Y2. Lesson 5. Practise the minim [too]

By the end of this lesson, students will have:

Students demonstrate their understanding that the minim [too] comprises a notehead and a stem.

Prior learning: Minim [too]

Duration: 30 minutes

Materials:

Keywords: Beat, rhythm, singing, chanting, partners, rhymes, circle games.

Difficulty:

Prepare

Present

Practise

The minim [too]

Students answer how many notes are in the phrase sung by the teacher.

Dr James Cuskelly and students of St Joseph's School, Stanthorpe.

Students are seated and attentive.
Sing Good Morning using a combination of between two and four pitches.
Ask the class how many sounds were present.
Ask for a show of hands for the answer, and students should respond with the correct number of pitches.
Sing again with a student's name and a different combination of pitches. The student should respond with the correct answer.
Ask the students how many sounds they heard.
Repeat with other students as time permits.

Students sight sing to two familiar classroom songs.

Students sing and perform actions to the beat.

Dr James Cuskelly and students of St Joseph's School, Stanthorpe.

Students take a partner and hold hands.
Lead the class in singing Bluebells.
Students should move their joined arms up and down to the beat.
On the first words, 'evee, ivee, over,' students turn back-to-back.
The second time those words are sung, students turn again to face each other.
Students must quickly find a new partner at the song's end, and the game recommences.

Students discover more about this famous piece of music.

Students should have heard this piece from prior lessons.
Play the music on the player and stop after a few seconds.
Ask students the name of the music and who composed it.
Ask the class to sing the rhythm pattern using ta, ti-ti and za time names.
Ask the class about the loudness and softness of the music. What happened during the song [it became louder and louder].
Ask the class about the tempo of the song. Did it change? [It became faster and faster].
Did the music get higher or lower in pitch from the beginning?

Students discover how to write the minim [too] using both stick and traditional notation.

Project the graphic on the board.
Lead the class in singing Here Comes A Magpie.
Sing the second phrase, pointing to each note in turn on the board.
Ask students which symbol on the board lasts for two beats.
Remind students that a note lasting for two beats has a time name, too.
Draw the minim [too], explaining that it consists of an empty notehead with a stem.
Explain that the second phrase is written on the top line using stick notation and on the bottom line with traditional notation.
Ask students to write the phrase in their notebooks.

Students discover how to play a known classroom song using tuned percussion.

Distribute glockenspiels and marimbas (or similar classroom instruments) and divide the class into two groups.
Teach the first phrase on the glockenspiel and ask the group with that instrument to copy you.
Teach the first phrase on the marimba and ask the group with that instrument to copy you.
When secure ask both groups to play on your command and conduct the class.
Repeat the process with the next phrases, and use your judgment on how far or how fast the class is progressing.
This exercise may take two or more learning periods to become secure.

Students use an ostinato pattern and hand signs.

Divide the class into two groups.
Write an ostinato pattern on the board [example given].
Group 1 sings Bell Horses with solfège syllables and hand signs, and Group 2 taps a rhythmic ostinato that is read from notation.
When secure, swap the two groups around.