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Composing Music
Students compose music with musical instruments, and write the proper notation for the songs they have created.
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Original Band Compositions
Students create and perform original band compositions using their own band instruments. This two day lesson requires student compositions to be done at home. Students evaluate performances using a checklist for composing (included).
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Write Your Own Rap
Third graders create a rap using basic AB form composition. Evaluation of performances are based on rubric formed during the first lesson by all students. This three to four day lesson culminates in student performances and evaluation.
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Original Rhythm Compositions for Poetry
Students create and perform original musical compositions using poetry as a basis for the creative process. This cross-curricular two-day lesson can be done in two 45 minute class periods. Students evaluate performances as part of...
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Math, Music and Architecture: Kindergarten Geometry and Aesthetics in Music and Architecture
Learners identify and name different geometrical shapes. For this math lesson, students distinguish odd from even numbers. They describe the properties of 2 and 3 dimensional objects.
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Set a Poem to Music
Students consider the role of rhythm and meter in poetry. In this integrated arts lesson plan, students discuss the attributes of poetry and use their music skills to set picture book poetry to music by creating "singable" poems.
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Say It Loud!: A Celebration Of Black Music in America - Lesson 4
Learners choose a theme for a song. They compose a poem, and write music to go along with their poem. The instructor plays the musical accompaniment, and the class votes on the most appropriate rhythmic pattern.
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Chance Dance Compositions
Fourth graders create dances through a randomly generated process (such as throwing a dice) and perform their dances for the class. Class work is based on Merce Cunningham's "Chance Dance" and includes walking, skipping hopping, and...
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Totally Ternary
First graders compose a simple nursery rhyme with percussion and instrumental accompaniment in the general music classroom setting. AB form and rhythmic patterns are emphasized in this 35-40 minute lesson plan.
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Virtual Museum of Musical Instruments
Students incorporate elements of photo composition and demonstrate how to upload digital pictures to the computer. They create their own instrument utilizing resources from home as well as specialized music hardware. They participate in...
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In My Dream
Students listen to various selections of music and discuss the use of form in musical compositions. They choreograph and perform movements to correspond with identified forms.
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Salad Sisters
Students practice and perform 8 and 16 beat rhythmic patterns in 4/4 using the song "Salad Sisters" as a basis in this elementary-level General Music lesson. An amazing lesson for teaching cooperative music composition techniques and...
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Swing Your Partner!
This was written for ESOL learners, but could work for any elementary class. Learners read about the American dance style known as Square Dancing. They explore its use in literature, write a friendly letter about it, and then use their...
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Broccoli
Students compose, notate, and evaluate their own rhythmic compositions using the song "Broccoli" for inspiration in this excellent elementary-level General Music lesson. Emphasis is placed upon four-measure patterns and the classic...
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A Little Kandinsky For All
Students create abstract compositions based on the later works of Wassily Kandinsky using the primary colors in this early elementary Art activity. The activity emphasizes the use of color, lines, and shapes to create the abstract works...
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Open Sesame: A Magical World of Reading
Third graders, through six lessons, study tales of Ali Baba and the Forty Thieves and Aladdin and the Lamp from The Arabian Nights.