I. Curricular Framework

Concept:

Rhythm

Essential Question:

What are the characteristics of the Rondo form? Can I create one?

Bridge:

Long and Short Kinesthetically

Content:

Outcomes:

II. Standards Aligned

III. Instruction and Assessment

1. Connect: Connecting to the Concept Experientially

Objective: Students will be able to interpret rhythmic “language” in 4/4 meter.
Activity: Teacher writes eight measures in 4/4 time on the board using quarter, eighth, and sixteenth notes. Ask the students to clap the rhythm. There is limited success. *Next, assign words to the note values stressing the relationship of syllables to the visual symbol (note). I used pie, apple, and watermelon for quarter, eighth, and sixteenth notes respectively. *Now clap and speak the rhythms from the board using the words given. The students experience success. Time permitting, write more rhythmic measures on the board for further practice. Use this as an opportunity to be creative with combinations of eighth notes and sixteenth notes (eighth followed by two sixteenths becomes ap-melon, etc.) (Standard 5)
Assessment: Accuracy of student responses.

2. Attend: Attending to the Connection

Objective: The students will discuss the anxieties involved in reading music.
Activity: Teacher asks the students how they felt when they were asked to clap the rhythms the first time. Discuss the feelings of frustration, intimidation, and uncertainty many people feel when asked to interpret the language of music. Liken this to reading a foreign language. (Standard 8)
Assessment: Quality of student responses.

Assessment, Phase One, Level of Engagement, Fascination:

3. Image: Creating a Mental Picture

Objective: Students will experience note values kinesthetically; further developing the sense of long and short note values.
Activity: Write another eight measures on the board. Clap and say as before. Add movements to the sounds. Stomp the quarter notes, patsch on lap the eight notes and lightly clap the sixteenth notes.
*Add the half note and the whole note to the palette. Explain the length relationship of the notes and ask for suggestions on representatives movements. Try different movements for all of the note values. Discuss which ones work well and which ones do not. Why? (Standard 5)
Assessment: Quality of the student responses.

Assessment, Phase Two, Seeing the Big Picture:

4. Inform: Receiving Facts & Knowledge

Objective: Students will understand the concept of subdivision of note values, and the role of the time signature in the grouping of beats into measures.
Activity: Teacher lectures about time signature (what each number tells you, etc.) Introduce a subdivision chart (or create one together) and explain the note relationships. Work some group exercise on the board as needed.
*Watch the video “Music is Rhythm” or a similar video dealing with rhythm and meter.
Assessment: Quality and accuracy of student responses. (Standard 5)

Assessment, Phase Three, Success with Acquiring Knowledge:

5. Practice: Developing Skills

Objective: Students will practice the concepts presented in 2-left.
Activity: Students complete a variety of worksheets dealing with note values, time signatures, and note subdivisions.
*Also, do some simple rhythmic dictation exercises. Teacher claps (or plays, using a single pitch, on the piano) a variety of rhythmic combinations in 4/4 time. Students notate the given patterns.
Assessment: Teacher evaluates a sampling of the written material for accuracy.

Assessment, Phase Four, Success with Acquiring Skills:

6. Extend: Extending Learning to the Outside World

Objective: Students will create an original eight measure composition in 4/4 time.
Activity: Each student creates an original eighth measure rhythmic composition in 4/4 time. The student must be able to perform their own composition.
*Divide the class into groups of four or five for purposes of sharing compositions. Small groups check all compositions for rhythmic accuracy and together they make any necessary changes.
*Each group selects sixteen measures to use in designing a creative performance involving body percussion, movement, and/or rhythm instruments. Each group composition is notates on a large sheet of paper and put up for all to see. (Teacher now collects the individual compositions to evaluate for understanding of concepts.)
*Allow time for creativity and for the group to practice their performance. (Standards 2,4)
Assessment: Teacher checks individual compositions for accuracy; monitors group activities.

7. Refine: Refining the Extension

Objective: The students will create a “Rhythmic Rondo” by combining their compositions.
Activity: The groups perform their compositions for each other. Then using a teacher composed, four measure “transition rhythm;” combine the group compositions into a “Grand Performance.” Rondo Form (ABACADAEA…etc.) works well for this. The teacher composition would be “A” with the group compositions taking turns as “B,” “C,” “D,” and “E.” *Videotape. (Standards 2,4)
Assessment: Quality of group performances.

8. Perform: Creative Manifestation of Material Learned

Objective: Celebrate the learning.
Activity: Watch our video. Discuss the successes and the areas we could improve. Then watch a video of the British percussion group “Stomp.” This group uses synchronized body percussion, movement, and creative combinations of common sounds to create incredible rhythmic compositions.
Assessment: Quality of student responses.

Assessment, Phase Five,Performance, Creative Use of Material Learned: