Samantha McCloghry

Elementary School
Quarter note, eighth note, half note, quarter rest unit plan
I: Introduction
1st and 2nd grade
Performing and recognizing quarter notes, eighth notes, half
notes, and quarter rests
Being able to count these rhythms using tas and ti-tis
This unit is over the course of 5 35 minute class periods for both
the 1st and 2nd grade students.
Student objectives:
o Students will recognize what quarter notes, eight notes,
half notes and quarter rests look like
o Students will be able to perform each of these rhythms on
instruments and by singing
o Students will be able to count these rhythms using tas
and ti-tis
National Standards used during this unit:
o Singing, alone and with others, a varied repertoire of
music.
o Performing on instruments, alone and with others, a varied
repertoire of music.
o Improvising melodies, variations, and accompaniments.
o Reading and notating music.
o Listening to, analyzing, and describing music.
o Evaluating music and music performances.
II: Day by Day Outline
Day One: Sing a spring song, Easter egg matching game,
Easter egg rhythm chart
I start the class by having a discussion about springtime and
Easter to introduce a spring song. The spring song we sing has quarter
and eighth note rhythms in it. Then the students will play an Easter
egg matching game, where the top of the Easter eggs have a picture of
the rhythms and the bottom has the name of the rhythm but theyre
mixed up, so the students need to find the top and the bottom that
match. After the game, each student will draw in the correct rhythms
on four Easter eggs and have the opportunity to creatively color their
own eggs.

Objectives:
Students will sing the rhythms of the unit in the spring song.
Students will match the pictures of the rhythms to the correct
rhythm name.
Students will draw their own rhythm chart of the Easter eggs
they matched together.
Materials:
Piano
Spring song sheet music
Easter eggs
Easter egg rhythm chart paper
Crayons
Pencils
Projector
iPad with google slides
Day Two: Dance, sing a spring song, Easter egg rhythm chart
We begin the class by dancing. This gets the students up and
moving so by the time weve finished the dance they can be focused
and attentive. We then sing another spring song that includes the
rhythms of the unit. At the end of the class, I gave the students time to
finish coloring their Easter egg rhythm charts so they can bring them
home to show their parents what we are doing in music class.
Objectives:
Students will follow the directions from the teacher to do a dance
together.
Students will sing the rhythms of the unit in the spring song.
Students will draw their own rhythm chart of the Easter eggs
they matched together.
Materials:
Piano
Spring song sheet music
Dance CD
CD player
Easter egg rhythm chart paper
Crayons

Pencils
Projector
iPad with google slides

Day Three: Dance, sing a garden song, play instruments with

the garden song
We begin the class by dancing. This has proven to be very
successful in getting the students energy level up and then relaxing
them to continue with the rest of class. Then we sing a song about a
garden using the rhythms in the unit and play instruments to the
rhythms of the same song.
Objectives:
Students will follow the directions from the teacher to do a dance
together.
Students will sing the rhythms of the unit in the garden song.
Students will perform the rhythms from the garden song on
instruments.
Materials:
Piano
Sheet music to garden song
Dance CD
CD player
Rhythm sticks
Hand drum
Cowbell
Wood block
Projector
Ipad with google slides
Day Four: Movement activity, listen to music and play
instruments to the music, sing a song and move to the music
We start the class with a movement activity that first I teach the
movements to without the music and then add the music. This activity
is to grab to students attention and get them up and moving before
we continue with class. We then listen to an Ingrid Michaelson song
and play the different sections with rhythm sticks. In each section of
the song we play a different rhythm that uses the quarter note, eighth

note, and half note rhythms were working on in the unit. We finish the
class by singing a song with the rhythms from the unit and adding
actions to the song while we sing together.
Objectives:
Students will move their bodies, in control, and to the directions
of the teacher while the music plays.
Students will play the rhythm sticks using correct technique.
Students will play the correct rhythm on the rhythm sticks
depending upon the section of the song they hear.
Students will move their bodies in control, and to the directions
of the teacher while we sing the music.
Materials:
iPad with Ingrid Michaelson song
iPad with song during movement activity
Projector
Google slides
Rhythm sticks
Day Five: Call and response, performing on instruments,
movement song, dance
We sing a call and response song at the beginning of class which
includes having the students perform the unit rhythms back to the
teacher. Then we transition to include those rhythms on instruments
and have a class performance. To have the students get up and move a
bit, we do a movement song that allows them to discover movement in
different parts of their bodies. The last part of class includes a dance.
Objectives:
Sing a song after listening to it multiple times.
Move with flow and a steady beat.
Perform call and response patterns with quarter notes, eighth
notes, and half notes.
Recognize each rhythm with its syllable (ta, ti-ti, ta-a).
Perform these rhythms on percussion instruments.
Sing a song and identify different parts of out body.
Follow teachers directions/movements for a dance.
Materials:
iPad with google slides

projector

hand drums

rhythm sticks

CD player

Dance CD

Rhythm read and play CD

III: Two Lesson Plans

See E-portfolio for sample lessons from Day 3 and Day 5

IV: Assessment Procedures

Day One

Were the students able to sing the rhythms of the unit in the
spring song?
Were the students able to match the pictures of the rhythms to
the correct rhythm name?
Were the students able to draw their own rhythm chart of the
Easter eggs they matched together?

Day Two

Were the students able to follow the directions from the teacher
to do a dance together?
Were the students able to sing the rhythms of the unit in the
spring song?
Were the students able to draw their own rhythm chart of the
Easter eggs they matched together?

Day Three

Could the students follow the directions from the teacher to do a

dance together?
Were the students able to sing the rhythms of the unit in the
garden song?
Were the students able to perform the rhythms from the garden
song on instruments?

Day Four-

Could the students move their bodies, in control, and to the

directions of the teacher while the music plays?
Were the students able to play the rhythm sticks using correct
technique?
Were the students able to play the correct rhythm on the rhythm
sticks depending upon the section of the song they hear?
Were the students able to move their bodies in control, and to
the directions of the teacher while we sing the music?

Day Five**final assessment including performing and recognizing rhythmic

patterns

Were the students able to sing a song after listening to it multiple

times?
Were the students able to move with flow and a steady beat?
Were the students able to perform call and response patterns
with quarter notes, eighth notes, and half notes?
Were the students able to recognize each rhythm with its syllable
(ta, ti-ti, ta-a)?
Were the students able to perform these rhythms on percussion
instruments?
Were the students able to sing a song and identify different parts
of out body?
Could the students follow teachers directions/movements for a
dance?