Low Sol
Elementary General Music
Thomas Elementary School
Dublin School District
4th Grade
Planned and taught by:
Rachel Elizabeth Suhr
Background information: The Kodály philosophy (in relation to low sol)
In music education, Zolton Kodály’s philosophy of teaching is one of the most wellestablished and accepted methods. I believe that this philosophy provides a solid
foundation for children because of its focus on singing and music literacy. With the
Kodály philosophy, Solfa is the basis of all melodic concepts. By the time students are in
fourth grade, they have learned the elements do, re, mi, sol, la, high do, and low la.
These melodic elements create the pentatonic scale. Low sol is the natural progression
to teach from low la (the last concept taught) because of their relationship. Low sol is a
whole step lower than low la. The students learn a large amount of new repertoire with
the addition of low la and low sol, which is a necessary step in advancing their education.
The method of prepare, present, practice is used in teaching the Kodály philosophy.
During the preparation stage, the students begin recognizing a new element. The
element can be identified, sang, written, read, heard, and spoken by the students.
However, the element is not called by its real name (low sol would be called ‘mystery
note’ or sang ‘hmm’). The actual name for the element is learned through the
presentation. From there on, the students practice what they learned, addressing the
element by its correct name,
Overall concept to be taught:
The teacher will prepare and present low sol, following the Kodály method. The students
will then practice low sol through singing, games, and activities. By the end of the unit
the students will be able to sing, read, write, and identify aurally the melodic element of
low sol.
Ohio Content Standards Grade Level Indicators to be covered during the unit.
1. Creative Expression and Communication- Students sing, play instruments,
improvise, compose, read and notate music.
a. A: Sing and/or play instruments, alone and with others, demonstrating a
variety of repertoire, using proper technique, accurate rhythm and pitch
and appropriate expressive qualities.
i. Sing, alone and with others, a varied repertoire of songs with
accurate rhythm and pitch and appropriate expressive qualities.
ii. Use the head voice to produce a light, clear sound employing breath
support and maintaining appropriate posture.
iii. Play, alone and with others, a variety of classroom instruments with
proper technique.
b. B: Read, write, improvise and compose melodies and accompaniments.
i. Improvise and compose short compositions using a variety of
classroom instruments and sound sources.
ii. Read, write and perform extended pentatonic melodies with high do,
low la and low sol (do'-la-sol-mi-re-do-la'-sol') on the treble staff in
G- do, F-do and C-do using a system (e.g., solfege, numbers or
letters).
iii. Read, write and perform melodies in treble clef.
2. Analyzing and Responding Students listen to a varied repertoire of music and
respond by analyzing and describing music using correct terminology. Students
evaluate the creating and performing of music by using appropriate criteria.
a. A: Identify and demonstrate elements of music using developmentally
appropriate music vocabulary.
i. Identify and demonstrate elements of music using developmentally
appropriate vocabulary and music terms (e.g., quarter note, piano,).
ii. Identify how elements of music communicate ideas or moods.
b. C: Discuss and evaluate individual and group music performance.
i. Discuss and evaluate individual and group music performance.
3. Valuing Music/Aesthetic Reflection Students demonstrate an understanding of
reasons why people value music and a respect for diverse opinions regarding music
preferences. Students articulate the significance of music in their lives.
a. A: Reflect on their own performances and the performances of others.
i. Participate in developmentally appropriate music activities.
ii. Develop criteria for reflecting on their performances and the
performances of others.
4. Connections, Relationships and Applications Students identify similarities and
differences between music and other arts disciplines. Students recognize the
relationship between concepts and skills learned through music with knowledge
learned in other curricular subjects, life experiences and potential careers in and
outside the arts. Students develop a desire for lifelong learning in music.
a. A: Explain ways that music interrelates with other arts disciplines and with
various disciplines outside the arts.
i. Interpret music through dance, drama and visual art.
ii. Identify the use of similar elements (e.g., form, rhythm) in music and
other art forms.
iii. Explain ways that the basic principles (e.g., elements of music) and
subject matter (e.g., topics, themes, lyrics) of music are interrelated
with disciplines outside the arts.
b. B: Describe how music is used in various cultures in the United States.
i. Identify similarities and differences in music of the United States
and various cultures.
