JMUke: Explore More Museum

Context Statement: In a three day, one hour per day experience, guardians and their children, the general
community, or anyone that wants to make music using the ukulele, are encouraged to join us at the Explore More
Discovery Museum. This will provide participants with musicianship skills, community involvement, and
leadership/communication skills. It is an opportunity to learn the ukulele in a supportive and positive environment
and work with other people to create music. We will start by learning basic chords and strumming patterns. Then
we will move on to learning and practicing popular songs such as Wagon Wheel by Old Crow Medicine Show, and
I’m Yours by Jason Miraz. Learning and practicing these songs will give participants the skills to practice music on
their own. We will end by separating participants into groups and asking them to compose music of their own, and
present it to the group as a whole. We hope this experience will encourage creativity, inspiration, and confidence in
musicianship moving forward. This experience is meant to be an opportunity to try something new and fun in a
relaxed and immersive environment. Music making should be accessible for everyone!

Stage 1 - Desired Results

Standards: Goals:
2.1 The student will
read music, 1. I can sing alone with the correct pitches (S)
including identifying
written melodic 2. I can follow a leader in singing the repertoire, at the same pace (S)
patterns that move
3. I can sing confidently with the group participating (S/M)
upward, downward,
and stay the same 4. I can sing common songs using the expected pauses, or rests, as well as the
2.2 The Student will
sing a repertoire of correct rhythms (K)
songs alone and
with others 5. I can demonstrate my knowledge about quarter and half notes through my
2.4 The student will
perform rhythmic strumming on the ukulele (K)
patterns that include
half notes, half rests, 6. I can engage appropriately with my classmates and the teachers in a
whole notes, and
whole rests performance setting by listening, trying and respecting the rules. (K)
2.7 The student will
explore historical and 7. I can demonstrate my knowledge of chords by applying them in different
cultural aspects of
music by identifying songs. (T)
what musicians and
composers do to
create music
2.8 The student will
demonstrate audience
and participant
behaviors appropriate
for the purposes and
settings in which
music is performed
2.11 The student will
evaluate music by
describing personal
musical performances
2.12 The student will
collaborate with others
in a music
performance and
analyze what was
successful and what
could be improved.
2.13 The student will
explain how music
expresses ideas,
experiences, and
feelings.

Generative (Essential) Questions:

- How do musicians learn to play their instruments?
- What types of resources, notations, and tools do musicians use to learn and share music?
- How do musicians build their skills?
- When are learners ready to perform music for a general audience?
- Where do musicians perform their music?
- Why do we learn music in this way?
- What are qualities of musicianship expertise?
- How do we share music with others?
- What are the ways that we can use our musicianship in other areas?

Stage 2 - Evidence

Evidence for “I can” statement 1

● Meets Expectations: Throughout the activity, students will be able to sing the selected song with
correct pitches, both alone and with others.

● Developing: Throughout the activity, students may struggle with singing pitch, singing flat or sharp,
but will hear that their music is not the same as others around them, and adjust accordingly in order to
sing in tune.

● Exceeding Expectations: Throughout the activity, students will be able to sing the selected song with
correct pitches the entire time, as well as apply their pitch skills to other songs in the JMUke event
 Evidence for “I can” statement 2
● Meets Expectations: Students will be able to follow the leader both on the ukulele and with their
singing

● Developing: Students may struggle with the speed or pacing of the leader’s song at first, but will grow
as the song goes on, and they get used to the chords and melodies.

● Exceeding Expectations: Students will be able to follow the leader both on the ukulele and with their
singing, even if the leader speeds up or slows down.

Evidence for “I can” statement 3

● Meets Expectations: Students will play and sing “out loud” with confidence in their abilities.

● Developing: Students may begin by playing quietly and attempting to blend in, so no one knows if
they miss a chord or note, however, will then begin to show more confidence, playing louder as they
become more comfortable.

● Exceeding Expectations: Students, from the beginning, will play and sing confidently, even beginning
to lead the participants around them.

Evidence for “I can” statement 4

● Meets Expectations: Students will be able to include the expected pauses, or rests, and use the
rhythms by the third time playing through a song.

● Developing: Students will be able to understand and play most of the rhythms, and rests, after the
third time playing through a song.

● Exceeding Expectations: Students will be able to include the expected pauses, or rests, and use
rhythms after the first or second time playing the song.

