This lesson is an introductory answer to the unit question of what rhythmic patterns are and how they feel, specifically the feeling association with rhythm. The goal is for these 5th graders to be able to associate specific time signatures with a certain feeling and rhythmic pulse. In this lesson, they are meeting the standards of employing discipline-specific technology to categorize works of music, demonstrating basic concepts of rhythm, and identifying elements of music in response to aural prompts.
The students will be working in groups to develop an understanding of a specific time signature, and the whole assignment will be done using music player apps and displaying information they find using RealTimeBoard. In using these technologies, students will be meeting the standards of selecting and using appropriate digital tools and resources to accomplish tasks and collaborating with peers to illustrate components of a designed system in the RealTimeBoard. They will be assessed in the standards as well, for they are asked to articulate the beat to different rhythms, describe different time signatures and how they feel, and determine a time signature given a rhythmic pattern.
Per an email from me the afternoon before, the students will come to class with a basic understanding of how to use RealTimeBoard, and have an account connected to the board I have already created. The board has boxes for the different time signatures of 4/4, 3/4, 6/8, and 9/8, as well as a link to Pentatonix's "Carol of the Bells" on Noteflight. The Sonos speakers will be ready to go before class starts. After welcoming students, I will ask them to take out their iPads and login to RealTimeBoard. We will discuss what is meant by the beat of the music, and I will play two songs using the speakers ("It's The Most Wonderful Time of the Year" and "O Come All Ye Faithful"), asking them to clap along with the beat of each. In this, I will be able to assess their ability to find the beat, and will gauge how long to keep playing the song based on their level of ability.
After discussing the beat, I will ask someone to describe a time signature in very basic terms. I will show them an example by having them click on the link in the RealTimeBoard, and then play the "Carol of the Bells" while clapping its beat, to show the link between the time signature on the page and what they hear in the song.
Next will be the main activity, where I count students off with numbers 1-4, and give each resulting group a time signature: 4/4, 3/4, 6/8, or 9/8. They are instructed to work together to find 3 songs in the time signature, list the songs in a sticky note in the correct box on RealTimeBoard, clap the beat for each song, and write 3 short phrases/words in sticky notes that describe the feeling of the time signature. This activity meets technology standards, as well as assesses their ability to describe time signatures and how they feel. Students have 15 minutes to work on the assignment.
Each group will present by playing one of their songs, having the whole class clap the beat, and using their words to describe the time signature. Other members of the class can add sticky notes to their box if they think of other words. After all groups have presented, I will answer any questions.
To put it all together and assess their ability to determine time signatures based on what they hear, I will play a few songs in different times, and have them raise their hand and guess the time signature while clapping the beat.
I will send the students a PDF of the RealTimeBoard after class, and tell them they can use it to review these 4 basic time signatures. I will explain that they can practice by listening to songs at home and trying to guess the time signature, checking themselves by looking for sheet music on Musicnotes.
Overall, I think this lesson offers a great introduction to time signatures and rhythm that is based on feeling and hearing, that will allow a nice flow into how time signatures and rhythms translate in written sheet music. It also meets several standards and assesses students in several ways so that I am able to see their understanding.
https://drive.google.com/file/d/0B5zCiXr7vgQ6RUZnb3NBeFVTd1k/view?usp=sharing
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