Grade Four Unit Plan

Getting to Know You September 2016 7 classes

Generative Topic: As the school year begins it is crucial to establish a strong

sense of security and routine in the music classroom. The entire month of
September will be working on just that, familiarizing with the classroom,
becoming comfortable and aware of the rules set in place, and establishing a
positive environment. All of this will be done through canons, rounds, and
partner songs, as well as activities that will review and reinforce the rhythmic
skills obtained in grade two and three.
Unit Title: Getting to Know You
Big Idea: Establishing a positive and comfortable classroom where we can all
make music together
Essential Questions:
1. How can I sing and make music with my classmates?
2. How can the rhythmic building blocks of music help me now?
3. How can two songs together sound good?
Concepts Taught:
Curricular Outcomes:

R9 Beats and silences have specific duration(ta/ti-ti/ta Tah/ti-ti/tah-ah/tah-ah-ah-ah note and

a/ta-a-a-a)
rest review
H5 Two or more melodies can occur simultaneously
Rounds and partner songs (2 melodies
(rounds, partner songs, descants)
M11 Move to round or cannon form
at once with the same harmony)
S21 Sing two- and three-part rounds and simple
descants
S18 Sing partner and nonsense songs
S20 Extend the use of Sol-fa training with hand signals
to include fa and ti
F13 Basic forms include AB (binary), ABA (ternary),
rondo, cannon, theme and variations
P11 Use pitched instruments to play tone-matching
games, conversational games, and pentatonic
accompaniments.

Activities:
- Follow the Leader
- Who Stole a Cookie from the
Cookie Jar?
- Rhythm Game
- Frere Jacques
- Rig a Jig Jig
- AB Form in Movement
- Listen
- Now All the Woods are Waking
- Recorder Karate

Materials Needed:

Assessment
Getting to Know You September 2016 7 classes

Assessment
Tool
OC body
percussion and
singing
OC Ta/ti-ti/ta

OC rhythm
and beat
OC - round

Outcomes
R9 Beats and silences
have specific
duration(ta/ti-ti/ta-a/taa-a-a)
R9 Beats and silences
have specific
duration(ta/ti-ti/ta-a/taa-a-a)

R9 Beats and silences

have specific
duration(ta/ti-ti/ta-a/taa-a-a)
H5 Two or more
melodies can occur
simultaneously (rounds,
partner songs,
descants)
M11 Move to round or
cannon form
S21 Sing two- and threepart rounds and simple
descants
S18 Sing partner and
nonsense songs

OC
understanding
of AB form

Sol-fa

F13 Basic forms include

AB (binary), ABA
(ternary), rondo,
cannon, theme and
variations

S20 Extend the use of

Sol-fa training with
hand signals to include
fa and ti

Description
I will watch students as we are doing
body percussion and singing to
assess rhythmic accuracy and
precision, helping them as necessary.
Students will label a variety of
rhythms in activities, learning songs,
and rhythmic practice, to review and
establish a strong sense of rhythm
behind the music that we make in
class.
During activities I will observe the
students precision with both rhythm
and beat.
Students will sing a variety of songs
in round to begin exploring the world
of harmony and two things
happening at the same time in music.
We will first build a strong base of
understanding through practicing
moving in round before introducing
singing in round. I will observe them
every step of the way, appropriately
scaffolding the activities and learning
to their comfort level.
I will have students demonstrate their
understanding of AB form through
movement and poem activities,
watching to ensure that they have
retained this from past years.
Through singing activities we will
constantly be using sol-fa and as fa
and ti are introduced, I will
constantly be assessing to ensure
that the students are becoming more
comfortable and fluent with their solfa skill.

F
or
X

Of

Mallet
technique

Round singing
and complex
rounds

P11 Use pitched

instruments to play
tone-matching games,
conversational games,
and pentatonic
accompaniments.
S21 Sing two- and threepart rounds and simple
descants
S18 Sing partner and
nonsense songs

As we begin using instruments I will

assess students mallet technique to
ensure that they are appropriately
using the equipment to produce the
best tone.
I will observe students as they work
in small groups or pairs to sing
rounds.

Lesson Summary
Getting to Know You September 2016 7 classes

Less
on
1

By the end of the

lesson, students
will be able to
Use body percussion
to keep beat while
singing
Repeat and identify
rhythmic patterns

Assessment/
Evaluation
Observation
Checklist
- Body
percussion
and singing
- Ta/ti-ti/ta-a/

Use body percussion

to keep beat while
singing
Identify the rhythms
that fall within
beats.

Observation
Checklist
- Rhythm
- Beat

Sing in canon to a
song they are
familiar with
Show AB form
through locomotor
movements

Observation
Checklist
- Round
- Understandi
ng of AB

Demonstrate proper
mallet technique
Sing a simple piece
using sol-fa hand

Observation
Checklist
- Sol-fa
- Mallet

Activities

Follow the Leader (5

min)
Classroom Rules (3
min)
Name Game (10 min)
Classroom Rules
again (3 min)
Frere Jacques (5 min)
- melody
Rhythm Game (4
min)
Follow the Leader (2
min)
Classroom Rules (3
min)
Name Game (Extend
to 3) (10 min)
Frere Jacques (10
min)
- Work on
rhythm
Rig a Jig Jig (5 min)
- melody
Follow the Leader (2
min)
Frere Jacques (10
min)
- Work in round
Rig a Jig Jig (5 min)
AB Form in
Movement (12 min)
Follow the Leader (2
min)
Listen (20 min)
Now All the Woods

Resources

Game Plan
1

This is Music
3/110

Game Plan
1
This is Music
3/110
Singing
Games
Children
Love

This is Music
3/110
Singing
Games
Game Plan
7

Game Plan
3
This is Music

symbols

Sing a piece in
advanced canon
with their peers

Sing a piece in
complex canon with
their peers
Demonstrate the
basics of the
recorder (posture,
hand position, air)

technique

Observation
Checklist
- Round
singing

Observation
Checklist
- Complex
rounds
- Basic
recorder
skills

Are Waking (8 min)

- Melody and
simple canon
Follow the Leader (2
min)
Frere Jacques (10
min)
- Work in
complex
canon
Now All the Woods
are waking (10 min)
- More complex
canon (4 part)
Rig a Jig Jig (5 min)
Follow the Leader (2
min)
Now All the Woods
are waking (10 min)
- Up to 8 part
round
Begin recorder
karate

6/10

This is Music
3/110
This is Music
6/5

Singing
Games

This is Music
6/5