Middle School Lesson 2
StartBeat, The Staff, ScaleThemes(s):
Transportation, Our Musical World, Friendship, Central America
Extra Details:
Rhythm
Grades
Holidays
Chords
Learning Module Category
Introduction
In this lesson, you will:
- Play the Circle Name Game
- Play “Can You Keep a Steady Beat”
- Review Music Room Rules
- Complete Staff Lesson 1
- Review “Barges”
- Learn how to do the Sevens Hand Clap routine
- Try the Sevens Game with “Clap Your Hands”
- Optional: Find another school appropriate song and try the Sevens routine with the song
- Teach “Mango Walk”
- Add an ostinato to “Mango Walk”
- Option 1: Learn a djembe pattern for “Mango Walk”
- Option 2: Teach the Orff arrangement for “Mango Walk”
- Option 3: Play “Mango Walk” on the ukulele or guitar
- Review “Friends Forever”
- Review the choreography for “Friends Forever”
- Do the choreography and sing “Friends Forever”
- Optional: Teach the bucket drumming arrangement for “Friends Forever”
- Compose your own rhythm pattern
- Write your rhythm on a piece of paper then play it with the track
- Play Coconut Chaos
Extensions:
Musicplay is a menu. The teacher is not expected to teach every song or activity. Choose the songs and activities from the list that will best fit your schedule and the needs of your students.
Objectives
- I can identify notes in the C scale.
- I can sing a song with first and second endings.
- I can create and perform my own rhythm pattern.
Teaching Procedures
Play the Circle Name Game
Copy LinkReview names with the Circle Name Game.
Invite students to suggest new categories: Favorite food, color, places they've been, book, movie.
Play "Can You Keep a Steady Beat"
Copy LinkCan you keep a steady beat?
Can you keep a steady beat?
Have your students make a circle a safe distance apart.
Each student will in turn say one beat of the words, "Can you keep a steady beat?"
The 8th student will tap shoulders indicating a rest.
student 1: Can
student 2: you
student 3: keep
student 4: a
student 5: stea -
student 6: dy
student 7: beat
student 8: tap shoulders
All stand and start the pattern.
If any students misses saying the word on their beat, they go out and sit down.
Continue until there is one left.
Challenge 1: replace a word with body percussion. For example, stamp on the word "keep" instead of saying it.
Go faster.
Change direction.
Review Music Room Rules
Copy Link1. Have the students read the rhythms.
2. Read the words in rhythm.
3. Divide the class into 2 groups - one reads the rules, the other does the ostinato
4. Give the students a suggested body percussion to go with the first line.
For example: stomp stomp stomp stomp
pat pat pat pat pat pat pat
5. Read the second line and have students each create a body percussion pattern for it. Keep a beat on a woodblock or a drum and have them do the line four times, working out a body percussion. Divide the class in half and have one have perform and the other half of the class watch. The watchers should choose several performances that they like. As a class choose one body percussion pattern to use for the second line. Switch roles for the third and fourth lines.
6. Choose instruments to play the ostinato.
7. Decide on a form for performance
For example:
- drum and say the ostinato 2x as an intro
- ostinato continues while chant is performed 2x
- end with the ostinato 2x dim.
Review the song "Barges"
Copy LinkLearn how to do the Sevens Hand Clap routine
Copy LinkSevens is a fun clap game. Watch the video and practice with Denise.
Try the Sevens Game with "Clap Your Hands"
Copy LinkOptional: Find another school appropriate song and try the Sevens routine with the song
Copy LinkTeach “Mango Walk”
Copy LinkThe song Mango Walk can be used as a reading song or a rote song. Choose whether to introduce the song by reading or by rote.
Add an ostinato to “Mango Walk”
Copy LinkAdd an ostinato to the song "Mango Walk" as shown in the demo video.
Choose instruments and play the ostinato given (ta ti-ti ta ta) or have the students create their own.
If students create new ostinatos, write them on the board, and play each ostinato for a section of the song.
For example:
1. ti-ti ti-ti ta ta
2. ta ta ti-ti ta
3. ta sh ta ta
4. ti-ti ti-ti ti-ti ta
Option 1: Learn a djembe pattern for “Mango Walk”
Copy LinkOption 2: Teach the Orff arrangement for Mango Walk
Copy LinkThis is a challenging arrangement by Judy Sills, and may take several classes.
Option 3: Play “Mango Walk” on the ukulele or guitar
Copy LinkReview “Friends Forever”
Copy LinkReview the choreography for “Friends Forever”
Copy LinkDo the choreography and sing “Friends Forever”
Copy LinkOptional: Teach the bucket drumming arrangement for “Friends Forever”
Copy LinkCompose your own rhythm pattern
Copy LinkChoose your level. We suggest starting with level 2.
Compose your own rhythm pattern.
Play it back. Do you like it?
If not, change it.
Write your rhythm on a piece of paper then play it with the track
Copy LinkWrite your rhythm that you composed on a piece of paper.
Decide how to play it.
You could use body percussion: clap, pat, snap, stamp.
-or-
You could clap 1st time, pat 2nd time, snap 3rd time, stamp 4th time, continuing until the music ends.
-or-
Find things at home to use for drumsticks and drum it.