Drumming (Gr.

3)
Emily Foxton
W.A. Day Elementary
EDUC 3601 Music C&I Griffioen/Spring 2018

Table of Contents

Content Page
Unit Plan Rationale 2
Unit Plan Grid Organizer 3-10
Appendix 11-16
Resources 17

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Unit Plan Rationale

This unit for gr. 3s focuses primarily on playing of instruments (especially djembe) and doing so
with correct rhythmic elements, technique and a strong emphasis on stable beat and tempo. This is
relevant in that with achieving these SLEs and GLEs students will be able to successfully move onto the
next step in their music education, which includes dictating their own compositions, identifying more
complex (rondo) forms and learning particular Latin rhythm patterns. In their daily lives, these outcomes
will aid in their understanding and appreciation for the music they consume.

The culminating activity will be final performance that will include singing, playing djembe and
playing an assortment of Orff instruments. In the lessons leading up to this activity, student’s will be
taught and will review the elements that are required to be successful in their final assessment. They will
also be outlined on the rubric of their assessment and will be offered as much descriptive feedback to aid
their growth as possible throughout during activities (especially in the drum circle).

This unit will be approximately 3.5 weeks long, but can be expanded if need be.

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Unit Plan Grid Organizer

Unit Topic: Drumming Grade Level: 3 Strand: Elementary Music

GLEs in full:
Through the elementary music program, students will develop
• insights into music through meaningful musical activities
• self-expression and creativity
• musical skills and knowledge.

SLEs in full:
Skills: Playing Instruments
11. Use pitched (keyboard-type) instruments to play tone-matching games, conversational games and pentatonic (5-tone) accompaniments. 

Skills: Listening
14. Identify differences in tempo, timbre (tone colour) and dynamics
17. Identify binary (AB) and ternary (ABA) forms.

Skills: Creating
8. Create rhythmic and melodic ostinati for poems and songs. 

Element: Expression
10. Changes in dynamics add to the effect of music.

Element: Form
8. Music may be accompanied by a repeated pattern (ostinato). 


Music/Materials to be learned in the unit:

- Oats and Beans and Barely Grow
- Here Comes a Bluebird - Tom’s Orff Arrangements
- Cobbler https://tomvanoostrom.wordpress.com/
- Ha, ha, ha Plop! - The Orff Source by Denise Gagne
- I’ve Got a Drum - Music Play: Teachers Guide by Denise Gagne
- Little Sally Walker -Up the Body and Down the Page (body percussion)
- Boom Chicka Boom -Body Percussion (starts 20 seconds in)
- A Cat Came Fiddlin -http://www.bethsnotesplus.com/
- Pass the Ball and it Stops Right Here!
- Wake me, Shake me

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Lesson Plan Summaries

Lesson Title SLEs: Learning Instructional Strategies/ Assessments and
and Day (Abbrev.) Objectives Methods/Activities/Resources Evaluation
Introduction -Playing • Students will move (B) • Students will be introduced to the unit (structure, • Questioning
to Unit Instruments to the beat (P) of Oats goals and assessments) as an introduction (FA)
March 12th #11 and Beans and Barely • I will then ease the class into the concepts and
2018 (3F/3C) - Form #8 Grow (M). elements I wish to go over in the unit by playing
March 13th • Students will perform rhythmic games:
(3L) (P) with their voices o Movement game (Oats and Beans and
and accompanies Barely Grow)
percussion parts the o Here Comes a Bluebird, pg. 40 of The Orff
song (P), Here Comes Source (include vocals, un-pitched
a Bluebird (M). percussion and bass xylophone).
• Students will conclude the lesson by playing all
parts of the simple song (Here Comes a Bluebird)
they have learned.
Lesson Title SLEs: Learning Instructional Strategies/ Assessments and
and Day (Abbrev.) Objectives Methods/Activities Evaluation
Body -Listening • Students will repeat (B) • Students will begin class by learning a simple • Questioning (FA)
Percussion #14 a learned passing passing game, to stress the importance of keeping • Listening (FA)
March 13th - Creating pattern around a circle beat and that if one person gets off, everyone is off.
(3F/3C) #8 to the accurate beat (P) o Cobbler
- Form #8
March 20th in a passing game (M). • Once they have played the game a video will be
(3L) • Students will perform shown of a body percussion performance (to show
(B) in tempo, what we will be doing). We will have a brief
accurately and with description about what they saw and how it was
correct rhythms (P) a like playing an instrument.
body percussion piece • In the main portion of the lesson, we will learn and
(M). then (if time) create our own body percussion
piece/
1) Repeat after me body percussion
2) Learn Ha-ha-ha Plop
3) Split into groups to create your own!
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Lesson Title SLEs: Learning Instructional Strategies/ Assessments and

