Dr. Michael Kester-Haynes

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Grade 6 Vocal Music Units

Unit Plan 4 (Grade 6 Vocal Music): Pitch Matching & Echo Singing

Strengthen pitch matching with echo singing and call-and-response, then build confidence through simple sol–mi–la improvisation and rehearsal strategies that improve tuning, rhythm, and blend.

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Grade 6 Vocal Music Units

Unit Plan 3 (Grade 6 Vocal Music): Finding the Singing Voice

Build healthy head voice and explore vocal range for changing voices through gentle exercises, singing, and listening for tempo, dynamics, and pitch highs/lows.

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Grade 6 Vocal Music Units

Unit Plan 2 (Grade 6 Vocal Music): Singing Posture & Breathing

Grade 6 choir unit building healthy singing posture and breath support to promote confident tone, vocal safety, and strong technique for changing voices.

Grade 6 Vocal Music Units

Unit Plan 1 (Grade 6 Vocal Music): Choir Routines & Expectations

Introductory Grade 6 choir unit building rehearsal routines, vocal safety habits, and ensemble responsibility to foster positive collaboration and community.

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K-2 Lesson Plans

Lesson Plan (Grades K-2): Hop-Scotch Math Marathon - A Comprehensive K–2 Math & Movement Unit

High-energy K–2 unit using hopscotch movement to build number recognition, addition/subtraction skills, simple fractions, teamwork, and math confidence.

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Grade 7 Vocal Music Units

Unit Plan 36 (Grade 7 Vocal Music): Vocal Performance Day

Grade 7 choir culminating unit performing with accuracy, expression, and ensemble etiquette while reflecting on growth as singers and audience members.

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Grade 7 Vocal Music Units

Unit Plan 35 (Grade 7 Vocal Music): Preparing to Perform

Grade 7 choir unit polishing final repertoire through feedback and rehearsal strategies to strengthen accuracy, expression, ensemble unity, and performance readiness.

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Grade 7 Vocal Music Units

Unit Plan 34 (Grade 7 Vocal Music): Vocal Choice & Purpose

Grade 7 choir unit explaining how tone, diction, text, style, and personal identity help vocal music fit specific purposes and audiences.

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Grade 7 Vocal Music Units

Unit Plan 33 (Grade 7 Vocal Music): Evaluating Our Singing

Grade 7 choir unit evaluating personal and ensemble performances using rubrics, citing musical evidence to justify ratings and set improvement goals.

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Grade 7 Vocal Music Units

Unit Plan 32 (Grade 7 Vocal Music): Expressive Performance

Grade 7 choir unit developing expressive, stylistically accurate performance through clear pitch, rhythm, diction, tone, and intentional musical choices.

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Grade 7 Vocal Music Units

Unit Plan 31 (Grade 7 Vocal Music): Independent Rehearsal Skills

Grade 7 choir unit building independent practice skills using rehearsal strategies to improve blend, balance, intonation, rhythm, and ensemble readiness.

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Grade 7 Vocal Music Units

Unit Plan 30 (Grade 7 Vocal Music): Refining Vocal Technique

Grade 7 choir unit improving resonance, diction, and consistent tone through healthy vocal technique, feedback, and reflection.

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Grade 7 Vocal Music Units

Unit Plan 29 (Grade 7 Vocal Music): Sight-Singing Growth

Grade 7 choir unit building sight-singing independence using solfege, rhythm syllables, and rehearsal strategies to improve accuracy and ensemble precision.

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Grade 7 Vocal Music Units

Unit Plan 28 (Grade 7 Vocal Music): Expressive Vocal Creation

Grade 7 choir unit creating expressive vocal music inspired by images or emotions, using improvisation and composition to communicate meaning.

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Grade 7 Vocal Music Units

Unit Plan 27 (Grade 7 Vocal Music): Ensemble Performance

Grade 7 choir unit building confident ensemble performance with accurate pitch, rhythm, diction, stylistic awareness, and respectful rehearsal etiquette.

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Grade 7 Vocal Music Units

Unit Plan 26 (Grade 7 Vocal Music): Vocal Storytelling

Create vocal storytelling pieces using text and musical elements to express scenes and personal identity, and explain how choices communicate meaning.

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Grade 7 Vocal Music Units

Unit Plan 25 (Grade 7 Vocal Music): Singing in Cultural Styles

Perform vocal music with cultural style awareness, using informed choices in dynamics, tempo, diction, phrasing, and tone to honor each song’s origin.

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Grade 7 Vocal Music Units

Unit Plan 24 (Grade 7 Vocal Music): Music & Cultural Context

Explore how culture, history, and social context shape vocal music, guiding authentic performance choices in tone, diction, style, and movement.

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Grade 7 Vocal Music Units

Unit Plan 23 (Grade 7 Vocal Music): Music & Personal Identity

Grade 7 choir unit reflecting on how personal identity, interests, and experiences shape musical choices and goals, guiding growth in choir.

Paid-members only

Grade 7 Vocal Music Units

Unit Plan 22 (Grade 7 Vocal Music): Evaluating Vocal Performances

Grade 7 choir unit evaluating vocal performances using intonation, blend, balance, diction, and expression, justifying ratings with musical evidence.

Paid-members only

Grade 7 Vocal Music Units

Unit Plan 21 (Grade 7 Vocal Music): Comparing Performances

Grade 7 choir unit comparing interpretations of the same vocal work, using tempo, dynamics, articulation, and phrasing as musical evidence.

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Grade 7 Vocal Music Units

Unit Plan 20 (Grade 7 Vocal Music): Tone, Diction & Text

Grade 7 choir unit analyzing how tone quality, diction, and text setting shape meaning, style, and interpretation in vocal music.

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Grade 7 Vocal Music Units

Unit Plan 19 (Grade 7 Vocal Music): Musical Form in Vocal Music

Grade 7 choir unit identifying musical form in vocal works, explaining how repeated and contrasting sections and musical elements work together.

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Grade 7 Vocal Music Units

Unit Plan 18 (Grade 7 Vocal Music): Performance With Explanation

Grade 7 choir unit performing vocal music with accuracy and expressive intent while explaining how text and musical choices communicate meaning.

Paid-members only

Grade 7 Vocal Music Units

Unit Plan 17 (Grade 7 Vocal Music): Preparing a Vocal Work

Grade 7 choir unit focused on rehearsal strategies to improve accuracy, diction, and phrasing while building ensemble unity and musical detail.