Creative Kids Co-Op Curricular Guide Third Grade

3rd Grade

Overarching Goals / Theme

Curricular Overview

Song Collection (in order of use)

Example Experience Designs

Additional Resources (children’s books, methodology books, etc.)

Creative Kids Co-Op Curricular Guide Third Grade

Overarching Goals / Theme

Grade Level Goals

Transfer Goals The student will be able to independently use their learning to create music using their voice and instruments.

VA State Goals 3.1.4 The student will read and notate music including reading melodies of increasing complexity based on a pentatonic
Addressed scale;
3.2.1 The student will sing a varied repertoire of songs alone and with others including singing in tune with a clear tone
quality.
3.2.3 The student will sing a varied repertoire of songs alone and with others including singing melodies written on the treble
staff.
3.3.5 The student will play a variety of pitched and unpitched instruments alone and with others including demonstrating
proper playing techniques.
3.4 The student will perform rhythmic patterns that include sixteenth notes, single eighth notes, eighth rests, and dotted half
notes.
3.6.3 The student will respond to music with movement by performing non-choreographed and choreographed movements.
3.6.4 The student will respond to music with movement by performing dances and other music activities from a variety of
cultures.
3.7.2 The student will create music by improvising accompaniments, including ostinatos.
3.11.2 The student will analyze music by identifying instruments from the four orchestral families visually and aurally.
3.11.3 The student will analyze music by listening to and describing basic music elements and using music terminology
3.13 The student will collaborate with others to create a musical presentation and acknowledge individual contributions as an
integral part of the whole.

Acquisition Skills Knowledge

Goals Proper Playing Techniques Pitches in the Pentatonic Scale
Singing in Tune Instrument Names
Both singing and playing an Instrument Families
instrument Varying Rhythms
Creative Kids Co-Op Curricular Guide Third Grade

Curricular Overview

Grade Level Goals​​ (*indicates example experience design)

Day 1 Goals/Foci:
● I can sing in tune.
● I can move to the music.
● I can identify instruments.

Overview of Activities:
● Welcome Song
● Maestro Says (see instructions in Experience Design 1)
○ Introduce instrument families (string, brass, percussion, woodwinds)
● Movement Activity
○ Have students keep a steady beat by marching.
○ Create 4 movements for an ostinato to do over the course of 4 beats.
○ Have the students copy your ostinatos
○ Give the students a chance to create their own ostinatos.
● Teach Stick Passing Song
○ Sing the top Melodic Line first.
○ Next, have the students echo you as you sing each phrase.
○ Have the students sing the entire song.
○ Keep the students singing while you sing the bottom line of the song.
○ Incorporate the stick and begin to pass as you all sing together.
● Goodbye Song

Assessment:
Below Standard Meet Standard Exceed Standard

Singing

Movement

Instruments
Creative Kids Co-Op Curricular Guide Third Grade

Accessibility:
● Modality: Create movements that can be done while both sitting or standing.

Day 2 Goals/Foci:
● I can sing in tune.
● I can move to music.
● I can improvise an ostinato to accompany music.
Overview of Activities:
● Welcome Song
● Review Stick Passing Song
○ Instead of singing the bottom line alone, split the class in half and invite them to sing it along with you. Next,
make the other half try so they all get a chance to do the ostinato in the bottom line.
● Teach the song, Cielito Lindo
○ Sing through the refrain of the song twice.
○ Invite the students to sing along.
○ Create a rhythmic ostinato for body percussion so the students can accompany the song.
○ Have them do the ostinato while they sing the refrain.
○ Ask students what other ways they can accompany the music.
○ Allow individual students to create ostinatos to accompany the refrain.
● Improvisation Game
○ Have each student go and find an instrument in the room they can create an ostinato on.
○ Give them about 5 minutes to find the instrument and then explore the sound they make.
○ Have students sit in a circle and give each child a chance to accompany the rest of the group on their
instrument.
● Goodbye Song.
Assessment:
● ___ The student can sing an ostinato under a melody.
○ B: The student can sing an ostinato.
○ F: The student can create an ostinato to sing under a melody.
● ___ The student can use body percussion to accompany singing.
○ B: The student can use body percussion.
○ F: The student can create an ostinato using body percussion and teach it to their peers.
● ___ The student can use an instrument to accompany singing.
○ B: The student can make music using an instrument.
○ F: The student can find pitches to use to accompany singing with a pitched instrument.

Accessibility:
Creative Kids Co-Op Curricular Guide Third Grade

Pacing:​ Teach only ostinatos that have straight rhythms and no syncopations.
Modality:​ Record ostinatos before class and have students who may not be able to do body percussion select one that they like
to share with the class.

Day 3 Goals/Foci:
● I can sing a melody in tune based on the pentatonic scale.
● I can accompany music on an instrument.
● I can respond to music with body movements.

Overview of Activities: Use Experience Design for Day 3

Day 4 Goals/Foci:
● I can create music with others and acknowledge that each part makes the whole.
● I can play an instrument with good technique.

