Asymmetrical

Meters Unit Plan

By Diana Smoltz

Table of Contents

Introduction - 3

Standards - 3

Goals (at least three) - 4

Instructional Objectives/Targets - 4

Pre-Assessment 5, 6

Unit Sequence (lessons/activities) - 7

Introductory Lesson 8, 9

Five Standard Based Lessons 10-19
Culminating Lesson - 20

Assessments 21-24

Works Cited - 25

Teacher (self) Reflective Evaluation of Unit 26,

Introduction:

In this unit, students will explore asymmetric meters through creating, performing,
responding to, and connecting to this content through a variety of mediums.

Symmetric meters are regularly experienced in both our daily music exposure, and
within our ensembles. These experiences arent disadvantageous, however, because
of their dominance when students do experience asymmetric meters they seldom
know how to address them. When this occurs, most directors will teach this concept
through rote memorization, thereby providing students with the experience, but not
the understanding. Since this approach isnt particularly thorough, students
frequently cannot synthesize when it comes to performing asymmetric meters. If
this unit is successful, students will be able to comprehend, synthesize, and critically
evaluate the use of asymmetric meters.




Standards:

Asymmetric Meter Unit will address these National Standards:

MU: Cr1.1.E.8a: Compose and improvise ideas from melodies and rhythmic passages
based on characteristic(s) of music or text(s) studied in rehearsal.

MU: Pr6.1.E.Sa: Demonstrate attention to technical accurate and expressive qualities
in performances of a varied repertoire of music.

MU: Re7.2.E.8a: Describe how understanding context and the way the elements of
music are manipulated inform the response to music.

MU: Cn10.0H.8a Demonstrate how interests, knowledge, and skills relate to
personal choices and intent when creating, performing, and responding to music.

Goals:

1. The learner will be able to perform on their instrument in asymmetric meters,
evidenced by their ability to sight-read simple patterns.

2. The learner will understand the basic principles regarding asymmetric meters,
evidenced by composing their own rhythmic pattern in an asymmetric meter.

3. The learner will be able to switch between symmetric and asymmetric meters,
while keeping the eighth note constant, evidenced by their performance of the
rehearsed repertoire.

4. The learner will understand the composers intention, and its overall musical
purpose of using asymmetric meters.



Instructional Objectives/Targets

I can define asymmetric and symmetric meters.
I can explain the construction of a measure that is written in an asymmetric
meter.
I can compose four bars using both symmetric and asymmetric meters.
I can keep the eighth note constant while switching between asymmetric and
symmetric meters on my instruments.
I can switch between asymmetric and symmetric meters in the rehearsed
repertoire.
I can sight-read simple rhythms in asymmetric meters.
I can rationalize the use of asymmetric meters to convey composers affective
intentions.

Pre-Assessment

Before students can hope to understand asymmetric meters, they first must
understand symmetric meters. There are two types of symmetric meters, simple
and compound. Simple meters take the steady beat and divide it into two parts,
whereas compound meters divide the steady beat into three parts. Asymmetric
meters happen when a composer puts a simple and compound division into the
same measure creating unequal note beat units.

This pre-assessment will help me scaffold students learning by establishing their
mastery of simple, compound, and finally asymmetric meters. These assessments
will be given as individual playing tests, and will provide me information on each
individuals ability level.

Pre-Test

Directions:
Pick a pitch to play the following rhythms on. When you are ready, complete the
following steps:

1. Press the record button.
a. Note: The previously blinking red light should now be solid.
2. Clearly state your name and the test you are doing.
a. Ex: Ms. Smoltz, Test 1
3. Count yourself off to establish tempo.
a. Ex: One, two, three, *breathe* *play downbeat*
4. Repeat steps 2-3 for each excerpt.
a. Note: Do not end the recording until all excerpts are completed.
5. Push the record button when finished.
a. Note: The previously solid red light should return to blinking.