and Day (Abbrev.) Objectives Methods/Activities Evaluation
Intro to the -Listening • Students will repeat (B) • Begin class by performing “Ha,ha,ha Plop” one -Questioning (FA)
Djembe #14 the different types of more time. (start with something you know, get -Drum Circle (FA)
(Drum Circle -Expression hits/tones (P) of the them started with success)!
#10
Etiquette) djembe (M). • Class will begin on the carpet, with a video of a
March 19th • Students will drum circle performance. This will serve as the
(3F/3C) demonstrate an introduction to the main focus of the unit
March 22nd understanding of • Students will then be told their expectations while
(3L) steady beat (P) while in a drum circle. After this they will be instructed
playing “I’ve Got a to find a seat in the drum circle (already
Drum” (M). constructed) in the classroom.
• We will the go over the different types of
hits/tones on instrument, the formation of the
djembe and a bit of it history.
• Once all the expectations are laid out and enough
information is taught, we will begin to more
seriously play the djembe.
o “I can play my “drum””
o “I’ve Got a drum” –canon (taught as a
speech ostinato and then transferred to
drums, possibly teach in prior class, and
then they can assign body percussion to this
rhythm?)
Lesson Title SLEs: Learning Instructional Strategies/ Assessments and
and Day (Abbrev.) Objectives Methods/Activities Evaluation
Play that - Listening • Students will recognize • Start with singing game “Little Sally Walker” -Questioning (FA)
Beat! #14 (B) the notation values o Make sure to emphasize stepping to the -Rhythm Review
March 20th - Form #8 and rhythm language beat (stomp if need be) (FA)
(3F/3C) classifications (P) of Rhythm Review! -Drum Circle (FA)
March 22nd “I’ve Got a Drum” • Class will begin with an overview/recap of
(3L) (M). rhythmic dictation elements and aural rhythm
• Students will classify understanding. (If students struggle, turn this into
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(B) the changes in main focus of lesson)

expression when tempo
and volume are
changed (P) while play
Beat Detective (M).
• Move to drum circle and start by going over
importance of cooperation and teamwork in drum
circle
o Go over known rhythm (possibly I’ve
got a drum rhythm) and have students
“help” you dictate this in stem notation.
(use <3 and have them tell you how
many sounds are on each <3)
o Do this for possibly one more rhythm
(to see where they are in their
understanding). Have students come up
to beard and write themselves, try and
keep them active/engaged.
o Play beat detective (one student is
chosen to be beat master, they speed up,
slow down, louder, softer etc. and
someone in the middle has to guess
who). End this with a conversation of
how easily one person can affect tempo,
volume etc.
o Pass the beat/pattern game (Pass the
ball, and it stops right here)

