Music Practice Methods

8/3/2019 Music Practice Methods

1/37

"Music Practice Methods

and

Music Practice Techniques"

That Accelerate Your Playing Abilities

For music practice methods, the path is laid out as we have

discussed with music learning methods. To truly apply a

music practice technique, it will be up to you to take the time

needed to accomplish the work.

You either take action or not to practice music. That will be

the ultimate determination as to your success and whether

the music practice technique is effective. Our pages and

workbooks have provided the outline and the path, you mustapply the energy.

We know if you have the drive, we are preaching to the choir.

OK, pun intended. And believe us, we hope this is the case.

You are the master of your journey and quest for music.

How Do You Make Your Practice Great?

So that brings us

to crucial part of practicing.

How do we practice music without getting bogged down in the

rote method of learning?

We build it into the material and the music practice methods

using our music learning methods.

You take it one bite at a time. You dont want to learn it

WHAT'S NEW

JOIN THE WORKSHOP

Sign Up to Claim

Your Free Report:

Learn a Song - Crucial

Steps to Mastering a

Song Quickly

Principio del formulario

1129832261

muslrngwksp

http://ww w .musi

1

name,from

0

Final del formulario

We hate spam as much

as you do!

Your name and email address

will not be sold, shared or

disclosed.

Fi

rs

t

N

a

m

e:

E

m

ail

A

dd

re

ss

:
http://www.musiclearningworkshop.com/music-learning-methods.htmlhttp://www.musiclearningworkshop.com/mlw-whats-new.htmlhttp://www.musiclearningworkshop.com/mlw-whats-new.htmlhttp://www.musiclearningworkshop.com/music-learning-methods.html


2/37

all at once. You take a little bit, let it sink in, and then build

on the success of the past. You cant jump in and expect

to get it all at once.

Short Focused Practice Segments

Therefore learning can and should be developed to allow you

to practice 5 minutes or 30 minutes or an hour at a time.

Sometimes completing one item may be 10 minutes of

practice. Sometimes it may be 2 minutes. But the idea is that

it is just one concentrated attention and focused energy.

It is much better to take 5 minutes of focused time to master

a single concept than it is to play an hour and simply repeat

something in a rote fashion and make no progress.

So what are you focusing on? Just one thing at a time. Lets

say you quickly learn the basic rhythm of 4/4 time. The next

step will be focusing on just accenting the first beat of the

rhythm. The step after that is focusing on accenting the first

and third beat. And then the second and forth beats, etc.

By taking these simple steps of concentrated effort you begin

your mastery of the theory and your abilities.

What Happens in an Extended Session

To practice music in an extended session you may end up

covering five different musical elements (rhythm, chords,

scales, or a combined effort of rhythm on scales) of 5 to 8

minutes each and accomplish more ground than if you spent

all your time on one thing for the same half hour of unfocused

effort.

Wrap Up

By having programed music practice methods built into the music practice process

you can quickly absorb and assimilate the music theory and playing ability. The

application of special music practice techniques built into your materials makes it

easy to flatten the learning curve.


3/37

Rhythmic pass plastic cupsto a chosen song.

Children need help learning and remembering the names of their classmates and

teacher (or maybe the teacher needs help remembering!?!). Rhythmic passing can turn

any familiar song into a name game.

Split a large group into circle groups of 6-8 children. Have children face toward inside

of their circle. Give everyone two 16 oz. plastic drink cups of the same color. Set cups

in front of each person, rim side down on floor or table.

Pick a song like "Do Lord". The key word for rhythmic passing on this song is the word

"Do". Start with hands on cups. Every time you sing the word "Do", set your two cups in

front of the person on your right in the circle. Set the cups so the person next to you

can easily grab them and pass the cups when "Do" is sung again. Remember, only pass

the cups when you sing the word "Do"!

To make this a name game, include 2-3 cups in each circle group that are a different

color. At the end of the song, whoever has the different colored cups gets to say theirname.

Continue singing song and passing cups until everyone has had a chance to say their

name.

When children get good as passing the cups, put two circle groups together.

I love rhythmic passing because it gives your non-singers a way to participate during

singing. It also promotes patience and teamwork. (NOTE: rhythmic passing does not

work for preschoolers)

For a collection of 10 songs with rhythmic passing written in to the music, check out

THE ACTION PACK at www.cathysmusic.com

Music Workshop Ideas

Youth Music at Westminster House.

Keeping kit to a minimum, but still keeping the wow factor, and maybe

spreading the programme over some time to prevent loss of attention.Ambition

To move some people on from the last 2 sessions to more quality-focussed

product and a more disciplined and rehearsed technique.

The outcome will be that the methodology of song writing will be stronger; the

knowledge of the constituent parts will be deepened and the quality of the

output will be at a pro-standard.

Technique
http://www.cathysmusic.com/http://www.cathysmusic.com/


4/37

By Moving basic equipment to katies and setting up a field-recording setup,

then the sessions can be shortened to maintain attention.

As the users are focussing on Vocal skills in Songwriting, and also in electronic

arts, the need for studio sessions can be diminished.

By using between 8 and 10 sessions, the journey will be longer in timescale but

more attentive and hopefully more fruitful.The sessions will be broken into a (loose) timetable as thus.

1) Generating Ideas Listening Back - Discussion

a. Sample playback

b. Getting a basic groove

c. Listening to some nice bassy notes

d. Ideas for songs general direction

2) Mapping out the Parts of the Track

e. Lyrics

f. Melodies and ideas

g. Demoing Lyrics and Melodies with a groove

3) Arrangement

h. Putting the parts together

i. Bass lines and Melodies

4) Backing Track

j. Joining the parts

k. Percussion ideas

l. Keyboards, Guitar, Bass

5) Demoing Vocals

6) Rehearsing and Polishing

7) Recording at Studio.

Essentially, by stretching the process into a longer overall time, but shorter

hits, will

Analysis Of The Music Industry

Music may be defined romantically as `the food of love' (Shakespeare) or moreprosaically as `sound with particular characteristics' (Wikipedia), but it is

undeniably a `vibrant artform' (Arts Council England) and one which touches

more people, in more ways, than any other art form.

In commercial terms, music certainly generates a higher market value than the

other arts, although a comprehensive market size for music in all its

manifestations is impossible to calculate. Key Note has put a value of 3.03bn

on consumer spending on music in 2005, derived from three sectors: recorded


5/37

music (which accounts for the bulk of the market), live music and musical

instruments. However, data for other related markets are included, such as

equipment for home listening and viewing.

Recorded music dominates, but this large market is on the cusp of a

technological revolution that will eventually transform the way the majority of

people buy music. In 2005, most music was bought as compact disc (CD)

Is this Essay helpful? Join OPPapers to read more and access more than 325,000 just like it!

get better grades

albums the `single', vinyl and cassette having already become minor sectors

but `legal downloading', although still in its infancy, is accelerating rapidly.

Key Note forecasts that, by 2010, legal downloading will account for more than

a third of consumer spending on recorded music, although the time-lag while

older consumers get used to the new technology will mean that CDs will remain

the main format for years to come.

Recent growth in recorded products has also come from music on digitalversatile disc (DVD), which are rapidly replacing videocassettes, and this marks

a shift towards a more `visual' appreciation of music and its performers. Young

consumers are spending more time accessing music through their computers

or televisions, having been brought up on MTV and other music channels in the

new digital media environment of multi-channel television and radio. Although

radio is now peripheral to television in terms of media consumption, the fact

remains that music dominates...

While those of us in Australia are starting to rug up for the winter, I know that the summerbreak is quickly approaching for the rest of the world. The summer break can be a fantasticopportunity to refresh and revitalise with a well-earned rest, or to undertake your ownprofessional development. It is also an excellent opportunity to expand the skills andknowledge base of your existing students, and to attract new students to your studio byrunning summer workshops.

