Rocks! Part 2
Students will learn to discern between the three main types of rocks while exploring multicultural music and composition simultaneously.
Resources
- Need classroom rug space. Set up Orff instruments in pairs – have students adjust the bars to reflect the C Major Pentatonic Scale.
- Rocks! Sedimentary/Metamorphic/Igneous Rocks: Hard, Soft, Smooth, and Rough Written by Natalie M. Rosinsky, Illustrated by Matthew John
- (It is possible to substitute another rock book of your choosing for this lesson – the compositions lend themselves to flexibility)
Fine Art Standards
- 4th GRADE MUSIC STANDARD 1 Singing The student will develop the voice and body as instruments of musical expression.
- OBJECTIVE 1 Demonstrate ability to sing in tune on an assigned part, with expression, accuracy, and free from strain.
- a. Sing a variety of many simple songs and singing games in tune, in a natural voice, free from strain.
- b. Use the speaking and singing voice in a creative way to characterize a chosen text through manipulation of pitch, volume, tempo, and timbre.
- c. Determine success in singing simple rhythm and pitch patterns accurately.
- Strategy Example: Work together in echo to one another, including opportunities to respond individually. For rhythm patterns, include whole, half, quarter, and eighth notes; tied notes; 4 beamed sixteenth notes, quarter, half, and whole rests. Use 2/4, 3/4, and 4/4 meters. For pitch patterns include so, mi, la, do, re, low la, and high do.
- STANDARD 2 Playing The student will play instruments as a means of musical expression.
- OBJECTIVE 2 Perform independently or with others simple melodies and accompaniments on classroom instruments.
- c. Rate success in playing even, dotted, and syncopated and rhythm/melody patterns in echo to the teacher.
Integrated Standards
- 4th GRADE SCIENCE BENCHMARK Earth materials include rocks, soils, water, and gases. Rock is composed of minerals. Earth materials change over time from one form to another. These changes require energy. Erosion is the movement of materials and weathering is the breakage of bedrock and larger rocks into smaller rocks and soil materials. Soil is continually being formed from weathered rock and plant remains. Soil contains many living organisms. Plants generally get water and minerals from soil.
- STANDARD 3 Students will understand the basic properties of rocks, the processes involved in the formation of soils, and the needs of plants provided by soil.
- OBJECTIVE 1: Identify basic properties of minerals & rocks.
- c. Sort rocks by appearance according to the three basic types: sedimentary, igneous and metamorphic (e.g., sedimentary- rounded-appearing mineral and rock particles that are cemented together, often in layers; igneous-with or without observable crystals that are not in layers or with or without air holes or glass like; metamorphic – crystals/minerals, often in layers).
- d. Classify common rocks found in Utah as sedimentary (i.e., sandstone, conglomerate, shale), igneous (i.e., basalt, granite, obsidian, pumice) and metamorphic (i.e., marble, gneiss, schist).
- OBJECTIVE 2 Explain how the processes of weathering and erosion change and move materials that become soil.
- a. Identify the processes of physical weathering that break down rocks at Earth’s surface (i.e., water movement, freezing, plant growth, wind).
- e. Model erosion of Earth materials and collection of these materials as part of the process that leads to soil (e.g., water moving sand in a playground area and depositing this sand in another area).
Objectives
- Students will be able to compose a Rondo utilizing Orff instruments and vocal patterns that describe the physical characteristics of each rock. Likewise, students will also compose a spoken chant to represent all rocks for the A section of the Rondo.
- Students will become familiar with the different aspects of a Pentatonic scale. They will be able to adapt an Orff metallophone or xylophone to only represent pentatonic pitches.
- Students will have the opportunity to perform their compositions as a class.