Julianna Massielo

Kelly Zuzic
Lesson Plan 2/08/19

Objective: Students will be able to identify the repeated rhythm presented in the Queen song
“We Will Rock You”. Students will use their understanding of repetition and their knowledge of
rhythm to perform rhythms shown to them by the teachers. Eventually students could use this
knowledge to make their own composition with a repeated rhythm.

Materials Needed: Access to white board, Dynamic Marking / Percussive Cards, either volume
(whisper, shout) or sound (clap, stomp).

This lesson is appropriate for about 3rd or 4th grade.

Part One: Prepare Notes:
● Start by clapping the main repeated ● Has anyone you know ever asked you
rhythm introduced in We Will Rock to repeat something? It’s the same
You. Once the students catch on, and concept in music, if it’s good you
should do it again!
do this for a little while, ask them to
notate the rhythm on the board with
“ta” and “ti ti”.
● Explain to students that part of our
lesson today is repetition, more
specifically rhythm.

Part Two: Listen and Identify Notes:

● Listen to the song in full, now that they
heard the most prominent repeated
rhythm, students will have to identify
the other repetition in the piece.
Students will be asked to write the
other two rhythms on the board.
● Did this piece have a repeated rhythm
in it’s melody?
● Knowing what you know now about
repetition, can you think of any other
songs with repetition?

Part Three: Participate Notes:

● Have every child stomp and clap to
whatever rhythm the teacher points to
on the board. Each measure will be
performed differently based on what
type of rhythm or percussion card is
being held up.
● Every measure will either be new, or
repeat.
● This will prove difficult because you
not only have to focus on what
teacher 1 is pointing to but also to
how teacher 2 asks you to perform
the rhythm.
● Take a measure pause in between
each rhythm. (Ex. “ ti ti ta, ti ti ta.”
“Ready now look and go” “ta…”)
Assessment:
● Students will understand the concept of repetition, and should be able to accurately
perform the rhythms being presented in the game.
● If asked, they could provide an example of repetition in rhythm, either the one we just
learned or one they came up with themselves.
● Students will be able to pick out their own examples of repetitions in songs without them
being handed to them.

Expanding the Lesson:

In groups of 3-4, using what students know about repetition, and rhythms containing “ta” and “ti
ti”, create a small composition.
● You can have any variation of ta and ti ti as long as it repeats every measure.
● The composition should be about 8 measures of the repeated rhythm with lyrics
overtop of it. They can either be also rhythmic or melodic. (You can provide a
theme for the students so their lyrics are appropriate. Writing it down on paper is
optional.)
● Assessment: Having students perform their original songs for their classmates.

JANET CAPE SUGGESTIONS:

Step 1 - introduce the main focus of the lesson before you introduce the piece that
you're focusing on. If repeated rhythms or ostinati are your focus, do something in step
1 that prepares
students to identify and/or perform repeated rhythms before they ever hear We Will
Rock You.
Step 2 - You could ask students to find a repeated rhythm when you first introduce We
Will Rock You. They'll find the most obvious one easily. Step 3 then becomes your
current step 2 - listen to We Will Rock You and see if you can find other less obvious
repeated rhythms