Grade: 4
Content: Composing/Singing
Lesson Title : Singin’ the Blues Duration: 5 Days/60-90 Minutes
Strands:
Artistic Perception, Creative Expression, Historical & Cultural Connections
Standards:
Artistic Perception 1.4
Describe music according to its elements, using the terminology of music.
Creative Expression 2.1
Sing a varied repertoire of music from diverse cultures, including rounds, descants, and songs
with ostinatos, alone and with others.
Creative Expression 2.3
Compose and improvise simple rhythmic and melodic patterns on classroom instruments.
Historical and Cultural Context 3.1
Describe the social functions of a variety of musical forms from various cultures and time
periods (e.g., folk songs, dances).
Historical and Cultural Context 3.3
Sing and play music from diverse cultures and time periods.
Historical and Cultural Context 3.4
Describe the influence of various cultures and historical events on musical forms and styles.
Historical and Cultural Context 3.5
Describe the influences of various cultures on the music of the United States.
Student Goal
To compose and sing an original 12 bar blues song.
How can we
express our
feelings through
music?
What Students Need to Know
•
•
•
Keeping a steady beat
Singing a simple tune
Rhyming words
New Ideas
•
•
•
Writing song lyrics
12 Bar Blues form
Improvisation
New Vocabulary
Accompaniment: Vocal or instrumental parts that accompany melody.
Bar or Measure: A segment of time defined by a given number of beats.
Beat: Unit of measure of rhythmic time.
Chord: Three or more tones sounded simultaneously.
Improvise: Create music spontaneously.
Melody: An organized sequence of single notes.
Rhythm: The placement of sounds in time.
Twelve-bar blues: Chord pattern often used in blues music based on the I, IV, and V chords
and the blues scale in specific order within 12 bars.
Verse: A group of lines in a song’s lyrics, similar to stanza in poetry.
Evaluate (the Learning)
12 Bar Blues checklist
Reflection questions
Writing prompts
Sketch to stretch
Lesson Procedure: Day 1
Hook
Play recording of Carl Martin’s “Farewell To You Baby”
(Included with the lesson and also available at www.publicdomain4u.com)
1) After the first listening, ask students what they noticed about the music and create a
class word web on a whiteboard or chart paper.
Prompts: Who is singing? How would you describe that? What instrument(s) do you
hear? How would you describe that? When do you think this song was written and
recorded? What do you hear that makes you say that? What mood does this song create?
What do you hear that makes you say that?
2) On the second listening, ask students to focus on the lyrics and write down the words
they hear for the first three verses. Note: the fourth and fifth verses do not follow the
same, pattern so focus on the first three.
3) As a class, try to write down all the lyrics. The lyrics are provided for you on a
handout to check the students’ work.
4) Ask the class what they noticed about the pattern of the lyrics. They should discover
that the lyrics follow this pattern.
Line one
Line one repeated
Line two, last word rhymes with the last word of rhyme one
(The second line answers the first line in some way.)
5) This is pattern is called AAB, and it is the basic pattern for all 12 Bar Blues.
A) The first line of the blues is always sung a second time
A) Yeah, the first line of the blues is always sung a second time
B) So by the time you reach the third line, you've had time to think of a rhyme
Introduction – I Do
1) Use the “Singin’ the Blues” PowerPoint, slides 1-6, to give a quick history of the
Blues.
2) Write your own 12 Bar Blues lyric for the class. Use one of these titles for inspiration
or make up your own: After School Blues, Weary Teacher Blues, 6 a.m. Blues, etc.
3) Here is a model, or you can invent your own
I woke up this mornin’ and stumbled out of bed.
I woke up this mornin’ and stumbled out of bed.
I felt like a zombie just raised up from the dead.
Guided Practice – We Do
1) With the class, write one or more verses for a 12 Bar Blues called the Bad Day Blues
that follows the AAB pattern. Start with the words “Bad Day” as the center of a word web
and have students add things that make a bad day. Use a whiteboard or chart paper so that
everyone can see.
2) If needed you can use a sentence frame for the first line or invent your own.
I had a bad day ‘cuz my __________ is/was/are really __________.
3) Try to turn each item on the word web into a verse.
4) Remember that the last word of each sentence has to rhyme. Use the handout of Bluesy
Rhyming Words for ideas.
Independent Practice – You Do!
1) Working alone or in groups, students write their own 12 Bar Blues verses.
