ARTS EDUCATION TEACHER HANDBOOK

MIDDLE SCHOOL LESSON PLAN

Submitted by Rebecca Green and Margaret Rehder, Winston-Salem/Forsyth Schools

Lesson Title:
Music Composition

Grade Level or Course:
Grade 6 (Instrumental Music) *May be adapted for more or less advanced students, 6-12.

Time Allotment:
Per assignment: minimum of 45 minutes

Targeted Goals and Objectives from the 2000 North Carolina Arts Education Standard Course
of Study and Grade Level Competencies, K-12:

• 4.01 Compose short pieces using the basic elements of music to demonstrate repetition and contrast, and tension and release.
• 4.02 Create an arrangement of an existing composition, using different voices and/or instruments.
• 4.03 Use a variety of sound, notational, and technological sources to compose and arrange music.
• 4.04 Show respect for the composing and arranging efforts of others.
• 5.01 Read whole, half, quarter, eighth, sixteenth, and dotted note and rest durations in 2/3, 3/4, 4/4, 6/8, 3/8, 2/2, and mixed meters.
• 5.02 Read melodic notation in the treble and bass clefs.
• 5.03 Identify symbols and traditional terms referring to expressive musical qualities including dynamics and tempo.
• 5.04 Use standard symbols to notate meter, rhythm, pitch, and dynamics in simple patterns.
• 5.05 Show respect for the reading and notating efforts of others.
• 7.02 Evaluate the quality and effectiveness of compositions, arrangements, and improvisations by applying specific criteria appropriate for the style of the music and offer constructive suggestions for improvement.
• 7.04 Show respect for the musical efforts and opinions of others.

Targeted Goals and Objectives from the North Carolina Standard Course of Study and Grade
Level Competencies, K-12 for other content areas:

Mathematics: Select appropriate units and tools for measurement tasks within problem-solving situations; determine precision and check for reasonableness of results.

Alignment with NC High School Exit Exam:

Communication

• 4 - listen carefully and thoughtfully to understand, record, and synthesize information
• 7 - follow instructions to draw conclusions or make informed decisions

Processing Information

• 9 - analyze information by comparing, contrasting, and summarizing to make informed decisions
• 11 - synthesize information from several sources to apply that information to a new situation
• 12 - organize tasks to accomplish an objective

Problem Solving

• 15 - plan logical steps and organize resources to accomplish a task within a given time frame

Using Numbers and Data

• 22 - apply real number operation and relationships (e.g., absolute value, radical expression, exponents) to solve problems related to home, work, and the environment
• 26 - use relationships among fractions, decimals, and percents to demonstrate understanding of mathematical and scientific concepts
  

Lesson Objective(s):

Student follows pre-set criteria to compose an original melody.

Materials/Equipment Needed:

Blank manuscript paper and pencils. Optional: Music notation software and computer; variety of instruments to perform melodies

Lesson Procedure:

The following example is for first-year students who have been taught the notes for a D-Major scale, basic rhythm notation, clefs, and time signatures. *This assignment may be adapted to more or less advanced students by adding or subtracting criteria.

Teacher writes following assignment on the board:

1. Write a four-measure melody.
2. Write your clef and a 4/4 time signature.
3. Use whole, half, dotted half, and quarter notes and rests.
4. Choose from the following pitches: D, E, F#, G, A , B, C#.
5. End the piece on D.

While students work, teacher circulates to check work, monitor progress. When a student has a melody that is notated correctly, either have the student play it on their instrument or play it for them.

Assessment:

• Informal discussions.
• Oral questions posed to whole class or individuals.
• Grade papers based on accuracy of rhythm, meeting of all criteria, and correct notation of all symbols.

Special Considerations:

Can be adapted to general and choral music classes as well as instrumental. Can be adjusted easily to the learning abilities of the students.

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