LP duple vs triple meter

							Standards:

New York State Music Standards:
Standard 1—Creating, Performing and Participating in the Arts
Students will actively engage in the processes that constitute creation and performance in
the arts (dance, music, theatre, and visual arts) and participate in various roles in the arts

Objectives:

Students will be able to distinguish music in duple meter from music in triple meter
(music “in two” vs. “in three”)

Level:

Third grade

Time:

Two thirty minute class periods

Materials:

-Posters with song lyrics, body percussion symbols for the songs
        “Take Me Out to the Ballgame” and “Yankee Doodle”
-Guitar
-Tubanos

Music lyrics and guitar chords available at:
http://www.storytimesongs.com/guitar.html

Recordings:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=znEePD1nJxo (Stars and Stripes Forever)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Wz_4XLRZl24 (Daisy Bell (Bicycle Built for Two))
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JZuvUWJRRbc&feature=related (You’re a Grand Old
Flag)

Procedure:

1. Teach students to sing the songs “Take Me Out to the Ballgame” and “Yankee
Doodle.” Use guitar to accompany them singing. Use Bass-chord-chord or Bass-chord-
bass-chord accompaniment patterns to emphasize the meter auditorily.

2. Explain that some music is written in triple meter and some in duple meter. Teach
students the following body percussion motions:
       -Patsch-clap-clap for music in triple meter (“in three”) and
       -Patsch-clap for music in duple meter (“in two”)

3. Have students listen to part of the accompaniments for “Take Me Out to the Ball
Game” and “Yankee Doodle.” Have them use the motions to help decide whether each
type of music is in duple or triple meter.

4. Have students sing each song with guitar accompaniment and with body percussion
pattern appropriate for that song.

5. Transfer body percussion to instruments: for the patschen have students play the
tubano close to the edge with a downward motion, for the claps have the students strike
the center of the tubano with a forward sweeping motion.

6. Have students sing with guitar accompaniment while about three students play the
rhythm pattern on tubanos.

7. Listen to recordings of various pieces of music in duple and triple meter. Have
students use body percussion to help them determine which is the type of meter for each.
Use your own favorites. I have suggested some Youtube videos with good examples for
listening and determining meter.

8. The songs can be repeated as warm-ups for future classes to give different children the
opportunity to play the rhythm patterns on the tubanos.

Take Me Out to the Ballgame

G                  D
Take me out to the ballgame.

G                   D
Take me out with the crowd.

e                      C
Buy me some peanuts and cracker jacks.

            D
I don't care if I ever get back

G
For it's root, root, root

D
For the home team.

G                       C
If they don't win it's a shame.

    G
For it's 1 - 2 - 3 strikes you're out

   C D G
At the old ball game!
Yankee Doodle

C                     G7
Yankee Doodle went to town,

C             G7
Riding on a pony.

C              F
Stuck a feather in his hat

  G7             C
And called it macaroni.

F
Yankee Doodle, keep it up.

C
Yankee Doodle dandy.

F
Mind the music and the step,

   C        G7       C
And with the girls be handy!



Song lyrics and guitar chords retrieved 6/12/2010 from
http://www.storytimesongs.com/guitar.html