2) Use one of these prompts or invent your own: Little/Big Brother/Sister Blues,
Farewell to __________, Chores, Pets, Homework, etc.
Reflection Time
1) Play the recording of “Farewell to You Baby” again.
2) Have each student or group say their verse(s) for the class. Encourage them to use their
best “bluesy” voices just like the singer, Carl Martin.
3) Assess each lyric with the 12 Bar Blues checklist:
a) Does the last word of each sentence rhyme?
b) Are the two sentences about the same length?
c) Does second sentence answer the first sentence?
Ways to Extend Your Lessons
K-2: Students will need teacher help with rhyming words—use the list of Bluesy
Rhyming Words. Students will need to write their 12 Bar Blues as a whole class or
partner with older students.
3-4: Third graders may need more whole class modeling.
5-6: Have the students apply the 12 Bar Blues to stories in their Reading Series and/or
to content in Science or Social Studies. Here are some possible topics, but this form
can be applied to almost anything.
1) Any fairytale, fable, myth or creation story can be a 12 Bar Blues: Three Bears
Blues, Fox and Grapes Blues, Birth of Athena Blues or How the Leopard Got
His Spots Blues.
2) Use the 12 Bar Blues to explain a character’s traits or appearance: Medusa
Blues, James Forten Blues, Billy Colman Blues or Grace Snyder Blues
3) Write a 12 Bar Blues to explain any process or phenomenon in science:
rotation of the planets, water cycle, ecosystem of the rain forest, earthquakes,
tides, electrical current, etc..
4) Write a 12 Bar Blues about a school issue or current event.
5) Write a 12 Bar Blues about a social issue or theme.
7-8: Same as intermediate grades. Students who can play guitar or piano may be able
to accompany themselves or others in the group. Students may use Garage Band or
other music software to create their 12 Bar Blues. Students may film and edit their
classroom blues concert.
Materials/Resources
1) http://publicdomain4u.com/public-domain-genres/blues
2) http://www.pbs.org/theblues/
3) http://www.desktopblues.lichtlabor.ch/
4) http://www.tarleton.edu/Faculty/boucher/Blues.htm
5) http://funfunfunmedia.com/music/free-music-downloads/blues_music
6) Lyrics for Farewell To You Baby
7) Bluesy Rhyming Words
8) Singin’ the Blues PowerPoint, images and sound files
9) Counting and Chord Changes audio examples
10) Weary Blues audio example
11) Electric Blues track
12) Acoustic Blues track
13) Blues concert poster
14) GarageBand files
15) White paper and colored markers, plus other poster making supplies if desired.
Lesson Procedure: Day 2
Hook
If possible, use a blues video or website to demonstrate a live performance or an interactive
game. If not, jump right into the lesson. Here are three possibilities, depending on your
schools tech capabilities:
1) http://www.desktopblues.lichtlabor.ch/ This is a free interactive game that lets you
construct your own blues song.
2) http://video.pbs.org/video/2200461809 This is a PBS recording of current day Blues
artist Gary Clark, Jr. performing at the White House.
3) http://video.pbs.org/video/2202417211 This is a PBS recording of different Blues artists
answering the question, “What is the Blues?”.
Introduction – I D0
Introduction – I Do
1) Quickly review the first six slides of the “Singin’ the Blues” PowerPoint.
2) Using slides 7-10 on the PowerPont will show the students how to count all the bars
(measures) in a 12 Bar Blues and where the chord changes occur. Use one of the included
songs to demonstrate.
Guided Practice – We Do
Use slides 7-10 on the PowerPoint to count the bars (measures) together with the students
and learn where the chord changes occur. To check for understanding have students raise
their hand when the chord changes occur.
Independent Practice – You Do!
Have students work independently or in small groups until they are able to count all of the
measures in the 12 Bar Blues on slide 11 and raise their hands when the chord changes
occur.
Reflection Time
1) The PowerPoint has been using the “Electric Blues Track” included with this lesson.
Play the Acoustic Blues track for the students and ask them to apply their new skill and
knowledge in counting and identifying chord changes.
2) Ask students to do a “think, ink, pair, share” about what new knowledge or skill they
gained in class today.
Lesson Procedure: Day 3
Hook
Here are the titles for some real Blues songs. Ask students to tell what might be happening in
each song.
