Identifying and describing features of rhythm, melody and structure that create
effects in their improvisations
Identifying personal preferences in the music they listen to and the reasons for
them
Lessons Layout:
Lesson One: Rhythm grid, dynamics, rhythm games (eg. Poison rhythm, rhythm bingo,
boy percussion)
Lesson Two: Australian music (Aboriginal songs, convict songs/sea shanties) focus on
rhythm and pulse, why its important, emotion, expressiveness etc.
(Able to be expanded to three lessons if needed)
Student objectives for unit:
1. Students will be able to accurately write and count rhythms
2. Students will be able to accurately recognise rhythms in Australian music
3. Students will understand the importance of rhythm in Aboriginal/Torres Straight Island
music
4. Students will be able to identify dynamics and how they relate to expression within
music
5. Students will use critical thinking to determine and articulate opinions about Australian
and Aboriginal/Torres Straight Island music
Assessment:
Formative
- Observation
- Student confidence and participation
Language: Rhythm, patterns, emotion, viewpoints, expression, pulse
Assessment:
Formative Observation of students repeating back rhythms
Observation of written rhythms on board
Materials:
- SMARTboard
Lesson Outline:
Introduce (15mins)
Remind students what we did last placement STOMP! Music lesson. Noticed that they needed some help staying in time why is it important to stay in
time? To get an idea of prior knowledge with rhythmic patterns - write up some (pre-prepared) rhythmic patterns and ask students to identify the note values
and rests - eg. crotchet, quaver, semi-quaver, minim, whole note, crotchet rest, [quarter note, eighth note, sixteenth note, half note, whole note]. Get
students to clap them back to me.
Explore (30mins)
Activity one:
Rhythm Grid (see Appendix 1) - get students to write up the dots on the SMARTboard. Ask students to clap back rhythm (remember that rests are open
palms). Gradually erase dots while students play back rhythm. Add extra dots in some squares.
Activity two:
Write up different note values (pre-prepared) with a corresponding body percussion element underneath.
Body percussion:
Whole notes = hands on head (4 beats)
Half notes = brush hand from shoulder to hand (2 beats)
Quarter notes = Clap (1 beat)
Eighth notes = snap snap (1/2 beat)
Sixteenth notes = Pat thighs (1/4 beat)
Quarter rest = palms up
Write up a 4 beat rhythm on the board and ask students to play rhythm back to me using body percussion elements.
GAME: Split students into 2 teams (numbering off). Two students to come up and face teacher - I count (1,2,3,4) then play a four beat rhythm with body
percussion. On go students face board and write the rhythm before with note values - (eg. if I played clap clap snap snap pat pat pat pat - note values
would be crotchet crotchet quaver quaver semi-quaver semi-quaver semi-quaver semi-quaver). First team member to get it gets 2 points (if correct), second
team member to get it gets 1 point (if correct). Continue until the end of the lesson and team member with most points wins! (Write a tally on the board)
Students to put dots in these boxes - where there is not a dot it equals a rest (palms up). Students to clap the rhythm back. To
extend add more dots in the boxes/rub some off as students keep clapping.