Home›Lesson Plans›The Arts›Music · Grade 6

Note Values

Sixth graders learn note values — how long each note lasts in beats — from whole notes to eighth notes, plus rests, the building blocks of reading and performing rhythm.

Grade 6Rhythm45 minutes1 class periodArtistic ProcessExplicit teaching4 StandardsNCAS
Start the Lesson
Assign or share this lesson

Copy link works with Canvas, Schoology, Moodle and any other LMS — paste it in as a resource or assignment.

Lesson at a Glance

Everything you need before the bell rings

Learning Objectives

Students will be able to…

  • ✓Name note values.
  • ✓Count beats per note.
  • ✓Explain rests.
  • ✓Clap a rhythm.
Essential Question

In music, some notes are held long and some are quick. A whole note lasts four beats; a quarter note lasts one. How long does each note last?

0
Lesson Phases
0
Vocabulary Terms
0
Standards Aligned
0
Interactive Task
Match It · Interactive

Match the Note Value

Project this and match each note to how many beats it lasts — tap a note, then tap its beats.

♩ Match each note to how long it lastsTry it
Note
How Long It Lasts
Now tap its beats!
The Lesson · Artistic Process (Listen · Explore · Create · Perform · Reflect)

45 minutes, five moves

Tap any phase to open the teacher moves and student actions.

1

Listen — Long and Short

5 min

Some notes are held long, some are quick — how do we know?

👩‍🏫 Teacher Moves

  • Clap a long vs. short note.
  • Ask how long each lasts.
  • Set the goal.

🎒 Student Actions

  • Clap.
  • Wonder.
  • Predict.
2

Explore — Explore Note Values

11 min

Students explore.

👩‍🏫 Teacher Moves

  • Send students to Match the Note Value.
  • Note the beats.
  • Note rests.

🎒 Student Actions

  • Match.
  • Note beats.
  • Note rests.
3

Create — Create

13 min

Students create.

👩‍🏫 Teacher Moves

  • Clap each note value.
  • Build a 4-beat rhythm.
  • Include a rest.

🎒 Student Actions

  • Clap them.
  • Build it.
  • Add a rest.
4

Perform — Perform

11 min

Students perform.

👩‍🏫 Teacher Moves

  • Perform their rhythm.
  • Count the beats.
  • Give kind feedback.

🎒 Student Actions

  • Perform it.
  • Count.
  • Be kind.
5

Reflect — Reflect

5 min

Students respond.

👩‍🏫 Teacher Moves

  • Name a note’s beats.
  • Explain a rest.
  • Complete the exit ticket.

🎒 Student Actions

  • Name it.
  • Explain it.
  • Complete the exit ticket.
Standards Alignment

Built to the standards you report on

Aligned to the National Core Arts Standards (Music).

NCAS
MU:Pr4.2.6

Read and perform rhythms and note values.

NCAS
MU:Cr1.1.6

Generate rhythmic ideas.

NCAS
MU:Pr6.1.6

Perform with accurate rhythm.

NCAS
MU:Re7.2.6

Analyze how rhythm is notated.

Differentiation

One lesson, every learner

Multilingual Learners

ELL / EMERGING READERS
  • Note-value clap cards.
  • Sentence frame: “A ___ lasts ___ beats.”
  • Clap together.

Support & Access

IEP / 504
  • Start with whole and quarter.
  • Match one at a time.
  • Clap slowly.

Stretch & Extend

GIFTED / EARLY FINISHERS
  • Add sixteenth notes.
  • Write a rhythm.
  • Read a rhythm in 4/4.
Materials

What to gather

  • 📽️Screen / board
  • 🥁Rhythm sticks / drums
  • 💻Match the Note Value
  • 📄Rhythm cards
  • ✏️Pencils
  • 🎫Exit-ticket slips
Vocabulary

Key terms — hover for a quick definition

note valuehow long a note lastsbeatthe steady pulse of musicwhole notea note lasting 4 beatshalf notea note lasting 2 beatsquarter notea note lasting 1 beateighth notea note lasting half a beatresta silence in musicmeasurea group of beats
Evaluate

Exit Ticket

Preview the three formative checks. Tap “Sample answer” to see what mastery looks like — hide them before you print for students.

QUESTION 1
How many beats does a whole note last?
4 beats.
QUESTION 2
How many beats does a quarter note last?
1 beat.
QUESTION 3
What is a rest?
A silence — no sound is played for that many beats.

Reflect: clap a rhythm.

Have students write a four-beat rhythm using different note values and clap it for a family member. A printable note-values sheet is in the Arts library.

Study · Flashcards

Study the key terms

Tap a card to flip it, then rate whether you knew it. Built from this lesson’s vocabulary.

🃏 Note ValuesFlip
Card 1
Term
Tap to flip →
Meaning
0

Nice work!

Practice · Quiz

Check your understanding

A quick self-check with instant feedback, drawn from this lesson’s key terms.

📝 Note ValuesQuiz
Score: 0
1 / 6
Question 1
0%

Nice work!

Practice · Worksheet

Printable worksheet

A print-and-go review sheet with a built-in answer key. Tap “Show answer key” to reveal answers, or print the clean version for students.

🖨️ Note ValuesPrint
Name: ________________________
Date: ____________

Part A · Write the word that matches each meaning

Word bank: beat, eighth note, half note, measure, note value, quarter note, rest, whole note
  1. a note lasting 4 beats
  2. how long a note lasts
  3. the steady pulse of music
  4. a silence in music
  5. a note lasting half a beat
  6. a group of beats
  7. a note lasting 1 beat
  8. a note lasting 2 beats

Part B · Show what you learned

  1. How many beats does a whole note last?
  2. How many beats does a quarter note last?
  3. What is a rest?
Answer key — Part A: 1) whole note · 2) note value · 3) beat · 4) rest · 5) eighth note · 6) measure · 7) quarter note · 8) half note
Part B: 1) 4 beats. 2) 1 beat. 3) A silence — no sound is played for that many beats.