Pre-assessment:
Previously learned material determines the pre-assessment in music. The students are
constantly building upon what they already know. The lesson following the presentation
of low la was the first lesson preparing low sol. The students displayed their
understanding of low la through various reading, writing, singing, and listening activities.
During this time, low sol was being prepared. Before the presentation of low sol, the
students identified through reading, writing, listening, and singing that the new note is a
whole step lower than low la. Upon their understanding of these two determinations as
well as low la, the students showed their readiness for the presentation of low sol.
Content relation to previously learned material:
As stated previously, musicians are continually building upon what they have already
learned. And so, the fourth grade students can read, write, sing, and identify aurally the
melodic elements of do, re, mi, sol, la, high do, and low la. These melodic elements are
continually being practiced through the song repertoire chosen by the teacher. Students
must be proficient in their understanding of each of these melodic elements so that
they can understand their relationship to low sol.
Content relation to future material:
When the element low sol has been presented, the students will immediately begin
practicing. Also, when they begin practicing, the teacher begins preparing a new element
(most likely rhythmic in contrast to the melodic). Low sol will be continually practiced
from this time forth, and the students’ education will grow from their understanding of
low sol. Even when the students enter the fifth grade, low sol will be a practiced
element in their repertoire.
Lesson Plans:
Daily Lesson Plan
Grade Level: 4
Relationship to previous lesson:
Practice l,
Practice jiq, ijq
Lesson #: 24
Relationship to next lesson:
Prep s,
Practice l,
Practice jiq, ijq
Objectives:
1. Practice l, through singing, reading, and listening
2. Prep s, by identifying it as the new mystery note; also
identify that s, is lower than l,
3. Practice jiq, ijq through listening to classical music
and reading
4. Incorporate a new dance in the lesson to practice
movement and partwork
Materials:
1. Board work-Badinerie
2.Badinerie-music on itunes
3. Rocks
4.Board work- My paddle
5. Come thru- music on itunes
6. Drinking Gourd (if time)
Song List
1. Badinerie
2. Big fat biscuit
3. My paddle
4. Come thru ‘na hurry
Reading
_____X_____
Writing
__________
Improv.
___________
Inner hearing _____X_____
Listening
____X_____
Form
___________
Movement
_____X____
Partwork
_____X____
Instruments
___________
Solos
___________
Other ___________________
Songs
Procedure
Goal
Badinerie
Review- follow rhythm on board while listening to
itunes recording
Listening
Practice jiq, ijq
Big Fat
Biscuit
Play game
Practice l,
Sing thru 1 time; insert d l, d for ‘chew-bi-lew’ with
hand signs
Prep s,
Students identify for first
time that the new mystery
note is lower than l,
What is the lowest word? ‘boy’
Is it a l,? no
T sings ‘boy’ as a l,. S identify
Is l, higher or lower than the word ‘boy’ higher
T sings comparatively l, and correct (s,) S identify
My paddle
S form 2 circles, boys and girls; T passes out rocks
Practice partwork- passing
game and singing
Practice rock passing pattern
Practice l,
Sing while passing rocks; 2 times through
Read melody off staff, identify lowest word ‘and’
Prep s,- sing hmm in place of
lowest word
Practice singing ‘la, la, hmm, la,’ to insert new
mystery note
Come thru
‘na hurry
Drinking
Gourd
(book)
Cup and candy
Teach dance
Movement/dancing
Echo sing solfa
Insert hmm for s,/mystery note
Practice l,
Prep s,
If time
Discuss black history month with students and
relevance of the story to history
Cross cultural and curricular
connections
Daily Lesson Plan
Grade Level: 4
Lesson #: 25
Relationship to previous lesson:
Prep s,
Practice l,
Practice jiq, ijq
Relationship to next lesson:
Prep s,
Practice l,
Practice jiq, ijq
Objectives:
Reading
___X______
1. Practice l, through singing, reading, listening aurally,
and listening through inner hearing
Writing
__________
Improv.
