Lesson 1 Grade Level(s)/Type of Ensemble: 8 th Grade Band Central Focus: Compound Meter Musical concepts to be taught/reinforced during this lesson: Time signatures, meter, simple meter, compound meter, counts, beats, counting systems, division of the beat, major scales Students knowledge prior to this lesson: Music notation, time signature notation, counting systems Learning Objectives (Learners will ) Count divided beats with accuracy in different meters Perform divided beats in different meters using major scales Identify different time signatures as simple or compound Academic Language to be taught/reinforced during this lesson: Time signature, meter, beat, division of the beat, simple meter, compound meter Materials required for this lesson: Instruments, chairs, stands, warm-up sheet music, projector, slideshow National Core Arts Standards: MU:Pr4.2.E.5a Demonstrate, using music reading skills where appropriate, how knowledge of formal aspects in musical works inform prepared or improvised performances. MU:Pr5.1.E.8a Develop strategies to address technical challenges in a varied repertoire of music and evaluate their success using feedback from ensemble peers and other sources to refine performances. MU:Pr6.1.E.5a Demonstrate attention to technical accuracy and expressive qualities in prepared and improvised performances of a varied repertoire of music. Illinois Learning Standards Fine Arts: 25.A.2c Music: Identify elements and expressive qualities such as tone color, harmony, melody, form (rondo, theme and variations), rhythm/meter and dynamics in a variety of musical styles. 25.A.3c Music: Identify and describe changes in elements and expressive qualities (e.g., crescendo, ritardando, fermata, meter, sforzando). 26.A.3c Music: Describe the processes involved in composing, conducting and performing. 26.B.2c Music: Sing or play acoustic or electronic instruments demonstrating technical skill. Accommodations/Considerations: Students with SLD, ADHD, oculomotor dysfunction and reading intervention plans may be allowed additional time as necessary on pre-test. Students with reading intervention plans may be issued oral explanations for pre-test. All writing on whiteboard will be made with a black marker to accommodate student with oculumotor dysfunction.
Lesson Procedure: Warm-up Routine Quarter 1 Warm-Up Sheet Long Tones, F Remington, Lip Slurs, Bb Major Scale at 60 beats per minute Articulation Exercise at 132 beats per minute Flow Studies Sheet at 60 beats per minute Grand Master Scale Sheet (Ab and Db major scales) at 120 beats per minute Issue/Concept Instructional Strategies Assessment Opening Activity Opening Discussion- Today we are going to talk about musical meter. You may not know it, but all of you have used meter in music since you first learned how to read notation or sheet music. You can think of meter in music as being similar to other meters that we use in everyday life. What does a thermometer do? It tells us what the temperature is outside, so that we can be prepared for the weather. What about a speedometer? It tells us how fast we are going so that we now if we need to go faster or slower. In music, meter is a word that means the way that the rhythm organized. By understanding the meter of a piece of music, we can tell what type of note gets the count and how many counts are in each measure, so that we are prepared to read the rhythms in music. Music can be written in different meters, and today we are going to learn about the two most common types, simple and compound. Discussion on time signatures Who can raise their hand and tell me what we call this symbol? What different time signatures that they have seen before? We will write these symbols on the whiteboard. Defining beat and counts Before we begin working with the different types of meters, we need to understand the difference between a beat and a count. Who can raise their hand and tell me what a beat is in music? How do we know where the beat is when we listen to a metronome? How do we know where the beat is when we watch a conductor? A count, on the other hand, is a number that we give to a certain rhythmic unit to help us know how to perform them. It is important for you to know that sometimes the beat and the count are the exact same rhythm, and sometimes they are not. Discussion on time signature notation - Now think back to when you learned how to read a time signature. What does the top number of a time signature tells us? What does the bottom number tell us? When we put this information together, we understand the meter of music so that we are prepared to play the correct rhythms at the correct At least five different students will recall fundamental knowledge regarding rhythm and time signature notation
