## 3rd Grade Music Lesson Plan: Rhythm and Melody
### Grade Level
- 3rd Grade
### Duration
- 45 minutes
### Objective
- Students will understand and distinguish between rhythm and melody.
- Students will be able to clap and identify simple rhythmic patterns.
- Students will be able to sing or play simple melodic phrases.
### Materials
- Whiteboard and markers
- Musical instruments (e.g., tambourines, drums, xylophones)
- Pre-recorded music tracks
- Sheet music or visual aids with rhythmic patterns and melodic phrases
- Paper and pencils for students
### Standards
- National Core Arts Standards (NCAS): MU:Pr4.1.3a: Demonstrate and explain how the selection of music to perform is influenced by personal interest, knowledge, context, and technical skill.
### Activities
#### Introduction (10 minutes)
1. **Greeting & Warm-Up** (2 minutes)
- Welcome students and have them sit in a circle.
- Briefly describe the day's topic: "Today, we'll learn about rhythm and melody in music!"
2. **Engage** (8 minutes)
- Play a short, familiar song and ask students to clap along or move to the beat (rhythm).
- After listening, ask: "What did you notice about the music? Was it fast or slow? Did the notes go high or low?"
- Explain that rhythm is the pattern of beats in music (fast, slow, syncopated), and melody is the tune or series of notes that you can hum or sing.
#### Instruction (15 minutes)
1. **Rhythm Practice** (7 minutes)
- Write several simple rhythmic patterns on the whiteboard using basic note values (quarter notes, half notes, etc.).
- Clap and count out the rhythms together as a class.
- Allow students to practice clapping these rhythms individually or in pairs.
2. **Melody Exploration** (8 minutes)
- Show a simple melody on the whiteboard using a visual aid with musical notes (solfège or letter names).
- Sing the melody together as a class.
- Distribute xylophones or other pitched instruments and allow students to play the melody.
#### Guided Practice (10 minutes)
1. **Combining Rhythm and Melody** (10 minutes)
- Put up a basic piece of sheet music that has a combination of rhythm and melody.
- Model how to clap the rhythm while singing or playing the melody.
- Have the students practice in small groups, switching between clapping and playing instruments.
#### Independent Practice (5 minutes)
1. **Creative Activity** (5 minutes)
- Provide paper and pencils for students to create their own simple rhythmic patterns and melodic phrases.
- Encourage them to share their creations with the class.
#### Closure (5 minutes)
1. **Review and Reflect** (5 minutes)
- Ask students to reflect on what they learned about rhythm and melody.
- Review key points: What is rhythm? What is melody?
- Close with a fun, short song that incorporates both rhythm and melody to reinforce the day's lesson.
### Assessment
- **Formative:** Observe students as they clap rhythm patterns and play melodies, providing immediate feedback and support.
- **Summative:** Collect students' written rhythmic patterns and melodic phrases to assess understanding.
### Differentiation
- **For students who need more help:** Pair them with a buddy or provide additional one-on-one assistance.
- **For advanced students:** Offer more complex rhythmic patterns and melodic lines for an added challenge.
### Extension
- As homework or an extra activity, students can listen to their favorite song and identify the rhythm and melody, then share their observations during the next class.
By the end of this lesson, students should have a basic understanding of how rhythm and melody contribute to music and be able to demonstrate simple patterns and phrases.