Overview of Activities:
● Welcome Song
● Mood Music Game
○ Play a variety of songs with different moods and tempos.
○ Have students move to the music to depict the sound or mood of the song.
● Teach Tue Tue (This will help for the Experience Design for Day 5)
○ Sing Tue Tue aloud for the class.
○ Sing the various sections and have the class echo.
○ Sing the song all together as a group.
○ Divide the group into 4.
○ Invite each group to go and find an instrument.
○ Give students time to come up with an ostinato to accompany Tue Tue.
○ Float around to the different groups to provide help or guidance as necessary.
○ Bring the group together as a whole and layer in each ostinato until they are all together.
○ Sing the melody over the accompaniment while the students play; invite students to sing along as well if they
are comfortable multi-tasking.
● Goodbye Song

Assessment:
● ___ Student can play instrument with good technique.
○ B: Student struggles with using the instrument appropriately.
○ F: Student can improvise freely on the instrument.
● ___ Student can play as a part of a whole ensemble.
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○ B: Student can play in their individual part group.

○ F: Student can switch and play another part.
Accessibility:
Modality:​Have students that may not be able to play an instrument create vocal percussion.

Day 5 Goals/Foci:
● I can read music based on the pentatonic scale.
● I can sing and or play an alto xylophone, recorder, djembe, windchime, or electronic instrument with others.
Overview of Activities: Use Experience Design for Day 5

Day 6: “Chicken Goals/Foci

on a Fencepost” ● I can read and notate music with increasing complexity based on a pentatonic scale
● I can sing alone and with others, singing melodies on a treble clef
Overview of Activities
● Start off by singing the song all the way through
● After you have gone through it once, have them echo you after each small phrase
● Once you have gone through the whole song by echoing, sing it once all together
● After they have learned the words to the song, go through it again but on solfege
● After going through the entire song on solfege, talk about how these notes in the song relate to the pentatonic scale
● After you have gone over the scale, play the game listed in the experience design below
Assessment: (Listen while the students are singing by themselves or in a small group)
● __ I can sing/ hum the given melody in a pentatonic scale
● __ I can sing by myself or in a group
Accomodations:
● If the student can’t sing the correct pitches, have them play it on a pitched instrument so they are able to see the notes
in the relation to the scale, and they can hear the pitches
(See day 6 Experience Design)

Day 7: Goals/Foci
“Comanche ● I can play pitched and unpitched instruments alone or with others and demonstrate the proper playing technique
Hand Game” ● I can collaborate with my classmates to create a musical performance
Overview of Activities
● The teacher will start by playing the rhythm on a drum as the children are walking in the classroom and have them sit in
a circle
● After all the students are seated, play “Comanche Hand Game” once more
● Then sing the song while playing the same rhythm on the drum
● Sing through the song a few times, then have the students join when they feel comfortable with the melody
Creative Kids Co-Op Curricular Guide Third Grade

● After they have learned the melody, hand out unpitched instruments (preferably drums) and have them beat the rhythm
● After they have learned both the rhythm and the melody, they will get in smaller groups of 4-6
● Have the students collaborate with one another to create a musical performance in their group including the song and
the rhythm on the drums
● Encourage them to be creative with it!
● If the finish this with time remaining, play this game as follows:
○ “Form two parallel lines seated on the floor, about six feet apart.
○ Give one team a small object, a stone, a feather etc.
○ As the song is sung, one team passes the object behind their backs. When the song stops, the other team tries
to guess who is holding the object. If they guess correctly, they earn a point. If not, the hiding team earns a
point.”
Assessment:
● __ I can play an unpitched instrument using the proper technique
● __ I can create a meaningful experience and performance collaborating with my peers
Accomodations:
● If any of the students have low hand dexterity and are unable to hit the drum, have a wooden box, or something else
that will make a sound if they kick it
● If the student is not able to put the object behind their back due to a wheelchair or other limitations, have all the
students hid the object in their hand or under their leg instead

Day 8: “Un Goals/Foci

Elephante Se ● I can analyze music by listening to and describing basic music elements and use music terminology
Balanceaba” ● I can react and participate in musical activities relating to other cultures
Overview of Activities
● First start by playing “Un Elephante Se Balanceaba” on a pitched instrument, like the xylophone, for example, and have
the students improvise movements that they think matches the melody
● After you have played through the song a few times, sit in a circle and sing it together
● If they are unsure how the melody goes, first sing a section and have them echo you
● Do this until you finish the song and they know the pitches of the melody
● After you have sang it on text, sing it on solfege
● Ask the students what part of this song makes it not a pentatonic scale
● If they are unsure, sing through the pentatonic scale, then sing the pitches of the song (the difference will be fa)
● After they understand the difference in the notes and solfege, play a game as follows
● “A fun way to drive the song home is to have students color and cut out a small picture of an elephant. Tape a spider
web made of yarn to your whiteboard or bulletin board and have students add their artwork as they sing the song,
counting up the number of elephants with each verse.”
Assessment:
● __ I can analyze this melody and am able to tell that the difference in the pitches of the melody and a pentatonic scale
 Creative Kids Co-Op Curricular Guide Third Grade

is “fa”
● __ I can improvise movements to a song from a different culture
Accomodations:
● Before moving on to the game, make sure every student understands the difference in the scale. If they don’t, write it
on the board, or show visual representations so they are able to see the difference.

