Reading Music: Notes, Rhythms, and Basic Notation in Grade 4

Reading Music: Notes, Rhythms, and Basic Notation in Grade 4

Grade 4 · Music · NYS Arts Standards MU:Pr4.2.4a · 45 Minutes

NYS-Aligned Standard

MU:Pr4.2.4a — Demonstrate understanding of the structure and elements of music (such as rhythm, pitch, form, and harmony) in music selected for performance. NYS Learning Standards for the Arts (2017)

Learning Objectives — “I Can” Statements

• I can identify whole notes, half notes, quarter notes, and eighth notes, and state their beat values.
• I can clap or tap a 4/4 rhythm pattern accurately from notation.
• I can read and perform a simple rhythm score using standard notation.

Essential Question

How does music notation let musicians around the world play the same song without being in the same room?

Lesson Sequence

Hook / Warm-Up (7 min)

Display a page of sheet music (public domain — teacher selects). Ask: “Has anyone seen something like this? What do all those symbols mean? Could you play this?” “By the end of today, you’ll be able to read this.”

Direct Instruction (12 min)

1. Time signature: 4/4 means 4 beats per measure; the quarter note gets one beat
2. Note values (draw on board + student reference card):
   • Whole note (open circle): 4 beats
   • Half note (open note with stem): 2 beats
   • Quarter note (filled note with stem): 1 beat
   • Eighth note (filled note with flag/beam): ½ beat
3. Practice saying: “ta” for quarter note, “ti-ti” for two eighth notes, “taa” for half note, “taa-aa-aa-aa” for whole note (standard Kodály syllables — public domain method)

Clapping Practice (10 min)

Teacher writes 4 rhythm measures on the board in 4/4 time. Students clap through each:

• Measure 1: ♩♩♩♩ (four quarter notes — ta ta ta ta)
• Measure 2: 𝅗𝅥♩♩ (half + two quarter — taa ta ta)
• Measure 3: ♪♪♩♩ (two eighths + two quarters — ti-ti ta ta)
• Measure 4: 𝅝 (whole note — taa-aa-aa-aa)

Partner Performance (10 min)

Each student receives a simple 4-measure rhythm score (original teacher-created notation — printed or displayed). Partners take turns: one taps while the other claps. Then swap.

Closure (6 min)

Exit ticket: “Draw a half note. How many beats does it get? Draw a quarter note. How many beats does it get?”

SDI & Differentiation Block

Supports for MLLs/ELLs

Entering/Emerging (NYSESLAT Levels 1–2):

• Provide a color-coded note value chart: whole note = blue (4), half = green (2), quarter = yellow (1)
• Tapping is non-verbal — all students can fully participate in rhythm activities
• Label the chart in English and (if available) home language

Transitioning/Expanding (NYSESLAT Levels 3–4):

• Vocabulary: notation, rhythm, measure, beat, note, half, quarter, whole
• “I read ___ beats in measure ___. The note is a ___ note.”

Supports for Students with IEPs

SDI Adaptation Dimensions: content, methodology, delivery

• Content: Focus on whole notes and quarter notes only; reduce rhythm score to 2 measures
• Methodology: Use color-coded notes; large printed note cards; use body percussion (tap knees) to differentiate from fine motor tapping
• Delivery: Pre-filled reference card; extended time on partner activity; allow verbal identification instead of drawing on exit ticket

Suggested Placement: ICT, Resource Room

Answer Key

Exit ticket: Half note = 2 beats. Quarter note = 1 beat. (Student drawings should show open note head with stem for half note; filled note head with stem for quarter note.)

Alignment Record