7th Grade Music Songs

Dive into the world of argumentative writing with a fresh, culturally relevant approach! This comprehensive resource uses the popular song "The Boy is Mine" by Brandy and Monica to introduce middle school students to the key elements of a strong argument.

Learning Objectives:

• Trace an argument using song lyrics.
• Identify the essential components of an argumentative essay.

What's Inside:

• A 60-minute lesson plan aligned with CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.W.8.1, CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.W.7.1, and CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.W.6.1.
• A 12-slide PowerPoint presentation.
• Chunked and labeled song lyrics for clarity and ease of tracing arguments.
• Vocabulary words: argument, counterargument, and rebuttal.
• Engaging writing activities, including a Do Now, lyric annotation, and a tracing argument graphic organizer.

Usage Scenario: Perfect for middle school ELA teachers and interventionists, this resource is both engaging and educational. Start with a Do Now activity, delve into vocabulary, and introduce students to the iconic artists. After watching the music video, students will actively engage with the lyrics, tracing the arguments of each singer. By the end of the lesson, students will form and share their opinions on which singer presented the strongest argument. The PowerPoint also includes additional discourse questions for extended engagement.

Highlights!

• Print & Go: This resource is ready to be used with minimal preparation.
• High Engagement: Incorporate what students love (music) with what they need to master (argumentative writing).
• Culturally Relevant: Connect with students using a song they recognize and enjoy.

Elevate your teaching game with this innovative resource. Ideal for middle school grades, it aligns with key educational standards, ensuring your students are on the right track while having fun!

Whether you have experience teaching music or not, this unit is for you. Have a small budget or no budget for teaching music? I have included ways to make music with your students for very little money. I have used this unit for 5 years teaching music and every year the students love it. This unit will give you a semester (or half a year) worth of material to use with approximately 2 periods of music per week.

What is bucket drumming?

Bucket drumming is a relatively inexpensive way to bring rhythmic practices into the classroom. This unit is designed to be accessible for all teachers to use, regardless of musical training. The use of familiar words helps both teachers and students learn simple rhythms together. The rhythms increase in difficulty and there are options for easy, medium, and hard rhythms. This allows for easy modifications and accommodations ensuring that students of all abilities are successful in this unit. I have taught variations of this unit with grade 6-8 students for over 5 years with success, and these lessons can be modified for other grade levels.

In my experience, students love bucket drumming and enjoy the lessons in this unit. One activity that you can use when you have a few extra minutes is the Elimination Game, and students LOVE it! It can be used as a great warm-up game and to reinforce the skills taught in this unit.

This unit includes games, lessons, and activities to help strengthen ear training, encourage active listening, develop rhythmic abilities, develop composition skills, explore creativity, and most importantly, to have fun! I have also included some helpful information to get bucket drumming started in your classroom. Included in this unit are lessons, games. activities, and rubrics where needed. There are a solid 21 – 31 periods worth of work included in this unit (possibly more).

Included below are the overall lesson plans and activities included in this unit. Most “lessons” can be used for multiple periods and the approximate number of periods is included in brackets beside the activity. I have based these periods on approximately 45 minutes each. These lessons include opportunities to read music, compose, and perform.

Introduction to Bucket Drumming (1 - 2 periods)

Elimination Game (1 period)

Elements of Music (2 – 3 periods)

Rhythm Cards (2 – 3 period)

8 Bar Rhythm Challenges (4 – 6 periods)

Let’s Compose! (5 – 6 periods)

Stomp Composition (6 – 10 periods)

If you have any questions, please let me know! Happy Bucket Drumming!

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RHYTHM BASKETBALL is in with STAR WARS and it's sure to get your kids singing and bouncing right along -- it's "Duel of the Fates" Trap Remix!

There are four all-color coded slides along with the form identifiers listed next to each phrase. Discuss form with the students and teach them (by rote) the rhythms on the powerpoint with the corresponding repeats (most are repeated 4 times).

