Mind map for music unit plan
Science -What makes an instrument have high & low pitch IT -use music notation technology (BeatPad, NotePad, Sibelius or PrintMusic) to play music online
-What is it made of? -How can you change the pitch of an instrument?
Visual Arts
Pitch &
-Paint sound shapes (graphic notation) in different colours
Music Unit Plan NAME: Brooke Parsons
UNIT: Melody/Pitch
BAND: Primary & Middle Years
YEAR LEVEL: 4/5
OVERVIEW OF THE UNIT: During this unit the students will explore pitch further to build on their current knowledge and understanding of melodic direction. The students will build on their knowledge of high and low pitched notes, ascending and descending melodies and graphic notation. In addition to this, the students will be introduced to steps. They will use tuned percussion instruments as well as voice during this unit of work.
CLASS PROFILE: Students have had music lessons in the past, however not consistently throughout their schooling. Through prior knowledge activities I have determined that these students pitch and melody knowledge and understanding is at Stage One (p 37 A Guide Guide to music…). In previous music lessons the students have
Strand/s:
Key idea
Unit Outcome(s): Conceptual:
Arts Practice
Standard 1, Outcome 1.2 – ‘Explores
Students will know that the voice and
skills, techniques and technologies from
instruments can make high and low
each arts form and engages in activities
sounds and that notes ascend and
specific to each arts form to produce arts
descend through the scale.
works’ (Department if Education and
Through listening, singing, playing
Children’s Services 2004, South
and movement students will be able
Australian Curriculum Standards and
to recognise and distinguish between
Accountability Accountability Framework , viewed 6 June
high and low sounds and ascending
2009,
and descending movements (steps)
through the scale.
sp?t=IFP>.)
Students will be able to graphically notate simple ascending and
Standard 1, Outcome 1.4 – ‘Distinguishes ‘Distinguishes
descending melodies.
Weekly outline of lessons
Teacher references and resources
Week 1 Lesson 1 Focus: High and low pitch through use of voice
Lesson 1 References and Bibliography
Basic graphic notation Equipment Revision for high & low pitch and basic graphic notation
Teacher uses own voice to sing high to low to high notes (sings the word up, up, up… when singing from low to high and sings the word down, down, down… when singing from high to low) Teacher shines a torch on the wall to represent the sound shape while they sing (torch light moves from high
Teacher resources and handouts Torches – enough for one between 2 students 1 metre long ribbons (fairly wide thickness) – one for each student One blown up balloon
Activity 1
Teacher provides a ribbon to each student Teacher uses own voice again to sing (la-la-la) or hum. Teacher demonstrates a high note by singing the word high and demonstrates a low note by b y singing the word low (this will provide students with a base of which high and low notes are being sung) Teacher demonstrates with their arm the sound shape while they are singing. Teacher invites the students to join in and move their ribbons to represent the rise and fall in pitch of the teachers voice. Teacher to sing three different melodies. Repeat each melody three times. Students to move their ribbons to mirror the rise and fall in pitch of the teachers voice
If students are confident enough, allow them to sing their sound shape, otherwise the teacher can sing it to model it to the students. Ensure that whoever sings traces the shape as they sing Questions asked during this activity When my voice was singing a high note, what was your ribbon doing? When my voice was singing a low note, what was your ribbon doing? What did your ribbon do from the highest note to the lowest note? What did your ribbon do from the lowest note to the highest note? At this part of your sound shape (demonstrate (demonstrate by tracing some of the shape), what happened to your voice?
and falling, ie going up and going down. Teacher chooses a path to describe and holds it so all students can see it, describing it as it started low note and is going up high note, now it is going down and it ends low. Teacher asks students how they would describe the balloon path if it was being played on an instrument Teacher chooses some students to describe their paths. Ensure all students can see the path being described. Ask the students to describe the path in musical terms, ie it started on a low note and is going up to a high note, now it is going down and it ends on a low note If students are confident enough, allow them to sing their balloon path (sound shape), otherwise the teacher can sing it to model it to the students. Ensure that
pitch in these activities? Why? What did you like about learning about high and low pitch?
Week 2 Lesson 2 – See Detailed Lesson Plan Focus: High and low pitch though use of voice and instruments Reintroduce ascending and descending through use of voice and instruments Use of graphic notation
Week 3 Lesson 3 – See Detailed Lesson Plan
high note and down again to a low note. Have a student demonstrate this melody on the teachers instrument describing describing as they go (low note, high note, going up, going down, higher, lower) Have the students draw a different sound shape (be specific about how many times it must go up or down), teacher to chose three students to share their sound shape with the class, describe their sound shape and then play it on the teacher’s instrument. Questions asked in revision When I play this (teacher plays their instrument), where is this on the sound shape? When was the melody going up? When was the melody going down?
Teacher to draw a graphic notation (Appendix) on the board to represent the Slide Song. Discuss how this is different to the sound shapes that the class has been using. Teacher to point to the lines on the notation as they sing the song. Ensure the words to the song are written on the whiteboard so students can read them Questions asked in this activity What are the notes doing in this song? Where are the low notes? Where are the high notes? How is this different to the sound shapes we have used before?
