5th+grade+-+3+Conducting+Patterns+Lesson

This lesson plan was designed for 5th grade string lessons during the first week back from winter break. Because the lesson schedule changes, most students will either bring their instrument on the wrong day or forget to bring it at all. This lesson can be used with without instruments and reviews what the time signature numbers mean as well (they tend to forget this a lot) as teaching them about conducting.

This was the first time that I had to teach a 6/8 conducting pattern to students before and I found that changing the pace and the teaching style between 2/4 & 4/4 and 6/8 prevented the students from being bored. Also, having the students drawing the 6/8 pattern was something that they found enjoyable and being able to see the pattern as they traced it helped them to remember it better

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EDIT:

Hello! This is such a cool lesson! I love that it gets students moving and thinking about time signatures (important, and they do forget it a lot). I specifically liked the rabbit hole example and the easy-to-follow sequencing. Great call on taking the most time with the 6/8. THat will be a bit challenging. Some suggestions: Thanks! -Hannah Lambert
 * Floor/door/window/ceiling, etc is a great way to have them remember (common things to look at) but is there a more creative way to do this? Some rhyming phrase or something? I don't have much concrete right here, just a thought.
 * I love the review of what the time signatures mean, but then maybe have them listen to an example of music in each time signature (and potentially see the excerpt they are listening to, depending?). It is important to have them put what they are feeling in movement and reading on the board with something that they can hear. Move with music! :)
 * It could also be effective to have (a) student(s) come to the front and direct/lead their peers after learning each time signature. Eventually, they could practice/experiment with tempo and dynamics.