Mix and match activities to create a fun lesson in which students will learn to play the rhythm tracks of the song “As It Was” by Harry Styles, exploring different percussion instruments and playing techniques.
🎲 Activities included:
💻 Materials:
🕐 Time: 5 min
🎯 Objectives:
🎶 Recommended Songs:
🎲 Activity:
Do you know the song?
Do you know the artist?
What is the genre/mood/tempo of this song?
What adjectives would you use to describe this song?
How would you describe the rhythm section of the song?
🕐 Time: 5 min
🎯 Objectives:
🎶 Recommended Songs:
🎲 Activity:
Which rhythmical values did you see? (1st rhythm line - eighth notes, quarter notes; 2nd rhythm line - quarter notes; 3rd rhythm line - half notes, dotted quarter notes, eighth notes)
🕐 Time: 10 min
🎯 Objectives:
🎶 Recommended Songs:
🎲 Activity:
You can loop Verse 1 by pressing 🔁 on the right side of the “Play” button.
If the tempo is too fast, you can slow it down by pressing the “﹣” button up to 4 times on the left side of the “Play” button.
When you're comfortable with the slower tempo, you can try playing the verse at a faster speed and try to reach the original speed!
🕐 Time: 10 min
🎯 Objectives:
🎶 Recommended Songs:
🎲 Activity:
Tip: Playing the 2nd rhythm line should be easier than the 3rd rhythm line, so you can tell the students that the most challenging part is already past them to cheer them up!
Again, you can loop Verse 1 by pressing 🔁 on the right side of the “Play” button.
🕐 Time: 8 min
🎯 Objectives:
🎶 Recommended Songs:
🎲 Activity:
Tip: The 1st rhythm line consists of eighth notes mostly, so the students should use both their hands interchangeably (left-right-left-right) on whatever surface they are playing to ensure that their hands don't get too tired or tense.
Again, you can loop Verse 1 by pressing 🔁 on the right side of the “Play” button.
🕐 Time: 7 min
🎯 Objectives:
🎶 Recommended Songs:
🎲 Activity:
Again, you can loop Verse 1 by pressing 🔁 on the right side of the “Play” button.
You can try combining the groups one by one.
🕐 Time: 3 min
🎯 Objectives:
🎲 Activity:
What was the most challenging/ fun part of the lesson?
What were the differences between your rhythm track and the other ones?
🕐 Time: 3 min
🎯 Objectives:
🎲 Activity:
Challenge students to go beyond the lesson by…
In this lesson, students will learn to play the rhythm tracks of the song “As It Was” by Harry Styles. Students will learn three separate rhythm tracks and perform them interchangeably.
The timing and pacing of the exercises in this lesson plan example are approximate and will differ depending on your students' skill level. If the pace of this lesson plan is too fast for you, divide it into several lessons. If the pace of this lesson plan is too slow for you, explore the 'Beyond the lesson' chapter at the end of this lesson plan for additional activities.
⏰ Time: 50 min
🎓 Grades: 5-12
🎯 Objective(s): As a result of this lesson, students will be able to...
💡 Required Prior Knowledge and Skills:
💻 Materials:
🕐 5 min - Let's play Harry Styles!
Do you know the song?
Do you know the artist?
What is the genre/mood/tempo of this song?
What adjectives would you use to describe this song?
How would you describe the rhythm section of the song?
🕐 5 min - Analysis - on!
Which rhythmical values did you see? (1st rhythm line - eighth notes, quarter notes; 2nd rhythm line - quarter notes; 3rd rhythm line - half notes, dotted quarter notes, eighth notes)
🕐 10 min - 3rd Rhythm Line
You can loop Verse 1 by pressing 🔁 on the right side of the “Play” button.
If the tempo is too fast, you can slow it down by pressing the “﹣” button up to 4 times on the left side of the “Play” button.
When you're comfortable with the slower tempo, you can try playing the verse at a faster speed and try to reach the original speed!
🕐 10 min - 2nd Rhythm Line
Tip: Playing the 2nd rhythm line should be easier than the 3rd rhythm line, so you can tell the students that the most challenging part is already past them to cheer them up!
Again, you can loop Verse 1 by pressing 🔁 on the right side of the “Play” button.
🕐 10 min - 1st Rhythm Line
Tip: The 1st rhythm line consists of eighth notes mostly, so the students should use both their hands interchangeably (left-right-left-right) on whatever surface they are playing to ensure that their hands don't get too tired or tense.
Again, you can loop Verse 1 by pressing 🔁 on the right side of the “Play” button.
🕐 7 min - Put it all together
Again, you can loop Verse 1 by pressing 🔁 on the right side of the “Play” button.
You can try combining the groups one by one.
🕐 3 min - Discussion
Practicing their part at home by playing along to the song;
Learning other parts of the song (chords, lyrics, etc.).