Evidence for “I can” statement 5

● Meets Expectations: Students can count out quarter and half notes, and demonstrate this ability
by strumming the correct amount on the ukulele.

● Developing: Students almost always count out quarter and half notes correctly, and demonstrate
this by strumming on the ukulele. They may also only understand half notes, but struggle with
quarter notes.

● Exceeding Expectations: Students can count out quarter and half notes, demonstrate this with
their strumming, and repeat complex strumming rhythms, with different orders of quarter and half
notes.

Evidence for “I can” statement 6

● Meets Expectations: Students will be engaged when playing the ukulele, listening to instructions
and making few, if any, interruptions to the performance.

● Developing: Students attempt to be engaged, but interrupt the performance by talking or yelling
loud over instructor, running around or doing other activities.
 ● Exceeding Expectations: Students are highly engaged, demonstrate strong performance
edicate for the activity and situation.

Evidence for “I can” statement 7

● Meets Expectations: Students successfully learn the majority of the chords, and apply most to
various songs

● Developing: Students can play the chords mostly correctly and in time after a couple of tries.

● Exceeding Expectations: Students can play all chords taught, in any order for the songs given.

Stage 3 – Learning Plan

Learning activities for “I can” statement 1

● Student sings with others in tune for the entirety of the song. The teacher sings along, to assist and
model for the student.
● Assessment includes the teacher listening for pitch accuracy

Learning activities for “I can” statement 2

● Students will play their ukulele and sing at the same pace for the entirety of the song. The teacher(s)
will lead the song, acting as a model for how the song is ideally sung.
● Assessment includes the teacher listening for pace ability and accuracy.

Learning activities for “I can” statement 3

● Students will play and sing along, without hiding behind others both physically and in their music. The
teacher will encourage students to sing and play confidently with the group.
● Assessment includes the teacher watching, listening and taking note of how students respond to
encouragement and playing with the group.

Learning activities for “I can” statement 4

● Students will play songs on the ukulele with the correct pauses, or rests, and the correct rhythms, in
order to learn how rhythms function. The teacher plays along to aid, and answers any questions the
student may have.
● Assessment occurs through listening and watching the students play, making note of their rhythmic
abilities.

Learning activities for “I can” statement 5

● Students will play and sing the designated quarter and half notes at the correct time, showing their
knowledge of how long notes and chords are held or played. The teacher plays with the student, and
answers any questions the student may have.
● Assessment includes the teacher listening for notes held too long or cut off too short. The teacher
makes notes of how long the students hold their notes and chords.

Learning activities for “I can” statement 6

● Students will listen to and follow directions of the teacher, as well as stay engaged in the music
experience. Teachers will model engaged behavior, as well as give instructions when necessary.
● Assessment includes making note of student behaviors, keeping in mind positive reinforcement for
students successfully engaging.
Learning activities for “I can” statement 7
● Students will learn chords initially, then apply those chords in different orders in accordance to
various songs played throughout the course. The teacher will help students to learn the chords, then
review as necessary.
● Assessment includes listening to the student’s ability to change between chords, and apply their
knowledge of chords to a variety of songs.

Hour Teachers responsibilities Students responsibilities

long
comm.
session

Day 1 1. 7 min. Introductions/ice breakers 1. Listen to our introductions/ participate in

2. 7 min. Go over basics- how to hold,
how to strum, what are the notes,
3. 2 min. Hand out stickers for marking
chords (optional, also just handing
them out, they can put them on
throughout the lesson if they please)
4. 25 min. Teach beginning chords- G,
F, Em, Am, C, D using projected
images and handouts( this is when
they can use stickers if they want)
5. 15 min. Teach strumming basics on c
6. 4 min. Debrief (encourage people
that own their own ukuleles to come
to class with a tuned ukulele and
bring back their chord sheet
handouts)
icebreakers
2. Participate, listen,
3. Take stickers if it’s their first time playing, or if
they think they will need them
4. Participate, put on stickers if they need them as
they go, help people around them
5. Copy and experiment on their own
6. Share what they’ve learned, what they’re going
to practice, what songs they want to do, what
they struggled with