Test 1: Simple Meter Rhythms





Test 2: Compound Meters Rhythms




Test 3: Asymmetric Meter

Unit Sequence

Introductory Lesson: Experiencing Asymmetric Meters
Activity: Listening to different pieces

Lesson 1: Understanding Asymmetric Meters
Activity:
o Define/Experience/Dissect

Lesson 2: Constructing Asymmetric Meters
Activities:
o Break down the measure
o Describe its parts
o How is this different from a beat of compound time and the other
beats simple time?
o Make your own

Lesson 3: Sight-Reading in Symmetric and Asymmetric Meters
Sight-read classmates rhythmic compositions
Discuss/fix errors

Lesson 4: Improvising in Symmetric and Asymmetric Meters
Students will have the opportunity to improvise at any level they want over a
2/4 and 7/8 bar.
Students will evaluate the performances

Lesson 5: Musical Purpose of Asymmetric Meters
Play different excerpts, discuss composers intention
How would you use this technique?

Culminating Lesson: Performing with Exceptional Musicality Using Asymmetric
Meters
Perform Carnival and Fantasia
o Pieces that include asymmetric meters

Introductory Lesson: Experiencing Asymmetric Meters

Standard:
MU: Pr6.1.E.Sa: Demonstrate attention to technical accurate and expressive
qualities in performances of a varied repertoire of music.

Objectives/Targets:
I can define simple meters.
I can aurally identify an excerpt in a simple meter.
I can define compound meters.
I can aurally identify an excerpt in a compound meter.
I can aurally identify when an asymmetric meter occurs.
I can describe the characteristics of an asymmetrically metered measure.

Lesson Management: Focus and Organization
Compliment students who are actively listening
Encourage students who contribute to the discussion
Call upon individuals seemingly randomly
Keep energy up and pacing fast.
Never talk at them for more than 3 minutes

Introduction:
Task Analysis
o Define simple meters, experience through playing measures 171-176
of Carnival
o Define compound meters, experience through playing measures
melodic minor scale patterns
o Experience asymmetric meters by listening to Hazos Ride, dissect
elements.
o Discover: Tap foot to the beat. Why cant you?
Thinking Levels
o Remembering how asymmetric meters feel different from symmetric
o Understanding why asymmetric meters are different from symmetric
Accommodations
o Extension:
See if you can write out the rhythm to the excerpt
o Remediation:
See if you can find what beat is longer
o Learning Styles:
Aural Experience
Visual Aid
Verbal Explanation
Kinesthetic experience
Methods, Materials, and Integrated Technology
o Methods:

Experience/Dissect/Experience
Discovery
Discussion

Middle
Modeling: I Do
o Rhythm Machine
Simple
Compound
Asymmetric
Checking for Understanding
o What were the differences between the three motions
Guided Practice: We Do
o Rhythm Machine
Simple
Compound
Asymmetric
Collaborative and/or Independent Practice
o Play excerpts from Carnival, and Fantasia. Discuss what meter they
are in.

Closure
Assessment
o Listen to this excerpt from Shadow Rituals, was it in simple,
compound, or asymmetric meter?

Lesson 1: Understanding Asymmetric Meters

Standard:
MU: Pr6.1.E.Sa: Demonstrate attention to technical accurate and expressive
qualities in performances of a varied repertoire of music.
MU: Pr6.1.E.Sa: Demonstrate attention to technical accurate and expressive
qualities in performances of a varied repertoire of music.
MU: Re7.2.E.8a: Describe how understanding context and the way the
elements of music are manipulated inform the response to music.

Objectives/Targets:
I can define simple meters.
I can define compound meters.
I can define asymmetric meters.
I can describe the characteristics of an asymmetrically metered measure.
I can perform rhythms on my primary instrument in asymmetric meters.

Lesson Management: Focus and Organization
Encourage students who ask questions
Encourage students who contribute to the discussion
Call upon individuals seemingly randomly
Keep energy up and pacing fast.
Never talk at them for more than 3 minutes

Introduction:
Task Analysis
o Review symmetric and asymmetric meter definitions
o Explain how asymmetric meters change the mood of the music.
o Perform rhythms in asymmetrically metered measures.
Thinking Levels
o Remembering symmetric and asymmetric meter definitions.
o Understanding how these definitions are manifested in music.
o Applying this understanding by performing in asymmetric meters on
their primary instrument.
Accommodations
o Extension: Start improvising your own asymmetric rhythm during the
metronome practice
o Remediation: Use a metronome to practice keeping the eight note
constant but keeping the beat.
Methods, Materials, and Integrated Technology
o Experience/Dissect/Define
o Explore
o Drill and Practice
o Explain

10

Middle
Modeling
o Set metronome one eighth notes
o Divide beats symmetrically, then asymmetrically
Checking for Understanding
o Explain to your neighbor
Guided Practice
o Play

o Variations
Collaborate as a class to create variations on these rhythms

Collaborative and/or Independent Practice
o Practice measures 13-18 of Fantasia

Closure
Assessment
o Evaluate accuracy of measures 13-18 of Fantasia

11

Lesson 2: Constructing Asymmetric Meters

Standard:
MU: Pr6.1.E.Sa: Demonstrate attention to technical accurate and expressive
qualities in performances of a varied repertoire of music.
MU: Cr1.1.E.8a: Compose and improvise ideas from melodies and rhythmic
passages based on characteristic(s) of music or text(s) studied in rehearsal.

Objectives/Targets:
I can aurally identify when an asymmetric meter occurs.
I can aurally identify rhythmic mistakes in asymmetric meters when given
the notation.
I can describe the characteristics of an asymmetrically metered measure.
I can compose using both symmetric and asymmetric meters.
I can perform excerpts with both symmetric and asymmetric meters.

Lesson Management: Focus and Organization
Encourage improvisation
Compliment students who are actively listening
Encourage students who contribute to the discussion
Keep energy up and pacing fast
Keep students playing

Introduction:
Task Analysis
o Review rhythms from last lesson
o Drill and practice
o Application:
Composition activity
Thinking Levels
o Remember definitions of symmetric and asymmetric meters.
o Understand how these definitions manifest themselves in music.
o Apply this understanding into performance.
o Create a composition and improvisation based on this knowledge.
Accommodations
o Extension: Can create harder rhythms
o Remediation: Can create easier rhythms
Methods, Materials, and Integrated Technology
o Experience/define/experience
o Create

Middle
Modeling
o Offer a sample composition

12


Checking for Understanding
o Perform the excerpt
Guided Practice
o Make a rhythm as a class
o Perform rhythm
o Evaluate performance
Collaborative and/or Independent Practice
o Compose their own rhythm excerpt

Closure
Assessment
o Grade compositions for accuracy

13

Lesson 3: Sight-Reading in Symmetric and Asymmetric Meters

Standard:
MU: Cr1.1.E.8a: Compose and improvise ideas from melodies and rhythmic
passages based on characteristic(s) of music or text(s) studied in rehearsal.
MU: Pr6.1.E.Sa: Demonstrate attention to technical accurate and expressive
qualities in performances of a varied repertoire of music.

Objectives/Targets:
I can explain a rhythmic composition in asymmetric meters.
I can sight-read rhythms in asymmetric meters.
I can rehearse rhythms in asymmetric meters.
I can aurally identify mistakes in an asymmetrically metered measure when
viewing the notation.

Lesson Management: Focus and Organization
Compliment students who are actively participating
Encourage students who contribute to the discussion
Keep energy up and pacing fast.
Call on seemingly random students

Introduction:
Task Analysis
o Review reading simple asymmetric rhythms.
o Sight-read compositions.
o Rehearse compositions that didnt go well.
Thinking Levels
o Remember, understand, apply knowledge of asymmetric meters
o Analyze rhythmic excerpt.
o Evaluate performance accuracy.
Accommodations
o Extension: Accent different parts of the beat while playing the
excerpts
o Remediation: Play only on the beats to get the asymmetric feel
Methods, Materials, and Integrated Technology
o Perform/Review/Refine

Middle
Modeling/ Checking for Understanding
o Perform student composition
Make mistake
Ask students where the mistake happened
Fix mistake
Re-preform
Guided Practice

14

o Repeat process as a class

Collaborative and/or Independent Practice
o Repeat process dividing the class by instrument
Ex: Flutes play, others evaluate and provide beat
Half the class does the big beat, half the class does the
eighth note

Closure
Assessment
o Sight-reading evaluation

15

Lesson 4: Improvising in Symmetric and Asymmetric Meters

Standard:
MU: Re7.2.E.8a: Describe how understanding context and the way the
elements of music are manipulated inform the response to music.
MU: Cn10.0H.8a Demonstrate how interests, knowledge, and skills relate to
personal choices and intent when creating, performing, and responding to
music.

Objectives/Targets:
I can perform in asymmetric meters.
I can sight read in asymmetric meters.
I can improvise in asymmetric meters.

Lesson Management: Focus and Organization
Compliment students who are actively listening
Encourage students who contribute to the discussion
Keep energy up and pacing fast.

Introduction:
Task Analysis
o Review reading some of the compositions
o Improvise
Thinking Levels
o Remember, understand, and apply knowledge of asymmetric meters
o Create rhythms in asymmetric meters by improvising over the beat.
Accommodations:
o Extension: syncopated improvisation
o Remediation: Play straight eighth notes.
Methods, Materials, and Integrated Technology
o Drill and practice

Middle
Modeling
o Band provides the steady beat, I improvise
2/4 bar and 7/8 bar
Checking for Understanding
o Ask for questions/misunderstandings
Guided Practice
o Everyone has an opportunity to improvise simultaneously
Collaborative and/or Independent Practice
o Each person has the opportunity to improvise while the band plays
the steady beat

Closure

16

Assessment
o Assess each improvisation for accuracy

17

Lesson 5: Musical Purpose of Asymmetric Meters

Standard:
MU: Pr6.1.E.Sa: Demonstrate attention to technical accurate and expressive
qualities in performances of a varied repertoire of music.
MU: Re7.2.E.8a: Describe how understanding context and the way the
elements of music are manipulated inform the response to music.
MU: Cn10.0H.8a Demonstrate how interests, knowledge, and skills relate to
personal choices and intent when creating, performing, and responding to
music.

Objectives/Targets:
I can justify the use of asymmetric meters to elicit a response.
I understand how asymmetric meter change the mood of the music.
I can hear and describe the characteristics of the music.

Lesson Management: Focus and Organization
Compliment students who are actively listening
Encourage students who contribute to the discussion
Keep energy up and pacing fast.

Introduction:
Task Analysis
o Listen to excerpts
o Journal observations
o Play excerpts
o Discuss
Thinking Levels
o Apply knowledge regarding asymmetric meters to analyze and
evaluate their use.
Accommodations
o Extension: How is this related to the time the work was written?
o Remediation: Describe how the use of asymmetric meters impacts the
mood of the piece.
Methods, Materials, and Integrated Technology
o Guided listening
o Written response
o Active participation
o Discussion

Middle
Modeling
o Listen to the introduction of Shadow Rituals
o Discuss prompts:

18

What happens to the momentum of the piece when it hits an

asymmetric meter?
What happens to the mood of the piece when it hits an
asymmetric meter?
Do you think this compositional choice contributes to the style,
or distracts from it?
Checking for Understanding/Guided Practice
o Listen to Ride by Hazo
o Discuss prompts as a class
Collaborative and/or Independent Practice
o Listen to Carnival and Fantasia
o Perform Carnival and Fantasia
o Write about prompts and reading journal

Closure
Assessment
o Evaluate performance
o Evaluate journal responses

19

Culminating Lesson: Performing with Asymmetric Meters

Standard:
MU: Pr6.1.E.Sa: Demonstrate attention to technical accurate and expressive
qualities in performances of a varied repertoire of music.

