You're+a+Grand+Old+Flag+(Middle+School+Band)

This is a lesson I taught as part of a warm-up sequence with my 7th and 8th grade brass and percussion students during a sectional. The woodwinds were not present; however, if they were, a similar process of groupings playing separately could be used. SmartMusic was an immense help for this, as all of the Essential Elements exercises are uploaded into the system, and can be pulled up in separate parts for students' viewing. This kept students' eyes up toward the board, and also allowed other sections and students to follow along and place context while working with a different section. You could also consider adding the SmartMusic accompaniment part as well; however, in our case, our ensembles were too large for students to hear the part at all. In sections, students could play along with the SmartMusic tracks, serving as an informal group assessment. If SmartMusic is not available, recordings of the piece are easily accessible online, as well as PDFs that could be enlarged and shown to students via projector.

**Teacher**: Ms. Bomberger

**Subject**: Middle School Band **National Standards:** Perform//: Analyze; Rehearse, Evaluate, & Refine//

**Primary Focus/Learning Target:** eighth-quarter-eighth rhythmic figure; historical context/background

**Behavioral Learning Objectives:** Provided with written notation and aural example, students will be able to successfully play all notes and rhythms presented in opening phrase of “You're a Grand Old Flag.”

**Type of Assessment:** Formative; Informal **Assessment:** I will use aural detection to listen for rhythmic interpretation and pitches/key signature, as well as student feedback to determine whether students have learned the notes and rhythms correctly.

“You're a Grand Old Flag” by George Cohan (Essential Elements Book 2; p.9); SmartMusic subscription if available.
 * Sequence & Duration of Activities: **
 * **1 min**. || Begin by asking students if they have heard the tune “You're a Grand Old Flag” before. Many students will have prior knowledge of the song, but not all. ||
 * **3 min. ** || Sing through the tune for the students, including lyrics. Explain basic information about the composer, George Cohan, including:
 * Wrote musicals
 * <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">This piece is from a musical, the same of which includes “Give My Regards to Broadway”
 * <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">He was fond of syncopated rhythms, including frequent use of eighth quarter eighth note rhythmic motive (i.e. "Give My Regards to Broadway") ||
 * <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">**8 min**. || <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Begin by having students look at mm. 1-9. Students should all first participate in clapping the rhythms presented by the piece (especially the eighth-quarter-eighth rhythms) as the instructor counts along. In going over the piece a second time, students should also say the counts out loud as they clap. Students should be asked for feedback regarding how they feel they have performed on the rhythms. Then students may begin to work on the piece with their instruments:
 * <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Pay special attention to trumpets’ chromatic e natural and eb turnaround, ensuring all students are using correct fingerings. SmartMusic will be used to display parts on the projector while working with individual groups if available. If not, PDF may be displayed via projector or copied out onto the board.
 * <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Other students should be fingering/sliding/air drumming as you work with other groups.
 * <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Next, work with low brass, checking for trombones 2nd position A naturals especially, as it tends to be very flat.
 * <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Combine with percussion, and rehearse entire ensemble. **Ask for feedback from students again regarding improvement and sound quality, and adjust as needed.** ||
 * <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">**8 min**. || <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Rehearse mm. 9 – end, repeating the same process, analyzing rhythms and having students clap and count again as they explore the eighth-quarter-eighth figure.
 * <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Explain that the quote that occurs at the end of the piece is taken from a hymn, “Auld Lang Syne.”
 * <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Sing lyrics “Let old acquaintance be forgot, …”
 * <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Continue to rehearse in sections to isolate potential issues, such as trumpets, followed by low brass, combined with percussion, etc.
 * <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Student feedback is **CRITICAL** in the evaluation process - students must analyze and evaluate as they engage in the rehearsal process ||
 * <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Materials: **