By Dr. Adriana Janse van Rensburg<br /> Lesson Plan <br /> Music Composition Elementary – Middle -High 2 - 4 lessons<br /> Students will compose a piece of music by using only triads to create a melody and accompaniment.<br /> Objectives<br /> Within 2-4 lessons, students will compose a piece of music based on the three notes of a triad. In the process the student will:<br /> • Explore the concept “triad”.<br /> • Write triads in root position.<br /> • Explore “block” and “broken” chords.<br /> • Write a melody or accompaniment pattern based on triad manipulation.<br /> Concepts<br /> • Triad<br /> • Block Chord<br /> • Arpeggiated or Broken Chord<br /> • Primary Triads (I, IV , V)<br /> • Thirds<br /> • Harmonic Progression<br /> • Cadence<br /> • Harmonic scheme/plan<br /> Photocopiable templates included.

<p>Students will compose a basic, short cellphone (mobile phone) ringtone composition.<br /> Within 2 lessons, students will compose a short piece of cellphone ringtone music.<br /> • Acquire a knowledge of the characteristics of a ringtone<br /> • Analyze well-known ringtones<br /> • Compose a loop pattern<br /> Concepts<br /> • Ringtones<br /> • Composition length<br /> • Loop<br /> • Rhythm<br /> • Notation<br /> • Timbre<br /> Included: sample ringtones and an assignment rubric handout</p>

This lesson is aimed at the piano studio.<br /> Students will compose a piece of piano music based on a well-known melody and follow a step-by-step guide to “jazzify” the piece.<br /> Objectives<br /> Within 4-6 lessons students will prepare a jazzy piece for piano. In the process the student will:<br /> • Acquire knowledge of the different ways in which a piece may be altered.<br /> • Analyze the various parameters that may be altered to achieve a different style, e.g., rhythm, melody, effects, etc.<br /> • Plan the structure of a composition.<br /> • Focus on the interplay between recognizable melodic material and jazz-effect development of the material.<br /> • Learn, review and practice basic compositional techniques such as repetition, sequence and/or ornamentation.<br /> • Practice short “jazzified” melodic fragments on the piano.<br /> • Explore basic techniques of extending a composition.<br /> • Acquire, review or practice melodic and rhythmic staff notation.<br /> Concepts<br /> • Accompaniment jazz bass styles, e.g., boogie bass, stride bass, etc.<br /> • Crushed notes<br /> • Seventh chord<br /> • Syncopated rhythm<br /> • Dotted rhythms<br /> • Melodic “filler”<br /> <br /> A 6-step plan is provided to &quot;jazzify&quot; a piece.

Students will compose a piece of music based on musical fragmentation of the song &quot;Auld Lang Syne&quot;. For Studio or School: Late elementary - High School.<br /> <br /> They will name their compositions, and practice and perform the composition with an optional additional accompaniment (self-composed or from the original sheet music).<br /> The composition assignment is designed as an individual composition (e.g. for use in the piano studio setting) or as a classroom composition (e.g. for use in schools).<br /> Objectives<br /> Within 1-2 lessons, students will compose a piece of music inspired by a given composition (in this example Auld Lang Syne). In the process the student will:<br /> • Acquire knowledge of the motivic structure of a composition<br /> • Learn and memorize through practice to fragment and develop a motif<br /> • Learn, review and practice basic compositional techniques such as repetition, sequence and/or fragmentation<br /> • Explore the principles of variation<br /> • Practice short melodic fragments on a melodic instrument<br /> • Explore basic techniques of extending a composition<br /> • Acquire, review or practice basic staff notation<br /> Concepts:<br /> • Melody<br /> • Rhythm<br /> • Motif<br /> • Repetition<br /> • Sequence<br /> • Fragmentation<br /> • Variation

