Learning Activity

Presto is Fast, Largo is Slow

Subject Area

Arts Education

Grade(s)

K

Overview

In this activity, students will explore music vocabulary by watching an age-appropriate video.  Students will sing two familiar songs using a fast tempo and then a slow tempo. They will choose which tempo works best for each song. Students will identify the tempo of various music clips using picture cards.

This activity was created as a result of the Arts COS Resource Development Summit.

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

AE17.MU.K.1

Explore and experience music concepts.

Unpacked Content

UP:AE17.MU.K.1

Vocabulary

Rhythm
  • Steady beat
  • Long/ Short
  • One and two sounds per beat
  • Silent beat
Melody
  • High and low
  • Pitch set: So, Mi
  • Musical alphabet
Harmony
  • Accompaniment/ no accompaniment
Form
  • Like and unlike phrases
  • Echo
Expression
  • Speak, sing, shout, whisper
  • Solo/ Group
  • Unpitched percussion
  • Flute, trumpet, violin, piano
  • Loud/ Soft
  • Fast/ Slow
Other
  • Age-appropriate audience and performer etiquette

Essential Questions

EU: The creative ideas, concepts, and feelings that influence musicians' work emerge from a variety of sources.
EQ: How do musicians generate creative ideas?

Skills Examples

Performing
  • Chant, move, play, and sing grade level skills.
  • Echo simple rhythmic patterns.
  • Echo a three-pitch melodic pattern using the correct syllables and hand signs.
Creating
  • Perform an improvised rhythmic pattern within a framework of four beats.
  • Perform an improvised melodic pattern on a pitched percussion instrument set to the pentatonic scale within a framework of four beats.
  • Improvise short songs and instrumental pieces using a variety of sound sources, including traditional or classroom sounds, body percussion, and sounds produced by electronic means.
  • Explore musical sources freely using found sounds, electronic sounds, or sounds from voice or instruments found in classroom, remembering to use sound and silence.
Reading/ Writing
  • Create a visual representation of sound.
Responding/ Evaluating
  • Respond to a musical call or question with an age- appropriate musical answer.
  • Evaluate peer performance to determine steady beat/no steady beat.

Anchor Standards

Anchor Standard 1: Generate and conceptualize artistic ideas and work.
Arts Education (2017) Grade(s): KG - Music

AE17.MU.K.3

Demonstrate and choose favorite musical ideas.

Unpacked Content

UP:AE17.MU.K.3

Vocabulary

Rhythm
  • Steady beat
  • Long/ Short
  • One and two sounds per beat
  • Silent beat
Melody
  • High and low
  • Pitch set: So, Mi
  • Musical alphabet
Harmony
  • Accompaniment/ no accompaniment
Form
  • Like and unlike phrases
  • Echo
Expression
  • Speak, sing, shout, whisper
  • Solo/ Group
  • Unpitched percussion
  • Flute, trumpet, violin, piano
  • Loud/ Soft
  • Fast/ Slow
Other
  • Age-appropriate audience and performer etiquette

Essential Questions

EU: Musicians' creative choices are influenced by their expertise, context, and expressive intent.
EQ: How do musicians make creative decisions?

Skills Examples

Performing
  • Chant, move, play, and sing grade level skills.
  • Echo simple rhythmic patterns.
  • Echo a three-pitch melodic pattern using the correct syllables and hand signs.
Creating
  • Perform an improvised rhythmic pattern within a framework of four beats.
  • Perform an improvised melodic pattern on a pitched percussion instrument set to the pentatonic scale within a framework of four beats.
  • Improvise short songs and instrumental pieces using a variety of sound sources, including traditional or classroom sounds, body percussion, and sounds produced by electronic means.
  • Explore musical sources freely using found sounds, electronic sounds, or sounds from voice or instruments found in classroom, remembering to use sound and silence.
Reading/ Writing
  • Create a visual representation of sound.
Responding/ Evaluating
  • Respond to a musical call or question with an age- appropriate musical answer.
  • Evaluate peer performance to determine steady beat/no steady beat.

Anchor Standards

Anchor Standard 2: Organize and develop artistic ideas and work.

Phase

During/Explore/Explain
Learning Objectives

Learning Objectives

Students will:

  • sing songs using different tempi, such as largo and presto
  • choose which tempo is best for a known song
  • identify songs as having a fast or slow tempo

Activity Details

1. Show video: The Music Show Episode #5:  Presto is Fast, Largo is Slow.

2. What does Presto mean?  Fast

3. What does Largo mean?  Slow

4. Think about different times you might move fast and slow, allow students to share their ideas with a partner, then ask student volunteers to share their ideas with the whole class. 

  • Some examples of fast and slow movements include: walking in the halls, running on the playground, running in sports, walking in stores, etc.

5. Choose a song that the students already know that has a fast tempo (I will use Bingo as an example.)

6. Review and sing Bingo with class

7. Class sings Bingo using a fast tempo (presto)

8. Class sings Bingo using a slow tempo (largo)

9.  Did you like to sing the song fast or slow? 

10. Choose another song the students already know that has a slow tempo (I will use the lullaby Rock-a-bye Baby as an example.)

11. Review and sing Rock-a-bye Baby with class

12. Class sings Rock-a-bye Baby using a fast tempo (presto)

13. Class sings Rock-a-bye Baby using a slow tempo (largo)

14. Did you like to sing the song fast or slow?

15. What type of song is Rock-a-bye Baby?  (Lullaby)

  • Why would you sing a Lullaby slowly?

16. Listen to several music clips that are slow and fast

  • Students will raise the picture of a turtle during presto music clips (see notes).
  • Students will raise the picture of a rabbit during the largo music clips  (see notes).

 

Assessment Strategies

Assessment Strategies

1. The teacher will use informal observation to assess the students as they show the “turtle” and “rabbit” cards to identify “presto” and “largo.”

Background and Preparation

Background / Preparation

1. Print and laminate the “turtle” and “rabbit” cards (see notes below).

2. The teacher will need a computer and projector.

3. The teacher will need an internet connection.

4. The teacher will need to choose several music clips that demonstrate fast or slow tempo. Feel free to use a variety of genres such as folk, rock, country, world, jazz, etc. 

  • You may search YouTube for Tempo examples. This is one example:  Tempo Example 1/Ash: Burn Baby Burn:  http://viewpure.com/QCqi4EQoQu4?start=0&end=0 

5. The teacher will need to choose a known song for the class to sing to demonstrate fast. I used Bingo as an example.

6.  The teacher will need to choose a known song for the class to sing to demonstrate slow. I used Rock-a-bye Baby as an example.

Digital Tools / Resources

The Music Show Episode #5: Presto Is Fast, Largo Is Slow
http://viewpure.com/fTyD2pfAsaI?start=0&end=0

Approved Date

Owner (Author)

tstricklin
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