• For this, your students will each have a basketball (can be regulation size or smaller) and bounce their ball on the ground each time they see a Death Star icon. Each Death Star is denoted as a quarter note. The rests are in between each ball for the students to hold the ball.

• There's also a "pat" icon with a hand below the Death Star icon itself, so you will have the student hold the basketball in one hand and pat the ball on the beat

• Death Star icons that are in pairs are played as paired eighth notes

The track can be found here to play right along:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zDlr566eYcg

Have fun with this and let us know how it goes!

Is your young drummer hungry for more solos and activities outside of the Rock'n'Rollin Level 3 Book?

Have no fear! Introducing...the Rock'n'Rollin' Level 3 ENCORE Book!

The ENCORE Book includes MORE SOLOS and ACTIVITIES to tide your drummer over until they get into Level 5.

Solos in Level 4 ENCORE use the traditional 5-line staff using 4/4, 3/4 and 6/8 time signatures.

Rock'n'Rollin 4 ENCORE can be used in tandem with the Level 4 method book, or as a transition into the Level 5 method book (to be released in 2025).

Curriculum connections: Music, Language, Visual Art   Grades: 6-8 What is Included: Songza Assignment (rough copy and final assignment with writing/art), Lesson Ideas, a rubric.   About this Assignment:   This is a great back to school lesson to use with students in September. It provides students with a chance to reflect on their music preferences while learning about musical terms, and about an online music streaming site. It is a chance for your students to curate their own playlists. This activity is suitable for grade 6-8 students. This activity also gives teachers a chance to get to know the music preferences of their students to help create future lessons based on their interests. This lesson could be adapted to be used with other online music streaming websites. The lesson also encourages students to start to discuss music in ways beyond “I like this song”. They can start to learn about the categories in Songza such as genre and decade. There is a short writing piece included so that students can express why they selected the songs they did for their own Songza Playlists. This assignment can be adapted and used to suit the needs of your students.

By popular request, here's an arrangement of the holiday hit that'll sure to get your bucket drumming kids fired up, The Nutrocker, based on theme from Tchaikovsky's ballet The Nutcracker performed by the Trans Siberian Orchestra!

There are five all-color coded slides along with the form identifiers listed next to each phrase. Discuss form with the students and teach them (by rote) the rhythms on the powerpoint with the corresponding repeats (most are repeated 1, 2, or 4 times). Then, apply it to drums!

All regular notation is to be played on the buckets (or drums, or ground, however you wish), and the X notation (with a down stem) are played as stick clicks above their head (or you could apply it to a tambourine or other auxiliary instrument)

The mp3 is included in this resource, so feel free to play right along!

Terms of Use:

All images/photos/clip art in this resource were created by me.

__________________________________

*** Looking for more BUCKET DRUMMING resources? *** Find them here!

Is your young drummer hungry for more solos and activities outside of the Rock'n'Rollin Level 4 Book?

Have no fear! Introducing...the Rock'n'Rollin' Level 4 ENCORE Book!

The ENCORE Book includes MORE SOLOS and ACTIVITIES to tide your drummer over until they get into Level 5.

Solos in Level 3 ENCORE use the traditional 5-line staff and use the time signatures found in book 4 such as 4/4, 3/4 and 6/8, as well as the concepts of new dynamics, repeats and more.

Rock'n'Rollin 3 ENCORE can be used in tandem with the Level 4 method book, or as a transition into the Level 5 method book, expected out in 2025.

This version of the book is REPRODUCIBLE, so you can make as many copies of the book as needed.

By popular request, here's an advanced arrangement of the holiday hit that'll sure to get your bucket drumming kids fired up, First Snow, by the Trans Siberian Orchestra!

There are four all-color coded slides along with the form identifiers listed next to each phrase. Discuss form with the students and teach them (by rote) the rhythms on the powerpoint with the corresponding repeats (most are repeated 3 or 4 times). Then, apply it to drums!

All regular notation is to be played on the buckets (or drums, or ground, however you wish), and the X notation (with a down stem) are played as stick clicks above their head (or you could apply it to a tambourine or other auxiliary instrument)

This version differs from the standard version with the implementation of sixteenth note patterns (which is great to work on with your kids for alternating hands!)

