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SUBJECT: Rhythm, Tempo, and Meter
Grade Level: Music Appreciation – Grades 9 - 12
LESSON OBJECTIVES
Students will:
- Define the musical concept of rhythm.
- Identify by tapping and verbalizing the beat (or pulse) of a piece of music.
- Identify the musical element of tempo given a series of music examples.
- Explain the basic relationship between rhythm and the human body.
- Identify and discuss the role that silence plays in rhythm.
- Define the following musical terms: adagio, allegro, andante, beat, largo, moderato, movement, presto, rhythm, tempo, and vivace.
COMMON CORE STANDARDS
Add district, state and/or national standards as is applicable to your area
Preparatory Activities
10 minutes
- Review the vocabulary for Class 13:
Resources/Materials
- The following audio files:
- Bach - Air on the G String from Orchestra Suite No. 3 in D major, BWV 1068
- Mozart – Symphony No. 25 in G minor, K. 183. I Allegro con brio
- Berlioz – Symphonie fantastique, Op. 14, IV. “March to the Scaffold”
- Handel – “Hallelujah Chorus” from Messiah
- Wagner – Lohengrin: Act III: Prelude
- Bernstein – Overture to Candide
INSTRUCTIONAL SEQUENCE
TIME
Whole Group Instruction
- Play approximately 1 minute of each audio clip directing students to focus on tempo.
- As they listen, have students complete the “Listening Table”. Provide wait time between audio files. Prompt the students’ responses with questions from the text:
- Does this music has a strong or weak pulse?
- Does the pulse change or remain the same?
- Are there any characteristic rhythmic patterns in the piece?
- What is the tempo of the piece?
- Does the tempo change or remain the same?
- What is the meter of the piece?
- Listen for a second time and focus on meter.
- Listen for a third time and complete any missing sections.
20 - 30 minutes
Group Practice/Small Group Instruction
- Divide students into groups of two.
- Once “Listening Table” is complete, have students compare and contrast their responses with their partners
Piece
Pulse/Rhythmic patterns
Tempo
Meter
Bach – Air on the G String from Suite No. III, BWV 1068
Mozart – Symphony No. 25 in G Minor, K 183. I. Allegro con brio
Berlioz – Symphonie fantastique, Op. 14, IV. “March to the Scaffold””
Handel – “Halleujah Chorus” from Messiah
Wagner – Lohengrin: Act III: Prelude
Bernstein – Overture to Candide
15 - 20 minutes
Closing Activites/Summary
- Play one of the sound files and ask students if they can guess which piece is being played.
5 - 10 minutes
Evaluation/Assessment 5=Best, 1=Least
- Did students identify the musical elements of tempo in the selected pieces of music? 5 4 3 2 1
- Did students identify the musical element of meter in the selected pieces of music? 5 4 3 2 1
- Did students identify the musical elements of pulse/rhythmic pattern in the selected pieces? 5 4 3 2 1
Extension/Enrichment/Re-teaching/Accommodations
- Teacher fills out another chart with 4 new pieces without providing titles.
- Distribute the completed chart to students.
- Play the new pieces one at a time.
- Have students fill in the titles based on what they see in the completed chart.