Below is a list of 20 workshop ideas

1. The Art of Accompanying

2. Duet Playing

3. Performance Preparation
http://www.oppapers.com/join.phphttp://www.musicteachershelper.com/blog/wp-content/images/DSC_1488.jpghttp://www.oppapers.com/join.php


6/37

4. Analysis

5. Musicianship / Aural Skills

6. Intensive Theory

7. Audition Preparation

8. Song Writing9. Improvisation

10. Composing for your Instrument

11. Local Composers

12. Conducting

13. Beginning Teaching

14. Exam Preparation

15.Music History (a series of workshops focussing on different periods of music)

16. The Music Industry

17. Recording a Demo

18. Writing Grant Applications

19. Putting on a Concert

20.Performance Practices of Musical Periods (a series of workshops focussing ondifferent periods of music)

I publish a brochure advertising the workshops, which outlines the topics, educationalobjectives and outcomes. I have also found it useful to recommend an appropriate agerange for certain workshops, and with more popular workshops I usually schedule multiplesessions aimed at different age groups. When running the workshops I always provide a list

of resources (books, scores & recordings) that have been used throughout the workshop, sothat students can follow up on composers or pieces of interest afterwards.

I have had a lot of success advertising my workshops through other private teachers, and insome cases have had interested teachers come along also! Many of the topics are notinstrument-specific; so dont forget to advertise your workshops to teachers ofinstruments other than your own, and through local networks such as community choirs,local schools and youth orchestras.

Rondo Improvisation

* Ask students to suggest different body percussion moves (tap, clap, snap, beat boxing,

stamp, click tongue...etc). Try improvising short patterns as a class, do echo clapping, thendo variations... for motivation.* Group students and assign leaders, and use the body percussion movements they thoughtof to create a pattern. They can concentrate on a particular body movement or do acombination (e.g. clap twice, snap once, clap once)* Improvise their first 4 measure pattern in 4 time or 6/8 time meter -which will serve astheir A section (for students who have difficulty improvising, i assist them by asking whatbody percussion move they can think of and suggest they start using these body percussion


7/37

movements using steady beats then start subdividing and doing faster beats)* Have each group perform their A section without mistakes, Once done, proceed to thecontrasting section (the B section) and have them improvise a new set of rhythm usingprobably new hand jives or other body percussion moves. Once done with section B, havethem perform their patterns starting from A, then B then back to A (they will definitelyhave mistakes, but this will be the fun part of improvising as a group).* Proceed to improvising their C section, a new set of rhythm patterns. They can use scat aswell ( doo, bee ,doo ...dum, dum bee dum).* Once C section is completed, have them perform it as ABACA sequence, and have themdecide what title they want for their work ...have other groups evaluate their performanceand give awards to the best group.

This activity will be enjoyed by your students. At the same time, they can have time toshare their ideas with friends without the fear of not being able to name note values orremembering musical terms.

Sandy Scott Toms

Lesson Plan Subject: Music

Lesson Plan Title: Composition in Seven Steps

The lesson plan:

------------------------------------------------------------

COMPOSTION IN SEVEN STEPS - 5th grade & above

For this lesson, I would do this example as a class, give them a copy and then a worksheet like

this with appropriate spaces and blanks.

(Student(s) has(have) chosen a 2-4 line singularly metered poem excerpt - though teacher may

want to control this by offering the choices to simplify meters, language, etc.,) (For e-mail:

Rhythm: // = 2 eighth notes; i = one quarter note; b = one half note; b-b (whole); /// = triplet; z =

quarter rest; /z = eighth rest / = 1 eighth note)

COMPOSITION IN SEVEN STEPS by Sandy Toms

1. "Speak your lines several times to yourself and mark the accented words (heavy beats) with a

">" over the accented syllables of words. (Might be advisable to have student write out words

with dashes between syllables.) example: > > > >

Early to bed and early to rise

2. Insert bar lines before accented words except the first word. (Here I'll use

/)

example: > > > >

Early to / bed and / early to / rise /


8/37

3. Figure note values by first marking short lines under words for each beat. (Have student tap

lightly on knee or desk a steady beat while marking the dashes under words; warn them that

some words will have more beats than others and some one syllable words will have more than

one word.

example: > > > >

Early to \ bed and \ early to \ rise \

- - - - - - - - - - - -

How many beats do you have in each measure? Write in your meter signature. (2 = 2/4, 3 = 3/4,

4 = 4/4, 6 = 6/8) to the left of the first word.

example:3 6

4 Early to \...... or 8 Early to bed \

4. Now put note values under the marks for beats; any notes 'held' for more that one beat should

have that value: the word "rise" has 3 so value = dotted half

(Here I would put each rhythmic symbol , "=" & number of beats as a crutch)

(# of beats: // = 1, i = 1, b = 2, b-i = 3)

example: > > > >

Early to \ bed and \ early to \ rise \

- - - - - - - - - - - -

i i i b i i i i b-i

5. a. Write the words under the staff; b. Draw bar lines on staff between words where bar lines

should go(I can't do that here); c. Draw note values right over the words.

________________________________

________________________________

(Clef)____________________________

________________________________

________________________________

i i i b i i i i b-i

Early to bed and early to rise

6. Now compose a melody to fit the rhythm (Try to have the melody "fit" the words.) Try working

with the key of C. Start on either E, G, or C and end the phrase on one of those three notes. Work

with only half the phrase at a time. ("Early to bed" then "and early to rise.")

As you pencil in possible notes over words, do it lightly (so that you can erase if you want) and

be sure to use note values that you wrote in below the staff.

(Note: if students are using xylophones and are not adept with note names, have a cheat sheet

with names & spaces marked)


9/37

7. When sure about the melody, ink it in; practice and perform!

(This lesson can be extended or picked up later when doing a unit on chord structure. They can

decide and write in chords (I, IV, V7) for the measures.)

Graphic Notation

Notation is the representation of musical sounds in the form of small pictures and symbols.It is a very easy way of notating music, and there are a number of different ways ofteaching and using it:

1) Start by teaching the children some symbols which can be used to represent differentsounds. For example...

= continuous sound

rising in pitch

= continuous

sound, falling in

pitch

= continuous sound

rising then falling

= continuous sound

falling then rising

= continuous sound

at same pitch

= short sounds at

different pitches

= short sounds

rising in pitch

= short sounds

falling in pitch

Teach one symbol at a time, demonstrating the types of sound which each symbolrepresents. Then, draw the above chart onto the board and ask the children to make thosesounds (using their voices or other instruments) when you point at the appropriate symbol.

When the children are familiar with the symbols and their meanings, draw a 4x4 grid ontothe board and fill it with symbols (you could leave some squares blank to represent silence).The grid should be read from left to right and top to bottom. Point at each of the symbolsand ask the children to make the appropriate sounds on their instruments.


10/37

When they are comfortable with this idea, read the grid in different directions (e.g. right toleft, bottom to top, diagonally etc.)

The children can now make up their own compositions by filling in a blank grid withsymbols. They can then draw this on the board, and the class can play each other's tunes.

2) Draw the following chart on the board:

Number 1represents a clap

Number 2represents a click of the fingers

Number 3represents a stamp of the feet

Number 4represents a slap of the legs

As with the previous activity, read the chart from left to right and top to bottom, pointing ateach number. When you point to the number, the children should make the appropriatesound.

Variations:

Use symbols / pictures to represent the sounds rather than numbers.

Read the chart in different directions.

Ignore certain numbers. For example, do not stamp when number threeis pointed to.

Split the class into 4 groups - 1 clap group, one click group, one stampgroup and one slap group. When the teacher points to a number only theappropriate group should make a sound.

Increase the number of sounds and symbols to make the task harder.


11/37

The teacher can "play" one line of the grid and the children should workout which line is being played. The teacher could also play columns ofthe grid. When the children are familiar with this, they can replace theteacher.

3) Ask the children to make up their own symbols to represent different sounds. They are

more likely to remember ones which they have created themselves, but there needs to be afixed set of class symbols for class activities so that the children are all playing the samesounds!

Dejar un comentario

Controls

Echo 2 temsA

d

m

i

n

Inic

iarsesin

Edi

tarmiperf
http://tmp/svj.tmp/javascript:void(0);http://tmp/svj.tmp/javascript:void(0);http://tmp/svj.tmp/javascript:void(0);http://tmp/svj.tmp/javascript:void(0);


12/37

Iniciar

sesin

il

Foll

ow

Moderar

A

justesGenerale

s

Noticias


13/37

Iniciar

sesin

paraa

dministradores

Pascal

Hi, I taught this lesson to a 3rd grade class and it worked. They really enjoyed it. I asked the students to use

their voices for the different signs that we created together and then I asked them to sequence three signsof their choice. That way, each group had a different "composition. Now, the next time I see them I would

like the students to use the keyboards in order to recreate those sounds and use names of notes to notate

their compositions. (they all have a "keyboard" sheet with names of notes on it) Is that too hard for a 3rd

grade class considering that they don't play keyboard regularly? Anybody has experience teaching

composition to 3rd graders? Please let me know, thank you.

