Learning Activity

Rhythm Pizza

Subject Area

Arts Education

Grade(s)

Overview

This lesson integrates math into music while making a real-world connection to pizza. Students are learning fractions in math using a pizza to divide shapes into parts with equal areas. The same example is used to divide a measure of music into equal parts using rhythm. Students will label rhythm patterns and discover how rhythms and fractions are related.

Content Standards

Arts Education (2017) Grade(s): 3 - Music

AE17.MU.3.9
Read and perform rhythmic patterns and melodic phrases using iconic and standard notation.

Unpacked Content

Vocabulary

Rhythm

Bar lines
Measures

Melody

Pitch set: Low So, Low La, High Do
Treble clef reading (Mi, Re, Do)
Middle C to high G
Ledger lines

Harmony

Partner songs
Rounds
Ostinati

Form

Theme and variations
Coda
D.S. al coda
Repeat sign
Fermata

Expression

Phrase/ phrasing
Pianissimo (pp), fortissimo (ff)

Other

Age-appropriate audience and performer etiquette
Orchestral instruments: 4 families
Age-appropriate pitch matching (Bb3 - Eb5)

Essential Questions

EU: Performers make interpretive decisions based on their understanding of context and expressive intent
EQ: How do performers interpret musical works?

Skills Examples

Performing

Sing a varied repertoire with accurate rhythm and pitch and expressive qualities individually and with others.
Sing, move and respond to music from diverse cultures.
Sing, move and respond to age-appropriate music of various composers.
Play a variety of classroom instruments with proper technique.

Creating

Improvise and compose short compositions using a variety of classroom instruments and sound sources.
Create new words for familiar songs.

Reading/ Writing

Read, write and perform using two-eighth through whole note values including rhythms in 2/4, 3/4 and 4/4 meter.
Read, write and perform extended pentatonic melodies.

Responding/ Evaluating

Use the head voice to produce a light, clear sound employing breath support and maintaining appropriate posture.
Develop criteria and use it to critique their own performances and the performances of others.

Anchor Standards

Anchor Standard 4: Select, analyze, and interpret artistic work for presentation.

Interdisciplinary Connections

Phase

After/Explain/Elaborate

Learning Objectives

The students will:

partition a circle into 4 parts with equal area.
label the area of each part as a unit fraction of the whole using rhythmic patterns including a whole note, half note, quarter note, and eighth note.
write the unit fraction that corresponds to the rhythm. i.e. Whole Note = 4/4, Half Note = 2/4 or 1/2, Quarter Note = 1/4, and Eighth Note = 1/8

Activity Details

1. Review whole, half, quarter, and eighth notes with students. Remind them how many beats each note receives in 4/4 meter signature.

2. Orally read rhythm patterns using whole, half, quarter, and eighth notes.

3. Distribute circular paper and pencil to each student. The Rhythm Pizza Doc shows the rhythms and fractions the students will label during the activity.

4. Tell the students you are going to tell them a story about a pizza.

"You have an entire pizza to eat all by yourself! Write the rhythm in the middle of your pizza (circular paper) that represents the entire measure in 4/4 meter. Wait, your BEST friend just came over and wants a piece, too. You're nice, so you divide the pizza equally. Fold your paper down the middle and draw a line on the fold. Do not unfold the paper to draw the line. Write the rhythm that represents each slice now. Just as you are about to pick up your slice, the twins from across the street come over for a visit. It would be rude not to share, so both you and your best friend divide your slices equally. Fold your paper in the middle again and draw a line on the two folded sides. Write the rhythm that represents each slice. Finally, you think you can enjoy your pizza but your brother and his three friends come in the kitchen! They want pizza, too. Fold your paper in half and draw a line on the two folded sides. Write the rhythm that represents each slice in 4/4 meter. You quickly pick up and eat your slice of pizza before anyone else can come over! The End!"

5. Once students have labeled the rhythms, they should unfold the paper and write the fraction that corresponds to that rhythm. Whole Note = 4/4, Half Note = 2/4 or 1/2, Quarter Note = 1/4, and Eighth Note = 1/8

6. If time allows, the students may decorate their pizzas with their favorite toppings on the side where the rhythms and fractions are not labeled.

7. Students should write their name on the side where the rhythms are labeled, especially if they decorated the other side.

8. Turn in Rhythm Pizzas for assessment.

Assessment Strategies

The teacher will assess the students' pizzas for the following:

partition a circle into 4 parts with equal area.
label the area of each part as a unit fraction of the whole using rhythmic patterns including a whole note, half note, quarter note, and eighth note.
write the unit fraction that corresponds to the rhythm. i.e. Whole Note = 4/4, Half Note = 2/4 or 1/2, Quarter Note = 1/4, and Eighth Note = 1/8

Acceleration and Intervention

Variation Tips

You may use this same lesson to review Rests instead of Notes. The fractions will be the same.

Background and Preparation

Background / Preparation

The teacher will need to cut enough circles for each student to have one.

Pencils and/or crayons or colored pencils will be needed.

Students should know the whole note, half note, quarter note, and eighth note.

Students should know how many beats each note receives in 4/4 meter signature.

Collaborate with a math teacher to make sure the students have learned the fractions for a whole (4/4), a half (2/4 or 1/2), a quarter (1/4), and an eighth (1/8).

Digital Tools / Resources

Rhythm Pizza Diagram

https://docs.google.com/document/d/1xeq73Wwk9E0XkethZRLRz3JnzLLMGRb1lF2SrYEH0YY…

Approved Date

2019-06-25

Author

Owner (Author)

tstricklin

Learning Resource Type