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Tempo Markings

Seventh graders learn the Italian tempo markings musicians use — from largo (very slow) to presto (very fast) — the words that tell a performer exactly how fast to play a piece.

Grade 7Tempo45 minutes1 class periodArtistic ProcessExplicit teaching4 StandardsNCAS
Start the Lesson
Lesson at a Glance

Everything you need before the bell rings

Learning Objectives

Students will be able to…

  • ✓Explain tempo.
  • ✓Know Italian markings.
  • ✓Order them slow to fast.
  • ✓Play at a tempo.
Essential Question

At the top of sheet music, an Italian word tells you the speed — the tempo. What do these markings mean, from slowest to fastest?

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Lesson Phases
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Vocabulary Terms
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Standards Aligned
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Interactive Task
Put in Order · Interactive

Order the Tempo Markings

Project this and have students put the tempo markings in order from slowest to fastest.

🎵 Put the tempos in order — slowest to fastest!Try it
Tap the slowest tempo!
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 — An Italian Word for Speed

5 min

A word at the top of the music tells the speed — what do they mean?

👩‍🏫 Teacher Moves

  • Show a tempo marking.
  • Ask what speed it is.
  • Warm up.

🎒 Student Actions

  • Look.
  • Guess.
  • Get ready.
2

Explore — Tempo Markings

11 min

Students explore.

👩‍🏫 Teacher Moves

  • Send students to Order the Tempo Markings.
  • Order slow to fast.
  • Say them aloud.

🎒 Student Actions

  • Order.
  • Say.
  • Name.
3

Create — Create

13 min

Students create.

👩‍🏫 Teacher Moves

  • Clap at largo.
  • Clap at presto.
  • Change tempo.

🎒 Student Actions

  • Slow.
  • Fast.
  • Change.
4

Perform — Perform

11 min

Students perform.

👩‍🏫 Teacher Moves

  • Perform a rhythm at a marking.
  • Match the tempo.
  • Give critique.

🎒 Student Actions

  • Perform it.
  • Match it.
  • Critique.
5

Reflect — Reflect

5 min

Students respond.

👩‍🏫 Teacher Moves

  • Name the slowest marking.
  • Name the fastest.
  • Complete the exit ticket.

🎒 Student Actions

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

Built to the standards you report on

Aligned to the National Core Arts Standards (Music).

NCAS
MU:Pr4.2.7

Perform at a given tempo.

NCAS
MU:Re7.2.7

Describe tempo markings.

NCAS
MU:Pr5.1.7

Adjust tempo in performance.

NCAS
MU:Re7.1.7

Recognize tempo.

Differentiation

One lesson, every learner

Multilingual Learners

ELL / EMERGING READERS
  • Tempo-marking cards.
  • Sentence frame: “___ means ___ speed.”
  • Clap the tempos.

Support & Access

IEP / 504
  • Start with largo vs. presto.
  • Clap along.
  • Order two at a time.

Stretch & Extend

GIFTED / EARLY FINISHERS
  • Add moderato and vivace.
  • Change tempo mid-piece.
  • Explain accelerando.
Materials

What to gather

  • 📽️Screen / board
  • 🎵Sheet-music examples
  • 💻Order the Tempo Markings
  • 👏A metronome
  • 🖍️Pencils
  • 🎫Exit-ticket slips
Vocabulary

Key terms — hover for a quick definition

tempothe speed of the musiclargovery slowadagioslowandantewalking paceallegrofastprestovery fastmetronomea steady beat toolBPMbeats per minute
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
What is the slowest tempo marking here?
Largo (very slow).
QUESTION 2
What is the fastest tempo marking here?
Presto (very fast).
QUESTION 3
What does “andante” mean?
A walking pace.

Reflect: set the tempo.

Have students clap a rhythm at a slow tempo (largo), then a fast one (presto). A printable tempo 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.

🃏 Tempo MarkingsFlip
Card 1
Term
Tap to flip →
Meaning
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Nice work!

Practice · Quiz

Check your understanding

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

📝 Tempo MarkingsQuiz
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.

🖨️ Tempo MarkingsPrint
Name: ________________________
Date: ____________

Part A · Write the word that matches each meaning

Word bank: adagio, allegro, andante, BPM, largo, metronome, presto, tempo
  1. very slow
  2. the speed of the music
  3. slow
  4. walking pace
  5. very fast
  6. a steady beat tool
  7. beats per minute
  8. fast

Part B · Show what you learned

  1. What is the slowest tempo marking here?
  2. What is the fastest tempo marking here?
  3. What does “andante” mean?
Answer key — Part A: 1) largo · 2) tempo · 3) adagio · 4) andante · 5) presto · 6) metronome · 7) BPM · 8) allegro
Part B: 1) Largo (very slow). 2) Presto (very fast). 3) A walking pace.