___________
2. Prep s, identifying it as the mystery note in board work,
singing, and identifying aurally
Inner hearing ____X_____
3. Practice jiq, ijq through reading and singing
Listening
____X____
4. Incorporate a dance in the lesson to practice
movement and partwork
Form
___________
Movement
____X____
Partwork
_________
Instruments
___________
Solos
___________
5. Discuss significance of Black History month
Materials:
1. Board work-Draw a bucket
2. Come thru- music on itunes
3. Snake prop
4. L, tic-tac-toe materials
5. Drinking Gourd (if time)
Song List
1. Draw a bucket
2. Come thru ‘na hurry
3. Black snake
Other ___________________
Songs
Procedure
Goal
Draw a
bucket
Game
Practice jiq, ijq
Read rhythm from board, identify different jiq and
ijq
Prep s,
Come thru
‘na hurry
Add solfa, concentrate on ? representing mystery
note; mm 1 is most difficult
Review dance
Echo sing in solfa
-Isolate d d d l, ?
L, tic-tac-toe
Echo sing each choice and identify the song it’s from
Black Snake
Play game
Listen for which phrase from tic-tac-toe matches
d d d l, ? S identify and sing
INTRODUCE
Movement/dancing
Practice l,
Prep s,
Inner hearing,
Practice l,
Practice l,
Prep s,
T sings and teaches new song
What words in my song match d d d l, ? ‘where
are you hiding’
What phrase is almost the exact same, but a little
different? ‘ss, don’t you bite me’
Do all three ‘Black snake’s sound the same? No
Which is different and how? The middle one is
higher
S sing with T
Drinking
Gourd
(book)
Teach game
If time
Discuss Black History month with students and
relevance of the story to history
Cross cultural and curricular
connections
Daily Lesson Plan
Grade Level: 4
Lesson #: 26
Relationship to previous lesson:
Prep s,
Practice l,
Practice jiq, ijq
Relationship to next lesson:
Prep s,
Practice l,
Practice jiq, ijq
Objectives:
Reading
____X____
1. Prep s, through singing, reading, aural
identification, and aural inner hearing
Writing
__________
Improv.
___________
2. Assess and record movement and dancing in
accordance with standards
Inner hearing ____X____
Listening
____X____
Form
___________
4. Practice l, through singing, reading, aural
identification, and aural inner hearing
Movement
____X___
5. Practice jiq, ijq through reading and singing
Partwork
_________
6. Discuss jazz music of Thelonius Monk
Instruments
___________
Solos
_____X_____
3. Assess and record in tune singing in accordance
with standards
Materials:
1. Snake prop
2. Board work- Hey Betty Martin
3. Come thru- music on itunes
4. Mailman items
5. l, tic-tac-toe materials
6. Mysterious Thelonius
7. Mysterioso- music on itunes
Song List
1. Black snake
2. Hey Betty Martin
3. Come thru ‘na hurry
4. Here comes the mailman
Other ___________________
Songs
Procedure
Goal
Black Snake
Game
Practice l,
Echo sing in solfa, expanding length of phrases
Review mystery note
Game
Prep s,
Read rhythm off board
Practice l,
Read solfa off board- erase all, beginning with l, / ? /
d r m / remainder; S sing solfa by memory
Prep s,
Hey Betty
Martin
Practice jiq, ijq
Cup and Candy
Come thru
‘na hurry
Play/tap Come thru on cups to identify
Dance (assess)
Dance/movement
Practice l,
Here Comes
the mailman
L, tic-tac-toe
Mysterious
Thelonius
(book)
Sing and assess
Prep s,
Solo singing
Echo sing each card, identify song
Practice l,
game
Discuss Thelonius Monk, jazz, relationship to Black
History Month, relationship between book and
music
Play music
Cross cultural exposure
Listening
Daily Lesson Plan
Grade Level: 4
Lesson #: 27
Relationship to previous lesson:
Prep s,
Practice l,
Practice jiq, ijq
Relationship to next lesson:
Prep s,
Practice l,
Practice jiq, ijq
Objectives:
Reading
____X____
1. Assess students’ readiness for presentation of s,
through their individual ability to write d l, ? (s,)
correctly on staff
Writing
_____X____
Improv.
