Creative/Productive: students compose and create their own sound and
rhythm compositions, boomwhaker compositions and textures sound
compositions to visual art using found instruments, traditional instruments and
their own voices and body percussion.
Critical/Responsive: students respond verbally, musically and in written form
to a variety of songs presented to them. Listening quiz as well as listening for
specific elements within songs for each lesson.
Cultural/Historical: Students learn how the elements of music are
manipulated within a cultural context to produce a desired effect. Students
exposed to a variety of music types from different cultures and time periods.
Lesson 1
Distribute Elements of Music handouts to students (appendix a) and self
evaluation rubric (found on wikispace website. Print off for students)
Definition: Rhythm can be broken down into four parts; beat, tempo, patterns of
duration and metre.
A.
Beat: is the constant rhythm or heartbeat of music.
ACTIVITY: Introduce 4 claps or beats on djembe in a constant beat, evenly
spaced. (1-2-3-4) . Play a song example. Have students clap the steady beat.
♫ - Native Drum:
♫ - Are you Gonna Go my Way – Lenny Kravitz
♫ - Its Like That – Run DMC
Optional: Show native drum video from www.nativedrums.ca
B.
Tempo: refers to the speed of the beat, fast or slow.
ACTIVITY: Introduce the metronome and take the four claps or 4 drum beats
and speed it up or slow it down according to metronome setting. What do you
notice?
Fast tempo ♫ - Mary Mac by Great Big Sea
Slow tempo ♫ - Cry Me a River – Nina Simone
Ask: How do we know how fast the composer wants us to play or sing the piece
of music?
Answer: they either state a number to be used on the metronome or they use the
following Italian words.
a)
b)
c)
d)
e)
f)
Largo – very slow
Andante- walking speed
Allegro- quick and lively
Vivace – very fast
Ritardando- gradually getting slower
Accelerando- gradually getting faster
** use drum and clapping to illustrate ritardando and accelerando
Listen to the following songs and decide if the song is largo, andante, allegro or
vivace.
♫ - Zoot Suit Riot – Cherry Poppin Daddies – (allegro)
♫ - Another Song – Justin Timberlake (largo)
♫ - Merengue Mix – various (vivace)
♫ -Try – Sweatshop Union (andante)
C. Patterns of Duration – long and short notes that must fit within the beat.
Sometimes we change the pattern by holding some notes longer and
some notes shorter or using silence.
♫ - We will Rock You – Queen (short, short, long)
♫ - Eye of the Tiger – Survivor (long, short, short, long, short, short, long, short,
short, lo-o-o-ng)
ACTIVITY: one student keeps the basic beat while the teacher improvises
long/short rhythm patterns to the beat. Students then try their own syncopated
rhythms while the teacher or metronome keeps the beat.
D. Metre – the grouping of these beats into patterns that repeat. Accent (stress)
the first beat of each pattern.
2/4 – ♫ - The Way I Are - Timberland
¾ - ♫ - Lucy in the Sky with Diamonds – The Beatles
4/4(most common in western culture) – ♫ - Jesus Walks by Kanye West,
♫ No Heaven - . Activity: Have students walk on the 1st, 2nd and 4th beats.
Some cultures have other rhythm patterns like:
♫
♫
Activity: Students clap out rhythms in sequences.
Rhythm clapping – give each group a rhythm to clap from your head or from a
photocopied rhythm card. Layer together with drum beat.
Optional: break into small groups and each group present a four part rhythm
based on cards or have students make their own rhythm patterns and cards.
Assessment/Evaluation:
-self participation rubric
-group rhythm presentation – can students clap a rhythm to a steady beat?
Lesson 2
Definition: Describes the highness or lowness of sounds (demonstrate with
voice or piano the same note at a different pitch.) Different pitches create
different feelings based on tonal pattern (major/minor chords) (do, ra, me, fa, so,
la, ti, do)
A. Pitch Direction: Pitch direction moves up, down or stays the same (show
over head and examples of sheet music for basic song (♫ _Fur Elise by
Beethoven_)
B. Melody: Is a musical sentence or phrase. It combines pitch and
direction. ♫ So What by Pink
ACTIVITIES:

Voice wave – pick a pitch. Sing “la”. Conductor signals voices to go
higher or lower (not louder and softer) or to stay the same.

