Overview:
The most important basic skills for young students are the ability to keep a steady pulse and establish a sense of pitch. Without these essential, internalized skills students cannot progress successfully into more complex music behaviors. After an established sense of pulse, students must discriminate between rhythm and pulse, and after an internalized sense of pitch students learn to recognize melody because these skills the foundation for all subsequent music learning.
Objectives:
Students will be able to:
- Identify and describe the discrete elements of rhythm,
- Identify and describe the discrete elements of melody,
- Analyze lessons plans in rhythm and melody,
- Design and create lesson plans in rhythm and melody.
- Prepare and demonstrate the implementation of a lesson in rhythm.
Module Summary
Rhythm and melody are two of the most elemental musical forms experienced by young students. Although children enjoying singing from a young age and responding naturally to rhythmic activities, in order for the sense of pulse and pitch to become internalized, students need sequential and frequent lessons in both.
Rhythm and melody are complex, abstract concepts that are conceived as a whole within a music composition. This module covered each of the sub-concepts that teachers disassemble into discrete parts and taught through activities that focus on listening, moving, singing, playing instruments, composing, improvising and reading. Lesson plans were also included as models for developing active student participation.