general music
The Ever-Changing Music Classroom Renee Hanson, WMEA State Chair, General Music
How many of you have encountered a number of changes in your classroom this year? I know I have. From a new principal and ad- ministrator, more students with aides in my classroom or
fewer aides and more differentiation tak- ing place, new educator directives (SLOs, Educator Effectiveness Training), to a new schedule each semester, it has been a challenge to keep up and continue bringing quality music education to my students. The best thing that I did for my sanity was to embrace the changes and give myself permission to make mistakes and to not be so hard on myself when I didn’t make some deadlines.
One of the biggest changes I had to adapt to was the change in how I see my kin- dergarteners and first graders each week. In the past, I have had each grade level twice a week for 30 minutes. I now have each class once a week for 60 minutes. This change took place at semester and is the first time that I have had to experience planning for a 60-minute class. I thought it would be the worst thing that ever hap- pened to me. Guess what? – It wasn’t! I don’t like that if we have that particular day off or a snow or wind chill day (Boy, have we had a lot of those this year) that I don’t see them for a couple weeks at a time, but it isn’t the end of the world. I have given myself permission to not stress about missing lessons. The hour-long class has given me the opportunity to dig deeper into the lesson. Instead of combining two lessons together, I can extend a lesson to incorporate more standards.
Sixty-Minute First Grade Lesson Element: Rhythm Content Standards: E – Read and notate music Related Standards: F & G – Aurally analyze and evaluate
Performance Standards: E4.4 – Use standard symbols to notate meter, rhythm, pitch, and dynamics in pattern and/or song
Materials: iPod, “Here Comes a Bluebird,” “Engine, Engine,” “Apple Tree,” bells, Boomwhackers, drums, rhythm instruments, SMART notebook lesson.
Procedures: 1. Students learn “Here Comes a Bluebird” by rote. 2. Clap and speak the syllables for the rhythm of the song. 3. Continue singing and add actions.
4. Ask, “What classroom instruments can we use to play the beat? To play the rhythm?”
5. You will receive many answers, distribute instruments, sing and play again. 6. Discuss which instruments did or didn’t work and why. 7. Students learn “Engine, Engine” by rote. 8. Clap and speak syllables for the rhythm of the song.
9. Ask students if they have heard any of the same rhythms before. (They should identify a phrase from “Here Comes a Bluebird.”)
10. Add classroom instruments. 11. Clap the rhythm to “Apple Tree.” 12. Ask the students to identify the rhythm with syllables. 13. Students learn “Apple Tree” by rote.
14. Change the key of the song and have the students play g-g-e with the rhythm ti-ti-ta using the bells.
15. Play this pattern as an ostinato while singing “Apple Tree.” 16. Transfer to the Boomwhackers and play the same pattern.
Remember that each section may take more or less time depending on the abilities of your class and its size.
Assessment:
Using your SMART Board, create a page with a quarter note, pair of eighth notes and a quarter rest for each student in class. Remember to put their name on the page. Each student will come to the board and create any four-beat pattern on their own page. The class will clap and say the rhythm using ta and ti-ti. Repeat until all students have had a chance to create a rhythm.
Any questions, contact me at
rhanson@barneveld.k12.wi.us. I have enjoyed sharing with you.
Renee Hanson teaches K-12 music at Barneveld School District. Email:
rhanson@barneveld.k12.wi.us
44 April 2014
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