Create a Rhythm, Select a Tempo
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This learning activity provided by:
Author:
Carrie Cruz
System: Jefferson County School: Jefferson County Board Of Education
General Activity Information
Activity ID:
1663
Title: Create a Rhythm, Select a Tempo
Digital Tool/Resource: Freddie the Frog Game, Mystic Publishing, Inc.
Web Address – URL:
Overview: Students will create, read, and listen to four-beat rhythm ostinato patterns using quarter notes, quarter rests, pairs of eighth notes, and four sixteenth notes at various tempos. As the students interact with the game, they will practice reading and composing four-beat rhythm patterns and experience the tempos largo, andante, allegro, and presto.
This activity was created as a result of the Arts COS Resource Development Summit.
Associated Standards and Objectives
Content Standard(s):
Arts Education 2) Generate musical ideas (such as rhythms and melodies) within a given tonality and/or meter.
Example: Perform rhythmic accompaniments using pitched instruments or body percussion.
Unpacked Content
Artistic Process: Creating
Anchor Standards:
Anchor Standard 1: Generate and conceptualize artistic ideas and work.
Process Components: Imagine
Essential Questions:
EU: The creative ideas, concepts, and feelings that influence musicians' work emerge from a variety of sources.
Concepts & Vocabulary:
Rhythm
Bar lines
Measures
Melody
Pitch set: Low So, Low La, High Do
Treble clef reading (Mi, Re, Do)
Middle C to high G
Ledger lines
Harmony
Partner songs
Rounds
Ostinati
Form
Theme and variations
Coda
D.S. al codaRepeat sign
Fermata
Expression
Phrase/ phrasing
Pianissimo (pp ), fortissimo (ff )
Other
Age-appropriate audience and performer etiquette
Orchestral instruments: 4 families
Age-appropriate pitch matching (Bb3 - Eb5) Skill Examples:
Performing
Play a variety of classroom instruments with proper technique.
Use the head voice to produce a light, clear sound employing breath support and maintaining appropriate posture.
Creating
Use pitch and rhythm to improvise vocal, instrumental, and/or movement ideas within a context (such as question and answer phrases or simple accompaniment/ostinato).
Reading/ Writing
Use iconic or standard notation and/or recording technology to sequence and document personal musical ideas.
Responding/ Evaluating
Demonstrate a final version of personal musical ideas using created vocal, instrumental, or movement pieces through performance.
Develop criteria to critique and refine selected musical examples.
Arts Education 4) Use standard and/or iconic notation and/or recording technology to document personal rhythmic and melodic musical ideas.
Unpacked Content
Artistic Process: Creating
Anchor Standards:
Anchor Standard 2: Organize and develop artistic ideas and work.
Process Components: Plan and Make
Essential Questions:
EU: Musicians' creative choices are influenced by their expertise, context, and expressive intent.
Concepts & Vocabulary:
Rhythm
Bar lines
Measures
Melody
Pitch set: Low So, Low La, High Do
Treble clef reading (Mi, Re, Do)
Middle C to high G
Ledger lines
Harmony
Partner songs
Rounds
Ostinati
Form
Theme and variations
Coda
D.S. al codaRepeat sign
Fermata
Expression
Phrase/ phrasing
Pianissimo (pp ), fortissimo (ff )
Other
Age-appropriate audience and performer etiquette
Orchestral instruments: 4 families
Age-appropriate pitch matching (Bb3 - Eb5) Skill Examples:
Performing
Play a variety of classroom instruments with proper technique.
Use the head voice to produce a light, clear sound employing breath support and maintaining appropriate posture.
Creating
Use pitch and rhythm to improvise vocal, instrumental, and/or movement ideas within a context (such as question and answer phrases or simple accompaniment/ostinato).
Reading/ Writing
Use iconic or standard notation and/or recording technology to sequence and document personal musical ideas.
Responding/ Evaluating
Demonstrate a final version of personal musical ideas using created vocal, instrumental, or movement pieces through performance.
Develop criteria to critique and refine selected musical examples.
Learning Objectives: Students will create and read four-beat rhythm ostinato patterns and choose a tempo based on the mood they want to create.
Strategies, Preparations and Variations
Phase: During/Explore/Explain
Activity:
Have students sit in front of the whiteboard in groups of three to four students.
Go to the Freddy the Frog website and create a rhythm by selecting and dragging the rhythm sticks into the boxes.
Have a group play the rhythm four times using body percussion.
After the group plays the rhythm, click on the word “play” and have the class listen to see if the group performed the rhythm correctly.
Compare the speed of the beat that the group used versus the tempo selected.
Listen to the rhythm again selecting a different tempo.
Select a student from another group to come to the board and create a new rhythm and tempo.
Have the student’s group read the rhythm, then have the class listen to the rhythm.
Ask the student that created the rhythm why they selected that tempo.
Discuss with the whole class reasons why composers choose one tempo over another.
Send each group to a computer and have each student in the group create a rhythm and choose a tempo. The group will read and listen to the rhythm and discuss the tempos chosen.
Assessment Strategies: Students will play musical recordings that use different tempos and verbally identify the tempo used.
Advanced Preparation: Review the note values and tempos used: largo (very slow), andante (moderately slow), allegro (quickly), and presto (very fast).
Variation Tips (optional): Have the students do this activity as part of a center.
Notes or Recommendations (optional):
Keywords and Search Tags
Keywords and Search Tags:
