Lesson Plans >> Browse Articles >> Seasonal/Holiday Lessons
K-2: Valentine Heart Game
by Susan Moorefield, Learn NC
Students will respond to music through singing, moving, playing instruments, and improvisation while integrating first grade math curriculum and Valentine’s Day.
A lesson plan for Grade 1 Music Education
Learning outcomes
Students will clap rhythm patterns notated on board then make up their own on percussion instruments. They will also be asked to answer addition and subtraction problems.
Time required for lesson: 35 minutes
Materials/resources
set of 25 numbered large hearts
set of 25 numbered small hearts
board/dry erase marker
candy hearts
percussion instruments (drum, maraca, sticks, guiro, cabasa, jingle bells, tambourine)
music to “Love Somebody”
small container for small set of hearts
Pre-activities
Students must know
- stick notation for quarter, eighth,and half notes.
- how to keep a steady beat.
- how to improvise to a song in 4/4 and 2/4 meter.
- addition and subtraction.
Activities
1. Students will sing “Love Somebody.”
2. Students will clap steady beat to song.
3. Students will clap rhythm patterns from board in stick notation.
4. Students will improvise their own patterns to go with song.
5. Place large set of numbered hearts on floor in a large circle numbered side up.
6. Students stand behind a number.
7. Play “Love Somebody” while students march around circle of hearts stepping to the steady beat.
8. Students stop when music stops.
9. Select a student to draw a numbered heart from the container.
10. The person standing behind the number drawn will answer a question about math (an addition or subtraction problem).
11. When students answers correctly they receive a candy heart with a slogan on it which they will read to class. They then choose a percussion instrument and sit in the middle of the circle and improvise a rhythm pattern to go with the song. Continue game adding instruments until all seven are playing then rotate students back into the circle for game. If student answers incorrectly another number is drawn. If a student is chosen that has already won another number is drawn.
12. End with everyone receiving a candy heart.
Assessment
Teacher observation
Ask students to notate some of their improvisations
Play a pattern and have individuals echo
Related websites
Valentine’s Day Songs and Poems for Children http://www.songsforteaching.com/ValentinesSongs.html
