21st Century Institute: Summer 2011
YOUR name
Kevin Martin/
Elizabeth
Braden
SCHOOL NAME Bates
Imagination
Vacation
The Physics
lesson title
of Steel Drum
Music
md STATE
STANDARDS
Fine Art
CONTENT
AREA
1
GRADE:
6-8
Day OneThe shape of Sound
Music 1.1.f
Listen to and demonstrate
characteristic sounds on
instruments of various
world cultures, such as
the steel drum, talking
drum, guitar
Music 1.2.b Perform
vocal and
instrumental music
representing diverse
genres and world
cultures with
expression
characteristic of the
work being
performed
Science 5.D.1.a Cite
examples to show that
Sound waves transfer
energy from one place to
another
KNOWLEDGE
OBJECTIVES
(to know)
LESSON PLAN
SKILL
FORMATIVE
SUMMATIVE
OBJECTIVES ASSESSMENT ASSESSMENT
(to be able to
do)
21st
CENTURY
SKILLS
The parts and basic history of
the steel drum
How a song is broken into
musical phrases
Orchestral signs
How to play a
melody on a
steel drum
Thumbs up/down Perform a first
Periodic checks
melody on the
on understanding drum
Cross-cultural
Collaboration
communication
Understanding the
properties of solids and
liquids
Understanding the
transfer of energy
from the strike of a
mallet on a drum to
the sound wave
Using the
scientific
method of
experimentation
Class discussion
and group
sharing of
observations
Collaboration
Critical
thinking
Fine Art
CONTENT
AREA
Lab book
references and
observations
Vocabulary:
Malleability, physical states, experimentation, scientific method
Materials & Resources for the Class:
Chewing gum, mirrors , lab sheets, composition books, writing utensil, steel drums, stands and mallets, sheet music,
magnets to hold music to drums
1
Materials & Resources for the Teacher:
Guitar, lab coats, map on power point of Caribbean and a world map…talking drum
Prior Knowledge
Some knowledge of geography
Procedures:
MOTIVATION/INTRODUCTION
Teachers in lab coats hand each student a piece of gum as they enter the class… the students record their observations of the gum in
their “lab books”. Students Take a mirror and observe the transformation of gum then they Blow bubbles at mirror and describe what
happens and record observations on lab sheets.
MODELING
Teacher conducts a series of mallet exercises to familiarize the students with the use of mallets on the steel drum.
GUIDED PRACTICE
Teacher plays a phrase of music on the steel drum and the students play it back to him. The all phrases are linked together to make a
song in the Caribbean tradition of learning by rote.
INDEPENDENT PRACTICE
Students will independently practice the melody on the steel drum as assessed by the teacher’s observation and feedback.
Assessment: Performance Task(s), Key Criteria and/or Other Evidence
Students will perform a melody at the end of class on the Caribbean steel drum. Students will record in their journals how the energy of
the mallet strike is transformed into sound (by waves).
Closure:
Students will be asked to record how they think the sound reaches the ears of the listener from the drum head on a sticky note and
place the note on the whiteboard. Tomorrow we will review their answers as a lead in to the next lesson.
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Lesson Adaptations:
Much of the lesson is imitation and recording of observations. If a child is wearing braces and cannot chew gum… they can be paired with another
student to observe the bubble blowing experiment. If a child has no use of their hands, they could be placed in the role of the conductor, and would
nod to the players to start and finish the melody…perhaps even nod to individuals to do a solo. Music transcends language barriers and would not be
a difficulty for the limited English learner. However, there would have to be an interpreter for any hearing impaired students.
1