Lesson Planning Form for Accessible Instruction Calvin College Education Program

Teacher

Karen Yonkers

Date 11-16-16

Subject/ Topic/ Theme Musical Quality: Modality: major and minor

Grade ___7-12___

I. Objectives
How does this lesson connect to the unit plan?
This third lesson in the series on Musical Quality focuses on the building blocks of music: scales and chords. Continuing to focus on the Five Elements of music and
Aesthetics (beauty) from the past two lessons, students have an opportunity to begin developing auditory discernment of major and minor tonalities.
cognitiveR U Ap An E C*

Learners will be able to:

Students will play Bb concert scale

Students will play intervals of major and minor chords: Bb major, bb minor, Eb major, eb minor, F major, f minor
Students will listen to examples of major and minor pieces, and identify the modality
Students will play songs from repertoire in major and minor keys

R
U, Ap
An, E
Ap, U, C

physical
development

x
x
x
x

socioemotional

Common Core standards (or GLCEs if not available in Common Core) addressed:
ART.M.III.7.1 Identify and describe specific musical elements and events in a given aural example, using appropriate terminology.
ART.M.III.7.3 Demonstrate knowledge of the basic principles of tonality, major chords, and I-IV-V harmonic progressions in major keys.
(Note: Write as many as needed. Indicate taxonomy levels and connections to applicable national or state standards. If an objective applies to particular learners
write the name(s) of the learner(s) to whom it applies.)
*remember, understand, apply, analyze, evaluate, create

II. Before you start

Identify prerequisite
knowledge and skills.

Basic note reading, playing position and instrument playing of at least one year. Bb concert scale. Five
elements of music. Ability to listen to music examples.
Pre-assessment (for learning):

Students will tune and play Bb concert scale as a warm up today. Chord studies in books.
Outline assessment
activities
(applicable to this lesson)

What barriers might this

lesson present?
What will it take
neurodevelopmentally,
experientially,
emotionally, etc., for your
students to do this lesson?

Formative (for learning):

Listen to music with major and minor modes. Identify.

Formative (as learning):

Play major and minor chords. Identify. Compare the third scale degree
Summative (of learning):
Teacher plays major or minor scale on clarinet OR major or minor chord on piano. Students identify.
Provide Multiple Means of
Representation
Provide options for perceptionmaking information perceptible
Students can identify major and
minor by listening, by playing
themselves, by discussing with
partners

Provide Multiple Means of Action

and Expression
Provide options for physical actionincrease options for interaction
Playing instruments is a physical
activity involving both gross and
fine motor skills, depending on
their instrument.

Provide options for language,

mathematical expressions, and
symbols- clarify & connect
language

Provide options for expression and

communication- increase medium
of expression

Students are able to use the

language of music to describe
the modes of major and minor.
Provide options for comprehensionactivate, apply & highlight

Students will be given chances

to alter notes in scales and
chords to change modality.

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Students will need to focus on

listening, playing accurately and
listening across the band for the
overall sound and blending.

Provide Multiple Means of

Engagement
Provide options for recruiting
interest- choice, relevance, value,
authenticity, minimize threats
Students may raise hands to answer
questions, use fingers to identify
modes, or ask questions throughout
class.
Provide options for sustaining effort
and persistence- optimize challenge,
collaboration, mastery-oriented
feedback

Students may discuss in groups

the examples of modes used in
class, whether it is the Youtube
examples or the teacher provided
examples.

Provide options for executive

functions- coordinate short & long
term goals, monitor progress, and
modify strategies

Provide options for self-regulationexpectations, personal skills and

strategies, self-assessment &
reflection

Students will tie modality back

into aesthetics and forward into
practice strategies during the
musical quality theme this unit.

Students may reflect on how

modes make them feel, or relate
a personal connection to music
in their lives.

Materials-what materials
(books, handouts, etc) do
you need for this lesson
and are they ready to
use?

How will your classroom

be set up for this lesson?

Tone study: Essential Elements book I for 7th grade, Standards of Excellance II for 8th graders, , OR
Concert Band warm up and chorale for 9th -12th grade: all have chord studies. White Board for scale
construction and
Some way to connect to Youtube and play music samples.
Sources:
Masterson, M. L. (1994, 05). Moving beyond "It's Got a Good Beat" Music Educators Journal, 80(6),
24.
Regular arch set up. Place lower instruments (tuba, baritones, trombones, baritone sax, bassoon, bass
clarinet) in the center. Place alto instruments (alto and tenor sax, french horn, clarinet, half trumpets)
on the left, and soprano instruments (flutes, oboe, half trumpets) on conductor's right. Percussion
remains in the back. Double up on mallets today. If not enough space, have percussionists rotate often.
This is for the chord activities in the 2nd half of class.