Objectives/Targets:
I can perform Carnival
I can perform Fantasia

Perform Concert
Accurate rhythm and pitches
Expressive musicality
Collectivist effort

20

Assessments

Name:__________________________

Composition Instructions

Make a four measure rhythmic composition that includes at least two bars of
asymmetric meters and includes a minimum of two sixteenth note rhythms. Keep in
mind that this needs to be playable since we will be sharing this anonymously with
the ensemble.
















Composition Checklist











Y
N
Correct amount of beats per measure according to the time signature _____ _____
At least two measures of asymmetric meter



_____ _____
At least two sixteenth note patterns




_____ _____





Comments:

21

Sight-Reading Exam and Rubric

Directions:
Pick a pitch to play the following rhythms on. When you are ready, complete the
following steps:

1. Put your name on the rubric
2. Press the record button.
a. Note: The previously blinking red light should now be solid.
3. Clearly state your name and the test you are doing.
a. Ex: Ms. Smoltz, Excerpt 1
4. Count yourself off to establish tempo.
a. Ex: One, two, one, *breathe* *play downbeat*
5. Repeat steps 2-3 for the next excerpt.
a. Note: Do not end the recording until all excerpts are completed.
6. Push the record button when finished.
a. Note: The previously solid red light should return to blinking.

Excerpt 1


Excerpt 2

22

Sight Reading Rubric - Comments on back

Name:______________________________

EXCERPT 1
Measure 1
Unsatisfactory
Satisfactory
Excellent
Eighth Note



Consistency
Basic Rhythmic



Accuracy
Measure 2
Unsatisfactory
Satisfactory
Excellent
Eighth Note



Consistency
Basic Rhythmic



Accuracy
Measure 3
Unsatisfactory
Satisfactory
Excellent
Eighth Note



Consistency
Basic Rhythmic



Accuracy
Measure 4
Unsatisfactory
Satisfactory
Excellent
Eighth Note



Consistency
Basic Rhythmic



Accuracy

EXCERPT 2
Measure 1
Unsatisfactory
Satisfactory
Excellent
Eighth Note



Consistency
Basic Rhythmic



Accuracy
Measure 2
Unsatisfactory
Satisfactory
Excellent
Eighth Note



Consistency
Basic Rhythmic



Accuracy
Measure 3
Unsatisfactory
Satisfactory
Excellent
Eighth Note



Consistency
Basic Rhythmic



Accuracy
Measure 4
Unsatisfactory
Satisfactory
Excellent
Eighth Note



Consistency
Basic Rhythmic



Accuracy

23

Listening Prompts
To be completed in your Learning Log:

What happens to the momentum of the piece when it hits an asymmetric
meter?

What happens to the mood of the piece when it hits an asymmetric meter?

Do you think this compositional choice contributes to the style, or distracts
from it?

Can you make any predictions on the intention of the piece judged on its title
and use of meter?

Evaluation

Response to Prompt 1 was:
Comprehensive, accurate, and creative
Accurate, and satisfactory
Inaccurate, but creative
Not attempted

Response to Prompt 2 was:
Comprehensive, accurate, and creative
Accurate, and satisfactory
Inaccurate, but creative
Not attempted

Response to Prompt 3 was:
Comprehensive, accurate, and creative
Accurate, and satisfactory
Inaccurate, but creative
Not attempted

Response to Prompt 4 was:
Comprehensive, accurate, and creative
Accurate, and satisfactory
Inaccurate, but creative
Not attempted


Comments:

24

Works Cited

Carnival by Basler

Fantasia for Alto Saxophone by Smith

Shadow Rituals by Markowski

Ride by Hazo

25