I. Curricular Framework

Concept:

Characteristics

Essential Question:

How are the Blues era and early Rock and Roll connected?

Bridge:

Patterns

Content:

Outcomes:

II. Standards Aligned

III. Instruction and Assessment

1. Connect: Connecting to the Concept Experientially

Objective: To encourage cooperative efforts of students in a mind-mapping activity.

Activity: Distribute to each group of 3-4 students the name of one hypothetical character who is having a bad day. Make sure the character has a name (e.g. Cornelia Crank, Simon Downandout, Esmerelda Grump). Have each small group mind map reasons why their character is having a bad day. Set a limit of no more than five to ten minutes for this activity.

Assessment: Students will be given points for their ability to cooperate and produce quality mind-maps.

2. Attend: Attending to the Connection

Objective: To write a simple poem in AAB form which describes events of the character's bad day.

Activity:
1) Write on the blackboard an example of a poem in AAB form which illustrates one of the character's bad days: "Oh, Simon Downandout, he was having a bad, bad day. Oh, yeah, old Simon Downandout, he was having a terrible day. The rain leaked through his roof, his car broke down, and his dog ran away."
2) Have students write similar poems about their characters. Give them a predetermined amount of time to write poems, then ask students to choose what they feel is their best poem to share with the class.

Assessment: The quality of the written work.

Assessment, Phase One, Level of Engagement, Fascination:

3. Image: Creating a Mental Picture

Objective: To connect the students' poems and the form of the poems to traditional blues form.

Activity:
1) Play a recording of a traditional Bessie Smith blues song. Discuss the situations which created her "blues." Note the poetic form of the song's opening 12 bars. Inform the students that the blues form (AAB) is most often associated with the blues, though many do not follow this form. Many blues are characterized by a repeated statement concerning an emotion or event.
2) Show "The History of Jazz" filmstrip (Pathways to Music).
3) Discuss why the blues is a uniquely American style of music.
4) Play other blues pieces that do and do not demonstrate the traditional blues form.
5) Relate the development of jazz music in this country to world events occurring during this time (World Wars I and II, the Depression, etc.).

Assessment: Student participation in discussion.

Assessment, Phase Two, Seeing the Big Picture:

4. Inform: Receiving Facts & Knowledge

Objective: To further explore the characteristics of the blues.

Activity:
1) In a lecture/demonstration on blues terminology, describe the basic elements of traditional blues music: the blues scale; the basic harmonic progression (I-IV-V-I); blue notes; trading fours; walking bass line; riff.
2) Play blues pieces in meters of two and three, and those with a shuffle rhythm. Have students move or snap fingers to the various rhythms.
3) Mini-Lesson/Partial "Wheel:" The concept of Improvisation: Quadrant One, Right Mode:Objective: To have students improvise the missing sections of partially completed stories.
Activity: In small groups, students are given a brief situation or story which is not complete. They are asked to make up the ending, beginning, or supply the middle of the story. Quadrant One, Left Mode:Objective: To share "made up" stories with the class. Activity: Each group will read its solution to the missing section of the story to the rest of the class. Alternative solutions will additionally be discussed. Quadrant Two, Right Mode:Objective: To connect the idea of "making up" or improvising a story section with Improvisation in jazz music. Activity: Play several recordings of jazz musicians who are improvising. Make students aware that though improvised music is "made-up," it is created within a harmonic, rhythmic, and melodic framework. To successfully improvise, a musician must be acutely aware of the overall framework of the piece.

Assessment for Quadrant Two Left Mode Activities: Quiz over terminology and historical background.

Assessment, Phase Three, Success with Acquiring Knowledge:

5. Practice: Developing Skills

Objective: To encourage students to compose blues melodies and try trading fours in performance.

Activity:
1) Have students create a "blues scale" on staff paper and then use the scale as a basis for creating a two to four bar melody in the key of C.
2) Suggest simple syncopated rhythms that can be added to the melody.
3) Have students divide into groups of four and "improvise" melodies on keyboard or mallet instruments for practice, then perform for the entire group and "trade fours."

Assessment: Students will honor the creativity and efforts of each group by applauding after each solo.

Assessment, Phase Four, Success with Acquiring Skills:

6. Extend: Extending Learning to the Outside World

Objective: To research lives and compositions famous singers of that era.

Activity:
1) Have students choose a famous blues singer or instrument from the era. Students research their chosen artist or instrument.
2) Students create a collage (encourage a multi-media approach) to represent their chosen artist.

Assessment: Accuracy of research and its contribution to the knowledge base of characteristics of music of the Blues era.

7. Refine: Refining the Extension

Objective: To have students identify selected blues performers.

Activity:
1) Each group will present its project to the class. Collages will be displayed in the school hallway or in the music room.
2) Following the presentations, the class will identify selected recordings of blues artists presented in class.

Assessment: "Name that blues singer." Quiz over artists presented in class.

8. Perform: Creative Manifestation of Material Learned

Objective: To create a link between the blues and early rock and roll music (the next unit of study).

Activity:
1) Show a film and play recordings of early Rock and Roll musicians and music. (Chuck Berry, Little Richard, Buddy Holly, etc.).
2) Class discussion: How did jazz music and the blues influence early rock and roll music? Have students create a symbolic drawing which demonstrates the transition of the blues to rock and roll. Display the drawings.

Assessment: The quality of discussion and of the drawing.

Assessment, Phase Five,Performance, Creative Use of Material Learned: