Unit 6: Dotted quarter-eighth notes (Tai-ti)

Music:
The focuses are to introduce students to musical elements: rhythm; and guide students to explore how composers composed pieces affected by the social, and cultural events that happened at that time.
  • Students will be able to perform and explain how the selection of music is influenced by personal interest, social context, and purposes. (We Shall Over Come). (Pr4.1)
  • Students will be able to identify dotted quarter and simple quadruple meter. (Do Re Mi, We Shall Over Come) (Pr4.2)
  • Students will be able to respond and explain the confections to personal interests, experiences, specific purposes, or context to the music (We Shall Over Come). (Re: 8.1)
  • Students will be able demonstrate how interests, knowledge, and skills relate to personal choices and intent when performing, and responding to music. (We Shall Over Come, may use SEL questions). (Cn10.0.)

SEL & Culturally Responsive Teaching and Learning:

The focuses of this unit are to guide students to explore self-awareness  and relationship skills.

 

HĀ:#2e - Strengthened Sense of Responsibility; #4c - Strengthened Sense of Aloha

  • Students will be able to explore how people make music and how the different styles of music affect our emotional feelings.
  • Students will be able to discover the importance of relationships among individuals and communities. Performing the same music in a different context can create different emotional reactions.
  • Students will be able to make positive decisions with moral courage and integrity when interacting with people from diverse populations. 

 

FOCUS KNOWLEDGE/SKILLS SONGS/CHANTS/BOOKS

RHYTHM

 

FORM

 

STYLE

  • Dotted quarter-eighth (tai-ti)
  • Same and different phrases 
  • STYLE
  • We Shall Overcome

Style

Watch the below video that is about the history of We Shall Overcome.

We Shall Overcome is a song sung by protestors who marched for equality during the Civil Rights Movement. Enslaved African Americans originally sang it before being formally published by Reverend Charles Albert Tindley as the hymn, "I'll Overcome Someday." Over time, the song has been adapted, changed, and eventually popularized by folk singer Pete Seeger. It continues to be a song of hope and a rallying cry for the work that must continue for peace and freedom.


Pete Seeger, a famous American folk singer talked about the song We Shall Overcome.

SEL: Self-awareness  and Relationship skills.

 

HĀ:#2e - Strengthened Sense of Responsibility; #4c - Strengthened Sense of Aloha

  • Introduce the history of the We Shall Overcome to the students (melody and lyrics). What led up to the composition of this song?
  • What is the meaning of the song to African Americans and those involved in the Civil Rights/Black Lives Matter Movement?
  •  Do you feel the same way when you sing the song as the performers? In what ways did you feel the same? In what ways did you feel different? Can we imagine ourselves in the place of those involved in the Civil Rights movement?
  • How can music bring people together?

SEL & HĀ: (same as above)

  • We heard two singers performing the song We Shall Overcome - Pete Seeger and Maggie. In what ways were the two versions the same? In what ways were they different? Did the two versions make you feel the same, or did they make you feel differently? Did anyone feel sad, angry, anxious, or empathetic?
  • How do our personal experiences affect how we feel about certain songs? For example, have you ever felt like you were up against a big problem that you felt was unfair?
  • Do you associate certain songs with specific memories or experiences? Explain.
  • Can you make a connection to We Shall Overcome in your life? If not, is there another song with a personal meaning for you (especially if you are going through something challenging, for example, during the pandemic)?
  • Will we overcome the crisis of COVID-19? Why or why not?
  • When Maggie sang, did she sing the exact rhythm and notes? Why do you think she sang differently?

Dotted Quarter and eight note (Tai-ti)

In Activity #1, students learned that ta = one beat and ti-ti = one beat. (Notice that it takes two tis, ti-ti, to make one beat.) So, one ti is half of a ta, or a half beat.
When we write ti-ti, the notes are connected with a beam.

When ti-ti is separated, the beam turns into flags.

When one ti is tied to a ta, the ti turns into a dot. We call the new note tai. A tai is usually followed by one ti creating the rhythm tai-ti. A tai-ti gets two beats.


Dotted Quarter-Eighth notes and major scale

  • Let's look at phrase #1 We Shall Overcome. Can you identify the dotted-eighth (tai-ti) notes?

  • Speak the rhythm with ta, tai-ti, and to-o.

  • Speak then sing lyrics following the rhythm.

The below score is for teachers' reference. Please note that students haven't learned triplet and whole note.

SEL & HĀ: (same as above)
  • We Shall Overcome uses a major scale. How does that affect the message or feelings that the song communicates?
  • How does the sound of songs change when we have two additional notes (fa, ti) instead of a pentatonic scale? Does it add different colors or characteristics to the melody? (When we have more notes, it's possible to move more by step versus skip and/or the skips can be more unpredictable.) 
  • What emotions do you feel after listening to We Shall Overcome? How does the song communicate these feelings through musical elements (tone, tempo, harmony, dynamics, form, etc.)?
  • Who does this song "belong" to? Is it appropriate to sing it outside of the Civil Rights context?

Mahalo for feedback and suggestions from Katherine Alarcio, Janice Boychuk, Holly Cowdery, Lauren Fagaragan, and Kevin Morita.

Suggestions or questions? Post here:

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