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Lesson Plan: Intro to Sound and Noise

Group 1: Ages 5-7
Group 2: Ages 8-10
Group 3: Ages 10-13

Objectives

Group 1&2: Recognition of various sound waves, ability to construct simple compositions using sound waves, training the voice to imitate sound waves, using the body to imitate sound waves in musical movement, learning concepts of timbre and noise as music, encouraging improvisation with instruments, continuation of Primer Level in Keyboard playing.

Group 3: Recognition of various sound waves and noise types, ability to construct compositions using graphic notation, understanding the music history behind electronic music (John Cage, Futurists, noise, early electronic instruments, etc.), learning concepts of timbre and noise as music, encouraging improvisation and experimentation with instruments and various sound producers, using the voice for sonic imitation of sound waves, creating vocal compositions with graphic notation (vocalizations), continuation of Primer Level and Level 1 Keyboard playing.


Sound, Noise, and Electronic Music

WEEK ONE: Introduction to Noise and Sound Waves

Day 1
Group 1&2: Introduction to Sound Waves (sine, sawtooth, triangle, square, noise) using flashcards; Imitation of sound waves with vocalization; basic keyboard practice ten minutes; using the body to imitate sounds heard in recordings
Group 3: Introduction to Sound Waves (sine, sawtooth, triangle, square, noise) using flashcards; Imitation of sound waves with vocalization; students use flashcards to create own compositions for class to sing back; listening to electronic music recordings using sound waves; basic keyboard practice twenty minutes

Day 2
Group 1&2: Review of sound waves, learning three types of noise (pink, brown, white); guessing game with different types of noise and sounds; basic keyboard practice ten minutes; musical movement with electronic music
Group 3: Review of sound waves, learning three types of noise (pink, brown, white); guessing game with different types of noise and sounds; drawing out noise and sound waves; basic keyboard practice twenty minutes

Day 3
Group 1&2: Sound waves game (children use voice/body to imitate the sound waves or noise they are trying to make); Memory matching game with sound waves and noise; basic keyboard practice ten minutes; movement using streamers to imitate sound waves
Group 3: Sound waves game (teacher sounds out different sound wave patterns and teams have to write down the correct wave patterns on the board); basic keyboard twenty minutes

Day 4
Group 1&2: Sound waves game and review using more complex sound waves and noise patterns; basic keyboard practice ten minutes; musical movement to electronic music
Group 3: The radio as music, Music History lesson on John Cage’s work Imaginary Landscapes; Demonstrate the use of noise and chance using radio; students experiment with radio; basic keyboard practice twenty minutes

Day 5
Group 1&2: Students create sound wave patterns and have class use body movement to imitate the new “compositions”; dance freeze; basic keyboard ten minutes; musical movement twenty minutes
Group 3: Composition Fridaze Basic music composition lessons twenty minutes; Creating compositions using the radio, sound waves, and noise; perform compositions in class

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