Simple Meter Compound Meter time. Introduction to simple meter - Lets pick a time signatures, 4/4. How many counts are in one measure in this time? What type of note is each count? Do we count on the beat in 4/4? Lets play the Ab major scale from our warm up in this time signature (NCAS Performing). Experiencing simple meter - 4/4 is a great example of a simple meter. When we play music that is written in a simple meter, the beat of the music is divided into two smaller counts. Everyone look at the projector screen; you can see how four quarter notes are divided into eight eighth notes (Visual). Listen to me as I sing a familiar children s song in simple meter. Now listen as I replace the words with the rhythmic counts for this melody (Aural). Finally, we are going to tap the division of the beat in simple meter on the floor using our feet. (Kinesthetic). We will play the same scale as before, and will articulate on each division of the beat (NCAS Performing). Introduction to compound meter - The other type of musical meter, called compound meter, may be newer and less familiar to us. Using the time signatures on the whiteboard, can anyone guess which ones represent a compound meter? Lets start with 6/8 time. Who can tell me which note gets the count in this meter? How many counts will there be in one measure of 6/8 time? Differentiating counts and beats - In compound meters like 6/8 time, each count of music is not equal to the beat. If a conductor conducts two beats in a measure of 6/8, how many eight notes will there be in each beat? Compound meter means that each beat of the music will be divided into three notes, instead of two. Who can raise a hand and tell the class what length of note would make up a beat in compound meter, if each beat is three eighth notes long? Identifying compound time signatures - Compound meters are easy to identify, because the bottom number in the time signature is either 8 or 16 and the top number can be divided evenly by three. When we divide the top number by three, we can figure out how many beats there will be in a measure. Using your fingers, show me how many beats there will be in a measure of 12/8? What about 9/8? Experiencing compound meter - Now we are going to play our scale in a compound meter. Look at the projector screen; you will see that each beat in 6/8 The ensemble will articulate beats and divisions of the beat with accuracy in simple meter 95% of individual students will tap divided beats accurately with their feet in a simple meter The ensemble will articulate beats and divisions of the beat with accuracy in a compound meter 85% of individual students will tap divided beats accurately with their feet in a compound meter
Closing Activity time is divided into three eight notes (Visual). Repeat after me again, as I count a measure of 6/8 time. Listen to me as I sing a familiar children s song in compound meter. Now listen as I replace the words with the rhythmic counts for this melody (Aural). Now we are going tap the divisions of the beat in compound meter on the floor (Kinesthetic). If we tap our right foot on the floor on each beat and our left foot on each count between the beat, how many times will we tap our left foot between each right foot? Now lets perform our scale (NCAS Performing). Lesson summary - Lets take a few minutes to review everything that we have learned today. Who can raise their hand and tell me it means when a piece of music uses simple meter? Looking at all of the time signatures written on the board, which ones represent simple meter? Now, who can tell me what it means when a piece of music uses compound meter? What two things are special about time signatures that represent compound meter? Which time signatures from the board indicate a compound meter? At least three randomly selected students will identify different time signatures as representing simple or compound meters
Lesson 2 Grade Level/Type of Ensemble: 8 th Grade Band Central Focus: Compound Meter Musical concepts to be taught/reinforced during this lesson: Rhythm, meter, counting systems, composition, time signatures Students knowledge prior to this lesson: Simple meter, compound meter, counting systems, rhythmic notation Learning Objectives (Learners will ) Identify the counts for isolated rhythms in compound meter Perform rhythms in compound meter Create and share their own two measure rhythm in a compound meter Academic Language to be taught/reinforced during this lesson: Counts, beats, division of the beat, simple meter, compound meter Language Function: Identify, Compare/Contrast Materials required for this lesson: Instruments, chairs, stands, pens/pencils, rhythm exercise sheet National Core Arts Standards: MU:Pr4.2.E.5a Demonstrate, using music reading skills where appropriate, how knowledge of formal aspects in musical works inform prepared or improvised performances. MU:Pr5.1.E.8a Develop strategies to address technical challenges in a varied repertoire of music and evaluate their success using feedback from ensemble peers and other sources to refine performances. MU:Pr6.1.E.5a Demonstrate attention to technical accuracy and expressive qualities in prepared and improvised performances of a varied repertoire of music. MU:Cr3.2.E.5a Share personally-developed melodic and rhythmic ideas or motives individually or as an ensemble that demonstrate understanding of characteristics of music or texts studied in rehearsal. Illinois Learning Standards Fine Arts: 25.A.2c Music: Identify elements and expressive qualities such as tone color, harmony, melody, form (rondo, theme and variations), rhythm/meter and dynamics in a variety of musical styles. 26.A.4d Music: Demonstrate the ability to read written notation for a vocal or instrumental part. 26.B.2c Music: Sing or play acoustic or electronic instruments demonstrating technical skill. Accommodations/Considerations: Students with SLD, ADHD, oculomotor dysfunction and reading intervention plans may be allowed additional time as necessary on the composition activity.