Overview<br /> Lesson Plan<br /> Music Composition <br /> Elementary - Middle 2 - 4 lessons<br /> Students will compose a piece of music that has secret codes (their names, last names, birth month, etc.) embedded in the melody. They will name their compositions, practice and perform the composition with a provided backtrack for live recording of the final product.<br /> As follow-up activity in successive lessons, explore adding accompaniment.<br /> Objectives<br /> Within 2-4 lessons, students will compose a piece of music based on the 7 musical letters. In the process the student will:<br /> • Acquire knowledge of the 7 musical letters, ABCDEFG<br /> • Learn and memorize through practice to write the 7 musical letters on the treble staff<br /> • Learn, review and practice basic note values<br /> • Practice short melodic fragments on a melodic instrument<br /> • Explore basic techniques of extending a composition<br /> • Acquire, review or practice basic staff notation<br /> • Play a melody to a steady beat (provided by a backtrack)

Students will compose an instrumental piece that includes a body percussion part. This lesson is aimed at piano composition.<br /> Objectives<br /> Within 3-4 lessons (depending on level), students will prepare a piece. In the process the student will:<br /> • Use current notation skills;<br /> • Use standard notation;<br /> • Expand rhythm skills;<br /> • Learn to write for a non-melodic part;<br /> • Consider how a percussive part enhances a melodic composition.<br /> Concepts<br /> • Beat<br /> • Rhythm<br /> • Percussion<br /> • Upbeat (anacrusis)<br /> • Strong beat<br /> • Echo<br /> • Repetition<br /> Included: Sample composition and prompts.

Lesson Plan<br /> Elementary - Middle - High School<br /> 2-4 lessons<br /> Students will compose a piece of music based on word games. They will practice and perform the composition with an optional additional accompaniment (self-composed or backtrack) to match the composition topic.<br /> Objectives<br /> Within 2-4 lessons, students will compose a piece of music for voice and speech choir inspired by a play on the words “day”. In the process the student will:<br /> • Explore speech rhythms<br /> • Translate a speech rhythm to notation<br /> • Learn and memorize through practice to write a rhythmic motif and develop a motif<br /> • Learn, review and practice basic compositional techniques such as repetition, sequence and/or fragmentation<br /> • Explore setting words to music<br /> • Practice short fragments on a instrument<br /> • Explore basic techniques of extending a composition<br /> • Acquire, review or practice basic staff notation<br /> Concepts<br /> • Melody<br /> • Rhythm<br /> • Motif<br /> • Repetition<br /> • Sequence<br /> • Fragmentation<br /> • Voice parts<br /> • Triads<br /> • Setting words to a rhythm

Overview<br /> Lesson Plan and<br /> Appendix A<br /> Music Composition Elementary – Middle - High 2 - 3 lessons<br /> Students will compose a piece of music using a landscape as inspiration. They will name their compositions, and practice and perform the composition.<br /> Objectives<br /> Within 2-3 lessons, students will compose a piece of music inspired by a landscape. In the process the student will:<br /> • Analyze a visual image<br /> • Identify and define elements of art and music: line, color, form, contour, contrast, etc.<br /> • Make connections between various art forms<br /> • Analyze how visual image and sound image are similar and different<br /> • Explore new writing and playing techniques to accommodate soundscape creation<br /> • Explore soundscapes as compositional device<br /> Concepts<br /> • Contour<br /> • Line<br /> • Scales<br /> • Pitch<br /> • Timbre (tone color)<br /> • Glissando<br /> • Accents<br /> • Dynamics<br /> • Mood

Overview<br /> Lesson Plan<br /> Music Composition Elementary – Middle - High 1 lesson<br /> Students will compose a melody using a random selector for pitch, but within certain structural and tonal parameters. They will practice and perform the melody.<br /> Objectives<br /> Within one lesson, students will compose a melody. In the process the student will:<br /> • Explore rhythms as per their curriculum guide<br /> • Explore the steps of a scale<br /> • Understand functional concepts about tones within the scale: home note/tonic (tonal center), semitone relationship of<br /> steps 3-4 and 7-8<br /> • Learn, review and practice basic compositional techniques such as repetition, sequence and/or fragmentation if the<br /> melody is used to extend into a larger piece<br /> • Explore basic techniques of extending a composition<br /> • Acquire, review or practice basic staff notation<br /> Concepts<br /> • Melody<br /> • Rhythm<br /> • Tonal system (major, minor)<br /> • Semitones<br /> • Home note / tonic (tonal center)<br /> • Scale<br /> • Pitch relationships

