Music/Math Lesson: Patterns

Kiera Stillwell
June 16th, 2016
Grade Level: Kindergarten
Length of Lesson: 45 min
NB Music Outcomes: 1.1.1: Demonstrate an awareness of rhythmic/melodic concepts,
patterns in music, and timbre.
1.2: Explore a range of ways of expressing thoughts, experiences, and feelings through music,
with emphasis on sound sources.
1.2.4: Explore songs and friends and play
NB Math Outcomes: SCO (PR1) Demonstrate an understanding of repeating patterns (two or
three elements) by identifying, reproducing, creating, and extending. Patterns using
manipulatives, sounds, and actions.
Introduction (7-10 min):
-Patterns are an important mathematical concept and can be found all around us. Remind
students of what patterns are with this cute pattern song video:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MBjjxSx45-Q
-Do you remember how we talk about patterns? (ABAB, ABC, etc.)
-Ask ss to take one minute to look around the room for examples of patterns. Walls, floors,
clothing, nature outside, and more, all have patterns.
-Explain to ss how the songs we listen to also include patterns and repetition.
Main (30-33 min):
-Show ss Mary Had a Little Lamb video from YouTube:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CkRdvGmcCBE
-Ask ss what they notice about the rhyme immediately?
- Ask ss how many words in the song repeat? Which words exactly, and how many times each?
(Mary, little, lamb, went, everywhere)
-Have you ever heard of any other songs that have a repeating pattern?
-Write song on the board and underline each syllable. In addition to this, have the song
displayed in notated form on the SmartBoard so that ss can make the visual connection.
-As a class, clap out each syllable of the song to start noticing its pattern. Do this a few times
-If we were to give each word in the rhyme a colored shape, what would the pattern look like?
Do as a class on the board.
-Tell ss that their task is to create a pattern on paper that aligns with the nursery rhyme Mary
Had a Little Lamb, using their choice of finger paints, pencil/marker, or by tracing pattern
blocks. When they are finished, they may draw a picture of the song below. Some ss may work
in pairs if this works better for them.
-Ss will each have a handout of the rhyme to use as reference when creating their patterns.

Closure (5 min):
-Students will have time to walk around to see their friends interpretations.
-T will bring ss to carpet to ask them what they learned today about math and music?
Extension:
-Tell ss to search for more examples of nursery rhymes or regular songs with patterns in them
and get them to identify the AB pattern of it.
-Have ss extend their pattern to a longer one, or have them come up with a rhyme and pattern
of their own.
Reflections:

Assessment:
-Watch for student engagement and participation during activity for formative assessment.
-Take notes on how well some students work in pairs and who stays on task.
-Collect final product for verbal feedback session in the future.

Differentiation:
-Multiple intelligences appealed to through visual input for visual-spatial learners (videos,
SmartBoard images, handouts, drawing/painting/creating ), kinesthetic learning with
clapping, hands-on activity, and rotating classroom during closure, musical learners,
logical/mathematical, linguistic learners with studying syllable patterns, and interpersonal
learning.
-Students provided with choice in materials to use and whether or not they wanted a partner.
-Students also given choice about where they would like to work in the classroom.

Visuals below