Heartbeat Monitor – Students listen to two songs. With a pencil or
coloured marker, mark pitch direction as listen to song
♫ - Healer’s Melody – Native Flute Ensemble
♫ - Lady Be Good – Ella Fitzgerald
Do the two pictures look similar or different? Why or why not?

 Boomwhakers – pitch and pitch direction. Colours, pitch
 ROYGBIV – colours of rainbow can give us clue about pitch
 Have students decide what order they should go in.
 Play do, ra, me, fa, so, la, ti, do with boomwhakers
 Try a song together.(cards or song piece from book)
 Have students make own song and notate using colours.
Lesson #3
Timbre
Brainstorming: In groups, have students use markers and large sheets of
paper to brainstorm as many musical instruments they can think of.
DEFINITION: Timbre (pronounced tam-ber) describes the quality of sound. (eg.
Demonstrate saying name vocally, nasal, operatic, muffled, all at same
pitch.Band students could bring instruments and demonstrate different timbres of
the same note.)
Use djembe to show that one instrument can make different sounds….therefore
changing the timbre of that instrument.
♫play variety of music. Can they identify the sounds? What instruments?
(World Groove, Planet Drum, Rhythm Band Jam, Simply the Best Classical
Anthems, Creepy, Crawly, Calypso)
Types of Instruments:
Use the list the students generated. Introduce the different categories of
instruments. After learning each definition, have students place instruments in
those categories. Any that belong in two?
Membranophone: any instrument with a stretched surface or membrane that is
usually struck. Eg. Drums, bongos, congas
Airophone: any instrument that needs air to produce sound. Eg. Flute, recorder,
trumpet*, clarinet*
Chordophone: any stringed instrument that is plucked or chorded. Eg. Guitar,
harp
Vibraphone: any instrument that uses vibration to produce sound. Eg.
Xylophone, trumpet*, clarinet*, voice.
Electrophone – any instrument that uses electricity to produce sound. Eg.
Electric guitar, piano….
Idiophone – any instrument that is self contained and is usually shaken to
produce sound. Eg. Maracas, tambourine…
Take instruments from list and categorize on sheet provided. Add any new ones
they can think of.
View instruments (pictures or real ones) and categorize as well.)
Lesson #4
DEFINITION: Texture is the combination and layering of sounds (voices,
instruments, notes, etc.) in music. It can be “thick” or “thin” (eg, like bed sheets)
Thin Texture: ♫ Say by John Mayer, B lackbird by Sarah McLaughlin
Medium Texture: ♫ Wind Spirit by Bill Miller, Sadeness by Enigma
Thick Texture: ♫ Dies Ares – From Simply the Best Classical Album Vol.1, Sing, Sing, Sing Swingkids soundtrack
Eg. Thin to thick texture: ♫ “Yundah/Sealwoman by Mary McLaughlin, The Last Emperor by
David Byrne, Uninvited by Alanis Morisette, Lightning Crashes by Live
Activity: Play a chord on the piano. Play each note individually then build a
“chord”. (Eg. C, E, G) Try matching pitches with voices.
A. Harmony – occurs when two or more instruments or voices are heard at the
same time.
♫ Hoja “Game of Love”
Activity: Try singing chords on keyboard. Bring in melody bells to hit at same time.
B. Canon – is when all voices or instruments perform the same melody at different
times
C. Round – Is a repetitive canon (a canon that repeats)
♫ Sing Row, Row, Row Your Boat.
Activity: Can you Dig that Crazy Gibberish (see handout and overhead)
D. Ostinato – is a short, melodic or rhythmic pattern that is repeated over and over
to form an accompaniment.
♫ Bolero by Ravel. (put up hand each time here the ostinato)
Activity: “Obstinato” by Konnie Saliba
Lesson #5
Definition: Dynamics describe the louds and softs of music. It also influences
the effect or mood being communicated. When we talk about effect and mood
we use adjectives to describe the feelings represented in the music. Eg.
Powerful, sad, mournful, excited, etc.
f = forte (loud)
*say the following words as the dynamic
m = mezzo (medium)
p = piano (soft)
crescendo = gradually getting louder (<)
decrescendo = gradually getting softer (>)
Activity: make signs with these symbols on it. Give each student an instrument
to play. Hold up different signs and have them follow the instruction!
*******************************************************************************
Listening Activity: Listen to the following song (♫_Faint by Linkin Park _)
and answer these 3 questions.
NAME: _______________
1. Circle 5 words that come to your mind when listening to this piece of
music.
happy sad scary depressing mysterious
tragic exciting heartbreaking fearful joyous
energetic calming crazy powerful inspiring
___________
____________
___________
2. What is the mood, theme or subject you associate with this music? What
do you see in your mind as you listen?
3. Where do might you hear this song being played? (work, church,
commercial, elevator….) What does this song remind you of?
Listening Activity: Give students the lyrics to a song (♫Lightning Crashes by
Live ) While listening, have them add the dynamics as they hear them.
Or
Have students make their own “piano” and “forte” signs. Listen to a song with
contrasting dynamics and have them raise their sign as they hear each dynamic
change. (♫_________________)
Name: __________
Lightning Crashes lyrics by Live
Lightning crashes, a new mother cries
her placenta falls to the floor
the angel opens her eyes
the confusion sets in
before the doctor can even close the door
Lightning crashes, an old mother dies
her intentions fall to the floor
the angel closes her eyes
the confusion that was hers
belongs now, to the baby down the hall
oh now feel it comin' back again
like a rollin' thunder chasing the wind
forces pullin' from the center of the earth again
I can feel it.
Lightning crashes, a new mother cries
this moment she's been waiting for
the angel opens her eyes
pale blue colored iris,
presents the circle
and puts the glory out to hide, hide
Listening Quiz
Name: ________
Dynamics:
1. What is one word that you would use to describe the feel of this
song? _____________
2. As the song plays, write down the dynamic each time there
is a noticeable change.
____
___
_____
____ ____ _____ ______
Rhythm:
1. What is the tempo of this song? FAST or SLOW?
2. Circle which word best describes the tempo.
Largo, andante, allegro, vivace
Pitch:
1. Which picture best describes the pitch direction of this song?
a)
b)
2. Is there more harmony or more just a melody in this song.
Circle the correct word.
Timbre:
1. What instruments do you hear in this song?
Name at least 3. ____________ ____________ ___________
Texture:
1.Does this song have thick texture, thin texture or both? How do
you know?
2. Is this song a canon or does it have an ostinato? __________
Your Words:
1. What image do you see in your mind when you hear
this song?
2. What does it remind you of?
3.
Where
would you hear this song?
4. Do you like this song? YES or NO. Give ONE reason why or
why not.
Listening Quiz
name: ANSWER KEY
Dynamics:
3. What is one word that you would use to describe the feel of this
song? ____ENERGETIC_________
4. As the song plays, write down the dynamic each time there
is a noticeable change.
m p f m p f p f m p f < f
Rhythm:
3. What is the tempo of this song? FAST or SLOW?
4. Circle which word best describes the tempo.
Largo, andante, allegro, vivace
Pitch:
2. Which picture best describes the pitch direction of this song?
a)
(the pitch direction that goes up and done rapidly but not very
high or low)
b)
2. Is there more harmony or more just a melody in this song.
Circle the correct word.
Timbre:
3. What instruments do you hear in this song?
Name at least 3. trumpet, violin, cello, drums, cymbals…
Texture:
1.Does this song have thick texture, thin texture or both? How do
you know? Sometimes there are lots of instruments playing (thick) but
sometimes just one or two instruments are playing (thin)
4. Is this song a canon or does it have an ostinato? _phrase
repeats many times throughout song.
Your Words:
5. What image do you see in your mind when you hear
this song? Any personal answer is fine as long as they answer
it in a clear way!
6. What does it remind you of?
7.
Where
would you hear this song?
8. Do you like this song? YES or NO. Give ONE reason why or
why not. Must answer yes or no. they must give a reason for
full marks either way.
Elements of Music
Name:
Class:
Rhythm
Definition:
A. Beat
B. Tempo
C. Patterns of Duration (Time Signature)
D) Metre
Pitch
Definition:
A. Pitch Direction:
B. Melody:
Timbre
Definition:
Types of Instruments:
A. Membranophone
D. Vibraphone
B. Airophone
E. Electrophone
C. Chordophone
F. Idiophone
Texture
Definition:
A. Harmony –
B. Canon –
C. Round –
D. Ostinato –
Dynamics
Definition:
A. Forte
D. Crescendo
B. Mezzo
E. Decrescendo
C. Piano