Activity 2
Teacher plays Jack’s Game on CD (track 44) and asks
students what Jack is doing (climbing up or climbing down). Teacher plays notes low C to high C and asks the students what Jack is doing? Teacher chooses some students to play Jack’s Game on the teachers instrument. Students are to choose a part of the song to play (either low C to high C or vice versa), the rest of the class decides what Jack is doing. Have the rest of the class move to the change in pitch Have the students work in pairs and ask them to notate the melody of Jack’s song onto paper, similar to the way that the teacher notated Slide Song. Discuss the notation as a class. Ask the students; Does it matter if a notation is drawn as a sound shape or as dashes?
Why? What did you find easy or hard about the activities we did today? Why? Questions asked at the end of the unit Where is the melody going up? (teacher plays a melody) Where is the melody going down? (teacher plays a melody) How do you represent melody going up on a sound shape? How do you represent melody going down on a sound shape? How can you show this using other notations? How can you represent that with your body? Can you play me this sound shape? Can you play me a melody that goes up three times?
Assessment strategies What is being assessed? The students ability to; -
ident identify ify,, play play and and sin sing g high high and and low low pitch pitch note notes s
-
identify identify,, play and sing melodic melodic direct direction ion as ascend ascending ing and and desce descendin nding g
-
crea create te melo melodi dies es thr throu ough gh gra graph phic ic not notat atio ion n
-
graphi graphical cally ly nota notate te melo melodie dies s that that have have been been play played ed
How is it being assessed? Collecting students work samples: -
Sound Sound shapes shapes with with high high and and low sectio sections ns circ circle led d on them them
-
Sound Sound shapes shapes with descripti descriptions ons of movem movement ent in sound sound detailed detailed on sheet sheet
Observing students throughout the lesson: -
Students Students are are able able to mirro mirrorr the movem movement ent in in pitch pitch though though voice voice,, body movement movements, s, playing playing and graphic notation
Using a class observation checklist (Appendix)
Evaluation of unit outcomes/indicators outcomes/indicators:: Students will know and understand; -
that notes notes (voice (voice and and instrum instruments) ents) have have differ different ent pitche pitches, s, in particul particular ar,, high and and low pitch pitch
-
that notes notes move move in a melod melodic ic directi direction, on, by either either ascending ascending or or descendi descending ng through through the the scale scale
-
tha that not note es mov move e in in ste step ps
Students will be able to; -
use list listeni ening ng skill skills s to ident identify ify note notes s of highe higherr and low lower er pitch pitch
-
play play note notes s that that have have high high and and low low pit pitch ch
-
sing sing note notes s that that have have high high and and low low pit pitch ch
-
use gross gross motor motor skills skills to mirror mirror moveme movements nts in pitch, pitch, in partic particular ular,, high and low low pitch pitch
-
play play note notes s in in asc ascen endi ding ng orde order r
-
play play note notes s in in des desce cend ndin ing g ord order er
-
use listening listening skills skills to identify identify melodic melodic patte patterns rns that ascend ascend or descend descend
-
play notes in steps use gross gross motor motor skills skills to mirr mirror or step steps s in melod melodies ies
Music Lesson Plan Lesson 2 of Unit on Melodic Direction Specific, expected Outcome: Outcome: During this lesson the students will revise/learn about…. The students will The students will have
ELEMENT
PROCEDURE
MUSIC
(Activity /ies) High and
Introduction :
SKILLS Listening
low pitch
Revision for high and low pitch and basic
Non-verbal
Graphic
graphic notation
communication
notation
Have students lay down
Gross motor
Teacher sings or hums a high note and
skills
RESOURCES/REFERENCES
What were your arms and legs doing? What was my voice doing? What type of note did we start on, a high or low one? When did you know you needed to start moving your arms and legs back to the floor? (model the correct language to describe, ie going up, going down, low note, high note) Have the students represent the shape (there is only one shape, low to high to low) of the teachers singing with their hands Have the students work in pairs to draw the sound shape on paper of the teachers singing
nota notati tion on
Teache acherr uses uses thei theirr inst instru rume ment nt to play play low low
communication
C and high C and describes these notes as
Problem
low and high respectively.
solving skills
Teacher plays the low C and invites the students to sing a low note* as they play. Have the students sing the words low, low, low…in a low note as the teacher plays the low C Teacher plays a high C and invites the students to sing a high note* as they play. Have the students sing the words high, high, high…in a high note as the teacher plays the high C Teacher and students sing Row, Row, Row Your Boat (Appendix) while the
of the music? Teacher to describe that there are other notes between the high note and the low note and these notes help to make the music sound like it is going down. Teacher demonstrates this by playing the notes corresponding to the words merrily, merrily, merrily, merrily Teacher asks the students how they think the sound shape would look for this part of the song. Have the students demonstrate this in the air. Once the class has come to a decision they have the sound shape correct, have a student draw it on the board.