Rhythm exercise sheet will be printed with bold, dark text to accommodate student with oculumotor dysfunction. Students with reading intervention plans may be issued oral explanations for the rhythmic exercise sheet. Verbal checks for understanding will be issued to students with SLD and ADHD during the rhythmic exercise sheet activities. Organizational reminders will be issued to students to ensure proper storage of the rhythm exercise sheet for use in future lessons. Lesson Procedure: Warm-up Routine Quarter 1 Warm-Up Sheet Long Tones, F Remington, Lip Slurs, Bb Major Scale at 60 beats per minute Articulation Exercise at 134 beats per minute Flow Studies Sheet at 60 beats per minute Grand Master Scale Sheet (Ab and Db major scales) at 120 beats per minute Issue/Concept Instructional Strategies Assessment Opening Activity Counting in Compound Meter Lesson 1 review - I need everyone to find a partner, or a group of three, with someone who is sitting next to them. Using terms that we learned last time, like beat and count, I want partner one to describe how he or she knows if music is written in a simple meter. Partner number two will explain why they do or do not agree. Now partner two will describe what it means for music to be written in compound meter and tell partner one what the specific differences are between these different types of meter. Who would like to raise their hands and share what his or her group came up with? Do we agree as a class? Did this group miss anything in their descriptions? Who can name a time signature and tell me what type of meter it is in? (Discourse)(Compare/Contrast). Introduction to counting - Now we are going to learn how to count and play common rhythms in a compound meter. Because we are in 6/8 time, each eighth note will receive a new count. Look at #1 on the rhythm exercise sheet. You can see that each eighth note in this measure of has a number underneath it (Visual). Listen to me as I speak this rhythm (Aural). All students will explain compare simple and compound meter using discourse and academic language peer At least three randomly selected student pairs will define simple and compound meter using academic language and will identify corresponding time signatures 95% of individual students will identify the correct rhythms with one error or less self assessment)
Performing in Compound Meter Creating in Compound Meter Closing Activity Now you count it. We will hiss this rhythm to the metronome (Kinesthetic). Now let us play the rhythm on our instruments on a concert F pitch (NCAS Performing). Parentheses - Please look at the next line and notice how the rhythm has been counted below it. Just like when we wrote our counts in simple time, we will put parentheses around a number any time that a note is held for longer than one count. (NCAS Performing). Counting compound rhythms Now look at rhythm #3. Please write in the counts for this rhythm. Once everyone has finished, compare your counts to the counts on the projector screen. Fix any counts that you might have written incorrectly. Now I want everyone to raise his or her hand. Put your hand down if you had to fix two or more counts. Next, put your hand down if you missed one count. We will repeat this process with the next two rhythms on the exercise sheet (Identify). Performing compound rhythms - We will now perform these rhythms on our instruments. Using the metronome, we will hiss each rhythm first. Then we will play the rhythm together on a concert F. (NCAS Performing) Creating exercise - Now we will apply our knowledge of compound meter and counting to create our very own unique rhythms. At the bottom of your exercise sheet you will see two empty bars of music; everyone will compose two measures worth of rhythm in this space. There will be two rules. First, you can choose whatever compound time signature you want, but each measure must have the correct amount of counts. Second, you can only use the following note lengths: eighth note, quarter note, dotted quarter note and dotted half note. Because of this, you may want to take small ideas from the rhythmic ideas that you have already counted on the rhythmic exercise sheet (NCAS Creating). Peer review and discourse - As partners, review each other s project and make sure the rhythms follow the two rules. If your partner s rhythms need to be adjusted slightly, let them know exactly what to change to make the counts add up. (NCAS Connecting)(Discourse and Syntax) Review of lesson - To review today s lesson, I would like two volunteers to come draw their rhythm on the whiteboard. Next I will need volunteers to help me write the counts in for each rhythm. Once we have written in the counts, we will count these rhythms out The ensemble will perform the rhythms in compound meter with accuracy assessment) All of the students will create and share a unique two measure rhythm in a compound meter that follows the rules of the assignment peer assessment) At least four different students will correctly identify the counts for
loud with a metronome and then hiss them and perform them on our instruments (NCAS Performing)(Identify). rhythms composed by their peers assessment) Lesson 3 Grade Level/Type of Ensemble: 8 th Grade Band Central Focus: Compound Meter Musical concepts to be taught/reinforced during this lesson:
