ROOTS OF RHYTHM WORLD DRUMMING TEACHER WORKSHOP 2007
LESSON PLAN FOR CHAPTER 7: THE LAKOTA DRUM FROM NORTH AMERICA
Title:
Performing the Song “Native Dance” (utilizing original music partnered Len Suzelis
with “Round Dance”) with a Lakota Drum replica and a rattle July 7, 2007
Lake Milton, Ohio
Grade Category:
5th or 6th Grade Choir (or General Music if they sing well)
Lesson Time:
Seven class periods, 40 minutes each; more time if needed
Goals:
1. To introduce the students to the music and culture of Native Americans
2. To perform music of Native American style on a concert
Objectives:
1. Make a replica of a Lakota drum, and also make a simple Native American rattle
2. Learn the vocal and instrumental parts for “Native Dance” from Two Native American Songs by Lois Brownsey and Marti Lunn Lantz for concert performance
3. Demonstrate familiarity with Native American movement
4. Evaluate the in-class performance using a video recorder before performing for an audience
Content Standards:
1. Singing, alone and with others, a varied repertoire of music.
2. Performing on instruments, alone and with others, a varied repertoire of music.
5. Reading and notating music.
6. Listening to, analyzing, and describing music.
7. Evaluating music and music performances.
8. Understanding relationships between music, the other arts, and disciplines outside the arts
9. Understanding music in relationship to history and culture.
Materials:
1. Large map of the United States
2. 9” by 2” cardboard hoops purchased through Dr. Craig Woodson (or cut 2’’ sections from 8”x48“ Quick Tube” concrete tubes purchased from Home Depot) – enough for each class member, colored PVC tape, hacksaw blades, colored masking tape, colored beads, markers, feathers, chopsticks (for each student)
Refer to the making of the Lakota Drum in the Roots of Rhythm curriculum book, chapter 7
3. Piano, paper copies of keyboard
4. Y-shaped twig or branches, colored yarn, scissors, more feathers, and combinations of beads, washers, buttons, washers or shells with a holes in them to make the rattles
4. Computer with speakers to play examples of Native American singing (about 8 minutes 30 seconds long) found at http://www.wisdomoftheelders.org/prog8/transcript08_tr.htm , and the making of rattles at http://www.enchantedlearning.com/crafts/na/rattle/ or
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AviDU1fLil8
5. Roots of Rhythm CD, copies of Lakota Dance Rhythms
6. Copies of “Native Dance”, a partner song with Round Dance from Two Native American Songs by Lois Brownsey and Marti Lunn Lantz, published by Shawnee Press, Inc. (E 0447)
7. Video projector, Video recorder
Student Skill Level:
Some experience needed with using tape; Moderate experience in singing needed, some in singing in parts; ability to tie a knot; moderate level of bodily coordination for movement (for the dance) and playing the drum and rattle.
Procedure:
1. Social Studies/History connection: 1st day - Have students review and locate the four directional quadrants of the United States (North, South, East & West) on the map. Point out that although there are hundreds of reservations where tribes of Native Americans live, some of the largest are in the northwestern and southwestern states (North and South Dakota, Arizona and New Mexico areas), the 8th largest being the Pine Ridge Reservation in southwestern South Dakota, where there is a concentration of Oglala Indians – one of seven sub-tribes of Lakota Indians from the great Sioux Nation. Some famous Oglala Lakota include Chiefs Red Cloud and Crazy Horse. See Roots of Rhythm curriculum book for more background.
2. Listen to track #59 of the Roots of Rhythm CD for an example of a Round Dance
3. Show students a sample of a frame drum, and then demonstrate how to make it with the materials provided. Follow the Instrument Making Notes from the Roots of Rhythm curriculum, setting as a goal step #8. Have students put their names on the inside of the frame, and leave time for cleaning up. Science connection: Discuss the effect of putting the tape on tighter or looser over the head of the drum. (The tighter the tape, the higher the pitch.)