Pascal

Viernes, 12 de Febrero de 2010, 05:01:55 p.m.


14/37

Flag Like Reply Delete Edit Moderate

Music and Maths

Objective: Students will learn how maths and music are related. The students will

understand how mathematical addition is applied to music. To help them understand thisconcept the students will be learning note values while reviewing addition. The studentswill add musical notes together and come up with a real number as the answer. Studentswill be able to understand addition beyond their textbooks in real practical terms.

Materials: Paper, Pencil, Sheet Music worksheet

Visual Resources: Poster showing note and rest values

Procedure:

Introduce students to the concept of addition and music.

Give an example of an addition problem using both real numbers andmusical notes.

Review the four basic note values with students. Demonstrate whatthose note values sound like.

Demonstrate a couple of problems with the students on the board. Showthem how they can add a quarter note to a half note and come up withan answer of three.

Give the students a few problems to do on their own.

Go over the problems with the students, calling on them to write theiranswers on the board.

Have students create their own problems with the answers to them.

Review with the students why addition is used in music and theimportance of it.

Assessment: Have students do five addition problems using notes as their product. Havestudents create ten different addition problems with answers using notes to create them with80% accuracy. Students will orally describe why math is important to other subject areas,such as music.

http://www.teachingideas.co.uk/music/contents02compositionnotation.htm

Photo SoundtracksAn activity I've used with Year 3 children... Using the schools environment as a stimulusfor producing a soundscape.

Take digital photos of around the school representing a variety of different aspects (natural,man-made etc). Look especially for patterns e.g. gates, bricks.

Enhance these using any photo software and print onto OHP slides in colour. Discuss withthe children previous composition projects and suggest ways of producing a 'sound track' to
http://www.teachingideas.co.uk/music/contents02compositionnotation.htmhttp://www.teachingideas.co.uk/music/contents02compositionnotation.htm


15/37

the slides as in a film. You could combine the pictures using Windows Movie Maker,iMovie, or with sites likeAnimoto.

Present their music in assembly, find ways of recording their composition for the future.

Name BeatsPREP: Go through your class roll / register and figure out two beat rhythms that fit eachstudents first name. There will probably be many TAs, many TA TAs and a few Ti-Ti TAs,with a couple of others. Count up how many you have.

IN CLASS: Clap each rhythm and ask the children to raise their hand if they think thatrhythm is them (most should get this). Put the students into groups based on their rhythms,with a different instrument or vocal sound for each group. Let them practice their rhythmfor 2-5 minutes, then create a piece by layering the different rhythms together. Once youhave demonstrated this, let some of the students have a turn at choosing which parts to addor remove from the layering

Composing with Quotes

I usually want to make it interesting for my students especially when it's composition time.

I have collected a lot of quotes about music and I choose the cool ones that will suit theirtaste. I give them each a copy of 10-15 quotes and make them choose one and write it downin their Music notebook. I ask them to syllabicate each word, after which we use Pentatones(depending on their choice do or Sol or La pentatone )for assigning tones and putting musicon to the quotation.

I usually recall with them the tones that belong to each pentatone and I ask a student towrite it on the board for their guide (Ex. Do Pentatone - D R M S L). I ask them to write

down one pitch below each syllable in each of the words and afterwards I check if theirsyllabication is correct and if they have not forgotten to assign a tone for each of thesyllables.

The best part is when a student finishes, he/she gets a merit or an applause from the class. Ithen start to play his/her composition while the rest of the class are doing work andlistening as I play on the piano. I just assign a nice sounding chord as I play thecomposition and afterwards sing the quotation while I play....and this is when they wouldstart to work really quick because each of them wants their composition played in the class!

This takes 2 weeks maximum to finish their composition because after I play each of thecompositions, we still have to notate them on the staff to make it really look like an originalcomposition. We compile or we display it afterwards. I also usually ask them to vote for thebest ones they would be listening to and I give prizes. The students love this activity.

Note Value Chants

This chanting/memory game about rhythmic note values is to challenge students' memory.

Teacher chants and students echo:
http://www.animoto.com/http://www.animoto.com/http://www.animoto.com/


16/37

1) Whole Note - 42) Dotted Half - 33) Half Note - 24) Quarter Note - 15) Eighth Note - 1/26) Sixteenth Note - 1/4

After this process is repeated several times the teacher will say "1) Whole Note" and thestudents will have to say 4

or

The teacher will say "I receive four" and the class would say "Whole Note, Whole Note"

The process can go in any order to challenge the students!

You can play this game however you want in whatever manner. It helps to reinforce notevalues!

The process can even start out slow and get faster- which would tie in tempo. I suppose youcan even add dynamics to it as well.

http://www.lessonplanspage.com/Music45.htm

Composing Unit - Rhythm charts

by Suzanne Geer

Grades 5,6,7,8

Objective - Have students create original rhythm charts.

Materials - 1) a variety of rhythm instruments

2) copies of blank rhythm charts

3) a baton for the students to conduct with

Students are shown a copy of a sample rhythm chart.

(X means you play)

Students volunteer to perform this chart for the class.

Beat

Instrument 1 2 3 4 1 2 3 4 1 2 3 4 1 2 3 4

Hand drum x x x x x x x x x

Triangle x x x x x x x

Tambourine x x x x x x x x

Hand out blank rhythm charts. Discuss with students strong beats (1/3) vs. weak beats (2/4).

Have them select 2 or 3 instruments to write a rhythm chart for. In pencil, students write arhythm chart, experimenting with the instruments.

Have students perform their rhythm charts for the class. Let each individual "composer" select

the musicians. The composer should also act as conductor, keeping a steady beat with the baton.

Have the students briefly analyze (verbally) what they heard.

You can expand this lesson plan to 6/8 and/or 3/4 meter.


17/37

The next step is to have the students compose a rhythm chart to an existing song. Well known

folk songs work well (Skip to My Lou, Oh, When the Saints, Go Tell Aunt Rhodie, Yankee Doodle,

etc.) In order to perform the rhythm chart for the class, the teacher will need to perform the

melody while the "rhythm band" performs the rhythm chart. Students can also devise their own

evaluation sheet to "grade" each rhythm chart. This will keep the students who are not currently

performing on task and attentive to the students who are performing.

A more complex rhythm chart can include eighth notes. Some students will naturally want to

create more complex rhythms. Teacher should encourage this.

Blank rhythm charts are easy to create.

Name ____________________________ Date _________

Beat

Instrument 1 2 3 4 1 2 3 4 1 2 3 4 1 2 3 4

# 1_______________________________________________________

# 2_______________________________________________________

# 3_______________________________________________________

# 4_______________________________________________________

(Be sure to draw in vertical lines to separate the different beats)

Title - Let's Write a Song

By - Kenneth E Fox

Primary Subject - Music

Secondary Subjects - Math

Grade Level - 4-5

Concept / Topic To Teach: A Fun Lesson on Music Writing/ Composition

Standards Addressed:

General Goal(s): One of the problems with teaching musical notation is that it is NOT information

that the students feel that they need to know, but by explaining to the students that they will

need to know the "rules" in order to write a song for their classroom teacher, they will learn how

to relate notation to information that they need to use.

Specific Objectives: The students will learn how to write a measure of music based on given

rules. The students will also learn where high notes and low notes appear on the staff.

Required Materials: *Blackboard *chalk *an instrument (band or orchestra) *camera *Blackboard

staff marker

Anticipatory Set (Lead-In): The teacher can start by asking how many students know how to writea song. Today, you will learn how to write a song, then I will play it for your classroom teacher.

Step-By-Step Procedures: After the lead-in, the teacher will start by writing the "rules" on the

blackboard;

Measure=music contained between two bar lines

(Written) four over four=4 beats in the measure and the quarter note gets the beat

(Written) quarter note=one beat


18/37

(Written) half note=two beats

(Written) eight note=1/2 beat

(Written) quarter rest=one beat

(Written) half rest=two beats

etc.