Day 9: Goals/Foci
“Kitty Kitty ● I can demonstrate an understanding of meter
Casket” ● I can perform these rhythms within the given melody including pitches in a pentatonic scale
Overview of Activities​ (include comments on assessment and accessibility)
● Start by playing the song “Kitty Kitty Casket” on the piano or a pitched instrument and encourage the students to move
around the classroom to the song while it is being played
● After doing this a few times, sit in a circle and sing the song by yourself a few times while they mouth the words.
● Then have the students tap to the beat on some part of their body
● After tapping through, sing each line of the song individually while still tapping the beat
● See what rhythms stuck out to the students, and if any of them did, have them explain which ones
● Clap the new rhythms together, then speak them
● Look at the iconic notation for the song and explain it to the students
● Write the whole rhythm on the board and speak it together with them
● Talk about the connection of the song and the pentatonic scale
Assessment:
● __ I can play/ tap/ speak the new rhythms
● __ I can understand how this song fits in the pentatonic song
Accomodations:
● If any of the students have trouble understanding the new rhythms, go a little slower over the process and make sure
each of them understand before moving on (pacing)
(See day 9 Experience design)

Day 10: Goals/Foci

“Dos y Dos ● I can sing a given melody including the notes in a pentatonic scale
Quatro” ● I can perform music from another culture
Overview of Activities​ (include comments on assessment and accessibility)
● Focus on the song “ Dos y Dos Son Quatro” including both a hexachord outline, and Spanish
● Start by first singing/ speaking through the song a few times on your own first so the students can hear how it sounds
● After it seems they may have a pretty basic understanding of the melody, have them hum along with you
● After they have learned the melody, speak through the spanish text by echo
● Sing smaller sections of the song adding in the new text
● Once you’ve gone through all of the the smaller sections for the song, go from the top and sing it all together
Creative Kids Co-Op Curricular Guide Third Grade

Assessment: (Listen while the students are singing in smaller sections)

● __ I can sing or speak the given melody in Spanish
● __ I can sing the given melody with the correct notes in the hexachordal scale
Adaptations:
● Modality: If the student is unable to sing the given pitches, have them play it on an instrument, so they are able to hear
the correct pitches while also getting a kinesthetic feel for the melody

Song Collection (in order of use)

Name of Song: Stick Passing Song (Adrianne)

Notation:

Source: Pinterest Background: Folk song from East Africa

https://www.pinterest.com/pin/58617232622699729/

Melodic Element: Major Triads, Stepwise Motion Rhythmic Element: Rests

Mode: Ionian

Learning Facets: Syncopation, Multitasking, Strong Beats/Weak Beats

Creative Kids Co-Op Curricular Guide Third Grade

Game: Pass a stick along on the strong beats as you sing.

Name of Song: Cielito Lindo (Adrianne)

Notation:

Source: Beth’s Notes Background: Mexican Folk Song, ​popularized in 1882 by Mexican
https://www.bethsnotesplus.com/2014/03/cielito-lindo.html author Quirino Mendoza y Cortés, means “Lovely Sweet One”

Melodic Element: Major Triads, Major 7th, Stepwise Motion Rhythmic Element: Tied Notes

Mode: Ionian

Learning Facets: Intervals, Language

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Game: N/A

Name of Song: ​WHO’S THAT KNOCKING ON THE DOOR? (Adrianne)

Source: 150 Folk Songs Background: A good song to learn names at the beginning of the
https://150folksongs.wordpress.com/category/the-songs/ year.

Melodic Element: Descending Major Second Rhythmic Element: Rests

Mode: Ionian

Learning Facets: Steady Beat, Minor Thirds and Major Seconds

Game:N/A
Creative Kids Co-Op Curricular Guide Third Grade

Name of Song: Tue Tue (Adrianne)

Source: Pinterest Background: Folk Song from Ghana

https://www.pinterest.com/pin/258253359858844373/

Melodic Element: The Sixth Scale Degree (La) Rhythmic Element: Eighth Rests

Mode: Ionian

Learning Facets: Speech vs. Singing, Syncopation

Creative Kids Co-Op Curricular Guide Third Grade

Name of Song: Gypsy in the Moonlight (Adrianne)

Notation:

Source: Mama Lisa Background: Folk song from originally from Trinidad & Tobago.
https://www.mamalisa.com/?t=es&p=4064 Although the word gypsy is thought of as a racial slur for the
Romani people, there are also many good qualities that people
note about them such as their free spirited and nomadic lifestyle
and their modesty during traditional dance shown by the length
of their skirts.

Melodic Element: Pentatonic Scale Rhythmic Element: Subdivision of Quarter Notes

Creative Kids Co-Op Curricular Guide Third Grade

Mode: Ionian

Learning Facets: pentatonic scale, form, multitasking, movement

Notation:

Source: Music a la Abbott Background:

http://www.musicalaabbott.com/2013/02/chicken-on-fencepost.ht
ml

Melodic Element: re, la, low la, low so Rhythmic Element: ta-ka-di-mi

Mode:

Learning Facets: rhythm, pitch

Game: concentric circles w/ two “foxes” on outside.

Teacher chooses 1 “gate” in each of the circles. Rubber chicken (or imaginary chicken) is placed in the inside circle.
Gates are closed. Foxes may watch now. Both circles sing while moving in opposite directions. On the “o” of Brownie-o” the 2 gates
Creative Kids Co-Op Curricular Guide Third Grade

open forming a maze in which foxes race to grab the chicken from the middle of the center circle.

Name of Song: Comanche Hand Game Song (Rachel)

Notation:

Source: Music a la Abbott Background: This song uses the Comanche language, which is a
http://www.musicalaabbott.com/2017/11/comanche-hand-game.ht Native American tribe from the Great Plains
ml

Melodic Element: low la Rhythmic Element: ta, ta-di

Mode: Major

Learning Facets: Language, Low “la”

Game: Divide the group in half.

Form two parallel lines seated on the floor, about six feet apart.
Give one team a small object, a stone, a feather etc.
As the song is sung, one team passes the object behind their backs. When the song stops, the other team tries to guess who is
holding the object. If they guess correctly, they earn a point. If not, the hiding team earns a point.
Creative Kids Co-Op Curricular Guide Third Grade

Name of Song: ​Un Elefante Se Balanceaba (Rachel)

Notation:
Creative Kids Co-Op Curricular Guide Third Grade

Source: FluentU Background: Spain

https://www.fluentu.com/blog/educator-spanish/spanish-song
s-for-preschoolers/

Melodic Element: fa, re Rhythmic Element: eighth notes

Mode: Major

Learning Facets: fa, re, eighth notes, Spanish

Game: ​A fun way to drive the song home is to have students color and cut out a small picture of an elephant. Tape a spider web made of yarn
to your whiteboard or bulletin board and have students add their artwork as they sing the song, counting up the number of elephants with each
verse.
Creative Kids Co-Op Curricular Guide Third Grade

Name of Song: Kitty Kitty Casket (Rachel)

Notation:

Source: Kodaly Center- Collection Background:

http://kodaly.hnu.edu/song.cfm?id=627#analysis
Creative Kids Co-Op Curricular Guide Third Grade

Melodic Element: d-m-s la Rhythmic Element: ta-di-mi, ta-ka-di

Mode: Tetratonic

Learning Facets: Rhythm, La

Game: Students hold hands in a circle, while one student is on the outside of the circle with a handkerchief, and skips around the
circle. Once the students sing “away” the student drops the handkerchief to the student that is closest to them. The student that gets
chosen will chase the other student around the circle while the original child tries to get back to the empty space. If the first student is
successful, the other student is the new chaser. If not, they remain on the outside.

Name of Song: Dos y Dos Son Cuatro (Rachel)

Notation:
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Source: Kodaly Center- Collection Background: Origin: Latino/ Spanish

http://kodaly.hnu.edu/song.cfm?id=606

Melodic Element: Fa Rhythmic Element: ta-ka-di-mi

Mode: Hexachord

Learning Facets: Language, Rhythm, Fa

Name of Song: Kye Kye Kule (Rachel)

Creative Kids Co-Op Curricular Guide Third Grade

Notation:

Source: Songs for Teaching Background: West African call and response song
http://www.songsforteaching.com/folk/kyekyekule.htm

Melodic Element: la, re, fa Rhythmic Element: eighth rest, quarter rest, singular eighth note

Mode: Major
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Learning Facets: eighth rest, eighth note, la, fa, re, foreign language

Game: ​Children form a circle as the leader stands in the middle. The leader demonstrates some physical action, then the children in the
circle repeat that movement as they repeat the leader's words. With each repetition of the song, the leader introduces a new action, each
one moving closer and closer to the floor. After the last movement is performed on the floor, the leader jumps to his feet. The first child in
the circle to get back up on his/her feet gets to be the next one to lead.
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Name of Song: It Ain't Gonna Rain No More (Rachel)

Notation:

Source: Kodaly Center- Collection Background:

http://kodaly.hnu.edu/song.cfm?id=1002

Melodic Element: Fa, Re Rhythmic Element: Rest, ta-di-mi, dotted eighth

Mode: Major

Learning Facets: Fa, Re, Rest, Clapping

Game: Excluding one child in the center, the rest of the students get a partner, then get in a circle. The student in the center claps and
steals someone's partner on the word “steal”. The remaining partner skips behind the couple, and they begin the clapping and
stealing on the next verse.

Name of Song: Famba Naye (Adrianne)

Creative Kids Co-Op Curricular Guide Third Grade

Source: Beth’s Notes Background: Zimbabwean Folk Song

https://www.bethsnotesplus.com/2014/06/famba-naye.html A song of thankfulness and love.

Melodic Element: Perfect Fifth Rhythmic Element: Syncopated Eighth Note

Mode: Ionian

Learning Facets: Rhythm, Motion vs. Stasis, Cultural Context

Name of Song: Michael Finnegan (Adrianne)

Creative Kids Co-Op Curricular Guide Third Grade

Notation:

Source: Mama Lisa Background: This is a popular Irish folk song used during
https://www.mamalisa.com/?t=es&p=420 camping and boy/girl scouts.

