6th Grade Half Notes Lesson Plan (Music)

Topic: How to count and play half notes

Objectives & Outcomes

• By the end of this lesson, students will be able to count and play half notes on the piano.

Materials

• Piano
• Half note counting guide (available from the internet or created by the teacher)
• Piano keys
• Pen and paper for each student

Warm-up

• Introduce the concept of note duration to the students by asking them to think about the difference between a long note and a short note. Ask them to give examples of long notes and short notes.

Direct Instruction

• Show the students a half note and explain that it is half the length of a whole note.
• Explain that the half note gets its name because it is half the length of a whole note.
• Demonstrate how to count half notes. Ask the students to follow along and join in. Start on the first beat and count "1-2-3-4."
• Show the students how to play half notes on their instruments. Demonstrate on the piano or keyboard, or have a student demonstrate on their instrument. Start on the first beat and play "1-2-3-4."
• Review the counting technique for half notes and make sure the students understand.

Guided Practice

• Have the students work in pairs or small groups.
• Give each group a set of half notes on their instruments.
• Have the students count the beats and play the half notes.
• Encourage the students to count clearly and have a steady tempo.
• Ask the students to make sure they are playing the correct pitches on their instruments.

Independent Practice

• Have the students work individually or in pairs.
• Give each student a blank staff paper and a pen.
• Have the students draw a series of half notes on the staff paper, counting beats and playing the half notes.
• Encourage the students to count clearly and have a steady tempo.
• Ask the students to make sure they are playing the correct pitches on their instruments.

Closure

• Review the concept of half notes and the notation for half notes on the staff paper.
• Ask the students to share their drawings and performances of half notes.

Assessment

• Observe the students during the guided and independent practice activities to ensure that they are able to count and draw half notes accurately.
• Ask the students to recite the counting pattern for half notes and demonstrate their understanding by providing a series of numbers for them to count.
• Evaluate the students' drawings and performances of half notes during the closure activity to assess their understanding of the concept.