4. Art Connection: 2nd day - Complete the steps needed to finish making and then decorating the drum with feathers, beads and markers. Make beater ends on chopstick and decorate beater.
5. Look at the Lakota Dance Rhythm sheet, making use of the students’ new instruments. Practice with the CD examples.
6. Have all learn to sing the 1st section of “Native Dance”. (If time permits, continue with piano activity 7; otherwise save it for the next class period.)
7. (Preparation for 3rd day’s activity on Major & Minor) Review (or learn) how to find “D” on a keyboard (between a set of two black keys), how to locate notes on either side (C & E), then how to make a C major triad on the keyboard (start with the named note-skip a note picking the next, skip another picking the next), having students “play” on their paper keyboards. (For reinforcement, students may quickly play each of the previous steps on the piano in passing, returning to their seats assembly-line style.
7. 3rd day – Discuss the aural difference between major and minor (cheerful/bright vs. sad/gloomy), and practice changing the middle note from E to Eb. Have students decide if tunes played by the teacher are in major or minor (play, e.g. America for major, Greensleeves for minor, etc. or play a tune in major then minor for contrast). Have students decide if the tune for Native Dance is in major or minor (minor).
8. Math/Science connections: Division and subdivision of measures/beat; effect of more force on volume. Playing the three beat pattern on the drum, discuss and show the difference when the 1st beat is accented, as in the drum part for the song. Have students sing the 1st section while playing their drums up to measure 20, where the drum changes from quarter notes to eighth notes (again, the first of which is accented). Have students notice the extra accent beginning measure 49, and the optional accelerando to the end of the piece, which is stylistically authentic. Students may follow the notated music or the optional Time Unit Box System (TUBS) notation below.
Optional TUBS notation for Native Dance song on Lakota Drum and Rattle
1. Drum measures 1-19, and 29-45 2. Drum meas. 20-28, 46-48, accel. to end
1 / 2 / 3 / 1 / 2 / 3 / 1 / 2 / 3 / 1 / 2 / 3R
/R
/ R / R / R / R / / R r / r r / r r / R r / r r / r r3. Drum meas. 49-55, accel. to end 4. Drum meas. 56-57, accel. to end
1 / 2 / 3 / 1 / 2 / 3 / 1 / 2 / 3 / 1 / 2 / 3R r
/R r
/ r r / R r / R r / r r / / R / R / R / R4. Rattle meas. 22-29 and 46-55, accel. to end 5. Rattle meas. 56-57, accel. to end
1 / 2 / 3 / 1 / 2 / 3 / 1 / 2 / 3 / 1 / 2 / 3S
/ S / S /S
/ / S /S
/S
/ S /Key – R = right (or dominant) hand, accented R r = Two eighths, 1st one accented
R = same hand, un-accented r r = Two eighths, both un-accented
S = Shake rattle
Setting drums aside, learn the rattle part by clapping it (seven measures of 2 quarter notes then quarter rest). Have students discover how the ending rattle part is different from the middle (there are ten measures rather than seven, followed by four strong quarter notes ending the piece).
8. Art Connection: 4th day - Either give the following directions from Enchanted Learning.com on making a simple rattle, visit their web site at http://www.enchantedlearning.com/crafts/na/rattle/, or project the video clip with visual step-by-step directions at http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AviDU1fLil8 (or Google “Make a Native American Rattle with Meredith Duling” to find the You Tube video).
Enchanted Learning Software'sNative American Rattle Craft
You can make a simple yet beautiful Native American rattle from a twig, yarn and beads. When you shake it, it makes a rattling sound. Many Native Americans made ceremonial rattles from natural objects (like deer hooves strung on twigs or rib bones). In this craft, we use beads, spools, washers, or shells as noisemakers.
