Upper graders listen to the blues. They discuss blues scale, read a description of the blues, and work together to write an original piece. A lesson like this ties into American history and African-American musical contributions very...

Jr. high learners review the basic principles of design (balance, unity, movement, rhythm, pattern, contrast and emphasis) by watching a video by Gerald Brommer. Then they provide "aerobic exercise" for the right side of their brains by...

Learners explore different types of musical instruments. In this musical instrument lesson, students create a replica of a sheng. Learners utilize this instrument to understand different types of breathing used in different sounds....

Bass drum, snare drum, tom-toms, cymbals. Perched behind their drum sets, wielding their drum sticks and wire brushes, drummers lay the grove and are the heartbeat of a band's performance. A dynamic lesson introduces young musicians to...

Fractions can be tricky. Why not have kids think of fractions like they think of eighth, quarter, and half notes? In teams, the class creates four-measure patterns with their percussion instruments. They need to explain their rhythm...

This units gives learners opportunities to * Research the history and patterns of French settlement in Louisiana * Discover three types of music (New Orleans jazz, Cajun, Zydeco) which are representative of the Francophone presence in...

Do you like music? Have your youngsters read We Play Music, practicing select reading strategies, like using picture clues to determine new words. Then, after their first independent read, have them re-read the story to a...

Students explore rhythmic patterns. They create and perform the rhythms and use Cubase software to perform, record, and play rhythms for use in dictation exercises. They identify and count rhythm patterns

Students use a recording of "The Star Spangled Banner," to identify the AABC form of the anthem and describe the repetitions and contrasts in the piece of music. They memorize the music in eight-measure phrases being aware of the form...

Little ones learn the tones mi, so, and la by singing an answer to a sung question. They play a name game to identify beat, then discuss songs with no beat. If there is time during this musical instruction lesson, they dance about the...

Instruct your young musicians on the terms verse and refrain. They listen to two songs, and point out the verse and refrain as they occur. Students then play drums when they hear the verse and the refrain. Note: Song lyrics, sheet music,...

Keeping a steady beat, singing soft, loud, and in unison - sounds like music class to me! First graders practice these skills while listening to the song, "I Mailed Myself to You" for Valentine's Day. This is a simple and age appropriate...

Understanding time signatures and rhythm counting are two very important parts of playing an instrument well. Here are three basic lessons rolled into one that prompt upper graders to play their instruments with care. They'll practice...

Students analyze the drum patterns and changing styles of the music and dance for the Native American song and dance "Owl Dance." They listen to a recording of "Owl Dance," discuss the cultural context of the song, and perform the song.

Fourth graders investigate patterns and sequences.  In this patterns and sequences lesson, 4th graders use a hundreds chart to build recurring patterns.  Students skip count by threes and fives on a hundreds chart by coloring...

Students use musical instruments to create simple patterns. They, in pairs, come to the front of the classroom and create a pattern.

The backbone of Latin American music is the beat! Young musicians work on blending Afro-Latin rhythms and beat patterns before incorporating the major pentatonic, minor pentatonic, and blues scales in their own compositions.

With so much talent in the classroom, do your musicians and athletes have related interests? This problem has your learners taking data from their classmates to decide whether there is an association between the two activities. The...

Students employ their five senses to interpret and duplicate instrumental patterns. Following the teacher's patterns, students clap their hands and later use instruments such as bells, triangles, or cymbals to create their own "songs."

Students practice repeating rhythmic patterns in unison. Next, students work in groups to practice an alternate rhythmic pattern to Row, Row, Row Your Boat. They create their own rhythmic patterns for the song.

Students use the song Row Row Row Your Boat to help them learn patterns and expressive movement. They recreate the movement over and over until it is a pattern and they feel comfortable doing it.

Students demonstrate keeping steady beat through practice exercises and stepping to the beat using instruments such as conga drums, tambourines and rhythm sticks.

Students recognize and clap the syncopated rhythmic beat of a rap song and identify recurring rhythmic pattern in the excerpt of "Dance of the Adolescents" from Igor Stravinsky's Rite of Spring.

Students participate in determining the completion of patterns and discovering which part of the pattern doesn?????™t belong.