Lesson Plan<br /> Music Composition Elementary – Middle - High 1-4 lessons<br /> Students will compose a melody using a scale, (with optional template provided) but within certain structural and tonal parameters. They will practice and perform the melody.<br /> Use major/minor or chromatic as needed for your syllabus.<br /> Objectives<br /> Within one lesson, students will compose a scale-based melody. In the process the student will:<br /> • Explore rhythms as per their curriculum guide<br /> • Explore pitch as per their curriculum guide<br /> • Explore the steps of a scale<br /> • Learn, review and practice basic compositional techniques such as repetition, sequence and/or fragmentation if the scale-<br /> melody is used to extend into a larger piece<br /> • Explore basic techniques of “linking” sections of a composition through scales<br /> • Acquire, review or practice basic staff notation<br /> Concepts<br /> • Melody<br /> • Rhythm<br /> • Scale<br /> • Steps of the scale<br /> • Home note / tonic (tonal center)<br /> • Whole tone/Half tone<br /> Photocopiable template included

Overview<br /> Middle and High School<br /> 4-6 lessons<br /> Students will compose a multi-media composition. They will name the project, and practice and perform the composition synchronizing live self-composed and recorded music with a slide-show presentation.<br /> The composition is designed as a 2-minute (20 seconds per slide) performance with the accompanying 10-image slideshow.<br /> Optional: Make your own 10-image slideshow presentation.<br /> Objectives<br /> Within 4-6 lessons, students will prepare a project inspired by a 10-image slideshow. In the process the student will:<br /> • Acquire knowledge of the different ways in which images inspire sound;<br /> • Analyze the graphic and artistic qualities of an image to determine the exact parameters of how the image may inspire sound;<br /> • Use a graphic organizer to delineate the sound structure;<br /> • Plan the structure of a composition;<br /> • Learn and memorize through practice to write motifs reflecting the image;<br /> • Focus on the interplay between sound and silence;<br /> • Learn, review and practice basic compositional techniques such as repetition, sequence and/or fragmentation<br /> • Practice short melodic fragments on a melodic instrument;<br /> • Explore basic techniques of extending a composition;<br /> • Acquire, review or practice basic staff notation and graphic notation;<br /> • Explore various recording options of self-composed materials;<br /> • Plan a multi-media presentation of live and recorded music synchronized with images.<br /> Concepts<br /> • Program Music<br /> • Melody and rhythm<br /> • Motif<br /> • Repetition<br /> • Sequence<br /> • Fragmentation<br /> • Sound and silence

Overview<br /> Lesson Plan<br /> Music Composition <br /> Elementary – Middle - High <br /> 1 lesson<br /> Students will compose a melody using a random selections of manipulatives (“stuff”), e.g. buttons, string, post-it notes, etc., to establish pitch, but within certain structural and tonal parameters. They will practice and perform the melody.<br /> Objectives<br /> Within one lesson, students will compose a melody. In the process the student will:<br /> • Explore rhythms as per their curriculum guide<br /> • Explore line-space-line, or skips, or the steps of a scale<br /> • Learn, review and practice basic writing techniques such as line, space, skips, note size, grammar or writing, spacing of<br /> notes, placing notes on a staff, stem directions, etc.<br /> • Explore basic techniques of starting a composition<br /> • Acquire, review or practice basic staff notation<br /> Concepts<br /> • Melody<br /> • Rhythm<br /> • Pitch<br /> • Staff<br /> • Home note<br /> • Stepwise and skips<br /> • Pitch relationships