The teacher will then call up small groups (a single row of students) and tell them to write a

measure, giving each student a note. The teacher can assist or guide them but tell them that the

notes can be placed anywhere within the staff as long as they follow the rules. The teacher can

then involve the rest of the class by having them check their work and decide if their measure

"follows the rules". The teacher can then call up the next group and have them begin on the next

measure and so on the teacher can then add the last measure as a resolution

and then play the song but first, ask each group to raise their hands when they hear their

measure being played. Since the blackboard has to be erased, the students will want a record of

their song, so the teacher can then have each group come back up and point to "their" measure

for the teacher to take a picture. When the regular classroom teacher returns, the music teacher

plays the class song for him/her.

Plan For Independent Practice:

Closure (Reflect Anticipatory Set): Since you have a picture of the student's song, later or at

another lesson you can play their song again and ask the students what they liked about it or

didn't like-have open classroom discussion

Assessment Based On Objectives: The teacher will play the student-composed song on an

instrument and comment on its originality.

Adaptations (For Students With Learning Disabilities): This is a great lesson for LD students

because there are no restrictions for note placement.

Extensions (For Gifted Students): Gifted students can expand into using combinations of eighth

notes and rests.

Possible Connections To Other Subjects: Connections to Math are apparent here.

E-Mail Kenneth E Fox!

Title - Munchy Music and Musical Money

By - Diane Hamilton


Grade Level - K-5

Objective: Compose music using minor third (S and M)

Materials: M & M's or Skittles, Pennies, (4-6 per student depending on whether eighth notes are

going to be used) Craft Sticks, (4-6) envelopes with two lines drawn across (one per student)

Procedures: Using overhead as a model, show students how to lay one M & M or penny on the

top line (cutting it in half) and one on the bottom line. Repeat using the other 2 M & M's. Lay the

craft sticks on the right side of the M & M's to make a quarter note "ta". Ask students to sing
mailto:[email protected]:[email protected]


19/37

their Munchy Music. Instruct students to copy another pattern from your example, then sing it.

When students are secure in singing the patterns, ask them to create one of their own and sing

it. If they can sing it, they get to eat it. If they cannot sing it, help them to create one they can

sing. Sometimes they sing something different than what they write. Help them to see if the note

goes up or down and then write what they sing, rather than just moving the notes around again

and again. If students have knowledge of eighth notes, add one M and M or penny and two more

sticks, using one across the top to make one set of eighth notes. Older students can add more

notes and eighth notes.

E-Mail Diane Hamilton!

Title - Lesson on Creating a Sound Map

By - Sabrina LaPointe


Grade Level - 3-8

Title: Creating a Sound Map

Standards:

Performing on instruments

Reading and notating music

Goals:

1. To read notated rhythms correctly

2. To correctly use classroom instruments

Materials:

Recording of chosen song

Classroom instruments

Classroom chalkboard or dry erase board

Procedure:

1. Choose a song that the class has been working on (I used "In the Hall of the Mountain King" by

Grieg). Have the students list all instruments that they hear playing throughout the piece. List all

correct instruments on the board.

2. Show the students each instrument you have laying out (choose appropriate, non-pitched ones

beforehand) and ask them how to play each one. Put out enough instruments so that there are at

least two students per instrument type, preferably more depending on class size.

3. Lead the class in composing a sound map on the board by choosing one instrument and

playing along with the song recording. As a class, decide whether that instrument sounds good

with the recording, or if another one should be chosen. Write each chosen instrument in order on

the board as you go. (Each instrument you have out will be used, but here you are deciding in

what order they should play.)

4. Next decide how many measures you want each instrument to play and write the number next

to the instrument name on the board (so for example drum = x3 and so forth). Practice without


20/37

the recording and have students perform on instruments when indicated.

5. Now decide on a rhythm for each instrument to play. (I usually keep it simple to start with,

mostly quarter and eighth notes and quarter rests.) A suggestion would be to have high-pitched

instruments play faster rhythms with more eighth note patterns, and low-pitched instruments

play slower rhythms with more quarter notes and rests. That way the low-pitched instruments

serve as a bass line for everyone else.

6. Practice playing the sound map without the recording to make sure everyone knows when,

where and what to play. Go over any trouble spots and take suggestions for changes as you go.

7. Try the sound map with the recording, pointing to each rhythm as it appears. On the first run-

through, it may be helpful to call out each instrument name to keep them on track.

8. Try it a few more times, then switch instruments.

I've found that my 3rd and 4th grade students really like the challenge of following the sound

map. My 6th and 7th graders even took it one step further and made their own personal sound

maps to an approved song of choice, which we all performed in class. This lesson really keeps

the students involved and helps them to own and love their Music time!

E-Mail Sabrina LaPointe!

Title - Composing songs for any theme (unit)

By - Michelle Monize


Secondary Subjects - Science, Language Arts

Grade Level - 3-4

Materials needed:

Bulletin board paper or butcher paper

Markers

Rhythm in a Bag sets

Various non-pitched instruments

Piano or other pitched instrument

I wanted to have a spring concert completely based on songs that had to do with frogs, but I

didn't find many that were suitable to fill an entire concert, so I decided to have my 3rd graders

write their own songs. There are 5 sections of 3rd grades in my school and each class wrote their

own song. This added 5 songs to my concert repertiore! This has been an ongoing project

throughout the school year and the kids have loved it!

Lesson one:

We talked about general characteristics of songs (rhyming lyrics, patterns in the melodies, use of

varying rhythms that included rests, time signature, etc.) to start off our discussion. I asked if

they thought it would be difficult to write a song, and I told them we would be working on our

own class projects to perform a song that they had written for the Spring Concerts. This was

really exciting to them. I told them that each section of 3rd grade would have their own unique


21/37

theme regarding frogs for their songs. We brainstormed different aspects of a frog's life such as

eating, jumping, swimming, habitats, colors/kinds of frogs, etc. Each class voted for their favorite

topic. The goal for each class was to have 12 - 16 lines that rhymed to create our lyrics. I had the

class begin with a first line of the song. They all wrote it down and took it home to see if they

could come up with rhymes. Many of them came back with entire pages the next week!

Lesson two :

To make sure this stayed a class project, we took bits and pieces (by vote) from several student's

work and began to build our poem/lyrics. We tried different ways to say the rhymes (holding out

words for two beats, inserting rests, etc.). We changed the order of lines to see what made the

most sense. Everything was voted on by the class. When the lyrics were finalized, the students

wrote them on a large piece of bulletin board paper from the rolls in the teacher's work room.

This way, we didn't have to keep re-writing them each class period. We spaced it out to leave

room to work between the lines so that when we starting notating rhythms and melodies, we

would have the room to do so. We got used to our poems by reciting them over and over as a

class. I told them that the next time we worked on them we would begin writing the music to it.

Some kids were nervous about the idea of it, but most were really excited.

Lesson three :

We reviewed our poems and made any revisions that needed to be made. We made sure we had

12 - 16 lines that rhymed and were ready to be rhythmically notated. At this point, I split the

students up in to several groups of 2 - 3 students and gave each group a set of "Rhythm In a

Bag." These contain plastic pieces that represent a ta, ti ti, and a rest. The only thing missing

was the half note. My goal was to make sure all of those notes listed and the quarter rest were

included at least one time in their songs.

I assigned each group a measure or a phrase depending on how long the phrases were. Their job

was to come up with a rhythm that fit the number of syllables in their assigned lyrics without

going over 4 beats in a measure. This made them have to add note values. They notated it withthe Rhythm in a Bag sets. Then they shared it with the class. We talked about how each group's

could be varied slightly, then we took a vote on whether we liked the original one or the varied

one. This let me help guide those students who had awkward or difficult rhythm while still using

their work. Once we decided all of the rhythms, we notated that on the paper so it would be

recorded for future use. We practiced saying and clapping the rhythms as a group and as

individuals.

NOTE:

I took a couple of weeks off from creating but we kept rehearsing the rhythms and lyrics for a

few weeks to become familiar with the song.

