Daily Lesson Plan Template: Classroom Music

Teacher Name: Erika Eufemia

Date: July, 2004
School Building__________________________
Grade/Class: Middle School
Middle Lesson Plan
Unit Title: Major/Minor Chord Building and Aural Recognition in a Computer Lab
Previous Lesson:
Todays Lesson
A. Aim:
The purpose of this lesson is to provide the students with an aural and kinesthetic
experience to reinforce the difference between major and minor chords.
B. Objectives:
The students will aurally recognize and distinguish between major and minor chords after
hearing them played through Practica Musica. The students will build major/minor
chords from a designated base note using Practica Musica.
C. Content:
D. Materials:
Computer lab, Practica Musica and headphones
E. Procedure:
1- Before moving to the computer lab, the students will listen to and distinguish between
major and minor chords played on the piano.
2- Go around the room and allow each student to distinguish between a major or minor
chord. Choose the students in random order
3- Building Major and Minor Chords: (Prior to this lesson we wouldve discussed
intervals). How do we form a chord? How many notes are included in a major or minor chord?
Practice making chords on staff paper.
4-Move to the computer lab.
5-Direct students on the workings of Practica Musica
6-Students will use Practica Musica to identify major and minor chords, aurally.
7- Students will use Practica Musica to build major and minor chords from a given base.
F. Assessment:
The students understanding will be visible in their ability to build chords and hear them
aurally from Practica Musica. Students abilities can be checked individually by a
moving teacher.
G. Standards Addressed

National:
1- Creating, performing and participating in the arts
6 - Listening to, analyzing and describing music.
State:
H. Next Lesson & Assignment
Composition Assignment: The students can compose a short composition using the notes
of a major or minor chord and play them on a Xylophone or Recorder.

Daily Lesson Plan Template: Classroom Music

Teacher Name: Peter Albertelli
School Building__________________________
Grade/Class: Middle School
2nd Middle Lesson Plan
Unit Title: Ostinato
Previous Lesson:
Todays Lesson
A. Aim:
B. Objectives:
Students will compose pieces with ostinato patterns.
C. Content:
D. Materials:
1. Recording of Pachelbels Canon in D Major.
2. CD player
3. 10 computers installed with the application Garage Band
4. Teachers computer station with projector
5. Black or white board with chalk or dry erase markers

Date: July 19, 2004

E. Procedure:
1. Ask the students to describe what happens in the bass line.
2. Define ostinato as a short musical pattern that is repeated continuously throughout a
composition or a section of one and write the definition on the board
3. In groups of two, assign each student a computer station. Using the projector, the
teacher will demonstrate the application Garage Band.
4. Divide the students into small groups, and using the parameters defined below, ask
them to compose simple ostinato pieces guided by the following criteria listed below:
- Pieces should be no more than one minute in length.
- An ostinato must play throughout the piece
- Reminder that interesting pieces will have different musical ideas surrounding
theostinato.
- The music can be in any style- be as creative as possible.
5. The students will be given time to compose their pieces in class.
F. Assessment:
Students will play their pieces from their individual work stations and discuss what
compositional techniques were used to make their pieces interesting.
G. Standards Addressed
National:
State:
H. Next Lesson & Assignment
Students compose contour pieces around an ostinato pattern using Morton Subotnicks
Making Music composition software. Discussion and use of inversion, retrograde, and other
compositional elements may supplement the lesson.