Content and Achievement Standards

Singing, alone and with others, a varied repertoire of music.

sing music representing diverse genres and cultures with
expression appropriate for the work being performed.
Improvising melodies, variations, and accompaniments
Listening to, analyzing, and describing music.
Demonstrate knowledge of the basic principles of meter, rhythm,
tonality, intervals, chords, and harmonic progressions in their
analysis of music.

Class Goals and Objectives

Have students be able to identify, define, and understand the concept

of ostinato.
Have students be able to create and perform their own ostinato
patterns with the song Stitches by Shawn Mendes.

Materials

A recording of Stitches by Shawn Mendes

Lyric dictation sheets

Procedures
1. Students and instructor will discuss instances where they have had to
had stitches.
QUESTION: Has anyone here ever had to have stitches? What
happened? (Instructor will tell a story of when she had to get
stitches.)
(Instructor now plays Stitches for the class)
PROMPT: I want you guys to fill out the lyric dictation sheet
while I play the song for you.
2. Instructor will pass out lyric dictation sheet and have the students fill it
out while the song is played. (Instructor will sing along and walk
around to assess students) (Go over the answers as a class.)
QUESTION: What did the lyrics tell you about why the artist felt
like he needed stitches? What were some clues? Do you think he
really did need stitches?
PROMPT: Im going to play this song for you again, and I want
you to sing along. While singing, I want you to listen for the part
in the song where they clap a rhythm. Put a mark over where
that happens in the lyrics.
3. Students will sing the song together while listening for clap rhythm.
QUESTION: Can anyone tell me where in the song the clapping
started? Could you clap it for me? (Instructor will have the whole
class clap the rhythm together) (The first rhythm)

4.

5.

6.

7.

8.

9.

PROMPT: Lets sing this together while clapping that rhythm.

Begin clapping when it does so in the music.
Students will sing and clap the rhythm.
QUESTION: Was that the only rhythm you heard clapped in the
song?
PROMPT: Im going to play it again and I want you to listen to
see if there was another rhythmic pattern that was clapped.
Mark it in your lyric dictation sheet.
Instructor will play song again and students will listen for second
ostinato pattern.
QUESTION: Where was the second pattern in the song? Can you
clap it for me? (The whole class will clap the rhythm together)
PROMPT: Lets sing the song and clap the first rhythm where it
comes in the music, and then when the next one comes in, we
will clap that.
Students will perform both ostinato patterns while singing the song.
QUESTION: Can anyone tell me something they notice about
how these rhythms fit in with the song? Could it be clapped
throughout the whole song? (Instructor will explain ostinato)
PROMPT: I am going to split you guys in half. One will perform
the first ostinato pattern, and the other will perform the second
one. But do so throughout the whole song. So, first group, keep
clapping even when the next one comes in.
Students will sing and perform their assigned ostinato pattern.
QUESTION: Did both parts fit into the song? Can anyone remind
me what it is called when there is a repeating pattern like this in
music?
PROMPT: Now in the same groups, I want you to come with your
own ostinato pattern.
Students will collaborate with group members to create their own
ostinato pattern. (Instructor will walk around to see how groups are
doing)
QUESTION: Are you guys finished creating your patterns yet?
PROMPT: Both groups will share with the class what their
ostinato pattern was. Now I am going to play the song again, and
I want both groups to clap the rhythms they created.
Students will clap their rhythms with the song. (Instructor will fade
music out to hear the class perform)
QUESTION: Can someone tell me what new term we learned
today was? And could you define it for me?
PROMPT: For your exit ticket, I want you guys to tell me in your
own words what the definition of ostinato is.