Suzie Eskelund

Music in Special Education

Music Inclusion Demonstration Lesson
Fourth-Sixth Grade Inclusion: Recognizing Patterns
NS 2: Performing on instruments, alone and with others, a varied repertoire of
music.
NS 5: Reading and notating music.
NS 6: Listening to, analyzing, and describing music.
NS 7: Evaluating music and music performances.
NS 8: Understanding relationships between music, the other arts, and disciplines
outside the arts.
NYS Standard
NYS Standard
NYS Standard
NYS Standard
arts.

1:
2:
3:
4:

Creating, performing, and participating in the arts.

Knowing and using arts materials and resources.
Responding to and analyzing works of arts.
Understanding the cultural dimensions and contributions of the

Goal: Students will expand their knowledge of music repertoire and begin to relate
it to their own lives.
Objective (Teacher Perspective): Students will listen to In the Hall of the
Mountain King and be able to follow the listening map. They will be able to identify
patterns in the music throughout the piece through listening and analyzing the map
and then tapping the repeating rhythm as a group and individually. They will then
identify what makes the piece exciting even though much of it is repeated
throughout the piece (instrumentation, dynamics, and tempo).
Objective (Student Perspective): I will listen to In the Hall of the Mountain
King and follow along with the listening map. I will identify the repetitive rhythm
and melody and be able to tap the rhythm as part of a group and by myself. I will
then identify what keeps this song interesting despite the constant repetition
(instrumentation, tempo, and dynamics).
Common Core Skills: This listen connects to language arts and reinforces reading
by tracking the notes on the map from left to right.
Music Education Approach: This lesson involves Kodaly by referring to the
repeating rhythm as ti-ti-ti-ti-ti-ti-ta etc.
Prerequisite Behavior: Students will have an understanding of different
instrument families and be able to identify them based on listening, know the
concepts of dynamics and tempo, and be familiar with how to follow a listening
map.
Classroom Materials: A copy of the listening map will be provided to each student
so that they may follow along on their own copies. There will be a large visual and
tactile listening map, a recording of In the Hall of the Mountain King and a device

in which to play it. Students will be provided with a piece of construction paper to
help define their space if they feel the need to stand up and move.
Sound Before Sight Procedure

Teacher will explain the story of Peer Gynt and how Edvard Grieg wrote the
music to be performed with the play. The specific scene will be explained and
the students will listen to the music while trying to imagine how the story fits
in with the music. Students may want to stand up and move around as this is
a very exciting piece. They may do this as long as they stay in their
designated movement square.
Teacher will pass out listening maps that coincide with the large visual and
tactile poster version of the listening map displayed on the board. Students
will follow along their maps with their fingers as the teacher points along the
large displayed listening map.
Teacher will then tap the repetitive rhythm while saying ti-ti-ta respectively.
Once the students are comfortable with performing this rhythm as a class,
they will be asked to do it along with the recording.
Students will then discuss, with help from the teacher, what changes are
implemented throughout the piece even as the melody and rhythm are
changed.
Students will be expected to convey through motions or signs that either the
tempo, dynamics, or instrumentation has been changed throughout the piece
and designate where this happens.

Classroom Management: This music is very exciting and often encourages

movement. Students will be able to stand up and move as they see fit as long as
they remain in their designated colored square. If students move outside of their
defined space, teacher will redirect student to task to optimize learning activity.
Classroom rules and consequences will be enforced. Positive reinforcement will be
practiced. In cases of extreme behaviors, per school policy, teacher will consult
administration for direction of any disciplinary actions
Lesson Assessment: Students will be assessed based on their ability to perform
the repeated rhythm pattern through tapping or saying ti-ti-ta. They will also be
assessed on their ability to identify a change in tempo, dynamics, or
instrumentation throughout the piece. Their grade will be based on the rubric below.
1-Developing
Student actively
participates
throughout class

2-Evident

3-Mastery

Per teacher
selectionstudent can
successfully
perform the
rhythmic pattern
from In the Hall
of the Mountain
King through
tapping or
saying ti-ti-ta.
Per teacher
selectionstudent can
successfully and
confidently
identify a
change in
tempo,
dynamics, or
instrumentation
throughout the
piece.
Lesson Reinforcement/Enrichment: Students will be asked to create their own
unique listening map based on Griegs In the Hall of the Mountain King.
Instructional Adaptations
In addition to teacher following all specific Individualized Education Program, 504
Accommodation and
Behavior Intervention Plans on an individual student basis, lessons are designed to
have accommodations for students with:
Learning Disabilities: Teacher will focus only on one concept at a time and will
assess students for understanding for each step.
Communication Disorders: Students will be able to point along with the map, tap
along with the rhythm, and show signs or motions to indicate changes in tempo,
dynamics, or instrumentation. These are all non-verbal responses.
Visual and Hearing Impairments: The listening map will be enlarged and
displayed in the front of the classroom. The map will be in color, helping students to
more easily distinguish between sections. On top of this, the dots on the listening
map poster are made of felt and are in different sizes so that students without sight
may be able to feel the progression of the melodic and rhythmic pattern. Students

who are hearing impaired are invited to place their hands or feet on the surface of
the recording device so that they may experience all of these concepts through
vibrations.
Orthopedic/OHI: Students will be able to participate in all aspects of this lesson
while sitting. An aid may help them with pointing along the map or holding signs,
although assessment of performing the rhythmic pattern and change in tempo,
dynamics, or instrumentation may be done through verbal communication instead
of physical motion. In all aspects of this lesson aids are encouraged to help students
when needed.
Behavioral Issues: Each student will have his or her own colored square that they
may get up and stand in. This will allow them to move, but restricts them to a
defined space so that they may avoid injuring others. Teacher will also consider all
individualized behavioral plans and follow them in this lesson.
*These instructional adaptations represent teaching students with special needs in
five domains (cognitive challenges, communication challenges, sensory challenges,
physical or medical challenges, and behavioral or emotional challenges) which
encompass the current 13 categories for designating students with disabilities.