SETON HILL UNIVERSITY

Lesson Plan Template

TOPIC
Name
Subject
Grade Level
Date/Duration
Big Ideas

Essential
Questions
PA/Common
Core/Standards

Objectives
Bloom's
Taxonomy
Webb's Depth of
Knowledge
(DOK)

Formative &
Summative
Assessment
Evidence

DETAILS
Emma Firment
General Music
8th grade
9/14/15-9/16/15: 40 minutes
Students will know the definitions of and how to
identify the 7 musical elements when listening to
music.
How do musicians make creative decisions?
How does understanding the structure and context of
music inform a response?
Standard - 9.1.8.E
Communicate a unifying theme or point of view through the
production of works in the arts.
Standard - 9.3.8.A
Know and use the critical process of the examination of
works in the arts and humanities.
Compare and contrast
Analyze
Interpret
Through a class discussion with visuals and listening
models, 8th grade students will be able to compare &
contrast, interpret, and verbally identify the seven musical
elements with 4 out of 7 of the elements correctly portrayed.
Through a class discussion with visuals and listening
models, 8th grade students will be able to analyze all 7 of the
musical elements and describe them by the end of class
with an accuracy of 50%.
Through a worksheet, 8th grade students will be able to
recall and label each blank space with 50% accuracy.
Formal Evaluation
Complete the musical element quiz.
Informal Evaluation
Ask students to describe what they hear when the
recordings are played (Class Discussion).
Exit Ticket

CK

Accommodation
s, Modifications

Students who are visually impaired may sit closer to

the front of the room to better see the chalkboard
Students who are visually impaired may use study
guides with larger font
Students who are hearing impaired may sit closer to
the teacher in order to hear all the directions and ear
training examples

Seton Hill University Lesson Plan Template Step-by-Step Procedures

RATIONALE for
CK
the Learning
Plan
Introduction
Activating Prior Knowledge
Have the bellwork (fig.A) sitting on the seats before
students come in. Write on the white board to have the
students begin working as soon as they come in and
are seated.
Have the Musical Element Poster sitting at the front of
the class
Hook/Lead-In/Anticipatory Set
Review and have an open discussion about the
bellwork.
Explicit
Big Idea Statement
Instructions
Students will know the definitions of and how to identify
the 7 musical elements when listening to music
Essential Questions Statement
How do musicians make creative decisions?
How does understanding the structure and context of
music inform a response?
Objective Statements
Through a class discussion with visuals and listening models,
8th grade students will be able to compare & contrast,
interpret, and verbally identify the seven musical elements
with 4 out of 7 of the elements correctly portrayed.
Through a worksheet, 8th grade students will be able to recall
and label each blank space with 50% accuracy.
Transition
Go through the musical elements poster and talk about
each one
Have students take notes in their notebooks
Use multiple recordings as well as the piano to
demonstrate the elements

Lesson
Procedure
Must include
adaptations &
accommodation
s for students
with special
needs

Key Vocabulary
Form
Dynamics
Tempo
Melody
Harmony
Timbre
Rhythm
Pre-Assessment of Students
Review the bellwork with the students. Have them turn
in their papers (the teacher will compare these
worksheets with the exit tickets to track student
progress).
Modeling of the Concept
Play the piano to further explain some of the elements
Play musical excerpts to further explain concepts
Guiding the Practice
Provide a visual and hearing examples for each of the
elements so the students have 2 examples.
Providing the Independent Practice
Have students complete the bellwork, quiz, and exit
ticket.
Transition
Go through the musical elements poster and talk about
each one
Have students take notes in their notebooks
Use multiple recordings as well as the piano to
demonstrate the elements
Harmony: Provide multiple accompaniments to the tune
Mary Had a Little Lamb. Have students identify whether
the teacher is playing thick or thin harmonies.
Melody: Play a Twinkle Twinkle Little Star on the piano.
Have students sing the melody.
Dynamics: Play recordings of multiple pieces, one with
loud dynamics (forte) the other with soft (piano).

Form: Describe it like a sandwich. When making a

sandwich, you have bread (A section) and the toppings
(B,C,D, etc.) then the bread (A section again). Some
forms are like a Big Mac: Bread (A) Toppings (B) Bread
(A section comes back) Toppings (C) Bread (Ends with
A).
Tempo: Play recordings of multiple pieces, one thats
fast and one thats slow.
Rhythm: Have Mr. Ewing and I clap. The first time it will
be the same rhythm (students will identify whether or not
it was the same). The second time, we will each play
different ones (students will identify).
Timbre: Play recordings of different instruments. Have
students describe each.
Adaptations/Accommodations for Students with Special
Needs
Students who are visually impaired may sit closer to
the front of the room to better see the chalkboard
Students who are visually impaired may use study
guides with larger font
Students who are hearing impaired may sit closer to
the teacher in order to hear all the directions and ear
training examples
Evaluation of
Formal Evaluation
the
Complete the musical element quiz.
Learning/Master Informal Evaluation
y of the Concept
Ask students to describe what they hear when the
recordings are played (Class Discussion).
Exit Ticket
Closure
Summary & Review of the Learning
Have students fill out the Musical Elements Quiz (fig.B)
at the end of class. The scoring of this quiz will be
based off of a mastery system (20/20 Mastered, 15/20
Proficient, 10/20 Emerging).
One the back of their sheets, as an exit ticket, have
them write about ONE element they understand (giving
examples and a brief definition) and ONE element they
dont understand.

Reading
Materials
Technology
Equipment
Supplies

The teacher will use this information along with the

bellwork to determine what to focus on in the next
lesson or with individual students.
Homework/Assignments
N/A
Bellwork
Computer
Piano
Musical Elements Poster
Notebooks (Students)
Chairs
Stands
Writing Utensils
Quiz
Exit Ticket

Fig. A
Name _______________________________________
Elements of Music
Bellwork
Place the letter of the correct definition after each word
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.

Melody ______
Timbre ______
Form ______
Dynamics ______
Harmony ______
Tempo ______
Rhythm ______
a.
b.
c.
d.
e.
f.
g.

The speed of the song.

Two or more notes played at the same time.
The sound quality of the instruments.
How the music is organized
The volume of the song.
The tune of the song. The part that you sing.
The length and organization of notes and rests in a song.

Fig. B
9/15/15
Name: ________________________________
The Musical Elements
1. Melody
a. The part of the song that you _______________.
2. Harmony
a. 2 or more notes played ___________________.
b. A _________ harmony doesnt have very many notes.
c. A ___________ harmony has lots of notes.
3. Tempo
a. The ______________ of a song.
b. ____________ means slow.
c. Andante means _____________.
d. Allegro means ________________.
4. Rhythm
a. The length and organization of ____________ and ____________ in
music.
b. The ________ number of the time signature tells you how many beats are
in a measure.
c. The _______________ number of the time signature tells you what note
gets the beat.
5. Dynamics
a. The ________________ of the music.
b. Mezzo means _______________.
c. Piano means _______________.
d. _____________ means loud.
6. Timbre
a. The ____________ ______________ of an instrument.
7. Form
a. How the music is __________________.
b. There are ________ sections in the tune Twinkle, Twinkle Little Star.