📖

Accelerando and Ritardando

Tempo Changes

Day 137of 180
Week 28of 36
20Minutes
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🖨️ Download Worksheet (PDF)
🎯 What You'll Learn

Learning Objectives

1

Understand that music can change speed (tempo)

2

Recognize and demonstrate accelerando and ritardando

3

Develop listening skills and musical awareness

📖 Scripture Connection

Psalm 150:3-5

“Praise him with the sound of the trumpet. Praise him with the psaltery and harp! Praise him with tambourine and dancing! Praise him with stringed instruments and pipes!”

— Psalm 150:3-5 (WEB)

Demonstrates the joy and variety of musical expression, showing how different tempos and instruments can praise God

📦 Materials Needed

  • BibleMouse audio tracks
  • Tempo cards
  • Simple percussion instrument (optional)
  • World English Bible
📚 Step-by-Step

Lesson Plan

1Opening (3 min)

Recall yesterday's lesson about different music speeds. Ask child to show a 'fast' movement and a 'slow' movement.

💭 Review Question: What did we learn about music speeds yesterday?
2Teaching (7 min)

Introduce new musical terms: accelerando (speeding up) and ritardando (slowing down)

📌 Key Talking Points:
  • Music can change speed just like we can walk fast or slow
  • Accelerando means the music gets faster and faster
  • Ritardando means the music gets slower and slower
💬 Discussion Questions:
  • Can you think of times when music might speed up or slow down?
  • How does changing speed make music feel different?
3Activity: Tempo Change Dance (8 min)
listening

Listen to BibleMouse audio tracks and move to demonstrate tempo changes

📝 Instructions:
  1. Listen carefully to the music
  2. When music speeds up, move faster
  3. When music slows down, move more slowly
  4. Use whole body to express tempo changes
🔄 Variations:

Simpler: Parent demonstrates movements first

Challenge: Child leads movements, parent follows

4Closing (3 min)

Review new musical terms and demonstrate understanding

📝 Review Questions:
  • What is accelerando?
  • What is ritardando?

Coming up: Tomorrow we'll practice controlling our own music tempo!

👨‍👩‍👧 For Parents

Teaching Notes

📚 Background:

Young children learn best through movement and play

💡 Teaching Tips:
  • Use exaggerated movements to help child understand
  • Make learning fun and playful
  • Praise effort and participation
🤔 Common Struggles:

Distinguishing between subtle tempo changes

👀 Signs of Understanding:

Child's ability to change movement speed with music

🚀 Want More?

Extension Activities

  • Use BibleMouse Printables Library for tempo-related coloring sheets
  • Practice tempo changes with simple instruments from BibleMouse Resource Guide

Ready for Tomorrow?

Great job completing today's lesson!

Continue to Day 138 →Back to Music