LEARN NC

K–12 teaching and learning · from the UNC School of Education

Brass instruments and pitch

http://www.artsedge.kennedy-center.org/content/3346/

A lesson plan for Grade 4 Music Education, Visual Arts Education, and English Language Arts

Provider: The Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts

About this resource

Appropriate grades
4
Subjects
arts (general, music), English language arts (writing), thinking skills (information literacy, research skills, visual literacy), teaching methods (demonstrations and modeling, project-based learning)
Provider
The Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts

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In this ARTSEDGE lesson, students create a “brass” instrument, make predictions, and explore how pitch changes based on the length of the air pipe.

Students will:

  • design investigations that determine what factors affect the pitch of brass instruments based on the length of the tubes or crooks;
  • explore the factors that determine pitch fluctuation of brass instruments; and
  • create and record a meaningful hypothesis as well as accurate data sets reflecting knowledge gained through their investigation.

ARTSEDGE provides detailed instructions for completing the lesson, a supply list, suggestions for assessment and extension activities, and links to related web resources, student handouts, and an assessment rubric.

North Carolina Curriculum Alignment

Music Education (2001)

Grade 4

  • Goal 6: The learner will listen to, analyze, and describe music.
    • Objective 6.03: Use appropriate terminology in explaining music, music notation, music instruments and voices, and music performances.
    • Objective 6.04: Identify visually and aurally a variety of instruments, including many orchestra and band instruments, and instruments from various cultures.
  • Goal 8: The learner will understand relationships between music, the other arts, and content areas outside the arts.
    • Objective 8.01: Identify similarities and differences in the meanings of common terms used in dance, music, theatre arts, and visual arts including line, color, texture, form/shape, rhythm, pattern, mood/emotion, theme, and purpose.
    • Objective 8.02: Identify ways in which the principles and subject matter of other content areas taught in the school are related to those of music.

Grade 8

  • Goal 8: The learner will understand relationships between music, the other arts, and content areas outside the arts.
    • Objective 8.03: Demonstrate the character traits of responsibility, self-discipline, and perseverance while informally or formally participating in music.

Visual Arts Education (2001)

Grade 4

  • Goal 2: The learner will develop skills necessary for understanding and applying media, techniques, and processes.

English Language Arts (2004)

Grade 4

  • Goal 1: The learner will apply enabling strategies and skills to read and write.
    • Objective 1.04: Increase reading and writing vocabulary through:
      • wide reading.
      • word study.
      • knowledge of homophones, synonyms, antonyms, homonyms.
      • knowledge of multiple meanings of words.
      • writing process elements.
      • writing as a tool for learning.
      • seminars.
      • book clubs.
      • discussions.
      • examining the author's craft.
  • Goal 2: The learner will apply strategies and skills to comprehend text that is read, heard, and viewed.
    • Objective 2.04: Identify and interpret elements of fiction and nonfiction and support by referencing the text to determine the:
      • plot.
      • theme.
      • main idea and supporting details.
      • author's choice of words.
      • mood.
      • author's use of figurative language.
  • Goal 3: The learner will make connections with text through the use of oral language, written language, and media and technology.
    • Objective 3.06: Conduct research for assigned projects or self-selected projects (with assistance) from a variety of sources through the use of technological and informal tools (e.g., print and non-print texts, artifacts, people, libraries, databases, computer networks).
  • Goal 4: The learner will apply strategies and skills to create oral, written, and visual texts.
    • Objective 4.06: Compose a draft that conveys major ideas and maintains focus on the topic with specific, relevant, supporting details by using preliminary plans.
    • Objective 4.09: Produce work that follows the conventions of particular genres (e.g., personal and imaginative narrative, research reports, learning logs, letters of request, letters of complaint).