Patrick Steeves Elementary Music Curriculum Overview Lesson Plan

Objectives
Students will gain an understanding of the Alberta Elementary Music
Curriculum through interactive rhythm exercises, progressive vocabulary,
and discussion.
Materials and Equipment
Score Sheet, pictures, word search (below)
Procedure
Introduction- Two minutes
As a hook activity, I will clap a rhythm and prod them to mimic it back. After I have
their attention. I will engage the students in a discussion about what they
remember from their elementary music classrooms. What they learned, what they
liked, amusing anecdotes etc. The transition will be fairly simple: I will project the
score sheet, and announce that we will be working on rhythms first thing.
Body- Sixteen minutes
Activity 1 (Two Minutes)- Very quickly, I will cover the main themes of the
Elementary Music curriculum. Concepts: rhythm, melody, harmony, form, and
expression. Skills: singing, playing instruments, listening, moving, reading and
writing, and creating.
Activity 2 (Seven minutes)- The first activity will be a rhythmic progression through
grades 2-6 (Grade one does not require reading notation). The score sheet shows
each one, divided by different time signatures. One grade at a time, I will first
explain the different notes, demonstrating the different lengths and rhythms
through clapping. They will then mimic the patterns back. Depending on their level
of proficiency, I may have them try to figure out how the rhythmic patterns for
Grades 4 and 5 would sound on their own.
Activity 2 (Seven minutes)- Using the word search below, I will lead a discussion
about the various terms that the students learn at various grades. Going by grade,
we will find each word (I have the solutions if necessary) and I will ask if they know
what it means. If not, I will explain it.
Conclusion- Two minutes
We will repeat the introductory discussion to see if the lesson jogged any memories
lose, and see what ideas intrigued them.

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ACCELERANDO
ALLEGRO
ANDANTE
BASS
BLUES
BRASS
CONTRALTO
CRESCENDO
DIMINUENDO
DYNAMICS

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FORTE
HANDBELLS
HARMONY
JAZZ
LEGATO
MELODY
PERCUSSION
PIANO
RAGTIME
RECORDER

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ROCK
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SOPRANO
STACCATO
STRING
TEMPO
TENOR
WOODWINDS

Music Examples
Ragtime- https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pMAtL7n_-rc
Blues- https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZbHJHPTikQA
Jazz- hard to define and wide ranging (improve) https://www.youtube.com/watch?
v=0rEsVp5tiDQ
Rock- so wide ranging (serious, according to Wikipedia, the beatles are considered a
rock group) https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ipADNlW7yBM