Melodic Element: Perfect Fifth Rhythmic Element: Subdivision of Eighth Notes

Mode: Ionian

Learning Facets: Rhythm, Energy, Cultural Context

Game: N/A
Creative Kids Co-Op Curricular Guide Third Grade

Example Experience Designs

Experience Design for Day 3:

Rationale​​: The purpose of this experience design is to allow students in the third grade to engage with music during their
time at the Creative Kids CoOp. This experience has been created so that it can be taught by virtually any facilitators with
varying backgrounds but still be meaningful in teaching aspects of scholarship, leadership, and personhood to the
learners. These learners have been chosen because although they cover academics during their homeschooling, it is
important that they get a chance to interact with other students and other disciplines such as the fine arts. This will allow
them to grow both as a music maker and become a more knowledgeable individual in the future.
Understanding Statements​​:
● Students will know the song “Who’s that Knocking on the Door?”.
● Students will play a drum.
● Students will keep a steady beat.
● Students can sing at different tempos.
“I can” statements/standards:
● I can sing a melody. (VA 3.2)
○ B: I can sing some pitches of a melody.
○ F: I can sing in a round with someone else.
● I can accompany singing on an instrument. (VA 3.3)
○ B: I can play an instrument.
○ F: I can improvise to accompany singing.
● I can respond to music with body movements. (VA 3.6)
○ B: I can move my body.
○ F: I can teach others a choreographed dance move to music.
Materials​​:
Creative Kids Co-Op Curricular Guide Third Grade

● Third Grade Learners

● Spacious Area
● Drum
● White Board/ Markers
● Iconic Notation Cards for “Who’s That Knocking on the Door”
● Speaker
● Different Songs with Slow and Fast Tempos
Detailed Process​​:
1. Welcome the group of third graders at the Creative Kids CoOp.
2. Invite everyone to sit in a circle with you to begin the experience.
3. Ask students about one fun thing they did earlier in the week. (3 minutes)
a. This will break the ice and get the students talking.
4. Next, you will teach the students a short welcome song. (7 minutes)
a. Have the students echo you as you sing the following song:
i. Hello There (Students: Hello There)
How are you? (Students: How are you?)
It’s so good (Students: It’s so good)
To see you. (Students: to see you.)
We’ll sing and (Students: We’ll sing and)
Be Happy (Students: Be Happy)
Everyone: We’re all here together again.
ii. Here is a link to learn the melody.
1. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jCrLJOzRG00
b. Next, ask students if they want to sing it slower or faster.
c. After that, you can select students to be the leader of the welcome song.
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i. To shake things up, give students an emotion that they have to use to as they lead the class in
singing the song.
5. After the welcome song, the students will play a game of “Maestro Says” to get them moving before the rhythm
movement activity. The game is very similar to “Simon Says” except the leader will refer to themself as maestro
and the students will be asked to play different kinds of instruments rather than doing random body movements.
(10 minutes)
a. Invite the students to find their own space in the room.
b. After the teacher has lead a few rounds of this game, have individual students get a chance to be the leader.
c. After each instrument is called and demonstrated by the group, ask the students information they know
about the instrument.
6. After the “Maestro Says”, the students will transition into a movement activity that incorporates keeping a steady
beat and improvising rhythms. (10 minutes)
a. Have the students stand up in a circle.
b. Then begin a steady march with your feet and have the students march as well. This will set the beat.
c. After that have the students start counting from 1 to 4 repetitively.
i. 1-2-3-4 1-2-3-4 1-2-3-4
d. Have students stop marching but continue to count.
e. Next, invite them to do as you do and create four moves that can be done on four beats at random and have
the students echo.
i. For example: Clap on 1, Snap on 2, Clap on 3, and Stomp on 4
f. After you have done a few different patterns on four beats, then have the students count silently in their
heads.
g. Complete a few more patterns without them counting.
h. Speed up the tempo to make it more challenging for students to do the moves.
i. Next, change up the game by only clapping rhythms that can be done over four beats and having the
children echo you.
i. The rhythms can have quarter notes, eighth notes, half notes, and rests.
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j.
Finally, complete the game by giving every student a chance to do their own rhythm over four beats and
then having the class echo them so that they have a chance to be the leader.
7. Following the rhythmic movement activity the students will begin the process of learning the song “Who’s that
Knocking on the Door?” (20 minutes)
a. Have all the students find a spot to sit.
b. Explain to the students that you will sing a few pitches and then you will pick someone to draw a line to
represent whether the pitches went from low to high or vice versa.
c. Use sets of pitches from the song “Who’s that Knocking on the Door?”
d. Call up the individual students and have them draw a line to show the contour of the pitches.
e. If a student draws an incorrect line, tell them “nice try”, and pick another student to attempt drawing the line.
f. Next, have the students reform a circle so that you can teach the entire song.
g. Learn the melody of the song prior to seeing the kids by going to the following link and scrolling down until
you get to the song. ​https://150folksongs.wordpress.com/category/the-songs/
h. Use the echoing method. Sing one line and then have the students repeat after you. Change the word from
“winter” and the adjective that precedes it if it is a different time of year. As you sing each part, lift up the
card with the appropriate iconic notation for the line you are singing so students can gain a visual of the
pitches as well.
i. Who’s that
Knocking on the door
On a cold winter’s day
i. Once they seem to have the melody to the song down, then add in the drum by playing on a steady beat
and having them sing along with you.
i. Use the rhythm in the recording once the students are comfortable with the melody.
j. After that, explain that students will now get a chance to fill in their names at the end of the question in the
song. Four students will say their names like in the recording.
k. Continue to repeat the song until everyone gets a chance to fill their name in.
l. Remind the students how they were able to sing the Welcome Song slow and fast.
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m. Have all the students stand up and walk to the beat of “Who’s that Knocking on the Door? at a slow tempo.
(Change the word to “walking” instead of knocking” Then have them do it at increasingly faster tempos.
n. Ask the students if anyone knows what the speed of music would be called. If no one guesses, identify it as
tempo.
o. Next, tell the students you are going to play some random songs and you want them to guess whether the
tempos of the songs are fast or slow.
8. Wrap up the class by having everyone sit in a circle and share one thing they liked about the experience or
something they learned. (5 minutes).
a. Or you can facilitate by asking specific questions to remind them what was covered during the class.
9. Sing a closing song of your choice. (2 minutes)
a. Ask students if they know “Row, Row, Row your Boat”
b. Have them sing the melody.
c. Then you can show the video on the next line to teach them a short goodbye song that uses the melody of
“Row, Row, Row your Boat”
d. Here is example that you could use:
i. https://youtu.be/AWWz0aq0aR4
10. Have the students gather their things and prepare to leave. (3 minutes)
Assessments​​:

