Grade 3 Music

National Core Arts Standards:

• MU:Cr1.1.3a Improvise rhythmic and melodic ideas, and describe connection to specific purpose and context (such as personal and social).
• MU:Cr1.1.3b Generate musical ideas (such as rhythms and melodies) within a given tonality and/or meter.

PA Arts and Humanities Standard:

• 9.1.M.3.A Know and use the elements and principles of each art form to create works in the arts and humanities.

• Know how to create an ostinato.
• Know what a meter sign is.

• Understand how the meter sign is used through singing, playing, and creating.
• Be able to create an ostinato in a meter of 4.

• Define Ostinato
• Create an ostinato or rhythm combination for a song in a meter of 4.
• Play a two-measure improvisation over an ostinato.
• Define meter sign.
• Identify and perform the rhythms from one phrase of a familiar song.

•  How do musicians come up with cool and fun ideas for their songs?
   

• How do we strengthen students' understanding of, and ability to perform, ostinatos and other  rhythmic patterns through singing, moving, and playing instruments. 
   

• Drum
• Non-Pitched Percussion
• Rhythm Sticks
• Soft Mallets (optional)
   

• Ostinato
• Meter of 4
• Meter sign
   

• Play a piece of music with a clear meter (e.g., 4/4 or 3/4), and ask students to clap or move to the beat in sync. 
• Switch to another meter and see if they can adapt.
• Check if they can stay on beat and adjust when the meter changes.
• Short Quiz
   

National Core Arts Standards:

• MU:Pr4.2.3a Demonstrate understanding of the structure in music selected for performance.
• MU:Pr6.1.3 Perform music with expression and technical accuracy.  

PA Art and Humanities Standard:

• 9.1.M.3.A Know and use the elements and principles of each art form to create works in the arts and humanities.

• Know canons and rounds.

• Explore singing a canon and round.
• Promote students’ ability to control their breathing for best singing by using their diaphragm or tummy muscles. 
   

• Define the terms Canon and Round.
• Perform a canon and a round.
• Introduce low sol.

•  How does knowing how a song is made and what it’s about help someone play it better?
   

• What makes performing a song in canon and round different a normal song? 
• How do we perform with correct posture and breathing?
   

• Pencils
• Singing Assessment Response sheet

• Canon
• Round
   

• Divide the class into groups and teach them a simple round, like "Row, Row, Row Your Boat" or "Frère Jacques." 
• Have each group enter at the right time and maintain their part.
• Observe if students can hold their part without merging into other parts or losing the timing. 
• Check for rhythmic accuracy and confidence in singing their line.
• Short Quiz
   

National Core Arts Standards:

• MU:Pr4.2.3b When analyzing selected music, read and perform rhythmic patterns and melodic phrases using iconic and/or standard notation.

PA Arts and Humanities Standards:

• 9.1.M.3.B Recognize, know, use and demonstrate a variety of appropriate arts elements and principles to produce, review and revise original works in the arts.

• Know the fingering for “A” on the recorder.
• Know the fingering for “B” on the recorder.
• Know what a woodwind instrument is. 
   

• Be able to play notes B and A on the recorder.

• Identify notes B and A on the treble clef staff.
• Play notes B and A on the recorder within a song.
• Quickly identify and play notes B and A on the recorder in a song.

• How do we decide if music or a performance is really good?
   

• How do we play notes B and A on the recorder?
• What are the instruments of the woodwind family?
   

• Recorder
• Barred Metals (optional)
• Barred Woods (optional)
• Drums (optional)
   

• Treble clef Staff
• A note
• B note
   

• With a visual check, asking students to hold up their recorders and show the fingerings for A and then for B. You can call out the notes randomly and see if they respond correctly.
• Observe if they use the correct fingers and hand positions for each note. This ensures they’re able to find the notes reliably before playing.
• Short Quiz
   

National Core Arts Standards:

• MU:Pr4.2.3b When analyzing selected music, read and perform rhythmic patterns and melodic phrases using iconic and/or standard notation.
• MU:Re8.1.3a Demonstrate and describe how the expressive qualities (such as dynamics and tempo) are used in performers’ interpretations to reflect expressive intent.