Here's the track so you can play along...

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=R0DngW4WOGY

Terms of Use:

All images/photos/clip art in this resource were created by me.

*** Looking for more BUCKET DRUMMING resources? ***

**
Find them here!**

Is your young drummer hungry for more solos and activities outside of the Rock'n'Rollin Level 3 Book?

Have no fear! Introducing...the Rock'n'Rollin' Level 3 ENCORE Book!

The ENCORE Book includes MORE SOLOS and ACTIVITIES to tide your drummer over until they get into Level 4.

Solos in Level 3 ENCORE use the traditional 5-line staff and use the time signatures found in book 3 such as 4/4, 3/4 and 6/8.

Rock'n'Rollin 3 ENCORE can be used in tandem with the Level 3 method book, or as a transition into the Level 4 method book, expected out early 2024.

This version of the book is REPRODUCIBLE, so you can make as many copies of the book as needed.

In "KING CAT", introduce your kids to some great music from indigenous instruments from Africa! Using your classroom Djembe or Tubanos, learn the music by rote by taking it one rehearsal section at a time (with rehearsal markings [A], [B], [C], and so forth). This is terrific practice with your older students who want to work on alternating hands, especially with trickier syncopations and advanced rhythms such as sequential triplets and sixteenth notes!

The notation on the first space F is a bass (middle of the drum) and the notation on the third space C is a tone (four fingers near the rim of the drum, pitched a bit higher)

At the end, wrap it up and put on a show! Want to layer it?

• Have tambourines or shakers play on specified beats (try 2 and 4)
• Have shakers play 16th notes all the way throughout or in specific sections
• Have half the class play 1st and 3rd measures, the other half play 2nd and 4th measures
• Do it in a round! :)

Use this in class, a concert, a parent showcase, admin, faculty and staff, whatever you wish!

Have a terrific time with this one :)

Is your young drummer hungry for more solos and activities outside of the Rock'n'Rollin Level 2 Book?

Have no fear! Introducing...the Rock'n'Rollin' Level 2 ENCORE Book!

The ENCORE Book includes 20 MORE SOLOS and MORE ACTIVITIES to tide your drummer over until they get into Level 3.

Solos in Level 2 ENCORE use the traditional 5-line staff found in Unit 2 of the Level 2 method book and incorporate all the instruments on a drumset.

Rock'n'Rollin 2 ENCORE can be used in tandem with the Level 2 method book, or as a transition into the Level 3 method book.

Be sure to check out our other Rock'n'Rollin method books:

• Rock'n'Rollin' Level 1 (Single User Licence)
• Rock'n'Rollin' Level 1 (Studio/School Licence)
• Rockn'Rollin' Level 2 (Single User Licence)
• Rock'n'Rollin' Level 2 (Studio/School Licence)

This version of the book is REPRODUCIBLE, so you can make as many copies of the book as needed.

Need to connect with your kids with their pop music through general music? Involve them in bucket drumming with the hit song from the 1995 smash film "A Goofy Movie" with I 2 I from Powerline!

There are four all-color coded slides along with the form identifiers listed next to each phrase. Discuss form with the students and teach them (by rote) the rhythms on the powerpoint with the corresponding repeats (most are repeated 4, 6, or 8 times). Then, apply it to drums!

All regular notation is to be played on the buckets (or drums, or ground, however you wish), and the X notation (with a down stem) are played as stick clicks above their head (or you could apply it to a tambourine or other auxiliary instrument)

Here's the track so you can play along...

https://youtu.be/-qzWOhUURzo?si=quREsFN87FIonlmh

Have fun with this and let us know how it goes!
Terms of Use:

All images/photos/clip art in this resource were created by me.