III. The Plan

Time
00:01

Components
Motivation
(opening/
introduction/
engagement)

Describe teacher activities

AND
student activities
for each component of the lesson. Include important higher order thinking questions and/or
prompts.
Begining warm up:
Students play Bb concert scale, remembering prior
* Play Bb concert scale in half notes.
knowledge
* Play Bb in lower instruments, rest continue scale
and stop on scale degree three, finally higher
instruments continue up to the 5th scale degree, and Students play 1----------------> (low instruments)
hold. What is this chord? Major or minor? Why?
1,2,3------------> (mid instruments)
How do you know?
or
1, 2, 3, 4, 5----> (hi inst.)
Students answer questions, applying knowledge
Play chord again, then everyone move up to next
scale note when directed to do so.... teacher gives
Students play: 1, 2------------->
downbeat for 1st chord, then another for the move
3, 4------------->
up, and hold, listen.
or
5, 6-------------->
What is this chord? Major or minor? Why? How do
you know?
The first chord, Bb major chord, is major.
The second chord, c minor chord, is minor. Does is
sound sort of sad?
Let's play the Bb major chord again, and this time,
if you are playing the 3rd of the chord, the concert
D, move it down step to a Db concert when I
indicate. What did we do? How does that change
the tonality of the chord?
Now what if we go the other way? Start on the c
minor chord: (concert C, Eb, G) and those playing
concert Eb, lower it to E natural....conduct the two
chords, holding each for at least 4 slow counts.
Did it sound happier?
This sound we hear is called tonality [write
tonality on the board]: the way musical notes relate
to one another in scale and chord patterns which
identify the mode of music: in this case, major and
minor. There are other modes, but we won't get into
them just now. [discuss briefly if students have any
connections to music in a certain mode and their
emotions]

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Students consult with stand partners regarding

major or minor of new chord, evaluating tonality

Students play concert Bb, D, F, then

Bb, Db, F.
Students answer questions, analyzing how note
changes alter tonality.

Students answer questions.

Students write definition in their journals.

Students discuss connections of music and mood.

00:15
We are going to listen to several famous music
excerpts now. Try to identify the mode as either
major or minor.

Students listen to music samples. Discuss with

partners and whole class major or minor mode.

Listening examples
Scriabin Mazurka in F Major;
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=W0yI5vK32Pk

Students raise hands to share after each piece.

Scriabin Mazurka in b min

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KpTrOq50jk8
Gymnopaedia (maj) https://www.youtube.com/watch?
v=NUUAkzBNt1M

Development
(the largest
component or
main body of
the lesson)

Sibelius Six Impromptus https://www.youtube.com/watch?

v=VpEZlB09IO0&spfreload=5

3-5 minutes with each piece for listening

and discussion

00:30
If time allows, rehearse a piece from their
repertoire and discuss tonality.

Students play instruments in composition.

Students analyze, evaluate, and create as they
apply knowledge to repertoire.

If not, go on to next point.

Closure
(conclusion,
culmination,
wrap-up)

Teacher plays Major or minor scale on clarinet.

Bb major scale, f minor scale, D major scale, a
minor. Contrast with other scale if they get it
wrong.
Teacher plays C major chord on piano. Teacher
plays c minor chord on piano. Okay, was the first
major or minor? And the second?

Students identify as major or minor, applying

knowledge to aural examples to analyze the
tonality.

Students identify chords as major or minor,

evaluating what they hear.

May play other chords, students identify. May have

student groups of three create and play chords for
other students to identify.
Your reflection about the lesson, including evidence(s) of student learning and engagement, as well as ideas for improvement
for next time. (Write this after teaching the lesson, if you had a chance to teach it. If you did not teach this lesson, focus on the
process of preparing the lesson.)
I did not teach this lesson, but I feel that aural training in tonality is a very important component to music education. Music is heard
nearly everywhere and almost all the time, but we rarely talk about it insightfully (Masterson, 1994) This article (listed in the
material section, above) hits home with the why of music education, and real life applications of music in real world situations.
Having a deeper understanding of music enhances students' experience with music on many levels beyond their band class. As with
most of my lessons in this plan, I think that more than one day could definitely be used to expand and explore these topics even more
deeply. There is so much more on tonality which could be experienced. If I were to teach this lesson, it would be at least a week long,
and include: knowledge of major and minor relative key signatures, construction of major and all three classification of minor scales,
students identifying aurally which chord note they have in various places in their band music selections, creating chord cadences,
perhaps some four part writing, chord inversions, and more aural examples. Being able to read, write, hear, and analyze/apply the
concepts would be great ways to assist students in deeper understanding, hands on engagement and transfer to other musical
endeavors. I did gear this lesson more towards the high school level of student, but believe that 7 th and 8th graders need to be exposed
to this concept early rather than later.

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