MusicTechLessonPlan

03ChromeMusicLab:Rhythm
Composeandplayrhythmsindierentmeters

Gradelevel

3-8

Objective

Studentswillcomposeandplayrhythmsintimemetersof3,4,
5and6

USAMusic
EducationStandards

2.Performingoninstruments,aloneandwithothers,a
variedrepertoireofmusic
4.Composingandarrangingmusicwithinspecified
guidelines.
5.Readingandnotatingmusic

AustralianMusic
Curriculum
Standards

4.1Developauralskillsbyexploring,imitatingand
recognisingelementsofmusicincludingdynamics,pitch
andrhythmpattern

4.3Create,performandrecordcompositionsby
selectingandorganisingsounds,silence,tempoand
volume
6.2Developtechnicalandexpressiveskillsinsinging
andplayinginstrumentswithunderstandingofrhythm,
pitchandforminarangeofpieces,includinginmusic
fromthecommunity
6.3Rehearseandperformmusic,includingmusicthey
havecomposed,byimprovising,sourcingandarranging
ideasandmakingdecisionstoengageanaudience
8.4Structurecompositionsbycombiningand
manipulatingtheelementsofmusicusingnotation
8.5Performandpresentarangeofmusic,using
techniquesandexpressionappropriatetostyle

Materials/Equipment

Singleormultiplecomputers,iPadsorAndroiddevices
Dataprojector&speakers
ChromeMusicLabRhythmsite
https://musiclab.chromeexperiments.com/Rhythm
Printedcopiesoftheworksheet

Duration

1-2lessons


Skillsrequired

Tobeabletoplaysimplerhythmsinavarietyofmeters
Basicmusicnotationskills

ChromeMusicLab
Rhythmresource:
instructions

WhenyourstvisittheChromeMusicLabRhythmresource,
youwillseetherstoffourdierentoptionsformeter:the3
meteroption.PressPlayandthenclickonthegridatthe
bottomtocreatearhythm.Thearrowshownnexttothe
on-screenplayersallowsyoutomovetoadierentmeter(and
dierentsetofinstruments)

Procedure

NOTE:Theinstructionsbelowsuityoungerstudents,butyou
couldrunthesameactivitywitholderstudents.Movemore
quicklythroughthesteps(oromitsome).Therearealso
extensionoptionsbelow

Part1:Composeandperformarhythmina3meterasa
class

Visithttps://musiclab.chromeexperiments.com/Rhythmo
nthe
teachercomputerwhichisdisplayedonadataprojectorfor
theclass
Selecttherstrhythmscreenoption(3meter)

Createasimplerhythmthatusesonesoundatatime
byclickingonthegridatthebottom(havingonesound
atatimewillmakeiteasiertoperformtherhythmlater
on).ClickonthePlaybutton

Askthestudentstolisten(andlook!):whatarethe3
instrumentsthatareplaying?2drumsandatriangle.
Whattypeofdrumsarethey?Timpani

Askstudentstoidentifythemeter.Tellthem:each
verticallineonthegridshowsyouwherethebeatis.
Howmanybeatsarethereinthispattern?

Askstudentstoidentifywhichinstrumentsareplaying
thelow,middleandhighsounds(inorderfromlowest
tohighest:lowtimpani,hightimpaniandtriangle)

Asaclass,choose3bodypercussionsoundsthat
couldmatchthelow,middleandhighsoundsthatare
beingplayedonthescreen(forinstance:stamp,thigh
slapandclap)

Usingthelowbodypercussionsound(stamp),playthe
rhythmshownonthescreenforthelowtimpani

Usingthemiddlebodypercussionsound(thighslap),
playtherhythmshownonthescreenforthehigh
timpani

Usingthehighbodypercussionsound(clap),playthe
rhythmshownonthescreenforthetriangle

Dividetheclassinto3groupsandhaveeachoneplay
adierentpart.Havetheclassperformall3parts
simultaneously

Challenge!Canthestudentsplayallthreepartsby
themselves?

