Lesson Overview:
This lesson explores the relationship between rhythm and math. Students are taught to subdivide when counting in order to be rhythmically accurate.
Length of Lesson:
One 45-minute period
Instructional Objectives:
Students will:
- develop a list of rhythm patterns that they must practice. (These rhythm patterns will help students achieve rhythm accuracy in playing assigned pieces.)
- explore the use of math functions, relating them to rhythm concepts.
- study the relationship between note and rest durations through theory assignments and by analyzing the rhythm patterns in their assigned music.
Supplies:
- Copies of a piece of music that the orchestra is preparing (one per student)
- Orchestra instrument
Instructional Plan:
Warm Up
Have students tune their instruments and play the C and G Major scales in unison.
Have students subdivide a whole note and whole rest down to eighth notes and eighth rests on a piece of paper. On the board, draw a chart of notes representing different time values (whole note, half note, eighth note, etc.). If students are using the Practical Theory textbook, use the chart illustrated on pages 23 and 24 (Lessons 21 and 22).
Developmental Activity
Hand out copies of a piece of music that the orchestra is learning. Students must be able to write on these copies. (For explanatory purposes, this lesson plan references Beginning Bach, arranged by Steve Wieloszynski and published by Kendor Publishing Company.)
Explain to the students that they will be focusing on the rhythm of the notes. Ask the students to write the time value for each note below each measure of the music. (If using Beginning Bach have students complete this activity for the first movement, "Minuet.") Notes should be identified by a whole number and/or the word or symbol for "and."
Have students follow through with the Guided Practice Activities for the first movement and then return to the Introductory Activity and complete the cycle for the remaining two movements.
Guided Practice Activities
Using the music they have marked, students in each orchestra section should clap the rhythm patterns in their part. Tell the students to say the counts aloud as they clap. After each section has had a turn to clap and verbally count their individual parts, have the ensemble clap their parts as a whole. If necessary, have two or three sections clap together so that students can better understand how the parts relate to each other.
Write a list of common rhythm patterns on the board. These rhythm patterns can be incorporated into scale warm-up exercises. They may also be incorporated into a student handout for practice and/or test purposes.
Have students in each orchestra section play their parts, paying close attention to the rhythm accuracy just obtained in the clapping exercise. After each section has had a turn to play their part, have the ensemble play the movement as a whole. As in the previous exercise, you may choose to have two or three sections play their parts together so that students can better understand how the parts relate to each other.
Give students time to pack up their instruments and return to their seats.
Meaningful-Use Tasks
Discuss with students the relationship between the time value of musical notes and the mathematical concepts of fractions and division. (For example, one whole note is equal to the number one. The whole note can be divided into a certain number of quarter notes, depending on the time signature. In 4/4 time, a whole note can be divided into 4 quarter notes, each of which makes up 1/4 of the measure.)
If you are using the Practical Theory textbook, assign theory Lessons 21 and 22 (pages 23–24). Tell students to pay special attention to the relationship between rhythm and math, as discussed in lines 2–3 of Lesson 21. Any portion of the assignment not completed in class should be finished as homework.
Assessment:
- Each student will receive a participation grade for the class based on preparedness and the amount of effort applied during class.
- A grade will be assigned for the completed theory assignments.
Extensions:
This lesson can and should be taught with any new piece of music.
Students can create math problems from musical notes and share them with a partner. (See the bottom of page 23 in Practical Theory for an example of this activity.) Students can use addition, subtraction, multiplication, and division, allowing their partner to answer in note values when possible and in whole numbers when notes do not apply.
Sources:
Print:
- Feldstein, Sandy. Practical Theory Complete: A Self-Instruction Music Theory Course, Volume One. New York: Alfred Publishing Company, 1982.
- Wieloszynski, Steve (arr.). Beginning Bach. Series: Playground String Orchestra. Delevan, NY: Kendor Music.
Web:
Authors:
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Leslie Thomas, Teacher
Thomas Pullen Arts Magnet School
Landover, MD
