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Composing Music
Young scholars compose music with musical instruments, and write the proper notation for the songs they have created.
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Click and Drag Music Composition
Fourth graders work in small groups using SMART Board Technology to write a 4 measure music composition. studying the basic structure and vocabulary of written music is the goal of this experience.
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Original Band Compositions
Students create and perform original band compositions using their own band instruments. This two day lesson requires student compositions to be done at home. Students evaluate performances using a checklist for composing (included).
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Write Your Own Rap
Third graders create a rap using basic AB form composition. Evaluation of performances are based on rubric formed during the first lesson by all students. This three to four day lesson culminates in student performances and evaluation.
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Original Rhythm Compositions for Poetry
Students create and perform original musical compositions using poetry as a basis for the creative process. This cross-curricular two-day lesson plan can be done in two 45 minute class periods. Students evaluate performances as part of...
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Math, Music and Architecture: Kindergarten Geometry and Aesthetics in Music and Architecture
Students identify and name different geometrical shapes. In this math lesson, students distinguish odd from even numbers. They describe the properties of 2 and 3 dimensional objects.
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Set a Poem to Music
Students consider the role of rhythm and meter in poetry. In this integrated arts lesson plan, students discuss the attributes of poetry and use their music skills to set picture book poetry to music by creating "singable" poems.
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Say It Loud!: A Celebration Of Black Music in America - Lesson 4
Young scholars choose a theme for a song. They compose a poem, and write music to go along with their poem. The instructor plays the musical accompaniment, and the class votes on the most appropriate rhythmic pattern.
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Chance Dance Compositions
Fourth graders create dances through a randomly generated process (such as throwing a dice) and perform their dances for the class. Class work is based on Merce Cunningham's "Chance Dance" and includes walking, skipping hopping, and...
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Totally Ternary
First graders compose a simple nursery rhyme with percussion and instrumental accompaniment in the general music classroom setting. AB form and rhythmic patterns are emphasized in this 35-40 minute lesson plan.
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Rhythm Compositions
Fourth graders collaborate in small groups to create simple rhythmic patterns in different time signatures. Each group creates rhythms in a competitive "game" atmosphere and then constructs entire rhythmic groups for presentation to...
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Virtual Museum of Musical Instruments
Learners incorporate elements of photo composition and demonstrate how to upload digital pictures to the computer. They create their own instrument utilizing resources from home as well as specialized music hardware. They participate in...
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In My Dream
Students listen to various selections of music and discuss the use of form in musical compositions. They choreograph and perform movements to correspond with identified forms.
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Indian Ragas
Students explore Indian ragas and learn the differences between an Indian raga and the Western scale. They sing the familiar song "America," first in the Western major scale and then in two Indian ragas (bhairavi and purvi) on a neutral...
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The Pony Song
Learners sing "Three Little Pigs", the "Pony Song", and "The Animal Blues" in this elementary school music lesson. National and State Standards are addressed. Assessment rubric is included for grading and student evaluation.
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Salad Sisters
Students practice and perform 8 and 16 beat rhythmic patterns in 4/4 using the song "Salad Sisters" as a basis in this elementary-level General Music lesson. An amazing lesson for teaching cooperative music composition techniques and...
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Music Accomplished Practice #4
Second graders create their own rhythm with a time signature. They examine notes, rests, and how many beats for ech type of note. Students clap in rhythm. They perform their own rhythm for the class.
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Mozart vs. Beethoven - Real Classical Composers
Elementary schoolers are given an overview of the baroque, classical, romantic, and modern periods of music. They focus on the lives of Beethoven and Mozart; two of the greatest composers of all time. After listening to samples their...
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Swing Your Partner!
This was written for ESOL learners, but could work for any elementary class. Learners read about the American dance style known as Square Dancing. They explore its use in literature, write a friendly letter about it, and then use their...
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Singing In Canon
Third graders analyze and discuss the four seasons and how each can be represented in song form. This lesson plan is intended for the third grade Music classroom but could be adapted for any elementary grade. State and National...
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Broccoli
Students compose, notate, and evaluate their own rhythmic compositions using the song "Broccoli" for inspiration in this excellent elementary-level General Music lesson. Emphasis is placed upon four-measure patterns and the classic...
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A Little Kandinsky For All
Students create abstract compositions based on the later works of Wassily Kandinsky using the primary colors in this early elementary Art activity. The activity emphasizes the use of color, lines, and shapes to create the abstract works...
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Notable American Composers
Students visit web sites for each of the composersand listen to selections of each composer's music and place important dates of the composers into a pre-printed time line.
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KEYBOARDS
Second graders become familiar with appearance and characteristic sound of piano, identify piano as part of percussion family, find middle C on the keyboard, observe scale, chord, and "broken" chord, and listen to a well-known classical...