3rd Grade

Third Grade is where the students start to sound "good." It's like when a student is taking piano lessons, there's months (and years), before that student actually is playing something that sounds pleasant to the ears. The first years of music is like a baby learning how to walk. Third grade is when we're finally running! Take a look below at all the awesome things 3rd Grade will be learning this year!

3rd Grade

·     I will be able to identify eighth notes.

·     I will be able to identify and understand 4/4 time signature.

·     I will be able to identify all the line notes and space notes on the treble clef.

·     I will be able to identify basic music elements for singing (repeat, chorus, verse.)

·     I will be able to clap to simple rhythmic patterns (Ta, Ti-ti)

·     I will be able to sing along and with others several repertoire of music.

·     I will be able to develop the ability to perform with a harmony in an ensemble.

3^rd Grade Lesson 1/Week 1: 

1. Class Rules:

2. Posture

·      Singers must be attentive to the position of their feet, knees, hips, abdomen, chest, shoulders, arms, hands, and feet. If all these arrears are correctly positioned, it will be easier for sound to be produced.

o   The chin should be about parallel to the floor. 


o   Shoulders should be held back and down, with chest held high, 
but not in a strained position. 


o   Abdomen should be flat and firm, held in an expandable position. 


o   Hands should be relaxed and still at the sides. 



o   Knees should be flexibly loose, and never locked. 


o   Feet should be slighty apart, one slightly in front of the other. 
    

o    The weight of the body is slightly forward

·      Tips to check if your posture is correct:

o   Stand up against a wall, placing heels, calves, shoulders, and head touch the wall.

o   Place one hand on the abdomen while breathing, to ensure the abdomen is expanding and relaxed.

o   Shift the weight of your body forward until almost standing on tips of the toes.

o   Stand in a slouched position, then change to the correct position, noticing the difference between the two.

(Resource: Bunch, M. (1995). Dynamics of the singing voice. Springer-Verlag: New York.)

3. Proper Breathing

·      Warm up

o   “Balloon”

o   “Creating Wings”

4. Vocal Warm Ups

·      “Ho – Ho – Ho Hosanna”

·      “Ma”

·      “Bumblebee”

5. Ta, Ti-ti

6. So- Mi

·      So – Mi in the students name.

·      Hand Signals

·      Listen to Sample

7. I Want to be Faithful 

3^rd Grade Lesson 2/Week 2: 

1. Review Rules

2.  Review Posture, Voices, Mouth

3. So-Mi Review (Ensure students can sing name in right pitch and in right rhythm)

4. Introduce VERSE (flash card)

·      Verse = part of the song that tells the story

Ø  Have examples from songbook.

1.     Read from left to right

2.     Read the top line of music all the way through, then proceed to the next line.

5. Importance of Vocal Warm-Ups/Pitch Exploration (DO – RE –MI)

·      Tell students the importance of warming-up their voices before they sing.

·      Discuss the importance of exploring our high, middle, and low voice. (Will help become better singers)

Activity: Sing a short melodic phrase, and have the students match what they hear.

Ø  Do, Re, Mi Tapping Song

6. I Want to be Faithful 

3^rd Grade Lesson 3/Week 3: 

1. Review Verse and Chorus

2. Review Vocal Warm Ups

3. Introduce Rhythm vs. Beat

Ø  Rhythm is the actual sound of the notes, which in a song, would be the same as the words.

Ø  The beat is the steady pulse that you feel in the tune, like a clock’s tick. It is steady.

Examples and Worksheets:

4. Rhythm in Depth

Ø  Quarter Note

Ø  Half Note

Ø  Whole Note

Activity: Clap various rhythm patterns written on the board.

5. Staff

Ø  5 Lines and 4 spaces

o   Have example on board

6. I want to be Faithful