John Chisholm

Lesson Plan Subject: Music

Lesson Plan Title: Teaching Meter, 1st grade

The lesson plan:

------------------------------------------------------------

Subject: Music

Concept: Rhythm

Materials: tape player, cassette with three songs, chalkboard

Introduction:

The teacher will introduce the lesson by asking students, Who likes to dance? How do you know when to move your feet? You have to listen to the beat don't you? The repetition of the beat creates what is known as rhythm. The rhythm is what you are dancing to in music.

Procedure:

1. In songs the rhythm is created by a combination of strong and weak beats.

2. Today we're going to talk about two forms of rhythm. The teacher will begin slapping his thighs and clapping his hands, alternating to form a duple meter. Students will be encouraged to join in.

3. The first is called duple meter. It has a strong beat followed by a weaker beat. While the students continue the cadence the teacher will illustrate duple meter on the chalkboard, marking their time with the lines. This is how we show duple meter. The big line gets the heavy beat, the smaller one gets the weaker beat.

4. The teacher will begin the cassette with Clockwork, the example of duple meter. Students will continue keeping their rhythm. The teacher will again join them to help monitor their tempo.

5. Okay, great. Now we're going to move on to triple meter. The teacher will demonstrate triple meter. When the students catch on the teacher will draw the meter on the board. This is how we show triple meter.

6. The teacher will start the cassette again with Trapeze, the example of triple meter. Students will continue keeping their rhythm. The teacher will again join them to help monitor their tempo.

Conclusion:

1. Now I'm going to play another song and I want you to listen for the meter. The teacher will then play the third example, Peter Gabriel's Sledgehammer.

2. Raise your hand if you can tell me which type of meter this is? The teacher will call on a few students for their answers and ask the class if they agree. The song has a strong duple meter rhythm.

3. Who knows the song The More We Get Together? The teacher will use the rote technique to review this song. When the students are ready to sing the song together the teacher will begin the triple meter cadence. When all students join in the teacher will begin the song.

4. At this point, if time permits, the students can be broken into three groups for singing the song in rounds. Despite the fact that students will be at different points in the song their rhythm should be identical.

5. All right, you guys did wonderful. I like the way you followed my directions.