Lesson four :

The next lesson, we reviewed rhythms and started to make changes to them if needed. Keeping

in mind that I wanted them to use a half note, we talked about what they were and found places

where they could be placed in the rhythms. We had to add the counts up to make sure we

weren't going over 4 beats in each measure.

Then we reviewed what we had learned in class in other lessons concerning solfege syllables,

melodies, etc. We talked about patterns in melodies or motives. We made it a goal to create a


22/37

pattern or a motive to use in the song. Then I split them back up in to groups of 2 - 3 students.

Each student had a set of resonator bells. I assigned them different pitches that they could use

(in order for me to fit an accompaniment with it later with a decent chord pattern). Some groups

got sets of resonator bells that only had their assigned pitches to help eliminate mistakes. We

talked about keeping the rhythm the same as what was already written. I let the groups practice

different patterns of their notes to their rhythm to come up with a melody for their assigned

phrase. We went through the same process as when we composed the rhythms, sharing them

with the class, making a variation of what they composed using guided instruction from me, and

then took a vote. Once we were done, we noticed where there was a motive or not and made the

necessary changes.

NOTE:

Before the next lesson, I re-wrote the melody on new paper with the lyrics so that the kids would

have it all together and could read it all at once. We took a few weeks familiarizing ourselves

with the melodies. I wanted them to be memorized.

Lesson five :

I have a digital piano with preset rhythms in it, so again, I gave them a few options and set their

melodies to the rhythms. No class could have the same rhythm as another. We took votes on the

rhythms they liked with it. We practiced singing the song several times with the new rhythm.

Next we defined an ostinato. I told the class we would now be creating different instrumental

parts such as an ostinato to accompany themselves at the concert. Again, using the Rhythm in a

Bag sets, different small groups of students created a 4-beat or 8-beat rhythmic ostinato to

accompany themselves. The class voted on their favorites. At this point, I did not choose to

create a variation. We practiced with the song playing on the digital piano: one group singing

and the other group clapping the ostinato pattern. Then we switched parts. We decided what

non-pitched instrument (by vote) we wanted to use for this ostinato.

Lesson six :

We created 1 or 2 more ostinatos depending on their success from last week. We added them to

the song.

Lesson seven:

We began to discuss melodic ostinatos. Using the bass xylophone and alto xylophone, the

students created melodic ostinatos that would work with their song. This was much more difficult

for them because they had to make the ostinato fit the chord progressions. In some cases, it was

impossible, which was a good learning experience as well. I took those opportunities to teach

them another difference between an ostinato and an accompaniment.

Lesson seven :

We reviewed the songs for the concert and assigned parts for each student. We had a chorus of

singers, and small groups of students playing each different part. When we put it all together,

they were amazed at what they had created!

E-Mail Michelle Monize!

Title - Symphonies - Peter and the Wolf

By - Rebecca Hughes


23/37


Secondary Subject - Language Arts

Grade Level - 4 - 5

Story Telling Through Music - Symphonies - Peter and the Wolf

(This lesson is the third in a series of lessons on story telling through music. The other two

lessons focus on musicals and operas.)

Objectives:

The fourth and fifth grade students will discover how stories are told through symphonies

by:

1. Analyzing the story of "Peter and the Wolf"

2. Creating their own story using characters from "Peter and the Wolf."

Standards:

VIII. MAKING CONNECTIONS.

Understanding relationships between music, the other arts, and disciplines

outside the arts.

a. Explain the role of music in life experiences, celebrations, community

functions, and special events.

c. Explain how the principles and subject matter of disciplines outside the arts

interrelate with those of music.

IX. RELATING TO HISTORY AND CULTURE.

Understanding music in relation to history and culture.

a. Listen to examples of music from various historical periods and world cultures

and identify the pieces by genre or style.

Materials:

Web-diagram worksheet (This work sheet is on an 8 1/2 by 11 sheet of paper and is laid

out in landscape formation. In the top right hand corner there are five lines and below

these lines, there is a web-diagram that has one inner circle and five outer circles. The

lines are to be used to summarize Prokofiev's story. The title of the story goes in the

center circle of the web-diagram, and in the five outer circles the students write in a

character's name and the instrument that portrays them. The left side of the paper is the

same, except the web-diagram is in the top left hand corner and the lines are on the

bottom left hand corner. In this web diagram, the center circle is for the title of the

student's story and the outer circles are for characters and the instruments that portray

them. The lines are where the student will write their own story.)

Smartboard

Procedure:

1. Review Prokofiev's story of Peter and the Wolf at the smart board


24/37

The review will be 10 minutes long

During this time the students may not talk unless called upon

After this time, they will have plenty of time to talk

Use the smart board as well as the website http://www.philtulga.com/Peter.html

This website contains the story as well as the musical themes for each character

Discuss the actual story line and how it is not too exciting.

Tell the students that they could come up with a much more interesting story to

tell through a symphony.

2. Web-Diagram exercise

The students will get into groups and work on the web-diagram worksheet

The worksheet requires them to summarize Prokofiev's story as well as list all of

the characters and the instruments that portray them

The students must also pick at least four characters from the story and portray

them with a different instrument (tell why instrument chosen)

The students must then write their own story of Peter and the Wolf (must be at

least 5 sentences long).

I will place on the board a checklist with all of these details

Closure:

If there is time at the end, all groups will share their stories with the class during class

meeting.

Assessment:

Observe the student's accuracy in their understanding of Prokofiev's story through the

discussion during the first 10 minutes of class.

Test the students' accuracy in their knowledge of Prokofiev's story and in their creativity in

creating their own story. This will be done through a web-diagram worksheet.

Title - Instrument making

By - Kaja


Secondary Subjects -

Grade Level - 3-6

Instrument making

You can have fun making simple instruments with children.

For example cutting the ends of straws in a "V" shape, flattening them and then blowing hard will

produce interesting sounds! Experiment with the length of straws. Discuss relationship between

length and pitch.

Discuss how length of air columns affect sound in things like recorders etc.
http://www.philtulga.com/Peter.htmlhttp://www.philtulga.com/Peter.html


25/37

Try rubber band guitars. Use a sturdy box with a lid. Cut a circle in the top for the sound hole.

Stretch rubber bands, or elastic (eg hat elastic) around the box and lift elastic up off the box with

pencils each end to avoid buzzing.

Discuss the effect of different lengths of elastic, different thickness, and different tensions and

how it affects pitch. Explain similarities with guitars and violins and other string instruments.

Try a prayer drum or ape drum:

Cut the ends off 2 balloons. Stretch them over 2 large coffee lids. Tape a pencil to the back of

one, to act as a handle. Attach a string to the pencil and on each end of the string, place a small

bead. (Make sure the bead is placed in the right spot, so that when it swings around, it will hit

the balloon).

Attach the 2 coffee lids together with tape, enclosing the pencil.

Put pencil between palms and rub together. The string and beads should swing around to hit the

balloons on either side, producing a great sound.

Discuss effect of tightness of balloons on the pitch and volume of sound. Discuss applications to

other instruments eg) tambours, drums etc.

Water jars. Find a collection of jars and experiment until you can create the notes d r m f s l and

then paint the water level on the outside so you will know next time.

Get the kids to arrange the jars in order from lowest to highest pitch. Tap jars and play "Mary had

a little lamb" or "Twinkle little star" etc. Discuss the effect of depth of water, container size and

shape, glass thickness, etc. How do they affect the pitch?

Experiment with identical containers too!

Try some bottle maracas!

Fill drink bottles with different objects, pens and pencils, buttons, rice, etc. Try ping pong balls -

cut a drink container in half, put the balls in and retape, decorating the container. It's amazing

how many kids can't work out how the balls got in there! Talk about volume and texture of

sound.

I hope you have fun with some of these ideas.

Kaja

E-Mail Kaja!

Title - What's That Pattern?

By - Jennifer Dalke

Subject - Music, Language Arts, Math

Grade Level - 4-5

What's That Pattern?Learning Standards:

25.A.2c, 25.B.2, 26.B.2c, 27.A.2b

Integrated Subjects:

Math, Language Arts

Instructional Goals:

* Students will begin to understand how pieces of music are constructed and the different parts


26/37

that make up a song

* Students will work in pairs to construct unique songs

Materials:

* Paper

* Different instruments (drum, flute, recorder, organ, maracas, etc)

Anticipatory Set:

1. The teacher will play part of a popular song to the class. After the class has listened to the

song once, the teacher will play it again. This time, the class will be instructed to listen carefully

to find a pattern in the music.