PA Arts and Humanities Standards:

• 9.1.M.3.A Know and use the elements and principles of each art form to create works in the arts and humanities.
• 9.1.M.3.C Integrate and apply advanced vocabulary to the arts forms.
   

• Know the definition of ritardando.
• Know the definition of accelerando.

• Follow a steady tempo by listening and performing music.

• Define ritardando and accelerando.
• Recall that tempo affects the feel of music.
• Play the recorder at four different tempos in a song.
   

•  How do musicians understand and play songs?
   

• How does slowing down and getting faster affect the feel of music? 
   

• Recorders
• Tambourines (optional)

• Ritardando
• Accelerando

• Have students play a simple melody, like a well-known children’s tune, on a classroom instrument or sing it while applying ritardando or accelerando on cue. For example, they could speed up a section (accelerando) and then gradually slow down towards the end (ritardando).
• Listen for their ability to adjust their tempo gradually, not abruptly, showing an understanding of controlled tempo changes.
• Short Quiz
   

National Core Arts Standards:

• MU:Pr4.3.3a Demonstrate and describe how intent is conveyed through expressive qualities (such as dynamics and tempo).
• MU:Pr6.1.3a Perform music with expression and technical accuracy

 PA Standards:

• 9.1.M.3.A Know and use the elements and principles of each art form to create works in the arts and humanities.
• 9.1.M.3.C Integrate and apply advanced vocabulary to the arts forms.
   

• Know the difference between a crescendo and a decrescendo.

• Review crescendo and decrescendo through singing and playing.

• Discuss how dynamics relate to the world around us.
• Identify dynamic changes in different pieces of music.
• Recognize that crescendos create excitement and anticipation.
• Recognize that decrescendos tend to reduce tension while adding suspense.
   

• How do we use crescendo and decrescendo through singing and playing?
• How do changes in the music improve the way we listen to it?
   

• How do we perform crescendo and decrescendo while singing and playing?
   

• Barred Metals
• Barred Woods
   

• Crescendo
• Decrescendo
   

• Lead a simple song, like a well-known children’s melody, and guide students to sing progressively louder (crescendo) in one part and softer (decrescendo) in another.
• Listen for smooth transitions in volume and check if they can follow the dynamic directions with their voices, demonstrating understanding of vocal crescendo and decrescendo.
• Short Quiz
   

National Core Arts Standards:

• MU:Pr4.2.3b When analyzing selected music, read and perform rhythmic patterns and melodic phrases using iconic and standard notation.
• MU:Cr2.1.3b Use standard and/or iconic notation and/or recording technology to document personal rhythmic and melodic musical ideas. 

  PA Arts and Humanities Standards:

• 9.1.M.3.A Know and use the elements and principles of each art form to create works in the arts and humanities.

• Know whole notes.
• Know whole rests.
   

• Define and use whole notes and rests, as well as review previously-learned note values.

• Listen to, then write two measures of rhythms consisting of whole, half, quarter notes and rests, paired eighth notes, and beamed sixteenth notes.
• Identify and perform whole notes and whole rests.
• Review and perform half, quarter, and eighth notes and rests.
   

• How do musicians make their music sound even better? 
   

•  How do we define and use quarter, half and whole notes and rests.
   

• Xylophone
   

• Whole note
• Whole rest
• Half note
• Half rest

• Give students a short rhythm pattern that includes quarter notes, half notes, and half rests. Ask them to clap or tap along, holding the half notes for two counts and staying silent during half rests.
• Listen for accurate timing and observe if they hold the half notes for the full duration and stay silent for the rests. This shows their understanding of rhythmic duration.
• Short Quiz
   

National Core Arts Standards:

• MU:Cn11.1.3a Demonstrate understanding of relationships between music and the other arts, other disciplines, and daily life.
• MU:Pr6.1.3a Perform music with expression and technical accuracy.

PA Arts and Humanities Standards:

• 9.1.M.3.D Demonstrate specific styles in combination through the production or performance of a unique work of art.

• Know the hallmarks of the Classical Period.

• Expand student knowledge of melodic movement.

• Recognize that the Classical Period (1750-1820) was characterized by order, balance, and simplicity in music, art, fashion, and architecture.
• Describe how melodies move by steps, skips, and repeated notes.
• Sing a song containing steps, skips, and repeated notes.
   

•  How do we expand students' knowledge of melodic movement?
   

