Ukulele! Strumming Through the Americas
Step-by-step lesson plans for grades 3-6
Teaching Artist Juan Manuel Trujillo introduces students to the ukulele.
Students will learn the basic principles of harmony and become acquainted with song forms. They’ll come together to form ensembles and play songs of the Americas.
LESSONS
This is the first lesson from the Strumming Through the Americas ukulele unit. Students will be introduced to the basic components and functions of the ukulele. They will learn the names of each part of the instrument and explore basic techniques required to produce correct sounds.
This is the second lesson from the Strumming Through the Americas ukulele unit. Students will be introduced to the ukulele’s most important function: displaying harmony using chords. They will learn to play a C chord and use rhythm to convey it in a musical context.
This is the third lesson from the Strumming Through the Americas ukulele unit. Students will visit the Dominican Republic with puppets Pepe and Tito to learn about the traditions of merengue and bachata music. Then students will participate in bachata rhythmic activities.
This is the fourth lesson from the Strumming Through the Americas ukulele unit. Students will learn their second chord, G, and implement a new strumming rhythm incorporating an upstroke. Then students will engage in an improvisation activity that uses two chords to create a song.
This is the fifth lesson from the Strumming Through the Americas ukulele unit. Students will learn their second song on the ukulele, “Las Dos Pisadas.” They will use the chords and strumming pattern from the previous lesson and learn to play the melody. Then students will participate in a recorded performance.
This is the sixth lesson from the Strumming Through the Americas ukulele unit. Students will visit Cuba and learn the song, “Guantanamera.” They will learn a third chord, play a new strumming technique/pattern, and incorporate singing into a performance of the song.
This is the seventh lesson from the Strumming Through the Americas ukulele unit. Students will visit their second location in the Americas–the Caribbean. They will explore melody and accompaniment parts for “Three-Note Calypso,” and learn a new chord and strumming pattern. Then students will perform a rendition of both parts.
This is the eighth lesson from the Strumming Through the Americas ukulele unit. Students will visit Brazil to learn “Three-Note Samba.” Students will also learn a chord accompaniment part and practice incorporating dynamics to shape the music. This lesson will culminate in a performance of the song featuring both parts.
This is the ninth lesson from the Strumming Through the Americas ukulele unit. Students will visit Venezuela to learn the unique components and rhythmic style of joropo. They will perform the song “Joropito de Tres Notas” and its accompanying melody and strumming pattern.
This is the tenth lesson from the Strumming Through The Americas ukulele unit. Students will visit Mexico and learn about Son Jarocho and its associated history and traditions. They will learn the main lyrical refrain and chord accompaniment from “La Bamba” - a traditional song from the son jarocho tradition, made famous by the iconic Ritchie Valens. They will then perform the song as a group.
This is the eleventh lesson from the Strumming Through The Americas ukulele unit. Students will visit the Dominican Republic to learn about Merengue. They will learn to play two new chords, Am and E7, then apply them to a new song, “Merengue Sin Letra.” Students will then incorporate lyrics and perform the song as a group.
This is the twelfth lesson from the Strumming Through The Americas ukulele unit. After learning for several weeks about music and cultures abroad, students will return to the United States to learn about the Blues. They will learn a new chord, A7, which will be applied to the song, “Killing Floor.” Students will then incorporate lyrics and perform the song as a group.
This is the thirteenth and final lesson from the Strumming Through The Americas ukulele unit. Students will culminate their journey through the Americas by learning a classic American song from the United States, “This Little Light of Mine.” They will discover the history behind spirituals and work songs in Black American music which inform the background of this piece. On the ukulele, they will learn a new chord, C7, which will be combined with many other chords covered over the last 12 lessons to construct the chord progression of the song. Students will then incorporate lyrics and perform the song as a group.