Teacher Name: Amy Jackson
Content & Grade Level: General Music 6
Unit Title: Ukulele Basics
Essential Question(s):
How does learning to play the ukulele expand your overall understanding of music in
society?
How does it allow you to improve your own musicianship?
Unit Question(s):
How does listening to and playing popular songs and folk tunes broaden your
appreciation for musicians and music making?
How does your knowledge of chord progressions help you to understand tonic,
dominant, and predominant structures in music?
NCA Standards:
▪ MU: Pr4 1.6🡪 Apply teacher provided criteria for selecting music to perform for
a specific purpose and/or context, and explain why each was chosen.
▪ MU: Pr4 2.4🡪 a) a Explain how understanding the structure and the elements
of music are used in music selected for performance
b) When analyzing selected music, read and identify by name or function
standard symbols for rhythm, pitch, articulation, and dynamics.
c) Identify how cultural and historical context inform performances.
▪ MU: Pr4 3.6🡪 Perform a selected piece of music demonstrating how their
interpretations of the elements of music and the expressive qualities (such as
dynamics, tempo, timbre, articulation/style, and phrasing ) convey intent.
▪ MU: Pr5 1.6🡪 Identify and apply teacher-provided criteria (such as correct
interpretation of notation, technical accuracy, originality, and interest) to
rehearse, refine, and determine when a piece is ready to perform.
▪ MU: Pr6 1.6🡪 a Perform the music with technical accuracy to convey the
creator’s intent.
▪ MU: Re7 1.6🡪 Select or choose music to listen to and explain the connections to
specific interests or experiences for a specific purpose.
▪ MU: Re7 2.6🡪 b) Identify the context of music from a variety of genres, cultures,
and historical periods.
▪ MU: Cn10 1.6🡪 a) Demonstrate how interests, knowledge, and skills relate to
personal choices and intent when creating, performing, and responding to
music.
State Standards:
▪ 3CE Identify different functions and uses of music in American and other
cultures.
▪ 5CE Distinguish between and among the use of dynamics, meter, tempo and
tonality in various pieces through active listening.
▪ 2PR Play a variety of classroom instruments, independently or collaboratively,
with increasingly complex rhythms and melodic phrases.
▪ 1RE Develop criteria to evaluate the quality and effectiveness of music
performances and compositions including their own.
▪ 2RE Reflect on a variety of live or recorded music performances
Measurable Unit Objectives:
▪ Students will learn the C, C7, A, Ami, F, G, G7, D, D7, Dmi, and E7 chords on the
ukulele.
▪ Students will learn a variety of ukulele repertoire utilizing the aforementioned
chords.
▪ Students will experiment with strum patterns that add rhythmic contrast to
their playing.
▪ Students will explore elements of music theory through experimentation with
the ukulele.
▪ Students will develop active listening skills by watching various ukulele
performances and tutorials
▪ Students will be able to read ukulele tablature and chord charts.
▪ Students will be able to select ukulele repertoire that is appropriate for their
skill level.
Academic Language:
▪ Chord: a cluster of pitches played simultaneously to harmonize a melody.
▪ Chord Progression: A sequence of chords played one after another
▪ Chord Chart: A diagram showing a range of chords and how the fingers should
be applied to the string to play the particular chord
▪ Tablature/Tab: a system of music notation for stringed instruments used an
alternative to sheet music. In tablature, the notes appear as numbers
representing the fret position on a set of liens representing the strings
▪ Fingerboard: The area over which the strings run and into which the frets are
mounted
▪ Neck: the piece of wood that holds the fingerboard
▪ Fret: a sequence of bars or ridges on the fingerboard of the ukulele, used for
fixing the positions of the fingers to produce the desired chord. By holding a
string between frets, the fret nearest the bridge acts as as a nut and shortens
the length of the string, hence raising the pitch
▪ Tuning Peg: the peg attached to the string that is turned to loosen or tighten it
in order to adjust the pitch.
▪ Strumming: the action that involves running the fingers over all or some of the
strings in rhythm
▪ Down Stroke: the strumming action across the ukulele strings moving from top
to bottom
▪ Up Stroke: the strumming action across the ukulele strings moving from bottom
to top
▪ Modulate: to change key within a piece of music
Unit Plan Rationale:
The purpose of this unit is to introduce students to the fundamental principles of
playing the ukulele. Therefore, I have structured this unit to be primarily performance
based. According to J. Hill and J. Chalmers Doane of “Ukulele in the Classroom,” two
45-minute lessons per week have been most effective when teaching ukulele to 4th, 5th,
and 6th grade students. It is for this reason that I have chosen to have my lessons
intermittently throughout the semester on Tuesdays and Thursdays, rather than a two
or three week comprehensive unit. This unit will help shape the rest of the curriculum
by providing students with an effective and appropriate medium to compose and
arrange songs for the musical creativity unit, as well as their opera/musical, and
art-inspired piece.
