Free Music Lesson Plan Template

Music Lesson Plan

Lesson Title:	Understanding Rhythm and the C Major Scale: Introduction to Reading Music
Grade Level	5th Grade

Cognitive Objective: By the end of the lesson, students will identify and count quarter notes, half notes, and whole notes in 4/4 time on a musical staff.
Affective Objective: Students will express an appreciation for how rhythmic structure contributes to the overall feel of music by clapping along to famous rhythmic patterns.
Psychomotor Objective: Students will practice and perform the C Major scale on the keyboard, demonstrating proper hand positioning and technique.

Keyboards (1 per student) or classroom pianos
Sheet music for simplified "Ode to Joy" in C major
Whiteboard and markers for notation
Rhythm flashcards featuring quarter, half, and whole notes
Metronome (set to 60 BPM for rhythm exercises)
Worksheets on note values and rhythms (with written staff and note exercises)
YouTube audio or video clip of Beethoven’s "Ode to Joy" (optional, for reference and enrichment)

Begin with a quick overview: “Today we’ll learn to read and understand rhythms in music, and we’ll also practice the C Major scale, which is one of the building blocks of playing any musical instrument.”
Ask: “How many of you have heard Beethoven’s ‘Ode to Joy’ before? Today, we will learn to play the first part of this song. But first, we need to understand the notes and rhythm.”
Play a short clip of "Ode to Joy" for students to connect the lesson to the music.

Vocal Warm-Up: Lead students through a “Do-Re-Mi” warm-up scale using hand signs for solfege (Do, Re, Mi, Fa, Sol, La, Ti, Do).
- Explain: “This helps us find the notes when we sing or play.”
Rhythm Warm-Up: Using rhythm flashcards, introduce the basic notes (quarter, half, whole).
- Clap out each rhythm as a class (e.g., quarter notes: clap 4 times on each beat; half notes: clap once every 2 beats, whole note: clap once for the entire measure).
- “Let’s start with quarter notes. Clap along with me: 1, 2, 3, 4. Now let’s try half notes. Clap on 1, then again on 3.”
Keyboard Warm-Up: Have students place their right hand in the C position on the keyboard (thumb on middle C). Play the C Major scale up and down slowly while counting out loud: “C, D, E, F, G, A, B, C.”

Step 1 – Introducing Rhythms on the Staff:
- On the whiteboard, draw a staff with four quarter notes, two half notes, and one whole note. Label them with note names and explain the beats they represent in 4/4 time.
- Example: “A quarter note gets 1 beat, so we count 1, 2, 3, 4 for this measure. A half note gets 2 beats, so we only clap on beats 1 and 3.”
- Have students practice clapping and counting along.
Step 2 – C Major Scale Technique:
- Demonstrate the C Major scale on the keyboard with proper finger placement (right-hand thumb on C, index on D, middle on E, etc.).
- Play the scale slowly and call out the note names: “C, D, E, F, G, A, B, C.”
- Emphasize technique: “Make sure your thumb stays relaxed, and your fingers are curved to reach all the notes.”
Step 3 – Learning "Ode to Joy":
- Pass out simplified sheet music for "Ode to Joy." Start by having students clap out the rhythm of the first 4 measures.
- Break down the melody: “In the first measure, we start on E, which is the third note of the C scale. Let’s play it slowly together.” Play the melody in small sections and repeat.

Rhythm Practice: Show different rhythm flashcards, and have students clap or tap the rhythms on their desks while counting aloud. Challenge them by gradually increasing the tempo.
C Major Scale Practice: Lead students in playing the C Major scale multiple times, gradually increasing the tempo.
- Walk around the room to provide individual feedback, correcting finger placement and posture.
"Ode to Joy" Practice: Play the first four measures as a class. Then, divide the class into two groups, where one group claps the rhythm while the other plays the notes on their keyboards.

Allow students to work independently on playing the C Major scale and the first four measures of "Ode to Joy."
Walk around and offer individual support, ensuring that students are playing with the correct technique.
Encourage more advanced students to work ahead on the next few measures of the piece.

Select a few students to demonstrate the C Major scale for the class, allowing them to showcase what they’ve learned.
Conduct a quick review with the class: “Can someone tell me how many beats a half note gets? What note does the C Major scale start on?”
End the lesson by asking the class: “How did today’s rhythm exercises help you play ‘Ode to Joy’? What was the most challenging part of learning the C Major scale?”

Keyboard Practice: Students should practice playing the C Major scale five times each day at home, increasing the tempo as they improve.
Worksheet: Complete the rhythm worksheet by filling in note values and drawing rhythms on a staff.
Listening Assignment (Optional): Listen to a recording of "Ode to Joy" and write a short reflection on how the rhythm of the music makes you feel.

For advanced students: Learn to play the entire "Ode to Joy" melody independently, and experiment with dynamics (playing softly vs. loudly).
Listening Activity: For further exploration, have students listen to Beethoven’s full "Ode to Joy" performed by an orchestra. Discuss how the different instruments contribute to the overall rhythm and harmony.