Middle+School+Band-+rhythms

This lesson was meant to resolve issues with rhythms that students were having in a piece in which the primary issue was that students had difficulty playing their rhythm while hearing different rhythms in other sections.

Subject: Middle School Band

Primary Focus/Learning Target: Rhythm.

Length: 20 minutes

National Standards: Perform: Rehearse, Evaluate, and Refine

Behavioral Learning Objective: Provided with music and rhythm examples, students will accurately play the rhythms in measures 68-76 of "Spy Chase" by Brant Karrick.

Types of Assessment: Informal formative. The teacher will listen and watch for accurate rhythms and provide feedback.

Materials: Instruments, white board, markers, sheet music, stands, chairs.

Lesson:

-Have each of the 3 rhythms found in measure 68 of "Spy Chase" written on the board and labeled "A", "B", and "C" so that they can be referred to. -Begin with rhythm A, and walk the class through figuring out how to count the rhythm. -Have students clap and say rhythm (using 1 e + a counting system). -Once they are comfortable with it, have them play on a unison pitch, repeating as many times as necessary until entire band is playing it accurately. -Repeat process with each rhythm. -Now that students are aware of all rhythms found in this measure, ask students who have the first rhythm discussed to play what they have in their actual parts for just that measure, repeating on a loop. Ask rest of class to clap rhythm B, and then switch to rhythm C, with the first group still playing their part. -Have rhythm B join in playing their rhythm with first group, with rhythm C clapping their part. -Cue in rhythm C, so that all groups are repeating measure 68 together. -Try variations, having each group be the first to start and adding in different groups at different times until entire group seems secure in their own individual parts. -Remind students of the idea of part independence, and then play through section of "Spy Chase", repeating process for any other questionable measures.