1.)Students will arrive in class with the voice of Louis Armstrong playing on the stereo. When they are seated they will be asked to listen to an excerpt of “What a Wonderful World,” and then to write down what they think about his voice. (Is it strong, weak, breathy, loud, soft, etc.)
2.)Students will then examine the website article displayed by the overhead projector.
3.)They will copy the diagram of the voice, including the mouth, larynx and vocal cords, windpipe, lungs, and diaphragm.
4.)Students will then be directed to do the breathing exercise activity. They should feel their diaphragm expand and fill their lungs completely if done correctly.
5.)Students will discuss why they think it is important for singers to do breathing exercises.
6.)Students will read in their Sing! textbook on page 6 the section about breathing to confirm their discussion on the importance of breathing to keep the voice healthy.
7.)Students will write down what they think would happen if Louis Armstrong never exercised his voice. What would he sound like?
8.)Students will then listen to Aretha Franklin singing “Respect.”
9.)Students will write down her vocal characteristics and timbre.
10.)Students may wish to engage in a discussion about Aretha Franklin's voice.
11.)Students will then be told to read pages 7 and 8 in the Sing! textbook.
12.)Students will then be asked to stand up and do a few vocal exercises—concentrating on proper vowel sounds.
13.)Teacher will demonstrate the proper way of singing them, and the class will echo.
14.)Teacher needs to be sure to assess every student’s vowel sounds and listen to them individually.
15.)Students will then be told to sit down and observe the following website:
( "Vocal Vowels) This site has sound bites that demostrate the different vowel sounds of the voice
16.)They will see how the tongue placement, soft palate, and lip structure all contribute to producing vowel sounds.
17.)Students will then listen to Celine Dion’s “Power of Love” and compare her vowel sounds to Mariah Carey’s vowel sounds in her song, “Vision of Love.”
18.)Students will discuss whether or not the two singers would sound good together in a choir setting.
19.)Students will then discuss why it is important to practice matching vowels sounds when singing in a choir.
20.)Students will then make up a vowel vocal exercise and write it down on manuscript paper and turn in before leaving class.
21.)After this lesson, have students take turns leading the vowel vocal exercise during daily warm-ups.
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