Liam Jones, Kelly Murph, Katelyn Dixon MUED 401 Music Curriculum Unit

Lesson 1- Steady Beat

Adolescent Grade Level: 5th Grade Class Type: General Music

Lesson Topic/Focus Music Element-Rhythm

Literacy Component- Fluency
Steady Beat
Objective(s) • SWBAT differentiate macro and micro beat by keeping a steady beat
by doing various body percussion techniques during the chant, “Snow”.
Materials  Hand Drum
 “Heartbeat” Magnets
 Beat sheets
 Snow slide

Thompson, B. (2022, June 5). Hello There. Beth's Notes Preschool

Prior Knowledge
Planning with UDL
http://udlguidelines.cast.org
Vocabulary Words
Assessment
& Elementary Music Lessons & Songs. Retrieved December
2, 2022, from
https://www.bethsnotesplus.com/2015/09/hello-there.html 
Knowledge of basic music terms
Multiple Means of Engagement (Purposeful and motivated learners):
Students can sing with me if they choose. They can chant, point to where
the beat is, do the body percussion, or just listen.
Multiple Means of Action and Expression (Strategic and goal-directed
learners): Students will respond to questions, stand-up and move to a
beat, perform with body percussion, and respond to their peers.
Multiple Means of Representation (Resourceful and knowledgeable
learners): Students can see the beat magnets, their own beat sheet, and
they can listen and participate in the activities that get them to
internalize the beat.
Before: Music
During: Beat, steady beat
After:
Performance Tasks
-Keeping a steady beat by beating and marching.

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Liam Jones, Kelly Murph, Katelyn Dixon MUED 401 Music Curriculum Unit

-Following along with the correct beat on their beat sheet.

-Chanting “Snow” to the steady beat.

INSTRUCTIONAL STRATEGIES/PROCEDURES

Instructional Strategies  Introduce new knowledge

 Model new skills and knowledge
 Guided practice
 Pose leading questions
Procedures Opening (Hook, Introduction, Warm-Up, etc.): Begin with “Hello There”
welcome song. I will have students walk around the room to the steady
beat that I play on the hand drum. I will have them take a step on each
beat. We can freeze and reset once or twice, changing the tempo a little
bit to see if they can follow the beat.

Main Body of Lesson

1. Pass out beat sheets to students. Make sure to have 4 heartbeat
magnets on the board.
2. Ask students how many heartbeats are on the board and on their
sheet. “Let’s count them together”. Count 1,2,3,4 to a steady
beat with the students. (print literacy)
3. Teach this chant:
Snow, Snow,
Falling down,
Snow is falling all around. (Non-print literacy)
4. Point at each of the beats as you chant to show each beat. Speak
the chant together with the students.
5. Ask a student to collect the beat sheets and return them to the
bin while everyone else stands up for the next activity.
6. Pull up the lyrics to the snow chant (Snow slide: Multimedia
literacy)
7. Beat your chest to a quarter note rhythm and have students join
you. Speak the chant together while you beat. Explain that this
will be our “big beat” or macro beat.
8. March to an eighth note rhythm and have students join you.
Speak the chant together while you march. Explain that this will
be our “tiny beat” or micro beat
9. Split the class into two groups (this could be by carpet).
10. Start one group beating their chest to the quarter note and the
other group marching to the eighth note. Speak the chant while
both groups do their body percussion.
11. Switch groups and repeat step 10. Reiterate the idea of macro vs.
micro for each motion. Tell them to have a seat once we finish.
Closure: How do we keep track of time in music? What are some ways we
can show the beat? What are the two forms of beat that we discussed

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 Liam Jones, Kelly Murph, Katelyn Dixon MUED 401 Music Curriculum Unit

today?
HOMEWORK No homework!
EXTENSION Each of the activities included could be extended with other added
motions.

