run away as well, Don stops her and introduces the audience to "the real star of the film." The film ends
with Don and Kathy kissing in front of a billboard that says "Singin' in the Rain with Don Lockwood and
Kathy Selden."
Singin’ in the Rain Questionnaire
1. What is Cosmo's last name?
Brown
Hart
Smith
Jones
2. What is Don Lockwood's motto?
He didn't have one.
Dignity, always dignity
Trust, always trust
Love, always love
3. What was Don's job (at first) at Monumental Pictures?
crew member
cameraman
musician
prop man
4. How did Don wind up meeting Kathy Seldon?
He met her formally
He gave her an autograph
He bumped into her
He jumped into her car
5. What does the man demonstrate at the party?
color picture
a costume musical
a musical picture
a talking picture
6. What happened to Lina at the party?
she got a pie in the face
she got a cake with her name on it
she was voted prettiest guest
she got a surprise party
7. What does Cosmo dance with in "Make 'em Laugh"?
a pole
a mannequin
a dummy
a coat rack
8. After playing "Fit as a Fiddle" flowers come out of Don and Cosmo's hands, what colors are they?
Red, Yellow and White
Red, Blue and White
White, Black and Red
Yellow, Red and Black
8. In the first picture shown in the movie, called "The Royal Rascal", what is Don Lockwood's character's
name?
Pierre
Peter
Pierce
Philippe
10. At the party for the "The Royal Rascal", R.F. demonstrates a picture with sound. What company
makes the first motion picture with sound?
Dream works
Monumental Pictures
Warner Brothers
Miramax
11. What does Don Lockwood call Kathy Seldon?
Sally Cartier
Kathy Seldon
Ethel Barrymore
Lina Lamont
12. The talking picture that Monumental Pictures first made was called "The Dueling Cavalier".
True
False
13. "______ supposes his toses are roses but __________ supposes erroneously".
Lois
Moset
Cosmo
Moses
14. What's Lina's comment, when the microphone is in the bush, and she has to talk into it but keeps
forgetting that it's there?
"I keep forgetting."
"I'm trying to make love to Donny!"
"But I can't make love to flowers!"
"Well I can't make love to a bush!"
15. At the end of the movie Don and Kathy are standing next to a billboard. What is the movie, starring
themselves, called?
Dancing Cavalier 2
The Sound of Music
You Were Meant for Me
Singin' In The Rain