Lesson 4: Syncopation & Form

Standard
Perform-Analyze-MU:Pr4.2.E.Ia Demonstrate, using music reading skills where appropriate, how
compositional devices employed and theoretical and structural aspects of musical works impact and
inform prepared or improvised performances.
Objectives
Students will identify and define syncopation in South African Suite and be able to distinguish between
syncopated and non-syncopated entrances visually and aurally through a written assessment.
Students will identify and define the form of the piece through aural and visual analysis.
Materials
Djembe, assessment worksheets
Warmup
T will ask S to remain quiet and listen to the four beat clapping pattern she demonstrates while marching
in place. Some will have syncopated rhythms and some will not be syncopated. S will echo the rhythm
back to T while also marching in place.
T will demonstrate one of the syncopated rhythms again while counting out loud as she marches and S
will echo
T&S will take this rhythm and notate it on the board with the class asking questions to guide student
learning and participation
T will ask students if the notes begin on the downbeat
T will then define syncopation for S
Activity Sequence
T has S open Tshotsoloza and identify two measures they think uses syncopation and two measures they
think doesnt use syncopation
T will have an open class discussion to see what line they think has the most syncopation
T will have S speak through the whole line of syncopation
T will have sections break off into groups for five minutes and color the downbeat right before their
entrance in the measures of syncopation
T will then have S break off onto their lines and speak through their individual lines as T plays the Djembe
for a metronome
T will play an audio recording of the piece while students follow along on their scores.
T will ask students if they think any of the piece repeated itself or sounded the same
T will ask the student to give exact measure numbers
T will write the words on the board for the A section
T will ask if there is a section that sounded different than the A section and ask for specific measures
T will write the lyrics out on the board and label the sections with ABA
T will ask Class what did we just figure out?
S will answer The form of the piece
T will hand out the worksheet that will also be used as the assessment
Assessment
Name:______________________________
On the staff below please identify and copy two of the syncopations that occur throughout Tshotsoloza.
The syncopations can be taken from your line or another parts line and remember to include your counts,
key signature, and time signature.
Notation

Listening
Listen and notate the rhythm on the staff below. There will be two excerpts each four beats long and will
be played three times.

Form

The following song is in ABA format. Please identify and label the B section by underlining or highlighting
the words.

Checklist: Did student properly identify two areas of syncopation on the worksheet
above?
Could the student identify the B section in Twinkle Twinkle?
Could student notate syncopations when hear aurally?
Lesson 5: Relating two cultures/ Part independency
Standards
Perform-Present-MU:Pr6.1.E.Ia Demonstrate attention to technical accuracy and expressive qualities in
prepared and improvised performances of a varied repertoire of music representing diverse cultures,
styles, and genres.
Perform-Analyze-MU:Pr4.2.E.Ia Demonstrate, using music reading skills where appropriate, how
compositional devices employed and theoretical and structural aspects of musical works impact and
inform prepared or improvised performances.
Objectives
Students will complete a reflective journal entry comparing and contrasting their musical culture with the
South African musical culture.
Students will sing in three part harmony becoming independent on rhythm, pitch, words, and tonal
accuracy from their two counterparts.
Materials
Prezi, website, student self-assessment paper, student journals
Warmup
T will have S sing Row Row Row your boat in a three part canon and Do-Do,Re,Do-Do,Re,Mi,Re,Do
etc..
Activity Sequence
T will use a metronome and have one part sing their line on a Loo another on Bim and another on Ti
so S can keep track of their own lines more easily at a slow tempo
T will begin to increase tempo as students become more confident
T will have only one or two parts sing their lines at a time as necessary to fix intonation and pitch errors.
Once students become more confident on the pitches T will have students sing the piece on text
T will then switch activities and S will begin learning more about the South African Zulu culture
https://wildlifesafariadventures.com/zulu-people-of-africa/
T will give this prezi presentation ^^^^^^^
T will stop on the slide that is about Early Musical Development and look at the phrase 2 or more linked
melodic phrases, which werent sung in unison but staggered to result in a simultaneous polyphony
T will help S decipher what all of those words in that phrase mean and relate it to the Tshotsoloza.
On the slide about the characteristics of Indigenous Music T will ask S to look at the characteristics and
raise their hand if they see a characteristic that applies to Tshotsoloza
T&S will then have a class discussion about where these characteristics can be found in the music
T will stop the presentation there
T will hand out an article from this website and put students into small groups
http://www.everyculture.com/wc/Rwanda-to-Syria/Zulu.html
As a group S will read bullet points 10-18 and discuss in their groups how the Zulu peoples lives are
similar and different than ours.
T will then have students write a journal entry comparing and contrasting the lives of the Zulu people
with their own life

Assessment
This assessment will be with a journal entry rubric and a student self-assessment
 3 2 1
Compares/Contrasts Student has made cross Student talks about Student only talks
the two cultures cultural connections both cultures about his/her own
effectively and has written about separately and does cultures with no
the way their cultures not compare/contrast reference to the Zulu
are similar and the two people
different
Sentence Entry contains full Entry contains full Entry does not contain
structure/organization sentences and the sentences but the full sentences and does
of thoughts sequence of thoughts sequence of thoughts is not make sense as a
does not jump around hard to follow sequence of thoughts
from topic to topic
Length Entry is at least two Entry is one to two Entry is less than one
paragraphs in length paragraphs in length paragraph with each
which each paragraph with each paragraph paragraph being 4-5
being 4-5 sentences being 4-5 sentences sentences

Student Self-Assessment Name:________________

While singing in three parts today what do you feel you succeeded/excelled at? This could be a specific
measure, rhythmic/pitch accuracy, text or concentration throughout the class.

While singing in three parts today what areas do you think need some work? This could be a specific
measure, rhythmic/pitch accuracy, text or concentration throughout the class.
 End of the Unit Assessments
Student Self Assessment
At the end of the unit before the performance T will group a few students from each section into a small
group for a performance. T will then pair groups up and call them neighbor groups
While one group is performing their neighbor group will have this assessment sheet.

Student Peer Assessment

Name:__________________
Neighbor group number:
Your group number:

What was the strength of this group? This could be their dynamics, independency from the other parts,
pitch or rhythm accuracy, or facials

Think of yourself as the teacher, what is one thing you could help this group improve on and how would
you go about helping them?

In one to two sentences describe how their performance made you feel. Did they engage you as an
audience member? Make you feel happy? Sad?

Unit Exam
 Name:____________________
1. What language is Tshotsoloza written in?
Zulu
2. In one to two sentences what is the English translation of this piece?
Its about freedom and a train coming and taking the Zulu people away from slavery and to
freedom.
3. List one fact you learned about the Zulu people and their culture (hint: think back to your journal
entries)
This could be a fact they had written in their journal entry

4. What musical form is Tshotoloza?

a. AB form
b. ABA form
c. ABBA form

5. On the staff below write one of the syncopations found in Tshotoloza. Make sure to write in your
counts below as well

6. Listen to the following example and write and notate the rhythm the excerpt will be played three
times. It will be in 4/4 time and one measure long.

7. Compare/Contrast your culture with the culture of the Zulu people. This should be four to five
complete sentences in length and include at least two fact about the Zulu peoples culture.

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