Alex Bruder

3rd Grade General Music

MUS_CLAS 149: Social Foundations of Music Education
3rd Grade General Music Class; Note Rhythms

Section 1: Essential Questions & Standards

Essential Questions ● How do we notate aural exercises and audiate written
How are we learning? notations?
(Element, not
concept!)

Standards MU:Pr4.2.3b When analyzing selected music, read and perform

What is the rhythmic patterns and melodic phrases using iconic and
framework for our standard notation.
learning outcome? MU:Cr1.1.3a Improvise rhythmic and melodic ideas, and describe
connection to specific purpose and context (such as
personal and social).
MU:Cr1.1.3b Generate musical ideas (such as rhythms and melodies)
within a given tonality and/or meter.
MU:Re8.1.3a Demonstrate and describe how the expressive qualities
(such as dynamics and tempo) are used in performers’
interpretations to reflect expressive intent.
MU:Cn10.0.4a Demonstrate how interests, knowledge, and skills
relate to personal choices and intent when creating,
performing, and responding to music.

Section 2: Learning Outcomes

Learning 1. Students will read notation in 4 / 4
Outcomes 2. Students will improvise using up to eighth notes in the context of
How are we relating the game
the standards to the 3. Students will notate a measure of rhythm after hearing an
lesson? example
“Students will…” 4. Students will identify, read, and notate dynamics
5. Students will connect real life examples to dynamics using
prompts
6. Students will demonstrate dynamics in performances of short
measures through the chair game.

Section 3: Materials, Vocabulary, & Prerequisites

Materials ⮚ As many chairs as there is students
⮚ Drums for one side of the circle (half of the class).
⮚ A bowl of pre-made one measure notations (fig. 1)
⮚ Another bowl of dynamics (fig. 2 for dynamics, fig. 7 for prompts)
⮚ Paper notes (fig. 3-6)

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 o One whole note pages
o Two half note pages
o Four quarter note pages
o Four eighth note pages (two eighth notes per page)
Jennifer. (2018, May 1). The Yellow Brick Road Blog. Retrieved from
https://yellowbrickroadblog.com/2017/12/rhythm-chairs-
game-teaching-beat-versus.html
⮚ As many grading rubrics as there are students (fig. 8).
⮚ As many exit slips as there are students (fig. 9).

Glossary of Terms ⮚ Whole Note: A note that gets 4 beats in 4 / 4

& Abbreviations ⮚ Half Note: A note that gets 2 beats in 4 / 4
(Teacher created ⮚ Quarter Note: A note that gets 1 beat in 4 / 4
definitions) ⮚ Eighth Note: A note that is half a beat in 4 / 4
o Any eighth notes in this lesson are accompanied by
another to equal one beat.
⮚ Measure: A group of notes divided by beats, with a specific note
value representing each beat.
o In this context, a measure will always be in 4 / 4 and have
4 beats per measure with the value being
⮚ Notation: A collection of measures with notes.
o In this context, a notation will only be one measure.
⮚ Dynamic: a descriptor for expression
⮚ Piano: a dynamic meaning soft
⮚ Mezzo piano: a dynamic meaning medium soft
⮚ Pianissimo: a dynamic meaning very soft
⮚ Pianississimo: a dynamic meaning super soft
⮚ Forte: a dynamic meaning loud
⮚ Mezzo forte: a dynamic meaning medium loud
o Can be seen as equal to mezzo piano
⮚ Fortissimo: a dynamic meaning very loud
⮚ Fortississimo: a dynamic meaning super loud

Previous ⮚ This lesson is during the first week of classes in a small music
Learning / Context class
Topic students have ⮚ Students have learned whole, half, quarter, and eighth notes
obtained earlier.

Section 4: Procedures
Chair Game 1) Teacher will turn on the metronome for 4 / 4 at 65 BPM with
PREP: quarter note pulses. Please note the materials! The teacher will
● Papers with prepare the seating before class starts.