Rhythm, meter, counting systems, sightreading, music notation Students knowledge prior to this lesson: Compound meter, rhythm counting skills, music notation reading skills Learning Objectives (Learners will ) Identify why the band directors chose the piece Nightsong for the class to perform Identify the counts for rhythms in 6/8 meter in Nightsong Refine the performance of sections of music from Nightsong Academic Language to be taught/reinforced during this lesson: Compound meter, counts, sightreading Language Function: Identify Materials required for this lesson: Instruments, chairs, stands, rhythm exercise sheet National Core Arts Standards: MU:Pr4.2.E.5a Demonstrate, using music reading skills where appropriate, how knowledge of formal aspects in musical works inform prepared or improvised performances. MU:Pr5.1.E.8a Develop strategies to address technical challenges in a varied repertoire of music and evaluate their success using feedback from ensemble peers and other sources to refine performances. MU:Pr6.1.E.5a Demonstrate attention to technical accuracy and expressive qualities in prepared and improvised performances of a varied repertoire of music. MU:Re7.1.E.8a Explain reasons for selecting music citing characteristics found in the music and connections to interest, purpose, and context. MU:Re8.1.E.5a Identify interpretations of the expressive intent and meaning of musical works, referring to the elements of music, contexts, and (when appropriate) the setting of the text. Illinois Learning Standards Fine Arts: 25.A.2c Music: Identify elements and expressive qualities such as tone color, harmony, melody, form (rondo, theme and variations), rhythm/meter and dynamics in a variety of musical styles. 26.A.4d Music: Demonstrate the ability to read written notation for a vocal or instrumental part. 26.B.2c Music: Sing or play acoustic or electronic instruments demonstrating technical skill. Accommodations/Considerations: Students with SLD, ADHD, oculomotor dysfunction and reading intervention plans may be allowed additional time as necessary on the post-test. Students with reading intervention plans may be issued oral explanations for the posttest.
Lesson Procedure: Warm-up Routine Quarter 1 Warm-Up Sheet Long Tones, F Remington, Lip Slurs, Bb Major Scale at 60 beats per minute Articulation Exercise at 136 beats per minute Flow Studies Sheet at 60 beats per minute Grand Master Scale Sheet (Ab and Db major scales) at 120 beats per minute Measures Issue/Concept Instructional Strategies Assessment N/A Opening Activity N/A Introduction to Nightsong 19-46 Count Rhythms Lesson 2 review - We will begin today s rehearsal by reviewing some of the rhythms that we covered last time. Everyone needs to take out the rhythm exercise sheet. We will count each rhythm first, then hiss the rhythm, then we will perform them rhythm on a concert F. (NCAS Perform) Discussion on Nightsong - Today you received a new piece of music, entitled Nightsong and composed by Richard Saucedo. Based on what we have been working on in class for the past few days, why do you think that the band directors selected this piece for the first concert of eighth grade? Is this piece similar to the 6/8 book exercises that you performed last year? In what specific ways is Nightsong different than those exercises? What kind of character do you think this piece will have, based on the title? Why might the composer have chosen to write this piece in 6/8 time? (NCAS Responding)(NCAS Connecting) (Discourse)(Identify). Sightread Nightsong - Find measure 19 in your music. Starting there, we will sightread a section of Nightsong. Please count your rests carefully in 6/8 time, so that we will all play together (NCAS Performing). Applying counting rhythms in compound meter Pick two rhythms that you can play better. Quickly write in the counts under those measures. Now we will perform this entire section one more time. (NCAS Performing)(Identify). Sections of instruments will perform individual exercises with rhythmic accuracy At least three students will discuss technical and expressive considerations for a new piece of music At least two students will identify reasons why the band directors selected Nightsong for performance in the first concert All students will identify difficult rhythms and will apply rhythm-counting skills to improve their performance self Identifying common rhythms - As we played the piece, did anyone notice anything interesting about the rhythms? Have we seen any of those rhythms before? Using At least one student from each section will identify rhythms that are similar to the exercise
the rhythm exercise sheet from the beginning of class, can anyone tell me where they have a rhythm that is similar to a rhythm on the worksheet? (Identify). Rehearsing Nightsong - Will we rehearse this section with extra attention given to our compound rhythms. Just like before, we will count some of the trickier rhythms, then hiss them and play them on their notes from the piece (NCAS Performing). Closing discussion - Now that we have rehearsed and heard this piece of music, how does it compare to our thoughts from the beginning of class? What specific parts of the music make this sound like a Nightsong (NCAS Responding). 19-46 Closing Activity To end today s rehearsal on Nightsong, we will perform measures 19 through 46 one last time. Now that we have learned and performed rhythms in a compound meter, we are going to take a post test. Please complete this test by yourself and be sure to submit an answer for each question. sheet At least two students will identify plausible expressive intents and meanings by referring to context and elements of music Students will complete the Compound Meter Post-Test (formal,