2. After the students describe what they think the pattern/s may be, the teacher will give the

students some definitions of what a pattern is. The teacher will also explain to the children that

music actually consists of many parts, the pattern being one of the most important. Then, the

teacher will play some simple patterns on different instruments. The teacher should give

volunteers the chance to try, too.

Activities:

1. The teacher will ask the students to pair themselves up with a partner. Then, the teacher will

pass out different instruments to each pair of students.

2. Next, the students will be instructed to work together to produce a song. They will need to use

the instrument to make up a pattern, and then they will need to make up words to a short song

about school that will go along with the music.

3. Students should be given about a half an hour to complete this project.

4. When all the students have finished their songs, each group will come up to the front of the

room to perform their song. The rest of the class will try to imitate the performing group's

pattern with their own instruments.

5. If other teachers will permit, the class may take their show to other classrooms to perform

6. If time permits, the students can brainstorm different commercials that they know that have

patterns, and they can try to play them with the instruments.

Teacher's Role:

The teacher's role In this activity is to inform the students about patterns in music. Once the

teacher has helped the children to recognize the parts and patterns of music, the children should

use their own creativity to produce their own songs.

Creative Question Suggestions:

1. How do patterns work within songs to make you feel a certain way?

2. Can patterns be different lengths?

3. How many times must a sound or group of sounds repeat in order to be considered a pattern?

4. Was this activity easy or difficult? What made it so? Did you find it easy or frustrating to work

with a partner on this project?

Troubleshooting:* Some students may choose to use the instruments for purposes other than the assigned

project. If this occurs, tell the students that they have a fun twist to their assignment- one

student needs to write the words and the other needs to compose the music, but they cannot put

them together until their performance.

Evaluation:

1. Students will be evaluated on their cooperation with their classmates. Did they work well with

another student? Did they work on the assignment?


27/37

2. Did the students produce a song with a pattern? Did they use what they learned to use the

instrument and words to make a patterned song?

Title - Dynamics

By - Melissa Vincent


Grade Level - 1-5

Objectives:

Learn dynamic terminology -- Italian words and abbreviations

Demonstrate dynamic levels with our voices and with our bodies.

Standards:

1. Singing, alone and with others, a varied repertoire of music.

6. Listening to, analyzing, and describing music.

Vocabulary:

Dynamics: pianissimo, piano, mezzo-piano, mezzo-forte, forte, fortissimo, crescendo,

decrescendoMaterials:

1) A pack of flash cards for each student with each dynamic term abbreviation: pp-ff,

crescendo and decrescendo

2) Recording ofHall of the Mountain King.

3) Song: Forte Piano from Music K-8 Magazine Vol. 13-1.

4) Song:John Jacob Jingleheimer Schmidt

Anticipatory Set:

When students are settled, play a piece of music that clearly demonstrates dynamics. I

use The Hall of the Mountain King because it is great for hearing that gradual crescendo.

Have the students listen and then describe the piece. Ask how the music differed from

the beginning to the end. (It was soft at the beginning and loud at the end.) Today we

are going to learn about dynamics, the volume of music, and learn how to speak some

Italian, too!

Procedure/ Modeling:

1) Display flash cards with each dynamic term starting with p and f.

2) Discuss Italian words and abbreviations.

3) Speak words at the correct dynamic level and have students echo you.

4) Continue with pp and ff.

5) Add mp and mf.

6) Finish with crescendo and decrescendo. For crescendo and decrescendo, have

students speak 1-10 each, then both. (1-5 for crescendo and 6-10 for decrescendo).

Guided Practice:

1) Teach songJohn Jacob Jingleheimer Schmidt.2) Choose six children to stand up front holding the dynamic flash cards for pp through ff.

3) Sing one verse at f and at the "la, la, las" at ff.

4) Each subsequent verse should be one dynamic level softer while keeping the "las"

loud.

5) As their dynamic level is sung, the child with corresponding flash card holds it up high

above their head. (The students that are sitting can use their own flash cards to display

the dynamic level as well.)


28/37

Check for Understanding:

1)Bring back the Hall of the Mountain King.

2)This time as the students listen, they will show their flash cards as they hear each

dynamic level occur.

3)Of course, the students will begin with pp and end with ff.

4)Ask, "What is it called when music gradually goes from piano to forte?" "Crescendo."

Independent Practice:

1) Teach song. Forte Piano. (This song is really good for teaching the dynamic terms.)

2) Now add motions to the song.

3) Have students experiment either with partner or individual with movements that

would go along with forte and with piano. (My kids usually make big wide motions or

movements for forte and little, small ones for piano.)

4) Sing the song and do the motions they created.

Closure:

1)Go over flash cards one last time as quickly as you can.

2)Sing Forte Piano as they leave.

Assessment:

1) Teacher observation.

Adaptations/Extensions:

This is a lesson that could be added to any unit about dynamics. There are many good

listening selections that can give the students more practice with dynamics. You could

also apply what I did with the song, "John Jacob" to any song that the students are

familiar with.

Songs Used: "Money" and "Another Brick in the Wall Part II" both from Pink Floyd's Delicate

Sound of Thunder. I chose two songs from the same group and the samples that I chose to use

have no words in them. I thought that by doing this, it would limit any influential factors that

might affect the feelings evoked by the song. Another good thing to do would be to not tell the

students the name of the band or song before they hear it.

Musical Element: Mood (evoked through music)

Grade: Fifth

Concept: Feelings are expressed through music.

Objectives:The students will:

Listen to two different songs.

Use their materials to draw/write a physical representation of how a song makes them feel.

Discuss what it is about the song that evokes certain feelings.

Materials Needed: Crayons (or fingerpaints, markers, colored pencils), large white paper (one

sheet per student), tape player/c.d. player, music samples chosen by teacher

Preliminary Procedures: Ask the students how many of them have ever been riding in the car

and heard a song they liked so much that they wanted to turn up the radio. Ask how many of

them have been in a bad mood and heard a song that made them feel better.


29/37

Procedures:

1. Pass out one sheet of paper/student and crayons.

2. Explain to the students that they will be listening to music and they are to color orwrite about

how a particular song makes them feel. Tell them that if they need help, they should use their

"mind's eye."

3. Play the first 1 1/2 min. sample of music. Students should be writing or drawing on their paper.

4. Play the second 1 1/2 min. sample of music. Students should write or draw on their paper.

5. Have students share their pictures/writing from the songs.

Evaluation: Since feelings are individual and students responses may vary, the best way to

evaluate this lesson is to collect their papers. From these, determine if students see the

connection between music and feelings.

Follow - up: As a group, discuss what it was about the songs that made them feel certain

feelings. Possible answers include repetition, rhythm, texture, dynamics, etc.

__

Title - Emotions: Exploring Feelings

By - Becky Ansley

Subject - Music, Art, Language Arts, Other

Grade Level - 3rd-5th

Topic: Emotions: Exploring feelings through music and art

Anticipatory Set:

Materials & Resources: My Many Colored Days by Dr. Seuss, poster w/colors

Procedures:

1. Read My Many Colored Days by Dr. Seuss. Use as a tool for discussion of different emotions.

Question how they were portrayed in book. Present poster with colors and ask children to name

an emotion for each color. Fill in poster with emotion children decide on.

Goals & Objectives:

1. The students will demonstrate through art an understanding of emotions as heard in

music.

2. The students will discuss the differences found between major and minor keys in terms

of emotions.

Input & Modeling:

Materials & Resources: art supplies per group: colored pencils, crayons, markers, colored chalk,

and multi-colored paper, Mozart's Piano Concerto No. 17 in G, K453 III (7:48), Mahler's Symphony

No 11. III, Funereal March (10:56), Robert Schumann's Perfect Happiness (:45), Chopin's Prelude

in E Minor Op. 28 (2:01)

Procedures:

2. Explain how emotions can also be found in music. Listen to short examples (Robert

Schumann's Perfect Happiness, & Chopin's Prelude in E Minor Op. 28). Have students call out

emotions and colors as felt. Discuss, relating emotions to colors.