INTRODUCE SONG FOR FINAL PERFORMANCE

• In conclusion, introduce students to vocal rhythm
in final assessment piece. (A Cat Came Fiddlin’)
o Sing to them (while tapping beat)
through and teach them by rote.
Lesson Title SLEs: Learning Instructional Strategies/ Assessments and
and Day (Abbrev.) Objectives Methods/Activities Evaluation
Make a Storm -Listening • Students will recognize • Begin class by reviewing rhythmic/lyrics for song -Questioning (FA)
March 22th #14 (B) the rhythmic values introduced last class. (sing once, and then together -Listening (FA)
-Expression
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(3F/3C) #10 (P) of their final in small chunks by rote). -Rhythm Review
March 29th assessment piece (M). o If time teach ostinato pattern (glock part) (FA)
(3L) • Students will evoke (B) • Go over the feeling that drums can evoke (quieter, -Drum Circle (FA)
the feeling of a storm loud, hard etc.) This can possibly be aided by
by initiating different watching different videos of drum circles.
tones (P) in the drum o Start with singing game that primes this
circle (M). (Boom Chick Boom, pg. 4 of Music Play
Gr.5)
Make a Storm
• Students will be told we are making a storm,
and when the person in the middle does a
certain movement that means they must
emulate a certain part of the storm. (When they
jump=thunder aka hit middle, wiggle
fingers=rain aka light taps, flat palm=wind aka
rub palm)
• Once you have made the storm, conclude with
questioning over what the drum sounded like
when evoking what part of the storm.
• End with Orff instruments!
o Teach students simple song and parts for
Wake me, Shake me!
Lesson Title SLEs: Learning Instructional Strategies/ Assessments and
and Day (Abbrev.) Objectives Methods/Activities Evaluation
Composition - Creating • Students will create • Start with playing the drum circle basketball (2 -Questioning (FA)
101 #8 (B)sounds that emulate students stand in middle and pass basketball, others -Drum Circle (FA)
March 26th -Listening to movements of their watch and hit drum in middle when it hits floor, tap -Drum Circle
(3F/3C) April #17 peers/basketball (P) in on side when they catch it). Composition (SA)
10th (3L) the drum circle (M). o This game will emphasize cooperation and STUDENTS ARE BEING
SUMMATIVELY
• Students will perform attention while performing in a drum circle.
ASSESSED! Be sure to
(B) their own It will also serve as a way to refer back to inform them of this and
compositions with for inspiration when students begin to go over rubric with them
accurate rhythmic compose. before proceeding.

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values and in beat (P) •

Students will go over the term “ostinato”, what it
in the drum circle (M). Make Checklist
means and if we have seen it in any pieces we have
Including:
played in our unit so far. We will discuss how it - Correct rhythmic
enhances our music (filling sound, keeps beat, values
foundation). - Plays within beat
o If you haven’t already, teach glock part for
Cat Came Fiddlin’ as an ostinato, if you
have just reinforce it.
• Students will then be instructed to compose one
bar (in groups of 4) and play it as a group when
their turn in circle. (switch seats/pass papers
around). Students will be given 3 or 4 rhythmic
values they can choose from for their composition
and will be able to use the drum in any way they
have learned about in class.
o Prior to instruction on how they will
compose their parts, students will be taught
simple ostinato to accompany all
compositions.
• In conclusion, take 2 students compositions and
arrange them in binary form. Question students on
this (are both sections the same…). Tell them there
are 2 sections, do same for ternary.
Lesson Title SLEs: Learning Instructional Strategies/ Assessments and
and Day (Abbrev.) Objectives Methods/Activities Evaluation
Improvisation -Playing • Students will employ • Students will begin class by singing “A Cat Came -Questioning (FA)
101 Instruments (B) the ostinato Fiddlin’” while patting the ostinato pattern (glock -Listening (FA)
March 27th #11 rhythms they have part) that goes with it. We will then take the time -Drum Circle (FA)
(3F/3C) -Form #8 learned to Orff to transfer this to drums and the barred -Orff Playing
Performance instruments (P) in A instruments. (10 min) (checklist, SA)
Prep (Day 1) Cat Came Fiddlin’ • For the remainder of the lesson students will have
April 12th (M). the opportunity to explore improvisation on
(3L) • Students will create (B) djembes and on pitched percussion instruments

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their own (pentatonic, remove unneeded bars).

