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Unit of Study #44
Unit Components
School District:Tea
Unit of Study Title:Music – Richard Rodgers and Oscar Hammerstein
Grade Level:6-8
Time Frame:one or two periods - these are 85-minute blocks
Key Words:music, Rodgers & Hammerstein
 
Unit Designer:Leslie Fylling
Unit Designer E-mail:Leslie.Fylling@k12.sd.us
Date Added:6/14/2002 10:38:35 AM
Date Last Revised:6/26/2002 12:08:19 AM
 
Topic Area:Fine Arts
 
Peer Reviewer:Joy Lang
Peer Reviewer E-mail:Leslie.Fylling@k12.sd.us

Brief Summary of Unit: 1. Students will explore the biographies and music of Richard Rodgers and Oscar Hammerstein II.
2. Students will discover the historical impact on the American musical by R. & H.’s musical contributions.
3. Students will examine R. & H.’s last musical, “The Sound of Music”.
4. Students will discover the true story of the von Trapp family, and their association with R. & H.’s musical.
Students will Understand: 1. How the musical legends, Rodgers & Hammerstein, powerfully impacted the history of the American musical from their first collaboration, “Oklahoma!”.
2. The relationship between today’s modern musicals and R. & H.’s works.
3. How to incorporate a story’s plot into the music, lyrics, and choreography of a musical.
4. The real von Trapp Family Singers, and their backgrounds.

SD Content Standards
Link to Standards #1
Goal:

Fine Arts
Students will understand music's relationship to society, the other arts, disciplines outside the arts, history, and culture.
Indicator:Music Standard Five: Understanding Relationships
Benchmark(s):Students will understand music in relation to history and culture.
Other Content Standards:None Listed

Other Components
Essential Questions to Guide this Unit and Focus Teaching and Learning: 1.Who were Rodgers & Hammerstein, and why were they important to the development of the American musical?
2.What exactly did R. & H. do to change the American musical history?
Key Knowledge and Skills Students will Acquire: 1. Students will be able to name the reasons why “Oklahoma!” changed the musical genre forever.
2.Students will know the importance of linking the story’s (or drama’s) plot to the music, songs and dances within a musical.
Assessment Plan: Formative: Listening Journals, group work,note taking, web surfing on associated unit topics.

Summative: worksheets, word-find puzzles, unit test.
Learning Activities: 1. The students will begin the unit by viewing a powerpoint product, listening to, and then singing several of R. & H.’s songs.
2. In a small group, students will brainstorm and name other musicals. Songs within these musicals should incorporate the story’s plot. (The lyrics should advance the plot).
3. Students can look up the plots and their corresponding songs on the internet. (site is listed below).
Notes:Resources for this unit include:

Music Educators Journal (May 2002) pg.17
“Richard Rodgers: The Man and His Music”

www.web-comm.com/highland/oscar.htm

www.theatrehistory.com/american/musical014.html

www.trappfamilylodge.com/ (click in sidebar, Trapp Family Museum)
Internet Resource Link: http://lf005.k12.sd.us

Adapted from the the work of Jay McTighe and Grant Wiggins. Understanding by
Design. Association for Supervision and Curriculum Development. Alexandria, VA. 1998.

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