__________________________________

*** Looking for more BUCKET DRUMMING resources? *** Find them here!

The next level in the Rock'n'Rollin' method books! In R'n'R 2, we transition from a simple 3-line staff, to a full 5-line staff. The book focuses on getting students used to reading and playing on the 5-line staff. Other concepts in the book include stickings and rudiments, time signatures, rests, and introduces note and rest names like Quarters, Half's, and Whole's. Color is still used throughout the book to help with the transition on the staff.

The book itself is 100 pages and includes various activities, pages for composition, and a practice tracker in the back. At the end of the book, students may also fill out the Awesomeness Certificate to show they've completed the book!

Please note, this book is licensed for you to make multiple copies for teachers and students. You may duplicate as needed!

Need to connect with your kids with their pop music through general music (which has turned into a great video meme)? Involved them with BUCKET DRUMMING! in the video turned meme "The Whopper Song"!

There are three all-color coded slides along with the form identifiers listed next to each phrase. Discuss form with the students and teach them (by rote) the rhythms on the powerpoint with the corresponding repeats (most are repeated 4, 6, or 8 times). Then, apply it to drums!

All regular notation is to be played on the buckets (or drums, or ground, however you wish), and the X notation (with a down stem) are played as stick clicks above their head (or you could apply it to a tambourine or other auxiliary instrument)

Here's the track so you can play along...

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=b35HEjVX9Wg

Have fun with this and let us know how it goes!

Terms of Use:

All images/photos/clip art in this resource were created by me.

__________________________________

*** Looking for more BUCKET DRUMMING resources? *** Find them here!

Is your young drummer hungry for more solos and activities outside of the Rock'n'Rollin Level 2 Book?

Have no fear! Introducing...the Rock'n'Rollin' Level 2 ENCORE Book!

The ENCORE Book includes 20 MORE SOLOS and MORE ACTIVITIES to tide your drummer over until they get into Level 3.

Solos in Level 2 ENCORE use the traditional 5-line staff found in Unit 2 of the Level 2 method book and incorporate all the instruments on a drumset.

Rock'n'Rollin 2 ENCORE can be used in tandem with the Level 2 method book, or as a transition into the Level 3 method book.

Be sure to check out our other Rock'n'Rollin method books:

• Rock'n'Rollin' Level 1 (Single User Licence)
• Rock'n'Rollin' Level 1 (Studio/School Licence)
• Rockn'Rollin' Level 2 (Single User Licence)
• Rock'n'Rollin' Level 2 (Studio/School Licence)

Right in time for your Christmas instrumentalists, we present to you Brenda Lee's hit Rockin' Around the Christmas Tree re-imagined as a HIP HOP TRAP MIX for BUCKET DRUMMING!

There are three all-color coded slides along with the form identifiers listed next to each phrase. Discuss form with the students and teach them (by rote) the rhythms on the powerpoint with the corresponding repeats (most are grouped 2 or 4 times). Then, apply it to drums!

All regular notation is to be played on the buckets (or drums, or ground, however you wish), and the X notation (with a down stem) are played as stick clicks above their head (or you could apply it to a tambourine or other auxiliary instrument)

The mp3 track is included in this one, so no need to YouTube it. Have fun with this and let us know how it goes!

Terms of Use:

All images/photos/clip art in this resource were created by me.

__________________________________

*** Looking for more BUCKET DRUMMING resources? *** Find them here!

Introducing our NEW Accelertated Rock'n'Rollin'!

Accelerated Rock'n'Rollin' is designed for the beginning drummer in ages 13 and up, and even adults! The book is a combination of levels 1 and 2 which dives straight into reading music on the simplified staff with the abbreviations on circles (notes and moves students through reading drum music on the staff, learning note values, time signatures, and dynamics. In this book, patterns are called solos.

There are also a hand full of composing activities throughout the book. Remember that students should not be rushed through the book, and it is completely okay to keep students working on a certain section or pattern for a few weeks at a time until they’re comfortable.

To make sure they’re playing with accuracy, start off each pattern around 60bpm. You can adjust the tempo from there as they learn the patterns.

The book flows in the following order:

• Introduce the Instruments on a simplified 3-line staff.

• Moves to a traditional 5-line staff.