• How do I recognize the music of Haydn, Mozart, and Beethoven?
   

• Scarves (optional)
• Non-Pitched Percussion (optional)
   

• Step
• Skip
• Interval
• Jump
   

• Have students sing or play a series of notes, with some moving by step and some by skip. For example, they might sing "do-re" (step) or "do-mi" (skip) and identify each type as they perform.
• Listen for accuracy in pitch and observe whether students correctly identify each interval as a step or skip.
• Short Quiz
   

National Core Arts Standards:

• MU:Pr4.2.3b When analyzing selected music, read and perform rhythmic patterns and melodic phrases using iconic and/or standard notation.
• MU:Re8.1.3a Demonstrate and describe how the expressive qualities (such as dynamics and tempo) are used in performers’ interpretations to reflect expressive intent.

PA Arts and Humanities Standards:

• 9.1.M.3.D Demonstrate specific styles in combination through the production or performance of a unique work of art.

• Know the B note on the recorder.
• Know the A note on the recorder.
• Know the G note on the recorder.
• Know the definition of Blues.
   

• Be able to read notes B, A, and G on the treble clef staff and play them on the recorder.

• Demonstrate basic recorder techniques and fingerings for notes B, A, and G.
• Play a song using notes B, A, and G on the recorder.
   

• How do you know when your creative work is ready to share with others?
   

• How do we improve our ability to read notes B, A, G on the treble clef staff and play them on the recorder?
• How do we put notes together to create a song?
   

• Recorders
• Tambourines (optional)

• Blues

• Introduce a basic blues pattern or riff that includes B, A, and G in a sequence, such as a repeating "swing" rhythm. Have each student play the pattern, focusing on maintaining a steady beat and correct notes.
• Listen for accurate pitch, rhythm, and consistency. This allows you to gauge each student’s ability to maintain the pattern and stay in time, essential for playing in the blues style.
• Short Quiz

National Core Arts Standards:

• MU:Pr4.2.3a Demonstrate understanding of the structure in music selected for performance.

          
 PA Arts and Humanities Standards:

• 9.1.M.3.A Know and use the elements and principles of each art form to create works in the arts and humanities.

• Know form.
• Know the elements of music that are used in musical form.
   

• Understand how elements of form can be combined in a piece of music.

• Define Form.
• Explain the purpose of an introduction in a song.
• Recognize that form elements can be combined in a song or piece of music.
   

•  How do musicians decide how to make their music special?
   

• How can elements of form be combined in a piece of music?
   

• Percussion Instruments
• Barred Woods
• Boomwhackers or Bells - C, F, G (optional)
• Found Sounds (optional)
• Triangles (optional)
• Woodblocks (optional)
   

• Form

• Play several short pieces of music that exemplify different forms (e.g., ABA, call-and-response, verse-chorus). After listening, ask students to identify the form used in each piece.
• Use a simple checklist or rubric to note whether they correctly identify the forms and can explain their reasoning.
• Short Quiz
   

National Core Arts Standards:

• MU:Pr6.1.3a Perform music with expression and technical accuracy.
• MU:Re7.2.3a Demonstrate and explain how a response to music can be informed by the structure, the use of the elements of music, and context (such as personal and social).

PA Arts and Humanities Standards:

• 9.1.M.3.A Know and use the elements and principles of each art form to create works in the arts and humanities.

• Know what a chord is.
• Know the fingering for a C on the recorder.
• Know the aural differences between major and minor tonality.
   

• Understand chords and harmony by singing and playing recorders.

• Play a recorder song using notes B, A, G, and C.
• Define chord.
• Recognize major and minor elements in a recorder song.
• Define harmony.
• Identify a song as using a major or minor tonality.
   

• How do musicians make their music better?
   

• How do we better understand chords and harmony when singing and playing recorders?
• What is a chord? 
• What is harmony?
   

• Recorders
• Barred Metals (optional)
• Barred Woods (optional)
   

• Chord
• Major 
• Minor
• Harmony
   

• Ask students to demonstrate how they place their fingers for C on the recorder and then play a sustained C note. Observe for correct finger positioning and tone quality.
• Listen for a steady tone and correct finger placement. This helps confirm that students can produce a clean sound and are comfortable with the C note.
• Short Quiz