1. A – Analyze the Learner
My class will be 8th graders, ages ranging from 12 to 14, that have general
knowledge of previous music classes. The majority of them have no knowledge
about playing the guitar at all. They will need something engaging to keep their
attention for long periods of time, as they may find the lesson boring. They will
need something from each category of learning.
S – State Objectives
My music class of eight grade students will arrange their own three chord song
using classroom guitars, hands on instruction, and a chord website by learning
the parts of the guitar, the strum-pluck-strum method, and three chords by the
end of the week with 90% accuracy.
S – Select Media and Materials
The students will use websites when practicing their chords in class, the poster
used on Monday, and will use blogging and twitter for homework assignments.
U – Utilize Media and Materials
This day will begin with a quick review of the previous day's lesson, utilizing the
poster hung on the wall, and a visual with me holding the guitar as I do this.
Then the students will have their guitars (or have them as a group, where as I
would need to allot more time for this section of the lesson) and I will have mine.
I will show them the correct finger placements of the D chord, and then bring up
the website that allows me to play the sound of the chord correctly for the
children on the Smart Board. I will play the sound of the D chord for them a
couple of times, and then let them practice.
Chord Practice
As they are practicing for the first few minutes, I will walk around and help
whomever did not understand the finger placements.When they are practicing,
they will probably notice that their note does not sound exactly the same as the
one that I played for them. After a few minutes, if no one points it out to me, I
will make my way to the front of the class and show them the strum-pluck-strum
method. I will probably show them the JustinGuitar video, and then demonstrate
for them myself. Their chords will then begin to sound more like the one that I
played from the website.
Strum-Pluck-Strum Method and Other Useful Tools

2. They will have the ability to practice the D chord and go back to work on
whatever they did not finish of the WebQuest from the previous day for the rest
of the class time.
Homework on Blog: Students will make note of their feelings about learning
guitar, and write a few sentences about how they feel that day in general.
R – Require Learner Participation
Each day that I have planned out requires the students to participate in everyday
class in order to acquire a grade. They must play their guitar and practice with
the rest of the class in order to learn their chords. They must document their
feelings of the week on their personal blog. They must create their song at the
end of the week using all of the materials that we have learned.
E – Evaluate and Revise
The Song:
The song that the students are creating must be at least 20 – 30 seconds long.
The lyrics can be about anything, do not have to rhyme, and only require
creativity. The students must use each chord at least once. The student can strum
or pluck the strings, or do both. The students will have the entire class time to
construct their own song. The following Monday will be spent on the students
performing their songs individually for the teacher, eliminating at least some of
the stage fright. While the students take turns performing for the teacher
personally the others may practice. An extra 10 minutes will be giving at the
beginning of class so that the first student to perform may have time to practice
their song.
The lyrics and chords must be written down to turn into the teacher.
Before the next Monday is over, the students must add one final entry to their
blog. This entry will be about their feelings of the lesson as a whole. Whether or
not they liked it, and why. The entry is only required to be a few sentences long.
Revising:
Throughout the week, the students have documented their feelings about the
guitar lesson in their blogs. I, as the teacher, will read these blogs and adjust my
lessons to suit the children better.