Kelsey MacLeod

Alisha McCorriston
Melissa Hernen
Integrating Music into Math for Grade 3 Students

Outcomes:

1) Discuss the Benefits of integrating music into math.
2) Demonstrate to colleagues how to integrate music into math in the following ways:
a) Adding
b) Subtracting
c) Rhythm
d) Time

Materials (General):
Lesson plans
computer
power-point
smart-board (or 4 laptops for back-up)
white board
white board markers

shapes for dividing up students into 3 groups
small pieces of paper for exit slips
article handout for students

Materials for Stations:

Station 1:
Kelsey: (parallelogram)
Lesson plan
smartboard
4-6 laptops in case of no access to smartboard

Station 2: Melissa (pentagon)
white-board markers
white-board
prefabricated cards cut out on cardstock.

Station 3: Alisha (triangle)
Six chairs
Ten pieces of paper using the numbers 100, 200, 300, 400, and 500
Paper bag to put numbers in (the numbers for each participant)

One label for each chair (total of six labels) with numbers ranging from 0-10
Whiteboard
Whiteboard markers
Three different songs
cell phone for music
calculator (just in case!)

Group Activity
fiddle
rhythm instruments (Anne)
2 metronomes
power point

Methods of Informal Assessment of Learning:
participation in activities
participation in pair-share discussion
participation in group discussion
exit slips

Overview of Presentation

Item

Time

Presenter

Snappy Intro: Five Little Speckled Frogs

2 min

Video

Agenda
Background: Integrating music into math

5 min

Alisha

Station 1 Fractions: smartboard activity

9 min (30 seconds for

transitions)

Kelsey

Station 2: Musical chairs (addition and

subtraction

9 min (30 seconds for

transitions)

Alisha

Station 3: Adding Rhythm Game

9 min (30 seconds for

transitions)

Melissa

Together: Fiddlin Around:

Music, Rhythm, and Dance
Pair-Share Discussion
Group Discussion

9 min (30 seconds

transition time)

Kelsey

Discussion Question
Conclusion
Exit Slip

5 min

Melissa




Pre-presentation:
As students enter the class have them collect 3 items
a shape (triangle, pentagon, parallelogram) which will be used for station groups later
a piece of paper for the exit slip
article handout resource of integrating math and music activities

Snappy Introduction: Alisha
7 minutes
1) Five Little Speckled Frogs (video)
Demonstrates counting and subtracting through song
Encourage students to sing along!

2) Names
3) Agenda
4) Background: Benefits of Integrating music into math
5) Learning Outcomes: show deep levels of integration of music and math to educate the
whole person
6) Explain stations:
Students will have approximately 8-9 minutes at each station and 30 seconds to transfer from
station to station
Pentagons=Melissa
Triangles=Alisha
Parallelograms=Kelsey

Brief Description of Stations and Group Activity:

Station 1: Kelsey
(9 minutes)
Smartboard interactive game

Fractions are introduced and explored through math and music
Students learn to associate and match fractions across different disciplines and contexts
using: notes, pictorial pie piece representations and numerical representation ( 1, , ,
)
Students may work individually, in pairs, or as a group

Transition
(30 seconds)

Station 2: Melissa
(9 minutes)
Adding Rhythm Game

Review of notes being used will be done by clapping the rhythms as a group

Adding and Subtracting will be conducted through the means of rhythmical music
notation
This activity will involve thinking individually, in pairs, and as a class

Transition
(30 minutes)

Station 3: Alisha
(9 minutes)
Musical Chair Adding and Subtracting Game
Students will dance, clap, and walk to the beat with music in 4/4 and time
when music stops students will add or subtract their numbers with the chair they are
sitting on and other students numbers
Can be done as a non-elimination game, using the same number of chairs as students

Transition
(30 seconds)

Group Activity : Fiddlin Around
(9 minutes)
Students will learn the concept of time in seconds and minutes through music
Students will learn about different tempos of music (BPM and metronome)
Students will play rhythmic instruments and dance to different tempos of music

Questions reflecting on Group Activity: Pair-Share
1)
How does time influence music?
2)
What emotions do you associate with different tempos?

Group Discussion Question:
(5 minutes)

How did todays in-class activities enhance your knowledge of math and/or music?

Conclusion:

1) Remember when you integrate subjects:
The deeper the integration across disciplines, such as music into math, the more beneficial it is.
Example: more learning will take place by students counting and clapping in multiples of 3 and 4
than in chanting their times tables.

2) Thank colleagues for participating in the presentation and encourage them to integrate
music into math at a deep level.

3) Encourage colleagues to refer to article hand out for future reference

4) Invite colleagues to fill out the exit form and return shape at the end of the presentation

Exit Slip Questions:

1)
Can you see yourself integrating any of the activities into your own classroom?


2)

What are some changes you would make to improve these activities for your class?

References

Aimee. (2013, April 5). Music math cards [Web log post]. Retrieved from
http://ofortunaorff.blogspot.ca/2013/04/music-math-cards.html?m=1

An, S., Capraro, M. M., & Tillman, D. A. (2013). Elementary teachers integrate music activities
into regular mathematics lessons: effects on students mathematical abilities. Journal for
Learning through the Arts, 9, 1-19. Retrieved from
http://www.escholarship.org/uc/item/0js732gf

Bittman, E. (2012, June 12). Place value musical chairs [Web log post]. Retrieved from
http://eisforexplore.blogspot.ca/2012/06/place-value-musical-chairs.html

Still, K., & Bobis, J (n.d.). The Integration of Mathematics and Music in the Primary School
Classroom. 712-719.