___________
2. Practice l, Practice jiq, ijq, and prep s, through
singing, reading, inner hearing, and aural
identification
Inner hearing _____X___
Listening
_____X__
3. Expose students to cross cultural and curricular
material in connection with Black History Month
Form
___________
Movement
____X___
Partwork
_________
Instruments
___________
Solos
___________
Materials:
Song List
1. Cowbell
1. Hey Betty Martin
2. Board work- Hey Betty Martin 2. Black Snake
3. Snake prop
3. I’ve been to Haarlem
4. Staffs and dots (1 per pair, 3 per pair)
5. When Marian Sang
6. He’s go the whole world- music on itunes
Other ___________________
Songs
Procedure
Goal
Mysterioso
Play while students enter
Listening
Hey Betty
Martin
Game
Practice l,
Read rhythm from board
Practice jiq, ijq
Read solfa from board; erase and memorize
Prep s,
Hand sign Black snake, S inner sing and identify
Inner singing
Game
Practice l,
Echo sing- begin with larger phrases
Prep s,
Find a partner and sit together
Assess
Practice l,
Black Snake
Partner staff
writing
How many lines are on the staff? 5
How many spaces are on the staff? 4
Do we count from the bottom to top or top to
bottom? Bottom to top
Prep s,
Assess students readiness for
presentation of s,
Write d d d l, ? on board- not staff; S sing
Is l, a step or skip away from d? skip
Is ? a skip or step away from l,? step
Create example for both if d is on a line and space;
have students come to board to place d l, ?(s,)
Write clues on board to aid
Students get materials- staff and dots- and sit with
partner
I’ve Been
Haarlem
(Introduce)
When
Marian Sang
Each partner takes 2 turns; T telling the students
what line or space d is on. Assess
Just introduce first half of song; learn through asking
questions
Read book; discuss significance of Marian Anderson
in connection to Black History Month; play Marian
singing ‘He’s got the whole world’ recording
Practice l,
Prep s,
Cross cultural and curricular
connections; listening
Daily Lesson Plan
Grade Level: 4
Lesson #: 28
Relationship to previous lesson:
Prep s,
Practice l,
Practice jiq, ijq
Relationship to next lesson:
Prep s,
Practice l,
Practice jiq, ijq
Objectives:
Reading
____X____
1. Present s, and begin practicing immediately
Writing
_____X____
2. Practice l, jiq, ijq, ?/s, through reading, writing,
singing, aural identification, and inner hearing
Improv.
___________
Inner hearing _____X___
3. Engage students in discussion about cross cultural and
curricular materials relating the discussion to Black
History month
Listening
____X___
Form
___________
Movement
________
Partwork
____X____
Instruments
___________
Solos
___________
4. Engage students in partwork through the cup game
Materials:
1. Cups (25, 1 per student)
2. Rhythmic and solfa cards
3. Paper with text phrases
4. This Little Light of Mine
Song List
1. I’ve been to Haarlem
2. Big Fat Biscuit
Other ___________________
Songs
Procedure
Goal
Marian
Anderson
I’ve Been to
Haarlem
Review Marian’s significance in history; play ‘He’s
got the whole world’ when students enter
Finish teaching song
Listening, cross cultural and
curricular exposure
Practice l,
Begin teaching cup game- one step at a time
Practice jiq, ijq
Split class into 4 groups, each group gets appropriate
envelope and words
Prep s,
S determine which rhythmic cards match with words
S determine which solfa cards match with rhythm
and words
Present s,
Sing through song on rhythm first, each group
singing their designated phrase
Rotate
Sing through song on Solfa, each group singing
designated phrase
Rotate
Is ? higher or lower than l, ? lower
Is ? a step or skip away from l,? a step
Present s,
Practice s,
Walk to bulletin board and show that s, is a step
lower than l,; the mystery note is s,
Explain hand sign and letter representation of s,
Everyone sing d l, s,
Big Fat
Biscuit
This Little
Light
Sing through song on Solfa- with new solfa cards
that have s, instead of ? on them- each group singing
designated phrase
Rotate
Sing through song on Solfa, each group singing
designated phrase
T sign, S inner sing and identify
Game
Read and play music while S line up at the door
Inner sing
Practice l, and s,
Cross cultural and curricular
exposure
Daily Lesson Plan
Grade Level: 4
Lesson #: 29
Relationship to previous lesson:
Prep s,
Practice l,
Practice jiq, ijq
Relationship to next lesson:
Prep s,
Practice l,
Practice jiq, ijq
Objectives:
Reading
_____X___
1. Because of presentation last lesson, practice s,
through singing, reading, writing, inner hearing, and
aurally identifying
Writing
_____X____
Improv.
