Lesson Plan 1: "My Farm", a folk song from Argentina

Objectives:

1. To perceive AB form through lyric changes. (25.A.1c)

2. To imitate animal sounds, using the voice in high and low registers. (26.A.1c)

3. To select high and low percussion instruments for sound effects. (25.A.1c; 26.B 1c)

Classroom Materials:

• CD 1-8 "World of Music" Grade 2
• various percussion instruments
• pupil textbooks page 12-13, "World of Music" Grade 2, "My Farm"
• large circle with the letter "A" in the center
• large square with the letter "B" in the center
• "Encarta" or another encyclopedia CD-ROM
• computer
• television with LTV hookup

Vocabulary:

• high
• low
• tone color
• section A
• section B

Time:

One, thirty minute music class

Instructional Procedure:

1. Find Argentina on a reference CD-ROM. Briefly discuss location of the country and official language, Spanish.

2. Call attention to the animals pictured on page 12. Say their Spanish names.

3. Invite individuals to imitate the sounds of the animals, using different vocal tone colors and pitches.

4. Play the recording of "My Farm", a folk song from Argentina. Have the children imitate the animal sounds at the appropriate time in the song.

5. Practice saying the Spanish words. Sing them with the recording and join in making the animal sounds.

6. Explain that the section of music where they are singing about the farm and the specific animal is section A. Display the section A circle. The part that is always the same after that ("O va, camarada, va, camarada...") is section B. Display the section B square. Discuss the similarities and differences.

7. Have the children decide which animal sounds should be high and which should be low.

8. Sing with the recording. Use the group's decision about the appropriate high and low sounds.

9. Have the children choose percussion instruments to play during section A of the song. Encourage different tone colors for the animal sound effects.

10. While children sing the song, percussion instruments can be substituted for the vocal sounds.

11. When singing the usual farewell song to close the session, substitute the Spanish adios in place of the word "good-bye".

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Submitted: July 1, 1998