Checklist for Assessment Needs Improvement Meets Exceeds

Know “Who’s that Knocking

on the Door?”

Play Drum

Keeps a Steady Beat

Moves and Sings at

Different Tempos
Creative Kids Co-Op Curricular Guide Third Grade

Adaptation​​: How will you open this experience up for learners with different ways of engaging and knowing? Consider
adaptations to:
- Color - Assign different colors to the different pitches in the “Who’s that Knocking on my Door” song and have
them color in the iconic notation to represent the pitches.
- Pacing - Sing the song “Who’s that Knocking on my Door?” in small parts and have the students echo rather than
just singing the whole piece through and then having them join in.
- Modality - Use the pitches in the song “Who’s that Knocking on my Door?” to play the game of “Maestro says” and
have the students respond with pitches rather than air playing instruments.
Extension​​ (what would you do next and/or how could you make this experience longer?)
● I could make the Rhythm Movement activity longer by having students create iconic notation on paper for the
rhythm they clapped in the circle.
● For the “Maestro Says”, I could focus on a type of instrument such as strings, woodwinds, or brass and then share
common facts about those types of instruments through pictures or the tangible instrument itself.
Creative Kids Co-Op Curricular Guide Third Grade

Experience Design for Day 5:

Rationale: ​This experience would be meaningful to do for a population of third graders because it helps them to practice
their notational reading, which is one of the standards for this age group. It also gives them the opportunity to play a
variety of pitched and non-pitched instruments in an ensemble. The instruments are not only from different instrument
families, but also even come from different parts of the world. This content could be worthwhile for the students because it
gives them background on a variety of different percussion instruments. For example once they begin to use their
drumming skills on one type of percussion instrument, it is easier to transfer the skills to other instruments that may be
found in the music classroom or even in the comfort of their own homes. After doing this experience hopefully they will
have a better understanding of how music is used to tell a story.
Standards:
● 3.1 The student will read music including melodies based on the pentatonic scale.
● 3.3 The student will play a variety of pitched and non-pitched instrument alone and with others.
I Can Statements:
● I can read music based on the pentatonic scale.
● I can sing and or play an alto xylophone, recorder, djembe, windchime, or electronic instrument with others.
Materials and Visual Aids​​:
● Alto Saxophone
● Recorder and Fingering Chart
● Djembe
● Wind Chime
● Electronic Sound Source: Soundscape App
Detailed Process (30 minutes)​​:
1. Welcome the students to sit on the carpet in the classroom.
2. Tell them you are going to sing them a song and they should put on their listening ears.
3. Sing “Gypsy in the Moonlight” from beginning to end.
Creative Kids Co-Op Curricular Guide Third Grade

4. Teach the song by singing one measure of the song at a time and then having them echo it back to you.
5. Next, sing the first two measures and have them echo you.
6. Then sing the last two measures and have them echo you.
7. Sing the whole song for the class and have them echo the whole song back. (5 minutes).
8. Next, tell them that the different things in the song make different sounds.
9. Ask if the remember what struck two in the song.
a. The clock is the answer.
b. Then tell them the clock in the song goes ding dong.
c. Body Percussion: Patting the legs and releasing them into the air to signify the half notes and the way to
play the xylophone for the bordun.
10. Next ask if they remember what was on the grass.
a. Dew is the answer (Wind Chime).
b. Then say the dew was twink-ling.
c. Body Percussion: Waving hands above the head with spirit fingers from one side to the other.
11. Then have the students stand and ask what was going to happen at two.
a. The answer is the gypsy was going to come back.
b. Have students stand and stomp the rhythm of the djembe to the following text: Walking walking I am walking
I am walking Home. Walking walking I am walking now I’m home.
12. Next ask the students if moonlight would shine up or down.
a. The answer is down.
b. Have students sing the pitches counter melody (recorder) to the text: Shining Down. Shining Down.
Shi-ning. Shining Down.
13. After that, break the students into four groups so that they can do the four parts that they learned using their chants
and the body percussion: the recorder, xylophone, djembe, and wind chime. Have them practice it a few times in a
row. (5 minutes)
14. Next, transition the different groups of students to the instruments set up in the back of room. Ask the recorder
group to retrieve a recorder. (3 minutes)
15. Begin by giving the bordun part their pitches and having them practice playing the half notes.
Creative Kids Co-Op Curricular Guide Third Grade