Day 2 1. 2min. Open by strumming a C G Am
F progression
2. 10 min. Go over all learned chords-
G, F, Em, Am, C, D
3. 2 min. Teach new strumming
pattern/chord progression
4. 10 min. Work on learning Wagon
Wheel by Old Crow Medicine
5. 2 min. Teach new strumming
pattern/chord progression
6. 10 min. Work on learning I’m Yours
by Jason Miraz
7. 2 min. Teach new strumming
pattern/chord progression
8. 10 min. Working on Learning Let It
1. Join in and play as much as they can
2. Participate, ask questions, signal for help if they
need it, experiment
3. Participate by strumming
4. Sing, play, participate
5. Participate by strumming
6. Sing, play participate
7. Participate by strumming
8. Sing, play participate
9. Improvise different melodies on each chord
while we go through the progression
10. Request songs to learn, what was hard, what
was easy, what to practice
 Be by The Beatles
9. 7 min. Introduce finger picking, go
through C G Am F progression
10. 5 min. Debrief

Day 3 1. 4 min. Open with Wagon Wheel Old
Crow Medicine Show
2. 30 min. Ask people to split into
groups and come up with their own
chord progression, encourage to
take solos, encourage them to add
words, look up favorite poems on
their phones, encourage to use
different strumming patterns.
3. 25 min. Groups present
4. 1 min. Thank yous
1. Play, sing, participate
2. Split into groups, work together to choose a
chord progression, practice it, take solos, add
words if time, use different strumming patterns
3. Support groups listening when other people are
playing and participating when it’s their turn
4. Take pictures share on social media

Final Assessment Rubric

Goal/Quality No Minimal Meet Exceeds

Evidence Evidence Expectations Expectations

1. The student will Not singing Throughout the Throughout the Throughout the
sing alone with the at all. activity, students activity, students activity, students will
correct pitches may struggle with will be able to sing be able to sing the
singing pitch, the selected song selected song with
singing flat or with correct correct pitches the
sharp, but will pitches, both entire time, as well as
hear that their alone and with apply their pitch skills
music is not the others. to other songs in the
same as others JMUke event
around them, and
adjust accordingly
in order to sing in
tune.

2. I can follow a Student does Students may Students will be Students will be able
leader in singing the not listen to struggle with the able to follow the to follow the leader
repertoire, at the leader. speed or pacing of leader both on the both on the ukulele
same pace the leader’s song ukulele and with and with their singing,
at first, but will their singing even if the leader
grow as the song speeds up or slows
goes on, and they down.
get used to the
chords and
melodies.
3. I can sing Does not Students may Students will play Students, from the
confidently with the play with begin by playing and sing “out loud” beginning, will play
group participating group. quietly and with confidence in and sing confidently,
attempting to their abilities. even beginning to
blend in, so no lead the participants
one knows if they around them.
miss a chord or
note, however, will
then begin to
show more
confidence,
playing louder as
they become more
comfortable.

4. I can sing common Does not Students will be Students will be Students will be able
songs using the play, or able to understand able to include the to include the
expected pauses, or ignores all and play most of expected pauses, expected pauses, or
rests, as well as the rests. the rhythms, and or rests, and use rests, and use
correct rhythms rests, after the the rhythms by the rhythms after the first
third time playing third time playing or second time
through a song. through a song. playing the song.

5. I can demonstrate No attempt to Students almost Students can Students can count
my knowledge about play. always count out count out quarter out quarter and half
quarter and half notes quarter and half and half notes, notes, demonstrate
through my strumming notes correctly, and demonstrate this with their
on the ukulele and demonstrate this ability by strumming, and
this by strumming strumming the repeat complex
on the ukulele. correct amount on strumming rhythms,
They may also the ukulele. with different orders
only understand of quarter and half
half notes, but notes.
struggle with
quarter notes.

6. I can engage Does not Students attempt Students will be Students are highly
appropriately with my engage in any to be engaged, engaged when engaged,
classmates and the way. but interrupt the playing the demonstrate strong
teachers in a performance by ukulele, listening performance edicate
performance setting talking or yelling to instructions and for the activity and
by listening, trying and loud over making few, if any, situation.
respecting the rules. instructor, running interruptions to the
around or doing performance.
other activities.

7. I can demonstrate Does not play Students can play Students Students can play all
my knowledge of chords. the chords mostly successfully learn chords taught, in any
chords by applying correctly and in the majority of the order for the songs
them in different time after a couple chords, and apply given.
songs. of tries. most to various
songs