Lesson 2 – Notation (Iconic/Traditional)

Grade Level: 5th Class Type: General Music Length of Lesson: 20

minutes

Lesson Topic/Focus  Music Element- Rhythm

 Literacy Component – Cueing Systems (Decoding Skill)
 Notation (Iconic/Traditional)
Objective(s) I can use my knowledge of graphic notation to work with a partner and create new
symbols for quarter note, eighth note, quarter rest, eight rest, and dotted quarter.
Materials -originally created pacing slides
https://docs.google.com/presentation/d/
1R2iAq4onC1VCgEm91cecg6tRMoCSU1J0SmNZh56v-xM/edit?usp=sharing

-white boards and dry rase markers

-large post-it poster and markers for student-made anchor chart

-Hello There

Thompson, B. (2022, June 5). Hello There. Beth's Notes Preschool & Elementary
Music Lessons & Songs. Retrieved December 2, 2022, from
https://www.bethsnotesplus.com/2015/09/hello-there.html 
Prior Knowledge  Steady Beat (micro and macro)
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 Liam Jones, Kelly Murph, Katelyn Dixon MUED 401 Music Curriculum Unit

 Syncopation
 Whole Note
 Half Note
 Quarter Note
 Eighth Note
 Sixteenth Note
 Whole Rest
 Half Rest
 Quarter Rest
 Eighth Rest
 Dotted Half Note
 Dotted Quarter Note
 Dotted Eighth Note
 Measure
 Time Signatures
Planning with UDL Multiple Means of Engagement:
-Asking students to share their rhythms with their partners once they are finished
http://udlguidelines.cas allows for class collaboration.
t.org -Students engaging in this lesson have the opportunity to perform, compose, and
dictate.
Multiple Means of Action and Expression:
-Students are working in pairs, moving around the classroom, engaging in a “brain break”
and singing throughout the 50 minute period.
Multiple Means of Representation:
-Students are seeing examples of graphic notation (a new media) via google slide
presentation, writing on white boards, and working on a class anchor chart as a class.
Vocabulary Words, if Before: notation
applicable During :graphic notation
After :must articulate the difference between the two
Assessment Performance Tasks
-For this lesson, the students will mostly be evaluated as a class rather as individuals.
As a group we will develop a
-The closing activity of identifying the “new” symbols ensures students associate
their graphic notations with traditional notation.

Other Assessment Strategies:

-As the students work in pairs, I will be walking around the classroom, observing
conversation, and offering assistance if needed.

Learning Strategies / Instructional Procedures

Opening (Hook, Hello There- Welcome Song

Introduction, Warm-Up,
etc.)

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 Liam Jones, Kelly Murph, Katelyn Dixon MUED 401 Music Curriculum Unit

Instructional Strategies  Engage in established routine

 Introduce new knowledge
 Provide examples
 Work in partners
 Class Discussion

Procedures: 1) Greet students into the class and ensure that all students are in their assigned
seats.
2) Sing the class welcome song together with ukulele accompaniment.
3) Have students return to their seats and instruct student resource helpers to pass
out white boards and dry-erase markers.
4) Introduce students to the concept of graphic notation after reviewing the
definition of notation.
5) Present the graphic notation slides that include visual examples for the
students to digest. Encourage conversation about each piece and allow students
to share thoughts about each of the examples. Ask students questions such as
which are their favorites, what do they like/dislike. (multimedia)
6) Ask students what they think the piece sounds like and have them demonstrate
using their voices. (nonprint)
7) For the next activity, instruct students that they are going to develop their own
system of graphic notation as a class.
8) Pair the students up and instruct them to come up with a new symbol for “ta
and ti-ti” (quarter note). Instruct students that they have 5 minutes to complete
this activity. (print)
9) Come back together as a class and have students share their ideas for “the new
ta and ti-ti”. Have students work as a class to decide on a final answer.
10) Have student return to their pairs and repeat the same activity for “he dotted
quarter and eighth figure while providing only one criterion: two symbols for
two sounds.
11) Repeat step 10 for rests.
12) Write on a large poster the new class symbols for ta, ti-ti, and rest.
13) Engage in a short class discussion comparing and contrasting definitions of
traditional and graphic notation.
Closure Decide on a class definition for traditional and graphic notation.
Homework No homework is necessary for this lesson.
Extension This lesson is the second in a series of three lessons designed to teach 5th grade
rhythms.