a. Next, provide a fingering chart for the recorders to play the 4 pitches they need so they can practice. Show
them on your own recorder if necessary.
b. After that, sit in a drum circle with the djembes and practice the rhythm along with them by using the chant
text.
c. Finally, observe the wind chime players play in unison. (10 minutes)
16. Tell the students that now they are going to play together. Bring in each part beginning with the bordun, then the
countermelody, then the djembe, and then the chime.
17. Sing the melody repeatedly with the lyrics as the class continues to play as an ensemble. Pick a few students to
experiment with the Singing Fingers app for the electronic sound source. (5 minutes)
18. Have the class clean up the instruments. (3 minutes)
19. Sit on the carpet, sing the exit song, and have the class line up. (2 minutes)

Assessment: Checklist for students as they rotate between the various instruments.

Instruments Below Standard Meets Standard Exceeds Standard

Vocals

Alto Saxophone

Recorder

Djembe

Wind Chime

Electronic Sound

Extensions:
Creative Kids Co-Op Curricular Guide Third Grade

● Students could use the same instruments to create another arrangement for another short song they learned in
class.
Adaptations:
○ Size: ​The size of the instrumental ensemble can be reduced so that other students can become actors of
the story.
○ Color: ​Have students put colored stickers on the pitches that are played on the alto saxophone or the
recorder.
○ Pacing: ​Teach one part of the song a day and slowly put the arrangement together over the course of
multiple classes.
○ Modality: ​Utilize instruments that do not necessarily need to be seen in order to be played such as a
maraca for the rhythmic line.

Day 6 Experience Design:

Rationale: ​The purpose of this experience is for the students at the Creative Kids Co-Op to be able to learn about the
pentatonic scale, and be able to identify this in the given song, “Chicken on a Fencepost”. This experience will be to
expand their knowledge of music, and create a community based learning activity with their classmates.

Understanding Statement: ​Students will expand their knowledge of known pitches and music theory related to the
pentatonic scale. They will also be able to look at the given song on the treble clef and be able to sing or play it.

I Can Statements:
● I can read and notate music with increasing complexity based on a pentatonic scale (VA 3.1.4)
● I can sing alone and with others, singing melodies on a treble clef (VA 3.2.3)
Creative Kids Co-Op Curricular Guide Third Grade

Materials:
● Rubber chicken, or an object to place in the middle for the game listed

Detailed Process:
1. Start off by singing the song all the way through
2. After you have gone through it once, have them echo you after each small phrase
3. Once you have gone through the whole song by echoing, sing it once all together
4. After they have learned the words to the song, go through it again but on solfege
5. After going through the entire song on solfege, talk about how these notes in the song relate to the pentatonic scale
6. After you have taught them the song, play the game as follows:
a. “Teacher chooses 1 “gate” in each of the circles. Rubber chicken (or imaginary chicken) is placed in the
inside circle.
b. Gates are closed. Foxes may watch now. Both circles sing while moving in opposite directions. On the “o” of
Brownie-o” the 2 gates open forming a maze in which foxes race to grab the chicken from the middle of the
center circle.”

Assessment:
● __ I can sing/ hum the given melody in the pentatonic scale
● __ I can sing by myself or in a group
Accomodations:​​ To include learners with different ways of engaging and knowing, I will do the following:
Creative Kids Co-Op Curricular Guide Third Grade

● Color: ​If the students are having a hard time understanding the different notes of the scale, I will assign different
colors to each pitch? Solfege syllable so they are able to see it visually as well as do it kinesthetically
● Pacing: ​If any of the students are not understanding the material, I will slow down the learning to make sure every
student understands. If they are going faster than I had planned, then we will move on, and go straight to the game.
● Modality: ​If the student can’t sing the correct pitches, have them play it on a pitched instrument so they are able to
see the notes in the relation to the scale, and they can hear the pitches

Extension​​ If this experience needed to be longer, I would play the game longer (given that the students were still getting
enjoyment out of it). If they were not and other extensions needed to be made, we would talk about the melodic contour of
the piece and improvise other pitches that could fit into the song.

Experience Design for Day 9:

1. Rationale​​: The purpose of this experience is for the students to be able to identify and perform the rhythms

“ta-ka-di” and “ta-di-mi” in a given song. This experience will be to expand their knowledge of rhythms, and

create a community based learning activity with their classmates.

1. Understanding Statements​​: Student will expand on their knowledge of rhythms to add “ta-di-mi” and “ta-ka-di”

to their understanding of rhythms. By the end of this experience, students will be able to speak and sing the

listed rhythms, and be able to apply them to the given song.