Askstudentstocomeuptocreateanewrhythmonthe
grid.Performtherhythmasaclass

Performtherhythmsusinguntunedpercussion
instrumentsinsteadofbodypercussion

Part2:Composeandperformarhythminmetersof4,5or
6asaclass

Repeatthesamestepswithoneoralloftheother
meteroptions-4,5or6

Part3:Composeandperformrhythmsinsmallgroups
Afterstudentshavedonetheaboveactivityasaclass,they
cansplitupintosmallgroups(3or6studentspergroupworks
well)tocomposeandperformtheirownrhythms
Assignaspecicmetertoeachgrouporaskthe
studentstochooseone

Usingtheprintableworksheetthatisprovidedwiththis
lesson,askthestudentstollinthenamesofthe
instrumentsontheleftsideandthetimesignature

Asagroup,decidetherhythmforeachofthe3
instrumentsandnotatetherhythmontheworksheet
grid

Ifthestudentshaveaccesstolaptops,iPadsor
Androiddevicestheycanrecreatetheirrhythmic
patternonthescreen

Eachofthe3studentsinthegroupchoosesone
instrumentparttoplay(2studentsperpartifworkingin
groupsof6)andpracticestheirpart

Playthe3instrumentpartstogetherasagroup.If
thereisanextrastudentinthegroup,theycanactas
theconductor,keepingthebeatfortheotherstudents

Eachgroupcanthenperformtheirpatternfortherest
oftheclass

Part4:Notateyourrhythm

Usingthestavelinesatthebottomoftheworksheet,
studentscannotatetheirrhythmsusingquarterand
eighthnotesandrests

Ifyouhaveaccesstoadrumkit,usethedierentparts
ofthekittorecreatetherhythmicpattern

Usebeatboxingsounds(mouthsounds)insteadof
bodypercussiontocreaterhythms

Useanonlinedrummachinetorecreaterhythmsinthe
4meterscreen

Whenperformingthepatternsinsmallgroups,
advancedstudentscancyclethroughthe3parts,
readingtheminorderfromtoptobottom.Performthe
eachpart4timesthroughbeforeswitchingtothenext
part.Thenreducethenumberofrepeats.

Changethetempo:whileperformingtherhythm
withouttheapp,speedupthetempoorslowitdown
(itsnotpossibletochangethetempoinon-screen
app)

Oncestudentshavecreatedarhythm,askthemto
identifyasongtheyknowthatmatchesthemeter.Can
theysingthesongovertherhythmicaccompaniment?

Whenstudentshavecomposedandperformed
rhythmsinsmallgroups,seeiftwogroupswith
dierentmeters(ie.the3meterandthe4meter)can
performtheirrhythmssimultaneously(!)

Thestudentscansuccessfullyperformtheircomposed
rhythmsindividuallyandasagroup

Thestudentscannotatetheircomposedrhythmson
theworksheetgridandonthenotationstavelines

Extensionsand
alternativeoptions
forolderstudents

Evaluation

Moreinformation
Formoreinformationaboutthislessonplan,seetheonlineversionat
www.midnightmusic.com.au/cmlrhythm

About
Hello!ImKatieWardrobeamusictechnologytrainerandconsultantwitha
passionforhelpingmusicteachers.Imaqualiedteacher(butno,Idontcurrently
teachinaschool)andIrunhands-onprofessionaldevelopmentworkshopsin
Australiaandoverseas.Ihaveaseriesofonlinecoursesanddigitalproductsthat
helpsupportmusicteachersandIhavepresentedatmorethan50conferencesand
othermusiceducationevents.
Myworkshops,coursesandpresentationsfocusoneasywaystoincorporatetechnologythrougharange
ofcreativeprojectsintowhatyouarealreadydoinginyourmusiccurriculum.Iwriteregularlyonmyblog
andfocusonpracticalideasandresourcesthatcanbeusedintheclassroomorteachingstudio.
YoucanndoutmoreaboutwhatIdoontheMidnightMusicwebsite.

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ChromeMusicLab:Rhythm#1

INSTRUMENTS:

YOURRHYTHM:

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ChromeMusicLab:Rhythm#2

INSTRUMENTS:

YOURRHYTHM::

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YOURRHYTHM:

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ChromeMusicLab:Rhythm#3

INSTRUMENTS:

YOURRHYTHM:

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YOURRHYTHM:

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ChromeMusicLab:Rhythm#4

INSTRUMENTS:

YOURRHYTHM:

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INSTRUMENTS:

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YOURRHYTHM:

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