___________
2. Practice l, and jiq, ijq through singing, reading,
writing, and aurally identifying
Inner hearing ____X____
3. Challenge the students in part work through cup
game
Materials:
1. Phrase 1 melodic card
2. Magnet dots
3. There’s a Hole in the Bucket
Listening
___X____
Form
___________
Movement
___X____
Partwork
___X_____
Instruments
___________
Solos
___________
Song List
1. I’ve been to Haarlem
2. Draw a Bucket
Other ___________________
Songs
Procedure
Goal
I’ve Been to
Haarlem
Review cup game
Practice l,
Make circle and play cup game
Practice s,
Read melodic cards, phrase 1
Practice jiq, ijq
Transition to writing- concentrate on 1st card
Review d l, s, placement on staff
Staff Writing
Divide students into 4 lines, T makes 4 staffs on
board
First student in line comes to board and receives
three magnet dots
Practice l,
Practice s,
T states what space or line d is on; S place d l, s,
Students who finish correctly get point; student who
finishes correctly first gets 2 points
Keep switching student in front of line so that every
student has a turn.
Assess
Draw a
Bucket of
Water
Hole in the
Bucket
Transition to song- S sing d l, s,
Practice d to s,- T hand signs, S inner sing and
identify
Game
Practice s,
Hand sign whole song together
‘Erase’ m / r / d / s,
Read book, S identify what word s, is in the book
Practice s,
Formative Assessments
In music, formative assessments are the most critical way to determine how well the
students understand the element being taught. During the preparation stage of low sol,
formative assessments were incorporated into the lessons to help gage when the
students would be ready for the presentation lesson. Assessments included singing,
reading, writing, and aurally identifying low sol as the mystery note. The most obvious
and crucial of the formative assessments used was in the lesson previous to the
presentation of low sol. The students, in pairs, took turns writing do, low la, and low sol
(mystery note). Each pair was given a personal staff and three circular dot markers.
While taking turns, the teacher announced what line or space do was on. The students
then needed to place the dots on the correct line or space for do, low la, and low sol.
This allowed the teacher to identify the students who did not understand that low la is a
skip lower than do and low sol (mystery note) is a step lower than low la. The students
have already identified both of these facts in previous classes through a variety of
activities. These two factors of understanding, that low sol is a step lower than low la,
were crucial before presenting the element of low sol.
Summative Assessments:
In an elementary general music class, summative assessment is not used often, mainly
because all of the elements connect with each other. The teacher would never prepare
and present a concept that will not be used for the rest of their music education in
elementary school. To determine that the students had understood the presentation of
low sol, I included an individual assessment during the following lesson. The students
were split into four lines, sitting on the floor. Four staffs were drawn on the chalk
board. The students came forward (the first from each of the lines), and were given
three magnet dots. After reviewing the relationship of do, low la, and low sol on a staff,
the teacher announced which line or space do was on. The students needed to place all
three dots on the correct lines and spaces. The first student done correctly received
two points. The students who completed the task correctly received one point. Though
the points did not matter in any real way, they allowed the teacher to see and record
who understood the element of low sol. This activity, much like the preparative
assessment before the presentation, clearly demonstrated if the students had made the
transition from mystery note to low sol. Without this transition, the teacher cannot
move forward in his/her teaching.