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 whole, half, a. Each “call” chair should have either a drum, egg shaker,
quarter, and or single note instrument (ex. single note xylophone).
eighth notes b. Students will be split into two even teams, with the
● Metronome app teacher facilitating the first two rounds for each team.
2) The teacher will count the students into two groups by standing
in front of them and giving either one or two fingers. Once all
students have a number, the teacher will go over to the “call”
chairs and put up one finger for group one, and then go over to
the “response” chairs for group two.
3) Once the students are seated, the teacher will hold the bowl of
notations (fig. 1) for a student to pick and gesture to show the
other students on the “call” side of the circle. The teacher will
count in using fingers before starting to play the written
notation.
a. If the students do not join in at first, the teacher will
restart the notation.
4) The teacher will motion forward for the “response” team to
repeat the rhythm by clapping.
5) The teacher will pick up a paper note (fig. 3-6) and point if this
is the first note
6) Students will pick notes to place on the floor to recreate the
notation, guided by the teacher pointing to each note and
motioning for the “call” group to repeat their notation.
7) Once the students correctly notate the measure, the teacher will
motion in a circle for the students to change spots; those who
were on the “call” team are now “response” and vice versa.
a. Before the students change places make sure:
i. The “call” team puts their notation back into the
bowl and instruments back on their chair.
ii. The “response” team puts their notes back on the
piles.
8) Beginning the exercise over, the new “call” team will pick a new
notation from the bowl and play that rhythm.
9) Students on the response team will listen and repeat the
notation, picking up the paper notes and putting them in order
of the notation
10) During this round, the teacher will only intervene when it is
time to switch sides; students will answer each others’
questions and ask for repeats.
a. The teacher will take this time to assess the students
using the given rubric (fig. 8).
11) This game will continue for another two full turns.
a. For the final turn, the students will not pull from the
bowl, and will improvise a rhythm together.
12) After the last full turn of the previous game, the teacher will

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 place a bowl of expressions & dynamics (fig. 2).
13) Before the game continues, the teacher will put “p” and “f”
on the board. The teacher will shrug and point to the “p”, while
putting their finger to their lips to emulate “quiet”. The teacher
will perform a small one measure rhythm softly (piano) before
loudly doing the same rhythm again and then will point to the
forte. The teacher will then put “pp” on the board, pointing to
the students to have them guess what it means. After going
down the line with piano, forte, mezzo forte/piano,
forte/pianissimo, and forte/pianississimo; the teacher will refer
back to the game and the bowl.
14) The game will resume with the same rules as above, but
adding dynamics to the mix.
15) After two rounds including the dynamics, the teacher will
place new prompts into the dynamics bowl (fig. 7). They will
describe connections to dynamics such as “being out at recess”
or “how they are feeling”. One student will pick the new
dynamic prompt with the notations and perform the notation &
dynamic to be written by the other side.
a. While the students are going through these rounds, the
teacher will assess the students using the given rubric
(fig. 8).
16) At the end of two turns (or at 5 minutes to class end), the
teacher will give each student an exit slip (fig. 9).

Section 5: Assessment & Extensions

Assessment ✔ The teacher will visually and aurally assess note reading by
Checking students reading and playing notation on the “call” side of the
understanding of circle.
objectives. ✔ The teacher will aurally assess improvisation by giving prompts to
improvise a measure of notation
✔ The teacher will assess written notation by students creating
notation from an aural example (the “response” to the “call”)
using a scale from 1-3 (fig. 8).
✔ The teacher will visually assess students’ dynamics reading by
having them perform the dynamic in a short notation on the “call”
side of the circle using a scale from 1-3. (fig. 8).
✔ The teacher will dynamic playing through the chair game and
prompts on connections to dynamics.
✔ The teacher will assess note and dynamics reading by creating an
exit slip; based on a points system (0-2 points per correct
answer).

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 ✔
o To get a better look, please reference fig. 8

Extension of ⮚ If there is extra time and students are engaged, the teacher will
Lesson continue the game.
Where can this
lesson go in context?

Honor Code
I affirm that I have upheld the highest principles of honesty and integrity in my academic
work, and have not witnessed a violation of the honor code.

Alexandra Bruder

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Figure 1. List of notations that can be chosen from the bowl.

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Figure 2. Dynamics that can be chosen from the bowl.

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Figure 3. Whole note page Figure 4. Half Note page

Figure 5. Quarter note page Figure 6. Eighth note page

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Figure 7. Dynamics prompts

Figure 8. Grading rubric

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Figure 9. Exit Slip

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