3. Listen to Mozart's Piano Concerto No. 17 in G (major key). Children draw pictures using any

available supplies. Teacher also participates, while observing and monitoring the class.


30/37

Guided Practice:

Procedures:

4. At the end of the music, break students into small groups of 2-3. In these groups, they must

explain how they felt, and why they used the colors they did. Teacher goes first as an example

for all.

Independent Practice:Procedures:

5. Repeat step 3 for Mahler's Symphony No 11. III, Funereal March.

6. Whole group discussion of what was different in the two pieces of music.

Evaluation:

Student picks favorite of the two pictures done and explains it to the class in terms of emotions

and colors.

Title - Musical Picture Book

By - Justin RobertsPrimary Subject - Music

Grade Level - 4-6

This is a neat way to get students involved in actually listening to a piece of music and "painting"

a picture in their mind. This also reinforces using complete sentences.

Create a cover page for the students to write their name on. Either you can decorate it for the

students and let them color it, or you can let the students decorate it on their own.

Use three to five different pages and type the name of the piece you will be listening too. Under

the title, type the words, "While listening to this piece, the picture I painted in my head was_________." Let them fill in the blank with as many things as they would like, but they must write

in a complete sentence. Let the rest of the page be for actually drawing the picture they

described in the sentence. Make sure you Xerox a copy for each student.

There should be about 4-6 pages total for each student. Once they draw pictures, let them color

their pictures. This is a great activity to raise grades as well.

For assessment, you can hold up the better pictures of the group and let the students decide

what song it fits.

E-Mail Justin Roberts!

Title - Program music lesson for kidsBy - Dan Found


Secondary Subjects - Art

Grade Level - Grade 1-4

This is a lesson that all of my classes have loved because it lets them be creative through

listening to music. This lesson can also be used with the same class numerous times as long as

you simply change the music played for the class.


31/37

OBJECTIVES: Have students understand how music can be used to create ideas and pictures in a

listener's mind. Have students identify specific types of sounds that make people feel specific

ways.

MATERIALS: For this lesson plan all you need is a CD player with your choice of several CDs

(preferably ones with program music examples on them), one pencil and one piece of blankpaper for each student.

LESSON STEPS:

1. INTRO: Play one or two examples of music that can represent real-life or make believe things

for the class. e.g. "Carnival of the Animals" The Elephant-can the students picture a big elephant

dancing around? The Swan-can the students picture a swan gently swimming? "Pictures at an

Exhibition" is also great to use for this activity, especially since the students will be creating the

same thing.

2. Have students sit at a desk or on the floor where they can comfortably draw while listening to

music.

3. Distribute one paper and one pencil to each student.

4. Have the students write their names in a specific corner of the paper (I find students always

focus better and try harder when their name is the first thing to go on the sheet). Have thestudents draw one horizontal and one vertical line both through the middle of the sheet, dividing

it into four quarters. Have the students number the quarters one to four in the upper right corner

of each square.

5. Tell the students that you will be playing four short pieces for them and they are going to draw

four accompanying pictures in each of the corners of their papers. They should go through three

steps:

a) first, they should listen to the music for at least ten seconds.

b) second, get an idea of what the music represents. e.g. nature, people playing, scary

monsters...

c) have the students draw what the music makes them think of. There are no rules telling them

what they have to draw as long as they can say the drawing came from what they heard. (If you

want to add one rule you may say that can not draw anything offensive, use your own

discretion).6. Each example should take from one to two minutes to play and extra time can be given for

students to finish their drawings.

7. Once the students have filled their page with four drawings, you may ask in forum what

people came up with and compare student's ideas, stressing that in this activity there are NO

wrong ideas.

ADD-ON ACTIVITIES

You may have the students divided into groups (four students) in a following class and have

them put all of their drawings together into a kind of comic book story. Depending on the class

you may have them tell the story to the rest of the class while the original corresponding music

is playing.

Have students create debates after they have come up with what they believe the music is

supposed to represent. The class can be divided in as many as four teams with all of the

members of each team agreeing on the position of a spokesperson. It is interesting to see why

students believe certain music sounds like "nice animals playing" and other students think the

same music sounds like "people in a war". Make them use music terms like crescendo and

accelerando when debating.


32/37

Printable Version for your convenience!

Title - Hot/Cold Style Game to teach Dynamics

By - Becky Wilsford


Grade Level - K-4

Introductory Note:

I use this game as a follow-up activity to previous lessons on dynamics. The kids beg to

play it for weeks afterwards.

Procedure:

Use an item from the classroom that's portable and fairly easy to spot when hidden (we

use ... ahem ... a stuffed animal chicken).

Pick one child to be the "Hider" and another to be the "Seeker". I usually sit the kids inrows and pick them in the order they are sitting. (That way they don't constantly ask if

they can be the next one chosen.)

The chosen Seeker stands right outside the classroom (where they can't see OR HEAR

what's going on in the classroom) while the Hider, in plain view of the class, hides the

[insert classroom item you've chosen to hide]. Make sure everyone knows where the

object is hidden before the Seeker re-enters the room.

Once the Seeker is back in the classroom, have him/her stand in the doorway until you

give them the "go" sign. Have the class start singing a simple song (i.e. Twinkle,

Twinkle). They sing softly (piano) if the Seeker is far away from the item, and then get

louder (forte) when the Seeker is close to the item. Just like the Hot/Cold game.

You can use this game to explain crescendos and diminuendos, piano and

forte, pianissimo and fortissimo, etc.

Concluding Note:Kinder love this game, but they have a HARD time keeping a secret, so we do a lot of prepping

on how to not let the cat out of the bag!

Visualization of rhythms in 4/4

by Tracy

Grade 2 and higherMaterials:

4 chairs in a row and optional cards with quarter, whole, half, eighth notes and rests.

Begin by taping the chairs in a steady beat, say beat, beat, beat, beat . . .

*Have students sit in the chairs Count them as you would quarter notes.
http://www.lessonplanspage.com/printables/PMusicHotColdHideAndSeekDynamicsGameIdeaK4.htmhttp://www.lessonplanspage.com/printables/PMusicHotColdHideAndSeekDynamicsGameIdeaK4.htmhttp://www.lessonplanspage.com/printables/PMusicHotColdHideAndSeekDynamicsGameIdeaK4.htm


33/37

*Remove a student or two. Ask how would it be counted? Point out that the chairs are still there

even though they are empty of people and that they take up space. Show that the empty chairs

are called quarter rests.

*Have 6 students try to figure out how to sit on the chairs. Soon they will double up and share

seats. This will give the class a visualization of eighth note pairs.

*You can continue in this manner with all the note values. ie a whole note one student would

have to lay across all four chairs.

Title - Phone Number Melodies

By - jDarla

Subject - Music

Grade Level - 4th

I use this in the Melody Unit, once children realize that melodies move up or down by step or

leap or stay the same.

It is the first day of composing our own melodies.

1. I make a chart on the board of a C scale. I assign low "C" number "1", "D" is number "2"

and so on until high "C" is "8". I put my phone number on the board, explaining that it hassome "nines" in it, so we will double up the LOW C with "9" and the HIGH C with "0".Underneath my phone number, I put the names of the notes that correspond.

2. Using a xylophone or metalophone, I demonstrate what my phone number melodysounds like. After repeated playings, we always decide it would sound better if it endeddifferently. We edit the ending and "Voila! A Melody is Born!"

3. Small group of three or four students, armed with paper, pencil and xylophone. Theyeach write out their phone numbers as I had modeled and practice playing them until theyare memorized.

4. We take turns playing for the class and analyzing the musicality of the melody.

Sometimes we edit to make the melody sound better.In an extended lesson, I make phrases out of the most tuneful ones and hook a few togetherto teach FORM. Add some ostinati or percussion instruments to accompany. There's a lot tobe made out of this creative composition beginning!

E-MailjDarla!

