Lesson Plan - 3rd Grade
Background & Introduction: This lesson is part of a larger unit called Composers
of the Classical Period. During the unit, students will learn about the composers
and music of the Classical Period of western music, which covers roughly 17201800. They will also tie in art and history of the same period to get a broader
context for the music. The culmination of this unit will be a visit to the local
symphony orchestra to see a concert of music from the Classical Period. The
final product will be a review of the concert written by each student. The
lesson will help students with their music listening and critiquing skills.
Goal: To learn to critique music using correct musical terms.
Specific Learning Objectives:
 Learn about the musical style two different Classical Period composers
 Apply musical terms to critiques of music
 Express how music is similar and different
Standards Addressed:
Indiana Academic Standards
Music
Standard 9 - Evaluating and critiquing music and music performances
3.9.1 Compare two or more performances and compositions.
Information Literacy Standards
Standard 3 – The student who is information literate uses information effectively
and creatively.
Standard 5 – The student who is information literate appreciates literature and
other creative expressions of information.
Resources:
Electronic Resources
 Classics for Kids www.classicsforkids.com - created by Cincinnati
Classical Public Radio
 Real Audio Player http://www.real.com/ downloadable software
Hardware
 Computer Lab -located in the library media center
 Headphones – available for check out from media center
 LCD projector and screen (already set up in computer lab)
to demonstrate access of web site
Documents
 Classical Music: Same & Different Worksheet
 Classical Music: Same & Different Rubric
 Musical Terms and Orchestra Instruments Electronic Overhead
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Prior Activities: Students have already learned the instruments of the orchestra
and what they sound like and many musical terms. They have had several
lessons on the composers of the Classical Period and listened to many musical
examples.
Activities:
Review and instructions:
 Open by telling the students that the composers, musical examples, and
musical terms they have been studying will be the combined focus of
today’s lesson. Explain that many orchestral pieces of the Classical
Period sound similar, but that they also have differences and today we
are going to try to point out the similarities and differences.
 Make the real world connection that people have jobs as music critics
and their job is to listen to all types of music, both recordings and live,
and give their opinion of the music using musical terms. For example,
sometimes a single critic will write about the same piece of music several
times throughout their career, so they have to think hard while they listen
to find similarities and differences.
 Tell students that they will be listening to two different pieces of classical
music and explaining how those pieces are the same and different using
adjectives, musical terms, instruments, and their own thoughts and
feelings.
Opportunity for mini-lesson: If students do not understand how the
two Classical Period pieces could be much different, make an
analogy about how two different authors from today can write
two different children’s stories, but those stories could be totally
different in characters, plot, setting and other elements.
 Hand out the Classical Music: Same & Different worksheet and let
students know they may make notes in columns one and two while they
are listening, but they must wait to fill out column 3 until they are done
listening.
 Also hand out the Classical Music: Same & Different Rubric and go over
the expectations for the assignment.
Listening Activity:
 Have students log on to www.classicalkids.com, the classical music web
site for students supported by Cincinnati Classical Public Radio.
Opportunity for mini-lesson: Model this task by logging on at the
same time and assist students who are having difficulty.
 Show students the three different areas of the web site that they will be
using during class, on the left side menu: Hear the Music, Instruments of
the Orchestra, and Musical Dictionary. Explain how they may use the
alphabetical lists of instruments and terms to assist them with their
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comparison/contrast. They may visit these other areas of the web site at
the same time they are listening if they need to look up terms.
Additional scaffolding: As a visual aid, the attached Musical Terms
and Orchestral Instruments Electronic Overhead may be
displayed, so that students do not have to click back and forth.
 Tell students to go to Hear the Music section and click on Ludwig van
Beethoven, Symphony No. 5 first then Franz Joseph Haydn, Symphony
No. 94 second when they are ready to listen. They must use
headphones.
Music Analysis:
 When students are done listening, tell them to look at their notes from
column 1 and column 2 and think about how the music is similar and
different.
 For each question, ask students to write a statement in column 3 about
how the musical pieces are more similar and more different. See the
example on the worksheet.
Round-up discussion:
 When students have finished writing in their compare/contrast charts,
ask the class to “Think, Pair, and Share.” Suggest discussion questions
such as “Which was your favorite piece and why?” “How are your
classmate’s thoughts the same/different than yours?” “What were the
biggest similarities with these two pieces?” “What were the biggest
differences with these two pieces?”
 Visit each “Think, Pair, Share” group to assess how they are doing.
 Collect worksheets and rubrics.
Follow-up Activities: Students are now ready to go on their field trip to the
orchestra and listen with well-tuned ears. They will take notes at the concert
and write their concert reviews after that.
Assessment:
 Collect the worksheets and rubrics and use to assess each student’s
listening and information analysis skills.
 Assess student “Think, Pair, Share” groups to see how they verbally
express their ideas about the music.
 After completing assessment of rubrics, assess how the lesson went and if
the student goals were reached. What went well? What could be done
better next time? What adjustments need to be made to this lesson?
*This lesson plan layout is based on a template, created by Nancy Miller and Connie Champlin, which is available at
www.indianalearns.org/downloads/collaborativesample_lpform.doc.
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Musical Terms
Accent
Adagio
Allegro
Beat
Crescendo
Concert
Composer
Duet
Dynamics
Forte
Fugue
Harmony
Improvisation
Instrument
Key Signature
Legato
Major
Minor
Melody
Meter
Movement
Notes
Orchestra
Phrase
Piano
Pitch
Prelude
Pizzicato
Presto
Rest
Rhythm
Ritardando
Solo
Staccato
Syncopation
Tempo
Theme
Time Signature
Trill
Vibrato
Orchestra Instruments
Strings
Violin
Viola
Cello
Bass
Woodwinds
Flute
Clarinet
Piccolo
Oboe
Bassoon
Brass
Trumpet
French Horn
Trombone
Tuba
Percussion
Timpani
Xylophone
Snare Drum
Base Drum
Triangle
Piano
(electronic overhead)
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