Lesson 3 - Composition

Adolescent Grade Level: 5 Class Type: General Music

Lesson Topic/Focus  Music Element – Rhythm

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 Liam Jones, Kelly Murph, Katelyn Dixon MUED 401 Music Curriculum Unit

 Literacy Component – Sight Identification (Decoding Skill)

 Composition
Objective(s) I can create a rhythmic composition by using rhythms learned in class in order to
increase my music literacy.
Materials  Computer
 Projector
 Pencils with erasers
 Pitched instrument
 Student Devices (with ability to take a video)
 Worksheet -
https://docs.google.com/document/d/1vvhjUQGT9qzhLZqrBcZikGo50U4bA
SY5/edit?usp=sharing&ouid=106405830882956973102&rtpof=true&sd=true
o Originally Created by Katelyn Dixon
 Rhythmic Examples PowerPoint –
https://docs.google.com/presentation/d/1PdGwsA7BNAQFGwgGRYAlly9dz
AjFeC00QGmXGeXLVC0/edit?usp=sharing
o Originally Created by Katelyn Dixon
 Hello There (Warm-Up Song)

 Lil Liza Jane

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 Liam Jones, Kelly Murph, Katelyn Dixon MUED 401 Music Curriculum Unit

Thompson, B. (2022, June 5). Hello There. Beth's Notes Preschool & Elementary
Music Lessons & Songs. Retrieved December 2, 2022, from
https://www.bethsnotesplus.com/2015/09/hello-there.html 

Thompson, B. (2022, September 29). Li'l Liza Jane. Beth's Notes Preschool &
Elementary Music Lessons & Songs. Retrieved December 1, 2022, from
https://www.bethsnotesplus.com/2011/02/lil-liza-jane.html 
Prior Knowledge  Steady beat (micro and macro)
 Syncopation
 Whole Note
 Half Note
 Quarter Note
 Eighth Note
 Sixteenth Note
 Whole Rest
 Half Rest
 Quarter Rest
 Eighth Rest
 Dotted Half Note
 Dotted Quarter Note
 Dotted Eighth Note
 Measure
 Time Signature
Planning with UDL Multiple Means of Engagement (Purposeful and motivated learners):
 Allow students to create their composition alone or with a partner
http://udlguidelines.cas Multiple Means of Action and Expression (Strategic and goal-directed learners):
t.org  Students will count and clap rhythmic examples aloud (rhythm can also be
transferred to feet)
Multiple Means of Representation (Resourceful and knowledgeable learners):
 Review vocabulary/activate background knowledge from pervious classes

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 Liam Jones, Kelly Murph, Katelyn Dixon MUED 401 Music Curriculum Unit

 All music notes will be reviewed with written text and images
Assessment Performance Tasks

 MU:Cr2.1.5b Use standard and/or iconic notation and/or recording

technology to document personal rhythmic, melodic, and two-chord harmonic
musical ideas.

Other Evidence, if applicable

 Performing rhythms correctly in repertoire

Learning Strategies / Instructional Procedures

Opening (Hook,
Introduction, Warm-Up,
etc.)
Instructional Strategies
Hello There
Lil Liza Jane (reinforces syncopated rhythm – Sight Identification)
 Review old/prior knowledge (PowerPoint)
 Introduce new skill through modeling
 Compose and example together

Procedures: 1. Make the students aware of the learning objective (read aloud with
class).
2. Teacher will lead students through a game of rhythmic poison (poison
will be eighth note, quarter note, eighth note, quarter note)
3. Teacher leads students through the Rhythmic Examples PowerPoint
(Multimedia).
4. Teacher will define composition – creating music
5. Teacher will introduce composition worksheet.
6. Teacher will create a composition with the class.
7. Teacher should direct students to include the syncopated rhythm (eighth
note, quarter note, eighth note, quarter note) in their composition.
8. Teacher will have students find a partner (optional) and spread out
around the room.
9. Students will begin completing the worksheet (Print). Teacher will walk
around and provide feedback to students.
10. Once the students have completed their composition, they will record a
video of themselves performing (counting and clapping – Nonprint) 2 of
their compositions. Students will submit videos online.

Closure Restate the objective. Ask students if and how they have accomplished this
objective.