Lesson Plan<br /> Music Composition Elementary – Middle - High <br /> 2 - 3 lessons<br /> Students will compose a piece of music using basic variation form techniques. They will select a simple, well-known melody and create 3 to 4 variations, and practice and perform the composition.<br /> Objectives<br /> Within 2-3 lessons, students will compose a piece of music using basic variation techniques. In the process the student will:<br /> • Explore and analyze pitch and rhythm<br /> • Explore and analyze formal structure<br /> • Learn and memorize through practice to write a rhythmic and/or melodic motif and develop a motif<br /> • Learn, review and practice basic compositional techniques such as repetition, sequence and/or fragmentation to create<br /> variations<br /> • Analyze the character and mood changes particular variations techniques lend to a piece<br /> • Explore variation form as a basic technique of extending a composition<br /> • Acquire, review or practice basic staff notation<br /> Concepts<br /> • Melody<br /> • Rhythm<br /> • Motif<br /> • Repetition<br /> • Sequence<br /> • Fragmentation<br /> • Character/Mood<br /> • Tonality<br /> • Accompaniment style<br /> • Meter

Students will compose an instrumental piece (for elementary school) or a song with lyrics and melody (middle school), using a step-by-step guide, celebrating Fall.<br /> Leaf template provided to make either a shaped composition (Concrete Poem) or to add to a wall display, bulletin board for presentation.<br /> Within 2-4 lessons, elementary school students will compose a song. In the process the student will:<br /> • Explore visual connectors between falling leaves and “falling” (descending) melodic line<br /> • Explore high to low in pitch<br /> • Use a treble staff plotting high to low lines<br /> • Learn line notes or space notes on the treble staff<br /> • Perform with attention to mood, color, tempo to reflect falling leaves<br /> Within 2-4 lessons, middle school students will compose a song. In the process the student will:<br /> • Explore “synonyms”<br /> • Plan a poem<br /> • Connect the “self” to the poem<br /> • Scan a poem for stressed syllables<br /> • Identify the pulse of the poem<br /> • Segment the poem to segment into measures<br /> • Rework a poem into lyrics<br /> • Explore basic techniques of extending, fragmenting, developing a poem into lyrics<br /> • Acquire, review or practice basic staff notation

<p>Music Composition Lesson Plan<br /> Students will compose music using a basic steady beat and introduce chanting/rapping speech rhythms to the beat. After the initial improvisatory phase, students will notate the rhythms they chanted to the beat. In the process the students will:<br /> • Introduce themselves at the start of the school year<br /> • Learn about steady beat, pulse, meter, metronome<br /> • Learn about chanting/rapping speech patterns to a rhythm<br /> • Learn about rhythm and basic note values<br /> • Distinguish between beat and rhythm<br /> • Improvise rhythm patterns using self-generated lyrics<br /> • Compose rhythm patterns using self-generated lyrics<br /> • Explore basic techniques of extending a composition<br /> • Acquire, review or practice basic theory knowledge<br /> • Perform to a steady beat (provided by a metronome or backtrack)</p>

<p>Students will compose a piece of “body music*” (Keith Terry, Crosspulse). They will name their compositions, and practice and perform the composition with an optional additional accompaniment (self-composed or backtrack). Templates, graphic organizers, composition plan included.<br /> Objectives<br /> Within 2-4 lessons, students will compose a piece of music inspired by body percussion. In the process the student will:<br /> • Acquire knowledge of the basic formal structure of a composition<br /> • Learn and memorize through practice to write a rhythmic motif<br /> • Learn, review and practice basic compositional techniques such as repetition and/or fragmentation<br /> • Practice short rhythmic fragments<br /> • Explore basic techniques of extending a composition<br /> • Acquire, review or practice basic rhythm notation<br /> • Acquire, review or practice concepts of meter, time signature, beat, pulse and rhythm.</p>

