Samantha Fay Third Grade General Music
Lesson Title: Elves and Squirrels, Lesson 7.
Objectives (I Can...)
I can identify line and space notes on the staff.
I can name the letters in the Musical Alphabet.
I can understand how the notes fit onto the treble clef staff using FACE, Elves Go Bopping
Down Freeways, and the musical alphabet.
Standards Addressed
1. Generate and conceptualize artistic ideas and work.
2. Organize and develop artistic ideas and work.
3. Refine and complete artistic work.
4. Select, analyze, and interpret artistic work for presentation.
5. Develop and refine artistic techniques and works for presentation.
6. Convey meaning through the presentation of artistic work.
7. Perceive and analyze artistic work.
8. Interpret meaning in artistic work.
9. Apply criteria to evaluate artistic work.
10. Relate and synthesize knowledge and personal experiences to inspire and inform artistic work.
11. Investigate ways that artistic work is influenced by societal, cultural, and historical context and, in turn, how artistic
ideas shape cultures past, present, and future.
Opening: Name a Note
As students come in and sit in their assigned seats, some students who have properly
followed classroom procedures and are sitting nicely will receive velcro balls for name a note
game. Students will throw the balls at the staff and classmates will volunteer to answer if they
hit a line or a space.
Procedure
After identify line and space notes on the staff ask: does anyone remember what letters are
in the musical alphabet that we learned last week?
Referring to the objective slide: Discuss how line and space notes help you tell different
notes apart like knowing how to read a graph or a map and the musical alphabet tells the
name of the note, but since there is more than one of each letter (like I showed on the piano
last week) you need to put both of those things together to figure out exactly which note to
play.
Put note names on staff, starting on E and working up through the alphabet. Recall, what
letter did this clef used to be? Show how the G clef points to the G.
Explain the shortcut of how to use the lines and spaces to find the names of the notes.
Bring up music to “Chase the Squirrel” go through together to determine what the note names
are. Play with boomwhackers, first small group to demonstrate, including rest position, then
larger group (If needed go to color coded version, played on boomwhackers.)
Play game. All Sing
● Students make circle and take hands and raise them to form arches.
● One student is designated the squirrel and one is designated the chaser, and they
start on opposite sides of the circle and go in the same direction with the chaser trying
to catch the squirrel by the end of the song.
● If the chaser gets the squirrel they get to become the squirrel, if not the squirrel stays
the same. Loser choses someone in the circle who is opposite the squirrel’s current
location to become the new chaser.
Closing
Before lining up, refer back to written music and review ELVES GO BOPPING DOWN
FREEWAYS and FACE.
Assessments or Adaptations
Include photograph of squirrel for Andy, or any other students who might not understand.
Have color-coded, simplified music ready if class needs it to be successful.
Lesson Title: Return of the Squirrels, Lesson 8
Objectives (I Can...)
I can identify line and space notes on the staff.
I can name the letters in the Musical Alphabet.
I can understand how the notes fit onto the treble clef staff using FACE, Elves Go Bopping
Down Freeways, and the musical alphabet.
I can make music based on the notes and rhythms that I read!
Standards Addressed
1. Generate and conceptualize artistic ideas and work.
2. Organize and develop artistic ideas and work.
3. Refine and complete artistic work.
4. Select, analyze, and interpret artistic work for presentation.
5. Develop and refine artistic techniques and works for presentation.
6. Convey meaning through the presentation of artistic work.
7. Perceive and analyze artistic work.
8. Interpret meaning in artistic work.
9. Apply criteria to evaluate artistic work.
10. Relate and synthesize knowledge and personal experiences to inspire and inform artistic work.
11. Investigate ways that artistic work is influenced by societal, cultural, and historical context and, in turn, how artistic
ideas shape cultures past, present, and future.
Opening: Name a Note
As last week, but this time students who throw the balls will have the opportunity to NAME
their own notes using letters of the alphabet. Other students in class can raise hands to
remind them of strategies from last week if needed.
Procedure
Review last week’s use of FACE and Elves Go Bopping Down Freeways
Let Us Chase the Squirrel
● Play game, self accompanied by group of 8 students with FGAC boomwhackers (2
students per pitch)
● Rotate students between singing/playing the game and playing boomwhackers.
(Singing optional while playing instruments)
Return to seats for more note-reading practice (Slideshow of flashcards with simple BAG
reading patterns)
● Distribute B, A, and G boomwhackers to all students
● Practice flashcards: 1. Clap and say rhythm 2. Clap and say note names 3. Play
● If time allows, do some flashcards in small row/groups
Closing
After line up, clap rhythms and have students repeat back the clapping WITH the syllables.
Assessments or Adaptations
Pair special education students strategically for their turns playing Boomwhackers in Let us
Chase the Squirrel.
Visual/aural assessment of individual/small group performance on instruments.
Lesson Title: First Day of Recorder: Bate Bate Chocolate! Lesson 9.
Objectives (I Can...)
● I can understand how the notes fit onto the treble clef staff using FACE, Elves Go
Bopping Down Freeways, and the musical alphabet.
● I can make music based on the notes and rhythms that I read!
● I can play recorder with proper technique and good musician’s manners.
Standards Addressed
1. Generate and conceptualize artistic ideas and work.
2. Organize and develop artistic ideas and work.
3. Refine and complete artistic work.
4. Select, analyze, and interpret artistic work for presentation.
5. Develop and refine artistic techniques and works for presentation.
6. Convey meaning through the presentation of artistic work.
7. Perceive and analyze artistic work.
8. Interpret meaning in artistic work.
9. Apply criteria to evaluate artistic work.
10. Relate and synthesize knowledge and personal experiences to inspire and inform artistic work.
11. Investigate ways that artistic work is influenced by societal, cultural, and historical context and, in turn, how artistic
ideas shape cultures past, present, and future.
Opening: Vivaldi Concerto with two recorders and Albrecht Mayer!
[Link]
Students take their seats while video plays.
Before distributing recorders discuss how recorders are real instrument and when we are
playing them we must behave like Musicians with Instruments NOT like Kids with Toys.
Take volunteers to attempt to identify main solo instruments, including the recorder.
Procedure
Teach procedure for getting recorders from the back cubbies.
● Students will proceed to get their recorders one row/group at a time. When they have
them they will return to their seats and put them immediately in rest position, still in
their cases.
● Have individual student model first, then have a whole row/group model and discuss
before the rest of the class tries.
Introduce Recorder Basics
● Practice rest and ready position (connect to the same for the boomwhackers or other
instruments)
● Other recorder basics: Left hand on top, blowing gently, feeling holes and checking for
donuts, fingering for “B”
Our first notes on the recorder
● Echo rhythm patterns, emphasizing how the tongue starts the notes just like saying
“Ta” or “Ti-Ti”
● Echo full group, small group, and have each student play once alone to check for
success in making sound properly and adjust as needed.
● With Recorders in rest position, learn chant. Discuss meaning of chant: Have kids who
know (if possible) define “Arroz” and “Tomate” and talk about how that would go with
chocolate.
● With Recorders in ready position, I chant, they play on only the syllables of
Cho-co-la-te
● Students chant all other words and play on Cho-co-la-te
Closing
Putting Recorders Away: Same procedure in reverse, then go directly to line.
In line, take volunteers to answer: “What is one thing I learned about the recorder today?”
Assessments or Adaptations
Solo playing assessment to ensure all students are off to a successful start.