Subject(s): Music Grades(s): Grades 6-7, Junior High/High School, Grades 4-5

Title – Found Music Unit, Dress, Success!
By – Melanie Marchand
Primary Subject – Music
Secondary Subjects – Music
Grade Level – 4
Found Music Unit Contents:

• Lesson 1 – Idea Challenge
• Lesson 2 – Courting Composers
• Lesson 3 – Dress, Success!
• Lesson 4 – Polishing Brass
• Lesson 5 – The Concert

Lesson 3- Dress, Success!

Purpose: The purpose of this lesson is to have students think critically about peer compositions.

Objective: When the students are finished this lesson, they will have:
1. Participated in a dress rehearsal situation.
2. Taken part in a class critique, where they will assess both positive and negative attributes of peers’ work.

Resources: Class compositions, found instruments.

Tasks:
1. Have the students practice their compositions for the first few minutes of class.
2. Arrange an informal concert where each group can play their pieces for one another. Have a suggestion period after each piece. Ask for three positive things first, then have the students suggest things that the group could have improved upon.
3. Make sure the suggestions get written down. Perhaps establish one person in the group as the recorder.

Assessment: Concert and class discussion (assess piece and suggestions). Note participation and diplomacy. By watching the dress rehearsal, I will be able to assess who has a grasp on the concept of the dress rehearsal. The class will then get a chance to participate in peer evaluation. The students will be evaluated on the relevance and sensitivity of their comments.

Homework: None.

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