<p>Students will compose a radio or audio drama.<br /> Music Composition Elementary – Middle - High<br /> • Acquire knowledge of the genre radio or audio drama<br /> • Learn how to develop a poem/play or skit into an audio version<br /> • Analyze, plan and develop radio drama components, e.g., narrative, dialogue, title music, sting, ambient sound, sound<br /> effects<br /> • Plot a soundboard for a radio/audio drama<br /> • Explore basic techniques of layering sound<br /> • Acquire, review or practice technology for performing and making a sound recording<br /> Concepts<br /> • Radio drama<br /> • Audio drama<br /> • Narrative<br /> • Voice actor<br /> • Dialogue<br /> • Sound/Silence<br /> • Theme music<br /> • Background music<br /> • Sound effects<br /> • Sting<br /> • Ambient sound</p>

<p>Music Composition and Technology lesson plan: Ringtones II for Advanced. Students will compose or generate a ringtone, save it as a file, and upload to their cellphone/mobile. This lesson is for more advanced groups using the class set of iPads or their personal iPad or cellphone/mobile.<br /> The GarageBand app would need to be installed on the device.<br /> • Acquire a knowledge of how to compose a ringtone using GarageBand<br /> • Save the newly created composition in GarageBand and export as a ringtone<br /> • Find the ringtone on your phone’s settings and set as new ringtone<br /> Concepts<br /> • Ringtones<br /> • Composition length<br /> • Loop<br /> • Instrument<br /> • Timbre<br /> Included: screen shots for setting up the ringtone and student assignment sheet.</p>

<p>Students will compose a piece of music that is inspired by a short narrative.<br /> This lesson is aimed at the piano studio, but works equally well for the general music class.<br /> Objectives<br /> Within 2-4 lessons, students will compose a piece of music based on a narrative. In the process the student will:<br /> • Acquire knowledge of how to characterize sound to be descriptive<br /> • Learn more about descriptive/program music<br /> • Learn, review and practice basic note values<br /> • Learn how to use basic notes and rhythms to produce a particular mood or character<br /> • Practice short melodic patterns on an instrument<br /> • Explore basic techniques of creating mood, character and description in a composition<br /> • Acquire, review or practice basic staff notation<br /> Included: sample composition and 9 short sample narratives to use</p>

<p>Aleatoric (Chance Music) Composition lesson for kids: Students will compose a melody using a random selector for pitch (paper pinwheel spinner) to generate pitches for a melody.<br /> Within one to four lessons, students will compose a melody and expand it to a larger piece. In the process the students will:<br /> • Explore the steps of a scale<br /> • Explore pitch<br /> • Explore rhythms as per your curriculum guide<br /> • Understand functional concepts about tones within the scale: home note/tonic (tonal center)<br /> • Learn, review and practice basic compositional techniques such as repetition, sequence and/or fragmentation if the melody is used to extend into a larger piece<br /> • Explore basic techniques of extending a composition<br /> • Acquire, review or practice basic staff notation or solfege writing</p>

<p>Students will compose a vocal or instrumental piece using a melodic contour as guide. They will design and plot a contour with string, identify sound, select timbre, plan and write a melodic line in notation or graphic score, name the composition, and practice and perform the composition.<br /> This lesson is aimed at:<br /> Elementary School, whole group, general music instruction: Use basic, single line patterns transcribe to simple line and space note pieces.<br /> Middle School, whole group, general music or choral performance group: Use melodic contours as vocal warm up exercises, pitch/ range exercises, voice leading illustrations and two- or multi-part singing exercises.<br /> Objectives<br /> Within 1 to 2 lessons, students will compose a piece of music using a melodic contour. In the process the student will:<br /> • Analyze a visual image of melodic contour<br /> • Make connections between visual contour lines on the music staff and high/low sound production<br /> • Analyze how melodic contour and sound reflect each other<br /> • Explore improvisatory techniques<br /> • Explore basic music notation<br /> • Explore new writing and playing techniques to accommodate composition<br /> • Explore melodic contour as compositional device<br /> • Explore melodies as sound layers: monophonic, polyphonic</p>