Introduction to Mallet Instruments

Rationale: The purpose of this lesson is to

get students familiar with playing mallet
instruments.

Materials/Equipment: Mallet instruments

(Glockenspiel, xylophone, metallophone, etc.),
mallets, name tags for instruments, paper
prints of keyboards
2014 Nick Perez

TEKS Achieved:
Mus 3.1a-categorize a variety of musical
sounds
Mus 3.4a- create rhythmic phrases
Mus 3.4b-create melodic phrases
Mus 3.2a- sing or play a classroom instrument
independently or in groups

Blooms Taxonomy:
Knowledge
Comprehension
Application

Differentiated Learning:
Auditory
Kinesthetic
Verbal/Linguistic

Visual/Spatial
Logical/Math
Musical

Classroom Strategies:
Cooperative Groups
Lecture
Whole-group

Hands-On

Submitted by: Nick Perez for Grade Levels 3-5

Objectives:

(Statements about what the children will do, written out as the student will. Include
music objectives as well as objectives for your chosen content area(s). Refer to the TEKS.)

TSW learn how to play a mallet instrument

TSW learn about the different types of mallet instruments and mallets
TSW play a chord bordun on a steady beat
TSW improvise on the mallet instrument

Lesson Plan:
Set up:
Set up the instruments in a circle with enough room to walk behind a person if
they were sitting in front of it. Place the mallets on the ground in front of the
instrument and name tags on the other side of the instrument so its on the inside
of the circle. Set up an area where students can go if they are misbehaving. Put a
paper copy of mallet keys so they can play along with their fingers.
Introduction:
Tell the students they will be playing mallet instruments. Tell them its going to be
a lot of fun as long as they follow the rules. Take the students to the stage and
have the instruments hidden behind a curtain. Open the curtain, revealing the
instruments.
1. Instructions
Tell the students not to go through the center of the circle, to always
walk, and not touch anything until they are instructed to.
Tell the students they will walk up to the instruments and sit down crisscross and not touch anything. Ask for a volunteer to demonstrate doing
this correctly. Praise the student if they do it well. Ask them to try again if
they do it incorrectly.
After the demonstrator is done, point to the students one at a time to
chose an instrument to sit in front of.
2. Mallets
Instruct the students to pick up the mallet with their left hand. Tell them
to make a gun with their thumb and pointer finger in their right hand and
pinch. Then tell them to gently wrap their fingers around the stick, not
using too much pressure. Demonstrate these steps on sticks where
everyone can see.
Repeat process with other hand.
Tell them to alien (putting the mallets on your head like antennas). Tell
them when I say alien they have to stop playing immediately and put
the mallets on their head.
Show them playing position, which is holding the mallets above the bars.
3. Playing
Tell the students how they will play the instrument. Tell them they will
gently bounce the mallet on the center of the bars and try to envision
pulling the sound out.
Tell them to practice on any note or notes they choose. Walk around
correcting any mistakes, such as how they are holding the mallets or
where they are hitting the bar.
Tell the students to then find the lowest C in their left hand and place
the mallet on top of it. Correct any mistakes.

Have the students play this note on a ta, rest pattern while I keep a beat on my sticks. Walk around and correct any
mistakes
Tell the students to then find the lowest G in their right hand and place the mallet on top of it. Correct any
mistakes.
Have the students play this note on a ta, rest pattern while I keep a beat on my sticks. Walk around and correct any
mistakes.
Have the students then play both notes simultaneously on a ta, rest pattern. Correct any mistakes.
Have the students put the sticks down, stand up, and move two instruments to the right.
Repeat the previous two steps until everybody has played every instrument
Ask the students what the differences they can see and hear in the instruments. Try to get as many as possible and
add ones they are missing.
4. Improvise
Ask the students if they know what a solo is. If they dont, tell them. Then tell the students we are going to take turns
playing solos. If a student wants to take a solo, tell them to indicate it by turning their instrument name tag sideways.
Tell the students we will keep a steady beat like we have been doing while one student takes a turn soloing. Then we
will stop and let another student have a turn. Do this until every student who wanted a turn gets a turn.

Accommodations:
1. If there is a student with ADD and cannot control themselves, put them in the area with the paper co they can at least
participate that way.
2. If there is an ELL, learn a few key words in Spanish, to give broad directions. Get them to walk and not play out of turn
using key words. Show them how to hold it and play by visually demonstrating. Also, if they are not understanding, putting
them next to a student who can translate will help.

Assessment/Evaluation: (State a method of evaluating whether or not the students learned the concepts or skills listed in the objectives above.
State WHAT will be assessed and HOW it will be assessed.)

1. Every physical skill, such as playing, mallet grip, etc., will be evaluated in the moment by the teacher by looking at the
technique being used and correcting any mistakes.
2. Evaluation of knowledge of how to hold the mallet and the differences in the mallets and instruments is assessed
throughout the lesson by questioning the students.