Supplies needed:
· Y-shaped twig· Yarn
· Scissors
· Tape
· Feathers, beads, buttons, washers, spools, and/or shells with holes in them. /
/ Wind yarn around a y-shaped twig, covering it entirely. Start and end the winding with knots (or tape, if the children cannot make knots). Along the way, wind in a few decorative objects, like feathers or beads.
/ Tie a short piece of yarn to one arm of the "y." Thread a few beads, washers, spools, or other small objects onto the yarn. Tie the other end of the yarn onto the other arm of the twig.
After rattles have been made, have half the group play the rattle part, while the other half plays the drum parts, having everyone sing the 1st section (measures 5-20; 31-47). Repeat, but switch parts.
Discuss using nonsense syllables, asking class for examples (e.g. shoo-be-doo-be-doo, oo-wah, etc.). Ask if they can think of any current songs utilizing nonsense syllables. Mention to the class that not only is this technique used in popular music, but it has also been used by Native Americans in their singing, often using vowels sounds such as Ah, Ay, Ee, Oh, and Oo. Explain that these are referred to as “vocables”, because although you are vocalizing, you are not actually voicing any words. Have the students echo-sing measures 23-23 (with pick-up, but excluding last two eighth notes).
9. 5th day – Have students continue to learn the Round Dance (adapted from the Kiowa) portion of Native Dance up to measure 30. Have students read the overview of the Kiowa Tribe found on page 9 in the music, adding that their reservation is located in the state of Oklahoma. Continue learning about “vocables” by listening to a segment of Wisdom of the Elders, a radio broadcast featured on National Public Radio, found at http://www.wisdomoftheelders.org/prog8/transcript08_tr.htm referring to the Round Dance of the Kiowa Tribe. Have the students review listening examples from the Roots of Rhythm CD, #58 & 59, after a discussion on how different it may sound to us, because we may not understand it, or it may not be as familiar to us as what we are accustomed to hearing, whether it be Hip-hop, Reggae, Country, Opera, Rock & Roll, Contemporary Christian, the Blues, Punk, Polka, Ska, Bluegrass, or one of the many other styles of music available. If we imitate a culture poorly, we show disrespect, but if we sincerely do our best, we show respect and honor for that culture.
After listening, go back to “Native Dance”, combining the two sections as a partner song from measures 31-47 with singing only. Switch parts, giving each section a chance to sing both parts, as you listen and judge which half of the group is more secure on the respective parts. When students sound familiar with the parts and comfortable singing them together, add the rattle part while singing. Next have the students play the drum part separately for review, then add the drum to the vocal parts. Finally, put all parts together, having half the group playing the rattle part while singing with the other playing the drums as they sing. Repeat, this time switching the “rattlers” to the drum part, and the drummers to the rattle part, once again listening for the group that sounds most secure. Other ideas for dividing the group could be by rows, rather than vocal parts, or by odds and even-numbered students, if they appear comfortable enough to perform independently of those nearby (i.e. odd-numbered people on drums, even on rattles).
10. Physical Education/Historical connections: 6th day - Look at page 9 for movement suggestions, and have everyone learn the dance steps. After the group has digested the steps, have a single row or small group volunteer to demonstrate, with some drummers and rattles in the center, boys forming a circle around them, and girls forming an outer circle. Everyone (especially those seated!) can help with the singing. Girls dance left, using shuffle steps while bending the knees slightly. Boys use jumps, leaps, and stomps, along with the traditional toe-heel step. Repeat until all groups have had their chance, then finally with all performing together, with volunteers covering the necessary singing, instruments, and movement. For deeper appreciation as well as a relaxation after activity, have volunteers read the following excerpt from Drum History at http://www.grandcanyondrums.com :
The drum is a deep and sacred part of Native American culture. The beat of the drum is in sync with the heartbeat of mother earth. It is the healing rhythm that we hear when singing, dancing, or walking through the world. The round form of the drum represents the circle of life and the whole universe. Its steady strong beat is the pulse, or the heartbeat, at the center of our world.