Stage 1 - Desired Results

Established Goals: By the end of the unit, 4th grade students will be able to identify a variety of tempos
By the end of the unit, 4th grade students will be able to perform at a variety of tempos
By the end of the unit, 4th grade students will collaboratively work to design a final performance
Standards: Cr 1.1.4; Cr 3.2.4; Pr4.2.4; Pr5.1.4; Pr6.1.4;Cn 10.1.4
Understandings:

Terms: Tempo; Andante; Allegro; Presto; Adagio;

Moderato; Prestissimo.

How to use a metronome

How to conduct an ensemble to a steady beat.

Possible Misconceptions:

Tempos are strict with no room for artistry.

Tempos must be stagnant with not room for diversity

or change

These are the only tempo marking available and they

are always written in Italian.

Essential Questions: How are the tempo words

arranged and what do they sound like when applied
to various rhythms.

Students will know . . . how to define Tempo; Andante; Allegro; Presto; Adagio; Moderato; and Prestissimo.
Students will be able to . . . set a metronome to a specific tempo marking and conduct an ensemble of their peers
to perform at that tempo.

Stage 2 - Assessment Evidence

Performance Tasks: Students will perform RU 59:
Double Cheeseburger and RU 69: Pizza Like it Hot
using body percussion at a variety of tempos as
conducted by their peers.
As a final performance students will break
up into groups and select one of the two previously
learned rhythms and perform it on instruments of
their choosing and 3 contrasting tempos.

Other Evidence: Students will also have a

locomotor movement to accompany the various
tempo markings and be able to perform that
movement when given the appropriate term.
Andante- Walking; Allegro Power Walk; Presto:
a controlled run. Adagio: Creep; Moderato: A walk
somewhere between Andante and Allegro;
Prestissimo: A very fast run.
Students will also in pairs or alone be able to
order tempo markings from slowest to fastest and
be able to define what those words mean.

Stage 3 - Learning Plan (Overview)

Learning Activities:
Lesson One:
Question on Board: What are some of your favorite Burger Toppings
Have students write on board their favorite Burger Toppings
Teach by rote A section of Double Cheeseburger
o
Double Cheeseburger with a milkshake, Yum, Yum, with a milkshake, YES! Double cheeseburger with a milk shake
and a side of fries.
Have students practice just that much, then have students vote on their three favorite toppings on board, and select a
performance order
This then becomes the be section and will be clapped. For instance Ketchup and mustard, a little bit of mayo and it finishes with
Stack it up.
Practice this section
Pair the two sections together into an A B A format.
Introduce three tempo terms, a locomotor movement to go with them, and a tempo marking
o
Andante: Walking Pace - Walk
o
Allegro : Quick, Lively, and Bright Power Walk
o
Presto: Quickly A controlled Run
Have students practice moving at the various speeds as you call out different words being careful to stay in their own music
bubble.
Have students select and categorize different speeds that animals and people move into categories; for instance what speed
would you move when late for class, how about a chicken, or when you are walking down the street with your friends, a cat?
o
Teacher will informally assess for student understanding by proper categorization.
Introduce the metronome and demonstrate how it works. Model how to conduct using the metronome and using the tempo
spinner (A modified game spinner that has the various learned tempos on it to select the meter marking for that performance of
Double Cheeseburger.
Allow each student to have a chance to spin the spinner and conduct the classes performance of Double Cheeseburger. After
each performance, class guess what tempo the student was conducting.
o
Teacher will informally assess for accurate guesses of tempo.

Stage 3 - Learning Plan (Overview)

Learning Activities:
Lesson 2:
Similar to lesson 1.
Review previous lessons three tempos and add in the following 3 tempos:
Adagio- Slow Sneaky steps
Moderato - Moderate A walk somewhere between andante and allegro
Prestissimo- very fast- A very fast run.
Move to the various tempos as teacher calls out markings.
Learn Pizza Like it Hot
Students take turns with the Tempo Turner, and guessing what the tempo was.
Lesson 3 (and maybe 4 depending on class size):
Have students do the various locomotor movements to the various tempos to review.
In pairs have students order the tempos in order from slowest to fastest (on a worksheet) and then pair the tempos to their
definitions.
o
Teacher will informally assess for understanding by checking each group for order of tempos.
Review, Double Cheeseburger and Pizza like it Hot

Have students form groups of 3-4 and have them decide which of the patterns they would like to transfer to instruments (either
Orff instruments or non-pitched percussion or both). For their final performance they will perform their pattern 3 times in a row
using 3 contrasting tempos.
o Teacher will formally assess using a rubric that students will be presented before they start working in their
groups.