Blog 1: Creative Lesson Activity
For Grade 9 Vocal or Instrumental Music
The Curriculum Expectations
Here's what this assessment covers under the Ontario Arts Curriculum;
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A1. The Creative Process
A1.1 apply the creative process when performing notated and/or improvised music
A1.2 apply the creative process when composing and/or arranging music
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A2. The Elements of Music
A2.1 apply the elements of music and related concepts appropriately when interpreting and performing notated music
A2.2 manipulate the elements of music and related concepts appropriately when improvising melodies and rhythms
A2.3 apply the elements of music and related concepts appropriately when composing and/or arranging simple pieces of music
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A3. Techniques and Technologies
A3.1 demonstrate technical skill when performing notated and/or improvised music
A3.2 apply compositional techniques when composing and/or arranging simple pieces of music
Short Video Demonstration
This is an adapted version of a lesson plan that was taught to me when I was in high school. Though the assessment was initially for instrumental music, I feel it can work just as well within vocal. The activity to start it off is something I feel can really introduce them to the concept of composition.
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I start them off by playing a memory game. Solfége is recommended, but not required. Starting by singing the home pitch, I get the class to sing the note together. I then point at a random student, and ask them to sing the note, then have the class sing both the first note, and the note the student added. The student points at another student, and the game continues from there.
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After the game continues on for a bit, I'll split the students into smaller groups to continue the game from there. After they've had some time to play the game and become comfortable with picking certain notes, I'll reconsolidate the class.
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I'll talk with the students about how they tended to choose their notes, and highlight whether or not the notes they chose were close to one another, and discuss conjunct (stepwise) motion and (disjunct) motion with the students, before giving them a short composition assignment.
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The assignment is no more than 12 bars, A-B-A format. It must be in a major scale, start and end on the tonic (or Do, or 1), and most importantly, be singable. Signing is part of the assessment for the assignment, and the composition will be due a few days later, with plenty of in-class time to allow for composition.
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