Steps, Leaps, Repeats

Kelly M. Prior
Belle4126@aol.com
Anna McCabe Elementary School, Smithfield RI

TI:ME Technology Areas Addressed:

Notation

Level:

Elementary

Class:

General Music

Equipment:

Computers (PC)
Electronic Keyboard Lab
Midi Files (Finale)

Duration:

60 Minutes

Prior Knowledge and Skills:

Students coming into this lesson can already:
1. read notes
2. understand basic rhythm concepts (counting and note values)
3. have an understanding of meter in 2,3,4
4. can find the correct notes on a keyboard
5. can play the recorder
6. understand the concept of steps, leaps, and repeats
7. have understanding of how to use Finale

MENC Standards Addressed:

MENC 1: Singing, alone and with others, a varied repertoire of music.
MENC 2: Performing on instruments, alone and with others, a varied repertoire of music.
MENC 4: Composing and Arranging Music within specified guidelines.
MENC 5: Reading and notating music.
MENC 6: Listening to, analyzing and describing music.
MENC 7: Evaluating music and music performances.

Materials:

Silver Burdett Grade 5 Teachers Edition
copies of the song ‘Take me out to the ballgame’
CD player
Silver Burdett Grad 5 CD
xylophone/mallet
dry-erase markers
dry-erase marker boards
highlighters

Objectives:

Students will be able to identify steps, leaps, and repeats (melodic direction) through:
1. singing
2. playing the xylophone
3. composing on music staff marker boards
4. reading and notating steps, leaps, and repeats using Finale

Procedures:

1. Will review steps/leaps/repeats with students by using the xylophone (students will need to decide which I am playing). 5min.
2. Will teach and sing the song ‘Take me out to the ballgame’. (students will sing the song and highlight notes moving by step with blue marker, and leaps…with red marker). 5 min.
3. Students will be given music staff boards and markers and will be asked to compose 16 measures of music using these guidelines:
a. must be written in 4/4 time
b. can only use eighth/quarter/half/whole notes
c. need to compose 4 measures of notes moving ONLY by step, 4 measures of notes moving ONLY by leap, and 4 measures of notes moving ONLY by repeat. The final 4 measures can be a combination of your choice. 20min.
4. Students will then need to notate their compositions on Finale. 30min.

Evaluation:

I will evaluate my students on this lesson by observing if they can correctly identify and play steps/leaps/repeats on the xylophone. I will also use their compositions as a test grade. Finally, at the end of this unit students will be assessed through a written test that they will take on this concept.

Follow Up:

A possible follow-up lesson would be to have students practice and then play their compositions on either the recorder or the xylophone.