improvisation in 4 beat o Teach students a 4 beat pattern and have
increments (P) while them play this in-between each students
participating in the own improvised 4 bars. (discuss the form of
drum circle (M). this, if the pattern we play all together is
“A” then…. Aka rondo).
FOR 3L:
• Spent less time on improvisation (maybe just
opening of the lesson, not main body). Spend
main part on performance prep for final
assessment.
Lesson Title SLEs: Learning Instructional Strategies/ Assessments and
and Day (Abbrev.) Objectives Methods/Activities Evaluation
Performance -Playing • Students will repeat (B) • Class will begin with a known singing game as -Questioning
Prep Instruments the instrumental parts introduction (Here Comes a Bluebird or Wake me, -Orff Playing
March 29th #11 (P) for A Cat Came Shake me) (checklist, SA)
(3F/3C) -Listening Fiddlin’ (M). • Students will then begin more practice on their
Performance #14 • Students will perform final assessment piece. This will mainly be
Prep (Day 2) (B) on their Orff learning each of the parts as a class (speech
April 17th instruments with ostinatos) and then applying them to the
(3L) accurate rhythms and instruments.
tempo (P) Wake me, • End class with a performance of “Wake me, Shake
Shake me (M). me” so that students leave playing something they
definitely know and is fun!

Lesson Title SLEs: Learning Instructional Strategies/ Assessments and

and Day (Abbrev.) Objectives Methods/Activities Evaluation
Performance -Playing • Students will • Begin class with the passing game “Cobbler”. Use -Questioning (FA)
Prep Day 2 Instruments demonstrate (B) their this as an opportunity to really assure students wre -Listening (FA)
April 9th #11 ability to sing while passing on the beat! -Final Performance
(3F/3C) keeping beat (P) while • Continue working on final assessment piece by Piece (SA)
Performance playing Cobbler (M). reviewing all the Orff playing parts while singing.
and • Students will perform • End review with students going around to the
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Conclusion (B) with correct stations and playing each part at least once.
April 19th technique, rhythms and FOR 3L:
(3L) in tempo (P) A Cat • This is assessment day for them! Go over
Came Fiddlin’ (M). rubric with them and tell them what will be
happening and what you are looking for.
Review all parts before beginning assessment.
• Assessment: All instruments will be set up and
students will go to one, play through once and
then all students will move to the next
instrument. I will have my rubric in front of me
(and video camera for backup) and will be
assessing students playing the instruments in
the front row.
Lesson Title SLEs: Learning Instructional Strategies/ Assessments and
and Day (Abbrev.) Objectives Methods/Activities Evaluation
Performance -Playing • Students will perform • Begin class by singing a short known song, to -Questioning (FA)
and Instruments (B) with correct get students engaged and feeling successful -Listening (FA)
Conclusion #11 technique, rhythms and • This is assessment day for students! Go over -Final Performance
April 10th in tempo (P) A Cat rubric with them and tell them what will be Piece (SA)
(3F/3C) Came Fiddlin’ (M). happening and what you are looking for.
• Review all parts before beginning assessment.
• Assessment: All instruments will be set up and
students will go to one, play through once and
then all students will move to the next
instrument. I will have my rubric in front of me
(and video camera for backup) and will be
assessing students playing the instruments in
the front row.

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Appendix

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References

Alberta Education (1991). Elementary music. Edmonton, Alberta: Alberta Education.

Retrieved from https://education.alberta.ca/media/482116/elemusic.pdf

Beth’s Notes: Music Education and Inspiration.

Gagne, Denise (2001). The Orff Source, 89 Orff Arrangements of Traditional Folk Songs and
Singing Games.

Gagne, Denise (1997). Music Play Grade 5 Music Program, Teacher Guide.

Oats, Peas, Beans and Barely Grow. http://www.franzdorfer.com/o-/oats-peas-beans-and-

barley-grow

Tom Van Oostrom. Tom’s Orff Arrangements. https://tomvanoostrom.wordpress.com/

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