Creative Kids Co-Op Curricular Guide Third Grade

1. “I can” statements/standards:

A. “I can demonstrate an understanding of meter by performing sets of beats grouped in twos and threes.” (VA

3.5)

B. “I can read and notate rhythmic patterns that include sixteenth notes, single eighth notes, eighth rests, and

dotted half notes.” (VA 3.1)

C. “I can read and notate music, including identifying written melodic movement as step, leap, or repeat.” (VA

3.1)

1. Materials​​: For this experience, I will have iconic notation that we will go over together to solidify the new

rhythms learned.

Ki - tty Green Hand-ker-chief

Creative Kids Co-Op Curricular Guide Third Grade

(ta-di) (ta) (ta-ka-di) (ta-di-mi)

1. Detailed Process​​:

i. To begin, I will start by playing the song on a piano, or a percussive instrument, and encourage the

students to move to song, while also encouraging them to come up with different movements for the

different rhythms they hear (I will play through it about 4 times while adding in the lyrics to the song

the last 2 times) (10 minutes)

2. After this, we will sit in a circle and I will sing the song by myself twice and have them try to mouth the

words on the second time through (5 minutes)

3. I will have the students tap their fingers on their other hand to the beat while I sing through the song

(2 minutes)

4. We will sing the entire song through with no tapping (1 minute)

5. We will sing the first line together while still tapping the beat (1 minute)

6. We will sing the first line together (still tapping) then I alone will sing the second line while they tap

along (1 minute)

7. We will sing the second line while tapping the beat (1 minute)

8. We will sing the entire song while tapping along (2 minutes)

Creative Kids Co-Op Curricular Guide Third Grade

9. I will ask the students if any parts of the phythm stuck out to them, and explain to me which parts (4

minutes)

10. We will then clap the specific rhythms they noted (2 minutes)

11. After they have clapped the rhythms “ta-di-mi” and “ta-ka-di”, I will introduce the new speaking

pattern for the rhythms (1 minute)

12. We will say the rhythm names while clapping the rhythm (2 minutes)

13. We will look at and go over the iconic notation for the rhythms to make sure they are able to speak or

indicate the rhythm in some way. (6 minutes)

14. I will then write the rhythm of the whole song on the board and we will speak it together, including the

new rhythms (5 minutes)

15. If none of the students have physical accommodations, we will play the following game: Students

hold hands in a circle, while one student is on the outside of the circle with a handkerchief, and skips

around the circle. Once the students sing “away” the student drops the handkerchief to the student

that is closest to them. The student that gets chosen will chase the other student around the circle

while the original child tries to get back to the empty space. If the first student is successful, the other

student is the new chaser. If not, they remain on the outside. (12 minutes)
Creative Kids Co-Op Curricular Guide Third Grade

i. If there are accommodations that need to be made, we will make do something similar, but instead of

walking, we will pass the handkerchief around in a circle (sitting), and similar to hot potato, we will

pass it around and whoever is the last person holding the handkerchief will be eliminated, and we will

keep going until there’s one one student left. (12 minutes)

(The few extra minutes are left for transitions and if any of the steps take longer than planned.)

1. Assessments​​:

● I can clap or tap the rhythm “ta-ka-di” __

● I can clap or tap the rhythm “ta-di-mi” __

● I can speak “ta-ka-di” __

● I can speak “ta-di-mi” __

● I can sing “ta-ka-di” in the given song __

● I can sing “ta-di-mi” in the given song __

1. Adaptation​​: To include learners with different ways of engaging and knowing, I will do the following:
Creative Kids Co-Op Curricular Guide Third Grade

- ​Color​​: If students are having trouble understanding the rhythms, I will assign a different color to each syllable, so

they are able to see how the colors coordinate together.

- ​Pacing​​: This will depend on the needs of each individual student. If I see that some of the students are taking

longer than I had originally set out, we will slow down the pacing. On the other hand, if they are accepting the

rhythms better than expected, then we will move quicker.

- ​Modality​​: For modality, we will both look at the rhythms written on the board, and also speak them and tap or clap

along to them, so this will address each way of learning.

1. Extension​​ If this experience needed to be longer, I would play the game longer (given that the students were

still getting enjoyment out of it). If they were not and other extensions needed to be made, we would talk about

the melodic contour of the piece and identify the skips versus the steps of the melody.

● Winding it Forward​​: Students will be able to say the given rhythm while tapping the steady beat

● Winding it Back​​: If the students don’t understand the new rhythms, we will go back over a quarter note and two
eighth notes together, then when they have a solid understanding of this, we will go back to the new rhythms
introduced.
Creative Kids Co-Op Curricular Guide Third Grade

Additional Resources (children’s books, methodology books, etc.

Websites for 3rd Grade Music Experience Planning:

Find a plan. (n.d.). Retrieved from ​http://lessonplanspage.com/music/third-grade/

Lesson Plan Ideas For K-5 General Music Classes. (2017, October 18). Retrieved from

https://nafme.org/lesson-plan-ideas-for-k-5-general-music-classes/

Books for Teaching Elementary School Music:

Hoffer, C. R. (2005). ​Music for elementary classroom teachers​. Long Grove, IL: Waveland Press.

Williams, J. (2019). ​Teaching singing to children and young adults.​ Oxford, UK: Compton.