• Introduce notes as quarter notes on the staff, and changes cymbals to cross notes.

• Introduce Half Notes and Rests, Whole Notes and Rests, and Dotted half notes.

• Introduce Rudiments and Stickings.

  • From Book 2, “ROCK’N’RUDIMENTS” readies students to learn and play simple stickings in 4/4 and 3/4 times using Quarters, Whole, Halfs, and Eighth notes. These rudiments can be used for fills, and can be revisited later on. 

• Introduces beamed 8th notes (2 sounds in 1 beat.)

• Introduces Forte and Piano dynamics. 

Printing instructions are included on the first page, with a print authorization certificate on page 2. The book is pages 3-102 in the document. Duplication is ALLOWED with this product. E-mail us at: zsmusiceducation@gmail.com for more information.

In "To the Skies!", introduce your kids to some great music from indigenous instruments from Africa! Using your classroom Djembe or Tubanos (along with tambourines), learn the music by rote by aking it one rehearsal section at a time (with rehearsal markings [A], [B], [C], and so forth). This is terrific practice with your older students who want to work on alternating hands and adding different timbres in with the tambourine

Included is the key for tubano and tambourine notation

At the end, wrap it up and put on a show! Want to layer it?

• Have shakers play eighth notes or dotted quarters all the way throughout or in specific sections
• Have half the class play 1st and 3rd measures, the other half play 2nd and 4th measures
• Do it in a round! :)

Use this in class, a concert, a parent showcase, admin, faculty and staff, whatever you wish!

Have a terrific time with this one :)

Introducing our NEW Accelertated Rock'n'Rollin'!

Accelerated Rock'n'Rollin' is designed for the beginning drummer in ages 13 and up, and even adults! The book is a combination of levels 1 and 2 which dives straight into reading music on the simplified staff with the abbreviations on circles (notes and moves students through reading drum music on the staff, learning note values, time signatures, and dynamics. In this book, patterns are called solos.

There are also a hand full of composing activities throughout the book. Remember that students should not be rushed through the book, and it is completely okay to keep students working on a certain section or pattern for a few weeks at a time until they’re comfortable.

To make sure they’re playing with accuracy, start off each pattern around 60bpm. You can adjust the tempo from there as they learn the patterns.

The book flows in the following order:

• Introduce the Instruments on a simplified 3-line staff.

• Moves to a traditional 5-line staff.

• Introduce notes as quarter notes on the staff, and changes cymbals to cross notes.

• Introduce Half Notes and Rests, Whole Notes and Rests, and Dotted half notes.

• Introduce Rudiments and Stickings.

  • From Book 2, “ROCK’N’RUDIMENTS” readies students to learn and play simple stickings in 4/4 and 3/4 times using Quarters, Whole, Halfs, and Eighth notes. These rudiments can be used for fills, and can be revisited later on. 

• Introduces beamed 8th notes (2 sounds in 1 beat.)

• Introduces Forte and Piano dynamics. 

Printing instructions are included on the first page, with a print authorization certificate on page 2. The book is pages 3-102 in the document. Duplication is Prohibited. E-mail us at: zsmusiceducation@gmail.com for more information.

A fall classic just in time for the spooky bucket drums to come out is the smash introductory song from Disney's hit movie of the same name, we present to you the theme from "Hocus Pocus"!

There are three all-color coded slides along with the form identifiers listed next to each phrase. Discuss form with the students and teach them (by rote) the rhythms on the powerpoint with the corresponding repeats (most are repeated 4 times). Then, apply it to drums!

All regular notation is to be played on the buckets (or drums, or ground, however you wish), and the X notation (with a down stem) are played as stick clicks above their head (or you could apply it to a tambourine or other auxiliary instrument)

Here's the track so you can play along...

https://youtu.be/tgagV6SqeR4

This is a terrific fortifier for triplets -- Keep it steady and keep it spooky!

Have fun with this and let us know how it goes!

__________________________________

*** Looking for more BUCKET DRUMMING resources? *** Find them here!