Grade Level - 4-8Objective: Students will be able to accurately write and count rhythms.Write a whole note, half note, quarter note, eighth notes in a group of two, sixteenth notes in agroup of four, and a quarter rest on the board. Under each symbol write a body percussionelement to be used for each. I use "slide" (drag hands from shoulders to hips) for whole notes,"brush" (brush hands along arms from shoulder to shoulder) for half notes, "clap" (clap hands)for quarter notes, "snap snap" (snap fingers alternating hands) for eighth notes, pat thighs for

sixteenth notes, and palms up for quarter rests. Distinguish these patterns and their countingvalues to students. Write a 4-beat rhythm on the board and ask students to substitute bodypercussion for written notes/rests. Have students "play" rhythm back to teacher to showunderstanding.To implement as a game: divide students into teams (I usually use 3 teams and number offstudents). One person from each team goes up to the board and faces teacher. Teacher countsoff 4 beats of prep, then plays a 4-beat pattern with body percussion (such as clap pat pat patpat snap snap palms up--quarter note, 4 sixteenths, 2 eighths, quarter rest).Students on "go" face the board and write the rhythm as performed. Play for students as neededto check accuracy; after a few times they only need one play. The first team member to write the


34/37

rhythm accuratelygets 3 points, second one done gets 2 points (if correct), last one done gets 1 point (if correct).No points are taken away for incorrect answers. The team with the most points at the end ofclass wins. The whole lesson takes about 30 minutes.Evaluation: students can accurately write and count rhythms as performed by teacher.Follow-up: students learn the importance of listening skills development and have fun at thesame time!!

NOTE: I've used this game for about two years now and my students love it (even my jr. highkids)!! It's a great game for learning rhythms and counting. I use elements of this game for myband students as well

Primary Subject - MusicSecondary Subjects - MusicGrade Level - 1-5My students LOVE this game and it's great for their memory skills, as well.

Have the class sit in a circle. I usually play four beats of alternating C Chord - G Chord - back andforth. Have them find the BEAT to the song by patting their laps. Ask "Can the beat go faster?""Slower?" etc..play the music slower and faster as they LISTEN and pat their laps accordingly tothe beat.

Next: Add a ball (small rubber red ball works well) They should pass the ball to the next personon the BEAT to the music. (You should play slower...very slow..then fast..then very fast - and thekids should also pass slow, fast..etc)

Next: When you play a "trill" on the piano they should switch the direction the ball is goingNext: When you play three black notes 3 times in a row then whoever has the ball at that timeshould throw it up in the air and catch it.Next: When you play a "glissando" they should roll the ball across the floor to someone (RULE:No leaning out to get the ball - whoever it touches, that person gets it)Play around with those three things till they get the hang of it - always play the C-G chordpattern inbetween. THEN - -add a second ball. They love it when the ball is heading toward theother ball and one person all of a sudden has two balls on his/her lap.

I continue to add other funny things to keep them entertained and more challenging for older

kids especially.EXAMPLE:Play Fur Elise: Take ball and bounce it on their head one time.Play JAWS: Hug ball to their chest and say "Oooh, I'm scared!"Play the ENTERTAINER: Hold ball up in one hand and say "Would you like a Pizza?" (I usuallyanswer them by saying "no thank you, I'm full")

Anyway..you can keep adding things and start calling people out who forget something until youhave just a few left!! They love it!

Title - Rhythm Relay Game

By - Annie Chalmers


Grade Level - 3rd-12th

Concept: Rhythm Dictation

Equipment: Rhythm cards at an appropriate level (4 beats in length, stem and beam notation).

Whiteboards and markers or craft sticks and the floor for the dictation.

1. Divide the class into groups of three to four students. Each group stands in a row facing the


35/37

whiteboard (or a specified space with the craft sticks).

2. The person close to the whiteboard is the "writer," the person in the end of the line is the

"reader".

3. All "readers" come to the teacher and read the first rhythm. Without talking, they go back to

the lines and when the teacher counts off, they tap the rhythm on the shoulder of the person in

front of them.

4. When the teacher counts off again, the "reader" and the person who received the rhythm both

tap the rhythm. This continues until all have the rhythm and the "writer" writes the rhythm on

the board or with craft sticks.

5. Students raise their hands when they have created a rhythm. A "not correct" from the teacher

means that the group must erase the rhythm and continue to try. A "correct" from the teacher

means that the writer can run to the horn in the middle of the room and honk it. There could be a

race to the finish!

Make sure there is no talking and not loud tapping so that the rhythm is passed only by feel.

Once the student receives the rhythm they must always tap it after the count off. If there are not

equal amounts for groups have a student be the judge and someone to be a steady beat keeper

on a percussion instrument.

E-Mail Annie Chalmers!

Title - Body Rhythm

By - Alisa Lofton


Secondary Subjects - Math, Health / Physical Education

Grade Level - 1-5

Objective:

Students understand the value of rhythms.

Students will be able to clap rhythms correctly.

Students will be able to identify rhythms correctly.

Procedure:

Select four students at a time to stand in front of the room. They have five seconds to

decide what they are going to be:

Ta - Stand straight with legs together

Ti-Ti - Stand with legs apart

Triple-T - Stand with legs apart and lean over and place one hand on the

ground.

Ti-ri-Ti-ri - Same as triple-t but with both hands on the floor.

Quarter Rest - Make a "Z" shape with one arm and one leg.

Half rest - Act like you are placing a hat on your head (or have hats for them as

a choice).


36/37

Whole rest - Take hat off your head and put it by your tummy.

Half note - Stand with one leg placed on the other (like a flamingo).

Whole note - Make an "O" with your hands above your head.

They each choose what they want to be and the rest of the class has to clap and say

what they are. Once the five seconds have passed, then they can not change their mind.

I usually give each group of four two turns. I play this game as a reward for

Subject - MusicSecondary Subject - OtherGrade Level - K-6

This is a great rhythm activity when there is a little time left and you don't want to move on tothe next unit yet. I learned it from my cooperating teacher when I was a student teacher.

I give a drum to a student chosen from my seating chart and I also have a drum. I play a rhythmon my drum and the student with the other drum has to play that same rhythm back to me. Theyget a point for every rhythm they get correct and the rest of the class has to help me keep upwith the points. If the student plays the rhythm incorrectly, I have stumped them and we go onto the next student. The student with the most points by the end of class gets a prize (usually a

sticker). I always start with an easy rhythm like 4 quarter notes and each rhythm gets graduallyharder as I go on. The kids love this game and it can be used as a reward for a good day.

Introduction:

At the beginning of a year, or when you have a new group of students, they may be a bit

too self-conscious to be musically expressive in front of each other at first. I always like

to have them do several icebreaker activities, ones that always have musical merit.

One that they always enjoy is a rhythm name game.

Procedure:

1. Have the students seated in a circle if possible. Then, establish some 4-beat body

percussion patterns. Teacher leads and students echo. Decide as a class on a pattern tocontinue repeating.

2. Have them practice the 4-beat pattern on their own. Then stop them and have them

repeat after you. "I can KEEP the BEAT, (rest) and I can SAY your NAME."

3. Then have them re-establish the body percussion while saying the first part of the chant.Practice until all can do it together.

4. Second half of the chant involves each individual saying their name alone, then the class

repeating it, so each student is encouraged to speak clearly, loudly, and rhythmically. "I

can keep the beat, and I can say your name, sitting next to 'Lisa' is 'Allen', Allen". Allen

says his name then the class says it. Go around the circle in order.

5. It would continue in that manor. "I can keep the beat, and I can say your name, sittingnext to Allen is Jasmine, Jasmine".

6. Encourage keeping the steady beat.


37/37

7. I also like to use this as an opportunity to show the difference between beat and rhythm.For example, Allen is a rhythm because it is two fast sounds. Ann is a beat because it is

one pulse. The words together make the rhythm, but our bodies are keeping a steady

beat

8. SECRET CODE RHYTHM

9. 1.On the chalkboard write four rhythm patterns.10. 2. Have the children practice each rhythm pattern to make sure they can clap it

correctly.

11. 3. Place numbers to the left of each rhythm pattern.

12.4. Tell the children that you are going to use a secret code. For example on the boardwrite 4132. Then have the children clap the rhythm patterns in that order. Then choose a

child to make the new secret code. The children will ask to do this over and over again.

13. VARIATION:

14.The children also enjoy it when you erase one of the patterns then they must clap it andremember the one erased. Then you erase another, until they are all erased.

Documents

Music Practice Methods