1) “You Done Lost Your Good Thing Now”
2) “Boom Boom Out Go the Lights”
3) “Nobody Knows You When You’re Down and Out”
4) “Mean Old World”
5) “Big Boss Man”
Introduction – I Do
1) Review how to write a 12 Bar Blues lyric using slides 12 and 13 on the “Singin’ the Blues”
PowerPoint.
2) Sing your own version of “Weary Blues” using the Acoustic Blues Track or the Electric
Blues Track. There is also a sample version included with this lesson if you need some ideas.
Remember that it doesn’t matter to students how you sound, just that you are brave enough
to try!
Guided Practice – We Do
1) Lead the students in singing the “Weary Blues”. It doesn’t matter if the students copy the
teacher’s melody or improvise their own.
2) Divide the class into small groups and have each group practice then sing the Weary
Blues on their own. The teacher can lead by singing along as needed.
Independent Practice – You Do!
1) Have each small group write their own verses to the “Kid’s Weary School Blues” telling
about the “blues” of being a student.
2) The teacher may wish to lead a mini-lesson helping to generate ideas using a word web.
3) Example verse:
Woke up late this mornin’, had to run all the way to school.
Woke up late this mornin’, had to run all the way to school.
Still wearin’ my pajamas, felt like a total fool.
4) Have each group sing their blues for the rest of the group for feedback. You can use either
the Acoustic Blues Track or the Electric Blues Track or both.
Reflection Time
1) Students compete three sentence frames/starters about their writing and singing:
a. Writing the Blues lyric was ____________________ because…
b. I learned that…
c. Next time, I will remember…
Lesson Procedure: Day 4
Hook
Show students the Blues Poster included in the lesson. Ask students to imagine and draw a
sketch of what their Blues Poster would look like.
Introduction – I Do
1) Announce that the class will be sharing their blues songs in a classroom concert.
2) Explain that the group will need to select the verses they would like to sing based on
their first three days of writing lyrics, then practice their songs and finally invite people to
their concert.
Guided Practice – We Do
1) Decide what verses will be sung. The group should have written Blues verses on days
one and three of this unit, but they may need to create more.
2) Decide if the whole group will sing all the verses, or if soloists or smaller groups will
sing also.
3) Decide on a name for your classroom Blues band.
4) Decide who to invite. Some possibilities include other after school classes, parents and
family members, school leaders, community members, etc.
5) Set simple goals for the performance such as “Sing with confidence.” or “Remember to
look at the audience.” or “Pay attention when others are performing.”
Independent Practice – You Do!
1) Write more songs if needed with prompts supplied on days one and three (or create your
own.)
2) Rehearse with the group(s) so that everyone is comfortable. Memorizing is optional.
Students may sing with no accompaniment, with the audio recordings or with someone
playing guitar or piano.
3) Working alone or in groups, have students take ideas from their sketches and create
posters for their concert using white paper and color markers. If there is time, the postermaking can be extended over several days and include material such as construction paper
cut-outs, magazines for collage-making, glitter, etc..
If a computer and internet connection is available, you can use free online poster design
websites such as http://www.postermywall.com
Reflection Time
Do a whip around and have each student share one example what they have learned in the 4
C’s of 21st Century Skills: Communication, Collaboration, Creativity or Critical Thinking.
Sentence frame: I used (Communication/Collaboration/Creativity/Critical Thinking) when
I…
Lesson Procedure: Day 5
Hook
It’s show time! Ask students about any concerts or other performances they’ve been to.
What made that event special?
Introduction – I Do
1) Model for students how to enter the performing area confidently. (This may be the front
of the classroom or another area chosen for the concert.)
2) Sing your blues lyric with confidence and good stage presence.
3) Exit the performing area quickly and gracefully.
Guided Practice – We Do
Conduct a dress rehearsal for all performers. Performers should sing as if the audience
was present.
Independent Practice – You Do!
1) Welcome the audience. This can be done by the teacher or by a student representative.
2) The welcome should include a description of the class project and how long the students
have been working on the performance. You may want to show the first six slides of the
“Singin’ the Blues” PowerPoint.
3) The welcome should explain what the expectations are for audience members: polite
attention to the performers, applause, supportive attitudes.
4) Perform!
5) Thank your audience. You may also wish to have them give positive feedback to the
performers.
Reflection Time
Have each student draw a quick “sketch to stretch” of one image that they will remember from
the Blues lesson. Caption the sketch with a written description of the memory. Ask each
student to explain why this image is important to them.