Students will demonstrate a knowledge of their voice type and vocal range by singing few bars of music in their range.
Materials Needed
Piano or keyboard, many various musical theatre sheets of music, if the teacher is unable to type the students voices then have a vocal coach come into the class, copies of the voice ranges and types of voices.
Broadway music songs are playing as the students walk into class.
Instruction
Transition: The teacher discusses how anyone can sing or talk sings a musical song. Refer to the excerpts you showed the students from last class where some of the songs had the character talk singing. Reassure the students if they know their singing range and type of voice then they can choose the perfect musical song for them to perform.
Modeling: Have a volunteer or the teacher model singing scales up and down to find their singing range. Once they know their range then they can be typed as a bass, baritone, tenor, alto, second soprano, or soprano and so forth.
Directions: Explain to the students they will all warm up together and then in groups of two or three will be singing scales so the teacher or vocal coach can determine their range. While others are having their voices checked they can start looking at the provided sheets of music to choose from or choose one of their own. A teacher’s assistant, or a responsible student, can be in charge of the materials students can look through while others are getting their voices typed.
Instruction: The teacher or vocal coach has each student sing scales and then lets them know their vocal range and their type of voice such as bass, soprano, etc. It really would be good to have a vocal coach do this so the teacher can then help the students to pick out some possible music pieces in their range.
Independent Practice: When students choose some possible songs they can go back to the vocal coach or have the teacher play the tune on the piano and they sing along to be sure it is in their range. The teacher also gives the student participation points when they have completed this aspect of voice typing.
CLOSURE:
Have students gather together and explain to them that they will have more class time to choose a musical piece to perform. Let them know if they did not see anything they are interested in from class then they can certainly get their own music to work on and bring to class.
Assessment
The students are assessed on their participation if they were willing to get their voice typed and they actively searched for music and sang some bars of their choice for the teacher that day. This activity is also worth points and will be part of their grade for this unit.
