GRADE TOPIC UNIT-LESSON

2 Reviewing Steady Beat, Rhythm, and Pitch 1 - 1

Content Standard Benchmarks or Common Core Standards
1.1 Read, write, and perform simple rhythmic patterns, using eighth notes, quarter notes,
half notes, and rests.
1.2 Read, write, and perform simple patterns of pitch, using solfege.
2.1 Sing with accuracy in a developmentally appropriate range.
2.2 Sing age-appropriate songs from memory.
3.2 Sing simple songs and play singing games from various cultures.
4.2 Create developmentally appropriate movements to express pitch, tempo, form, and
dynamics in music.

ELDs
A. Collaborative 1. Exchanging information and ideas with others through oral collaborative
conversations on a range of social and academic topics
SL.2.1, 6; L.2.1, 3, 6

Learning Goals, Objectives, Expected Outcomes

Psychomotor - Motion in concious mental activity
Students will:
Exhibit steady beat with their bodies
Perform steady beat and rhythm with instruments

Cognitive - Intellectual Activity

Students will:
Discern the difference between steady beat and rhythm
Decode rhythms to identify parts of a song

Affective - Moods, Feelings, Attitudes

Students will:
Compare previous musical experiences
Observe other student behaviors

Content Objective:
1) Students will use Kodaly hand signs and body scale to show pitch changes while singing a
song from pictorial notation
2) Students will use Kodaly hand signs to show lower, middle, and higher sounds in a song.

Language Objective:
1) Students will define and differentiate between Pitch and Rhythms
2) Students will learn specific terms relating to rhythms including Beat and Rhythm

Activate Prior Knowledge

The lesson starts by reviewing rhythms and beat we already know in the greeting. We review the
solfege syllables as a class.

Big Ideas and Concepts Contextualized and Connected:

Students learn that what they are decoding is the Rhythm and Melody of the song. What other songs
have we learned? Can you hum their melody? Can someone clap the rhythm? Are there some songs
that dont have melodies or rhythms?
Key Vocabulary:
Beat-to keep a repetitive sound
Rhythm- strong and weak pulses
Quarter Note- one beat
Eighth Note- beat
Pitch-High and low sounds
Melody-The pitches that make up a song
Tune-same as melody
Pattern- a short piece of melody that is repeated

Clear Explanation of academic tasks/Use of appropriate speech:

1) All directions are explained slowly and clearly for each activity before we begin.
2) I will ask the class if anyone has any questions before we begin
3) I will only use words that the students know to explain the activity, and we will review
academic vocabulary before we start.

Comprehensible Input:
1) Pictoral notation is used for Acka Backa
2) Hand signs are utilized to keep students actively engaged

Scaffolding:
1) Use of previous solfege terms
2) Use of previous rhythm terms
3) Review of musical terms using the white board

Cooperative Learning Opportunities:

During the game Acka Backa students work together in a circle formation keeping the beat with
their hands, clapping, as the child who is IT moves from one person to the next until the song
ends.

Structured Student Talk:

Before we discuss the plot and characters of the song Sheep in the Meadow as a class, students
will partner up to discuss what this song could be about.

Practice and Application:

Students will practice using hand signs and solfege syllables while they sing Acka Backa and will
have a chance to apply them to other songs as a class

Assessment of student comprehension and learning:

During this lesson I will be using the final activity and Q&A time as a formative assessment. From
this I will be able to tell.
1) Which students know the hand signs
2) Which students are able to call out the correct syllables
3) Which students seem lost and/or disinterested and may need further help.

Summative assessments will be given to identify pitches at the end of the unit, once students have
learned how to identify the pitches on a music staff.
Equipment Needed
speaker, music, rhythm sticks, egg shakers

Students will demonstrate the ability to move to a steady beat. Students will sing simple songs
containing the pitches so, mi, and la. Students will play simple rhythms using quarter and
paired eighth notes and quarter rests.

PROCEDURE AND TRANSITIONS WITH SETUP

ACTIVITY
MODIFICATIONS AND OR ACCOMMODATIONS DESCRIPTION OR DIAGRAM
Entrance Have students enter the room and find a space to *Set up equipment around the
Routine sit where they are not touching anyone. perimeter of space. Before
using equipment go over
-Ask students to keep a steady beat alternating equipment safety and use.
patting laps on beat 1 and tapping shoulders on
beat 2.
-While students are performing this steady beat,
ask students to echo the classroom rules that you
speak/sing/whisper, etc.
Listen
Be Safe
Be Respectful
Do Your Best
HAVE FUN!
-Explain the consequences for breaking these rules.
(Each teacher can specify their own consequences)

Part 1 -Ask students to continue to pat a steady beat,

Warm-up/Rev this time, on a different part of the body (head,
iew snap, clap etc)
-While students are patting this steady beat,
speak the rhyme SHEEP IN THE MEADOW. Then
speak it with students echoing so they learn the
words.
- Clap the rhythm and speak the words of the
chant and ask students to echo.
-How was my clapping different this time? (we
clapped the rhythm instead of the steady beat)
-Speak the chant together as a class two more
times- once keeping the beat and once keeping
the rhythm.

-Perform the following game with the chant:

(Students can either form a circle or play the
game in their own space.)
Have students bounce knees to the beat for the
first part of the chant. Tell them to take one
jump (in toward the center of the circle or just
straight up and down) when their birth month is
called. For a challenge, say the months in
backward order.
Transition -Speak ta, ti-ti, ta, ta and ask the students which
part of the chant that was from Sheep in the
meadow. (It was the words sheep in the
meadow)
Speak ti-ti ti-ti ti-ti ti-ti and ask students if that fit
a line in Sheep (no)

Part 2 -Speak the rhyme ACKA BACKA with the To prepare before class: Write
New skill or students. (For some, this will be a review. Echo the rhythm for ACKA BACKA
concept the rhyme if necessary) on the board and write the
-Write a pair of eighth notes, one quarter note words for the rhyme under the
and one quarter note on the board. Review the notes.
notes and the rhythm syllables that correspond.
- Speak through the chant, pointing to the notes
and emphasizing the number of sounds each beat
receives.
-Sing ACKA BACKA using solfege syllables and
using hand signs. Review which solfege syllable
(used in the song) gets the highest, middle and
lowest pitch. Sing the song again using hand
signs and actual song lyrics.

Transition Introduce/review instrument expectations. How will students get an

instrument? What should they
Students should move to a color station, select a do with the instrument when
pair of rhythm sticks or an egg shaker, and return they return to their space?
to their own space.
Part 3 -Sing ACKA BACKA again, using the instruments
Practice to play the rhythm. If necessary, demonstrate the
proper way to hold and create sound with
instruments.
-Teacher stands in the center of the circle and
points to each student as the class repeats the
activity. The name of the student that the teacher
points to on the last word of the song is sung by
the class (instead of speaking you) That
student will then take the teachers place in the
circle and repeat the activity.
-Split the class into equal groups of 6 and have
students play the game in small groups. (It may
be necessary to choose the it person from each
group to begin.)
-Continue to play in small groups until all
students have had a chance to be it.

Transition Students return instruments to the correct

station and find a new own space.
Part 4 Ask a student to speak Acka Backa while keeping *This section is a cognitive section as
Closure the steady beat. an assessment for review.
*Remember to put what was
Ask a student to clap the rhythm to the first completed/not completed into
section of Sheep in the Meadow. planner
Ask a student to sing melody and do the solfege
hand signs for the first line of Acka Backa.