Duration of Unit:
● 9 weeks
● Lessons to occur every Tuesday and Thursday.
● Total of 18 days playing Ukulele
Calendar of Lessons:
Lesson 1: Ukulele 101
▪ Ukulele History🡪 origin of the ukulele and its use throughout time
▪ Ukulele Anatomy🡪 parts of the ukulele, how to hold it, etc.
▪ Self-Guided Exploration of the Instrument
Lesson 2: The C chord
● Learn to play the C chord on the ukulele and apply it in several songs.
o Perform:
Are you Sleeping?
Three Blind Mice
Row Row Row Your Boat
▪ In a round
● Experiment with different strum patterns
Lesson 3: The A minor Chord and the C7 Chord
● Learn to play the Ami chord on the ukulele and apply it in several songs
o Perform:
Hey, Ho! Nobody Home
Koomalama
● Learn to play the C7 Chord on the ukulele and apply it in a song
o Perform:
Coconut
Lesson 4: The F Chord and the A chord
● Learn to play the F Chord and apply it in a song
o Perform
Frére Jaques
● Experiment with switching back and forth between two chords and apply it in
two-chord songs
o Perform
Day-O (The Banana Boat Song)
● Learn to play the A chord
● Experiment with different strum patterns
Lesson 5: Switching between the F Chord, C/C7 chord, and Ami Chord
● Continue practicing with switching back and forth between two chords and
explore several more songs that switch chords
o Perform
Day-O (The Banana Boat Song)
I Don’t Care (I Love It)
Deep in the Heart of Texas
● Experiment with different strum patterns
Lesson 6: The G Chord and the G7 chord
● Learn to play the G chord and apply it in a song
o Perform
Low Rider
● Learn the G7 chord
Lesson 7: Switching Between the G chord and C chord using two-chord songs
● Practice switching back and forth between the G chord and the C chord
o Perform
Jambalaya (On the Bayou)
Lesson 8: Three-Chord Songs
● Practice switching between the G/G7, C, and F chords and apply it in songs.
o Perform
Three Little Birds
Happy Birthday
The Lion Sleeps Tonight
Lesson 9: Three-Chord Songs
● Continue practicing switching between the G/G7, C/C7, and F chords and apply
it in songs
o Perform
The Lion Sleeps Tonight
You Are My Sunshine
Crawdad Song
● Experiment with different strum patterns
Lesson 10: Three-Chord Songs
● Continue practicing switching between the G/G7, C/C7, and F chords and apply
it in songs
o Perform
Twist and Shout
Review by performing the class’s choice in songs previously played
● Experiment with different strum patterns
● Add the Ami Chord
o Perform
Shake It off
Riptide
Lesson 11: Four-Chord Songs
● Practice switching between C, F, G, and Ami chords and apply it in songs
o Perform
Let It Be
The Cup Song (You’re Gonna Miss Me)
Lesson 12: Four-Chord Songs
● Continue practicing switching between C, F, G, and Ami chords and apply it in
songs
o Perform
Ho Hey
Counting Stars
● Experiment with different strum patterns
Lesson 13: The D Chord
● Learn to play the D chord and apply it songs
o Perform
Sweet Home Alabama
Ring of Fire
● Experiment with different strum patterns
Lesson 14: The D Chord and D7 Chord
● Continue practicing the D Chord and applying it in songs
o Perform
Radioactive
● Learn to play the D7 Chord and apply it in songs
o Perform
This Land Is Your Land
I’m Yours
● Experiment with different strum patterns
Lesson 15: The D minor Chord
● Learn to play the Dmi Chord and apply it in songs
o Perform
Don’t Worry Be Happy
YMCA
Scooby Doo Theme
● Experiment with different strum patterns
Lesson 16: The E7 Chord and Review
● Learn to play the E7 Chord and apply it in songs
o Perform
Joshua Fought the Battle of Jericho
● Review any trouble spots in transitioning from chord to chord
Lesson 17: Ukulele “Jam Sesh” Part 1
● Students reflect on the material they’ve learned this semester by playing songs
that use all or most of the chords we’ve learned this semester
● Teacher’s Choice
o Perform
Hallelujah
I’m a Believer
Somewhere Over the Rainbow
Someone to Lava
House of Gold
Lesson 18: Ukulele “Jam Sesh” Part 2
● Students reflect on the material they’ve learned this semester by playing songs
that use all or most of the chords we’ve learned this semester
● Student’s Choice
o Perform
TBD
Planned Assessments and Rationale:
Due to the low-risk environment presented by this performance-based unit,
assessments will be formative rather than summative. The goal is to familiarize
students with the instrument by the end of the semester, and due to the short time
frame, time cannot be spent doing individual performance exams. In addition to these
formative assessments, students will evaluate their participation at the end of each
class period by rating themselves on a scale of 1-3 where “3” is excellent, and “1” is
non-participatory.