and high C saying low and high respectively as they play these notes. Teacher plays ascending notes starting at low C and ending at high C. Step through the notes. Ask the students; What are the notes doing? Where was the low note? Where was the high note? Teacher points out the two C’s on their instrument and asks the students to look for the two C’s on their instrument. Teacher gives the students a few moments to play the two C’s on their instrument and to think about how they are
skills
the term ‘steps’ and explains what it is. Teacher may like to use the analogy, climbing up steps. Teacher plays notes low C through to high C and sings up, up, up… as they play the notes through the scale. Have the students play the notes low C to high C on their instruments, invite the students to join in singing up, up, up…* Repeat playing and singing from low C to high C a number of times. Teacher to play notes from low C to high C, have students to play with them. Teacher to sing “I am climbing up the steps” (Appendix) while playing. Repeat playing
up. Teacher demonstrates descending notes starting at high C and ending at low C. Step through the notes. Ask the students What are the notes doing? Where was the low note? Where was the high note? How is the position of these notes different to when the notes where going up? Teacher plays notes from high C to low C and asks the students to mirror the teacher on their own instruments so they also play from high C to low C. Teacher reinforces the term ‘step’. Teacher may like
and feel more confident with descending notes. Teacher asks some students to demonstrate the notes going down on their instruments. Encourage the students to use the correct language to describe the melody they played. (ie. starting on high note, going down to low note). Ask a student to draw a sound shape on the board of the sound of the music. Discuss this shape, discuss why it only goes down and doesn’t go up. Compare the shape to the one drawn when the notes were going up. Teacher to explicitly explain that the notes were only going down and
Conclusion/Reflection:: Conclusion/Reflection Ask the students the following questions questions to obtain their overall understanding about the lesson; -When a sound shape goes up (demonstrate with hand), what does this mean is happening to the pitch of the music? -When a sound shape goes down, what does this mean is happening to the pitch of the music? -In musical terms, what is a step? -What else did you find out today?
Conclude the lesson by asking the
Music Lesson Plan Lesson 3 of Unit on Melodic Direction Specific, expected Outcome: Outcome: During this lesson the students will revise/learn about…. The students will The students will have
ELEMENT
PROCEDURE
MUSIC
Ascending
(Activity /ies) Introduction :
SKILLS Listening
and
Revision for ascending and descending
Gross motor
descending and graphic notation
skills
pitch
Non-verbal
Graphic
Teacher to play notes going up on their instrument (start at low C and play to high
communicatio
RESOURCES/REFERENCES
Can you draw the sound shape? Can you describe how these sound shapes are different? What is it called when the notes are played one after the other up the scale? Can you demonstrate steps on my
Ascending
instrument? Develop:
Gross motor
and
Activity 1
skills
descending
Students are to spread out in the
Non-verbal
pitch
classroom with enough space so they are
communicatio
Steps
not touching other students
n skills
Graphic notation
Teacher plays low C on their instrument
Listening
and says low as they play the note.
Playing
Teacher plays high C and says high as
Fine motor
and then coming back down. To provide variety to the students the teacher to change the speed of the ascend and descend. Ie play a slow ascend and quick descend or vice versa. Let the students move quickly and slowly to the notes. Teacher to choose approximately three students to also play ascending and descending notes on the instrument while the rest of the class moves to the rise and fall of the pitch. Allow some students to describe what they were being while the teacher students played the melody.
description below their sound shape. Also have them circle in different colours where the high and low parts are on their sound shape. Questions asked during this activity Can you describe this sound shape? What is happening here (point to part of the shape)? How would this sound shape sound on the instrument? Activity 2 Ascending and descending pitch
Teacher shows a sound shape card (Appendix) Teacher asks the students to describe the sound shape
Problem solving Listening Playing Fine motor
as they play (ie starting on low note, going up, up, up, up to high note, coming down, down, down to low note) Teacher and students play the sound shape together describing as they play. Play the sound shape together a second time. Teacher shows the last sound shape card Teacher asks the students to describe the sound shape Teacher plays the sound shape slowly on their instrument, describing the shape as they play (ie starting on low note, going up, up, up, up to high note, coming
Give the students a few minutes to practice the sound shape on their instrument. Ensure the students use low C as the lowest note and high C as the highest note Teacher to choose students to play their chosen sound shape (students not to say which sound shape they are playing), the class is to guess what sound shape they played (1, 2 or 3). Ensure the students describe the sound of the sound shape (ie it started on a low note etc). Repeat this guessing activity approximately five times. Return the sound shapes to the
What is happening to the sound shape here? (point to part of the sound shape) What is happening now? (Ask while playing the instrument) How did you know it was that sound shape? Conclusion/Reflection:: Conclusion/Reflection Ask the students the following questions questions to obtain their overall understanding about the lesson; -When we describe the pitch as going up, what does that sound like on an instrument (student to play on instrument)? -What would it look like on a sound
sound shapes I showed you? -Did you find it easy or hard to make up a sound shape? -What did you like about moving to the melody?
Appendix Row, row, row your boat sheet music
Appendix Climbing the steps
I
am
is
climb- ing
up
the
ste-
ps
climb- ing
up
the
ste-
ps
Appendix Sound shape card 1
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Appendix Sound Shape card 2
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Appendix Sound Shape card 3
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