Whitney Newman
C&I 354 – Music in Context lesson
October 13, 2009
“We’ve Got The Beat!”
Conducting Music in the Classroom
Target Grade Level: 4/5
Time Needed: 40 minutes
Standards:
National Standards for Music:
6a.
Identify simple music forms when presented aurally.
6e.
Respond through purposeful movement to selected prominent music
characteristics or to specific music events when listening to music.
Wisconsin State Standards for Music:
E.4.3 Identify symbols and traditional terms referring to dynamics, tempo, and
articulation and interpret them correctly when performing.
F.4.1 Identify phrases and sections of music that are the same, similar, and/or different.
Objectives:
1. Students will be able to identify the steady beat when listening to various pieces of music.
2. Students will be able to determine the meter (how the beats are divided up) of various
pieces of music.
3. Given instruction, students will be able to conduct musical selections in 2/4, 3/4, and 4/4
time signatures.
4. Students will be able to conduct in legato and staccato forms of expression.
Why is it important that students learn my lesson?
When looking at music “behind the scenes,” musical compositions have a very
mathematical format. A constant steady beat can be found in many different pieces of music,
and students can make the connection between the beats in music and the mathematical meters
(time signatures) that dictate the rhythm in the song. By bringing math into music lessons,
children who are logical/mathematical learners can connect with the music as well. They can
learn music is not always only about feelings and emotions and the arts; music also includes
mathematical counting, patterns and beats.
Reading a time signature and understanding the significance of each number in the meter
is also essential in developing a child’s musical knowledge. This lesson will bring in kinesthetic
elements (conducting) to reinforce the idea of the time signature representing how many beats
per measure.
Materials:
“We’ve Got the Beat!” worksheet
CD or musical mix containing songs with 2/4, 3/4, and 4/4 meters
Background for Teachers:
This lesson requires teachers to have a minimal background in conducting music. Some quick
instructional techniques can be found online, either on YouTube or the following sites:
 http://www.tetonmusic.com/conducting.htm
 http://www.ehow.com/how_4967481_read-conduct-music.html
The songs chosen to be used in this lesson may also vary from what is listed, keeping in mind
that songs with 2/4, 3/4, and 4/4 meters must be included.
Steps in the Lesson:
Introduction/Building Background Knowledge:
1. Tell students “Today we are going to learn how to be music conductors!”
a. Does anyone know who the conductor is? What does the conductor do?
b. Why do we need a conductor?
i. To keep a steady beat for the rest of the band/orchestra/choir, to tell the
ensemble when to play loud or soft, tell people when to start playing or
singing, etc.
2. In order to do this, we need to first be able to recognize the steady beats in various pieces
of music and then decide how those beats are divided up.
a. What do you think it means when I say a steady beat?
i. Rhythm that does not change, equal length notes.
3. Play four to six selections of music for students and have them tap along on their desks
when they can identify the steady beat. Each selection can be played for about 30
seconds.
a. Vivaldi: The Four Seasons (2/4 meter)
b. Journey: Don’t Stop Believin’ (4/4 meter)
c. The Sound of Music: Edelweiss (3/4 meter)
d. Captain and Tenille: Love Will Keep Us Together (4/4)
e. The Beatles: The Long and Winding Road (4/4)
f. Bill Whelan: Riverdance Remix (3/4)
i. Ask “What helped you identify the steady beat?”
1. Background music, low instruments, etc.
4. Review time signature notation and what each number stands for.
a. Students will use their “We’ve Got the Beat!” worksheets to draw the time
signatures and identify how many beats are conducted per measure.
i. Beats to a measure can be connected to fraction terminology, “parts to the
whole.”
Body:
5. Tell students, “Now we are ready to begin conducting!”
6. Begin by defining your “conducting window”
a. Trace an imaginary box around you from your head to your hips, keeping elbows
slightly bent.
b. “Mime” your conducting box to get a feeling for the space you will need to
conduct. We should not be touching others or flailing our arms outside of our
conducting boxes.
7. Conducting simple meters
a. Draw a picture on board of arm movement for conducting a piece in 2/4 time
signature. Students will copy picture down in the appropriate box on their
worksheets.
i. Tell students this motion is how we conduct one measure of the song, and
it will repeat over and over again as the song continues.
b. Face students and show them how it will look to conduct this meter with right
hand.
c. With back to students, demonstrate again the movements of conducting in 2/4
meter.
d. When students are ready, have them conduct with their right hands. Keep
counting the beats for students as they conduct, so “One, Two. One, Two. Etc.”
e. As students get the hang of conducting with one hand, tell them they have the
option of adding the other hand.
8. Repeat step #7 for 3/4 and 4/4 time signatures
a. More time may be needed for 4/4 time signature since it is a more complex
pattern to draw and conduct.
9. Include Legato and Staccato conducting techniques
a. Ask students if they remember the definition for “Legato” and “Staccato”
b. Ask, “Who can show me what conducting a ‘legato’ piece might look like? What
about Staccato?”
c. Demonstrate for students and have them practice each technique in 4/4 time
signature.
Closure:
10. Are we ready to start conducting?
a. Tell students we are going to apply the steady beats we learned in the beginning
pieces of music!
b. Re-play a few of the above selections of music, guiding students in conducting
patterns now instead of tapping along to the steady beat.
i. Play Vivaldi, Edelweiss, Long and Winding Road, Love Will Keep Us
Together
ii. Pay special attention to Legato conducting in Long and Winding Road and
Staccato conducting in Love Will Keep Us Together.
11. Congratulate students on their conducting expertise!
a. Reiterate that when we conducted, one full motion of our arms was one measure
of the song.
b. We knew how to conduct by looking at the time signature and how many beats
per measure.
Assessment:
Students will mainly be assessed on participation in the lesson and completion of their
“We’ve Got the Beat!” worksheets.
 Were students able to identify and tap along with the steady beat when listening?
 Are worksheets completed with an attempt to draw the conducting pattern?
 Could students correctly identify the meter and how many beats per measure?
 Were students able to conduct to one or more of the simple meter songs?
Adaptations/Extensions:
 If students experience difficulty conducting with both hands, only one hand can be used
to move through the motions.
 Students can eventually learn to conduct more complex meters, or conduct songs where
the meter changes throughout the piece.
 If the class is currently rehearsing a song, students can be invited to conduct part of the
piece in class or even in the concert.
Next Steps/Connections to Other Subjects:
 This lesson could be connected to a History lesson on famous composers and the time
periods in which they lived. Students could also examine sheet music, instead of just
listening to music, and practice sight reading while conducting as well.
Objectives:
1. Students will be able to identify the steady beat when listening to various pieces of music.
2. Students will be able to determine the meter (how the beats are divided up) of various
pieces of music.
3. Given instruction, students will be able to conduct musical selections in 2/4, 3/4, and 4/4
time signatures.
4. Students will be able to conduct in legato and staccato forms of expression.
How it looks to conduct:
Time signature:
How many beats per measure?
How it looks to conduct:
Time signature:
How many beats per measure?
How it looks to conduct:
Time signature:
How many beats per measure?