Reading Comprehension · Music Education
What Is Music? Reading Comprehension Lesson
A printable reading comprehension worksheet introducing students to the properties of music — notes, pitch, melody, harmony, and rhythm.
Subject
Reading
Grade Level
Grades 3–7
Resource Type
Worksheet
Skill Focus
Music Education — Properties of Sound and Music
What Is Music?
Music is composed of little pieces of sound called notes. Sound itself is vibrations in the air that are decoded through your brain by your ears. There are twelve notes in music. If you heard each one individually, you would notice that they sound different from each other — they seem to climb a ladder, moving from lower to higher pitches. The thirteenth step sounds like the first step, only higher. This repeating pattern is what gives music its structure.
Each note has a name. The notes are named using the first seven letters of the alphabet: A, B, C, D, E, F, and G. After G, the pattern repeats again from A, but at a higher pitch. The distance between two notes that share the same name (one higher than the other) is called an octave.
When notes are played together at the same time, they create harmony. When notes are played one after another in sequence, they create a melody. Melody is what we think of as the “tune” of a song — the part you can hum or sing. Together, melody and harmony give music its emotional character and complexity.
The Elements of Music
Beyond notes, music has several important elements. Rhythm is the pattern of beats over time — the steady pulse you feel when you tap your foot to a song. Tempo refers to how fast or slow the music moves. A fast tempo creates a lively, energetic feeling; a slow tempo creates a calm or serious mood.
Dynamics refer to the loudness or softness of music. A section marked forte (Italian for “strong”) is played loudly, while a section marked piano (Italian for “soft”) is played quietly. Dynamics give music its emotional range and contrast.
All of these elements — notes, melody, harmony, rhythm, tempo, and dynamics — work together to create the music we hear every day. Understanding how they fit together helps students develop musical literacy and a deeper appreciation for both listening to and creating music.
Download the Worksheet
Full Members can download the printable PDF worksheet and answer key.
Looking for more reading comprehension worksheets? Browse all reading lessons or become a Full Member to access every printable PDF.