5th Grade Musical Forms

Lesson 1:
Concepts:
Review ABA using a song they know

Lesson:
Sing through 50 Nifty. Page 243, CD 9-33)Have the students
describe the A and B parts- see if they can figure out where the
parts begin and end.
Look in the book at those sections- note that the key signature
changes, the tempo changes, the words change. These are all
things that show a section of music.
Use students in class to show an ABA form using color of shirts
or gender or hair color etc.
Play Take 5 (instrumental, page 214, CD 8-35) Listen the first
time through, see if they can point out where the section
change are. Warn them there is a piano introduction that is not
part of the ABA. Listen one more time and have them stand on
the A sections.
If time listen to Danza del trigo- listen for instrument changes
(page 223, CD 9-10)

5th grade Musical Form

Lesson 2:
Concepts:
Review ABA
Canon/Round
Lesson:
50 Nifty, remind of form
Sing Music Alone Shall Live (page 92, CD 4-22) They have done
this song before. Explain it is a round and that canon is another
word that means the same thing.
Sing Ghost of John (old 5th grade book page 42, CD 2-1/2)
Oh how lovely (in 4th grade books)
Go through how it looks if you draw lines for each time they sing
It worked to have the first row turn around and the middle row
turn to face the middle so they could see when each row
started and stopped. Stand when you start singing and sit when
you stop
Old Abram Brown (5th grade page 216, CD 9-1) This is fast!

5th grade Musical Form

Lesson 3:
Concepts:
Verse/Refrain
Multiple forms used
Review other forms
Lesson:
Names of the two forms weve learned? Explain them?
New one- Verse/Refrain
Blowin in the Wind (page 370, CD15-7)
How many verses? What is a verse? What is a refrain?
(verse:same melody different words, refrain same words and
melody- same thing repeated in a song)
Away to America (page 57, CD3-7) explain roadmap! How many
verses?
Follow the Drinkin Gourd (4th grade page 258, CD 9-14) both
ABA and verse/refrain!
Dance Oh how lovely- remind it is a round

5th grade Musical Form

Lesson 4:
Concepts:
Call and Response
Review ABA/round/verse refrain
Introduce Day-O and Dont Mean a Thing and Camptown Ladies
Lesson:
Oh how lovely- dance- split into 3 parts
Ask what the form is
Joshua fought the battle (page 99, CD4-29) ask what form
(ABA)
In book look at Day-O (page 18, CD1-23)
Discuss call and response
Call and response cheer- When I say Washington you say
eagles, Number 1, Blue Gold
5th Grade- Rocks!
Did we repeat back the same thing the caller said? (that would
be echo) Was there a correct response? In music there is a
correct response- whether it be length of phrase repeated
back, using similar ideas coming back etc.
Dont Mean a Thing (page 324, CD13-8,13-10)
Camptown Ladies (page 262, CD10-18)

5th grade Musical Form

Lesson 5:
Concepts:
Review ABA, Round, Verse Refrain, Call Response
Start Rondo
Lesson:
Battle Hymn (page 266, CD10-21)What form?
Remind of all four weve learned- definitions?
Rondo form today. More sections in Rondo form. Build a
sandwich. Then use colors of shirts and make the same
pattern.
Rondo for lunch (page 139, CD6-7)
Listen to Les moissonneurs (page 141, CD6-9)
Create our own rondo with instruments- 3 groups- write simple
rhythm on board for each part. Record that rhythm.

5th grade Musical Form

Lesson 6: Bring Sax!!!
Concepts:
Theme and Variation
Review other forms
Figure out what each group is creating
Lesson:
Review forms and definitions
Theme and variations- explain that it is one theme that has been
changed. Play the theme and variation in band book (page 18
#90) on sax.
Have class hum twinkle twinkle audibly as I play it again. (Split
it up so they dont want to keep singing to the next part) Were
the parts similar? What was different?
Talk about form of twinkle twinkle. (ABA)
Look in book at simple gifts (page 178, CD7-28, listening map
page 180, CD 7-30). Talk about theme and how they vary it.
American Salute (page 262, CD 10-22)
Last ten minutes in group, figure out what form they will use
with their cards (options are call and response, ABA,
Verse/Refrain, Rondo, Round if they feel very confident)
Review to line up, let them know there will be a test the
following class.