Melody and Accompaniment

2016 LAMP Project

Liz Miller

March 16-31 2016

7/8th Grade General Music
Hamilton Southeastern Intermediate
and Junior High

Table of Contents
Purpose

Objectives

Vocabulary

Timeline

Lesson Plans

Supplemental Items

19

Visuals

19

Student Assessment Tools

20
Media and Technology

22

Accommodations

24

Pre-Post Tests

25

Graphs and Data

29

Narrative Statements

36

Project Rubric

42

Purpose of the Project

The purpose of this project is to help 7/8th grade general
music students identify, understand the purpose of, and
compose melodies and accompaniments. Students will listen
to a variety of musical examples and be taught how to
identify the melody in each example. After learning basic
music literacy skills, students will be able to use simple
rhythms and note patterns to compose their own melody
with accompaniment. These will be performed on piano
(melody) and drums (rhythmic accompaniment); each
instrument will be introduced and students will be given
practice time to learn proper playing technique. Students will
also use the iPad app Real Piano 3D to help them compose
their melody when they are not at the keyboards. At the end
of the unit, students should have a firm grasp of basic music
literacy, composition techniques, and the purpose of melody
and accompaniment. Along with a post-test, students will
perform their compositions for the instructor. The composer
will play the melody on piano and choose a partner to play
the drum accompaniment.

National Standards of Music Education

Primary Standards
Content Standard 2. Playing instruments, alone and with
others, a varied repertoire of music.
Play hand/floor drums and piano using proper
technique.
Content Standard 4. Composing and arranging music within
specific guidelines.
Compose short melodies and accompaniment parts
within specific guidelines, using notes and rhythms
learned throughout the unit
Content Standard 5. Reading and notating music.
Be able to identify, count, and play, note values
discussed in class
Identify different parts of the staff and describe their
meaning
Identify and play notes on the staff in both treble and
bass clef
Secondary Standards
Content Standard 6. Listening to, analyzing, and describing
music.
Identify the melodic line in various pieces of music
spanning different genres, through identifying which
instrument in playing the melody
Describe melodic direction as it pertains to specific
pieces of music

Vocabulary List
Accompaniment: music played to support a person who is
singing or playing a musical instrument
Bass clef: a clef placing the F below middle C on the fourth
line of the staff
(the) Beat: the steady pulse that keeps music going
Composer (to compose): A person who writes music, writing
music
Drums: percussion instruments consisting of a hollow shell
with a drumhead stretched over the top; can come in
varying shapes and styles; played by beating drumhead with
hand or sticks
Eighth notes/rests: a musical note or rest that lasts 1/8 of the
length of a whole note
Half notes/rests: a musical note or rest that lasts of the
length of a whole note
Left-hand C position: piano hand position that places the left
pinkie finger on C3, and places the rest of the fingers on
each note ascending from C3

Melody: a pleasing series of musical notes that form the

main part of a song or piece of music
Middle C: C4, the C that sits evenly between bass and treble
clef, and is in the middle of the piano
Musical notes: The notes (pitches) A-G, that makes up the
music we listen to.
Piano (instrument): a string musical instrument that is
played by hitting keys which causes strings inside the
instrument to vibrate.
Quarter notes/rests: a musical note or rest that last of the
length of a whole note
Real Piano 3D: an iPad app that allows students to practice
piano when they cannot be on the keyboards. It is not to be
used for practicing book music, but rather it can be used to
help students compose their melodies.
Right-hand C position: piano hand position that places the
right thumb on C4 and places the rest of the fingers on
ascending pitches
Rhythm: a regular, repeated pattern of sounds or
movements
Staff paper: paper that has the lines and spaces musical
notes are written on
Time signature: a number that is written at the beginning of
a piece of music and shows the number and length of the
beats in each measure
Treble Clef: a clef that places G above middle C on the
second line of the staff

Whole notes/rests: a note or rest that takes the entire length

of the measure in 4/4 time

Unit Timeline
Day 1 (March 16): Introduce unit, pre-test, introduction to
melody and accompaniment, guided listening with
discussion
Day 2 (March 17): echo drumming, Reading rhythms,
different note values
Day 3 (March 18): Bill Nye (flex day)
Day 4 (March 21): Continue reading rhythms, finishing
learning note values, and music video accompaniment
Day 5 (March 22): Drumming accompaniment with videos,
students create own accompaniment to final video
Day 6 (March 23): Introduction of notes and the staff, relate
to the piano (history of piano if time), famous piano melodies
Day 7 (March 24): Right hand C position, download iPad app,
introduce composition project (melody portion), piano
practice time, composition writing

Day 8 (March 25): Left hand C position, introduce

composition project (accompaniment portion), piano practice
time, composition writing
Day 9 (March 28): Piano practice time, composition writing
Day 10 (March 29): Piano practice time, composition writing
Day 11(March 30): Post-test, composition practice time
Day 12 (March 31): Composition presentations, 5 Browns (if
time)

Liz Miller
HIJH 3/16/16
General Music LAMP 1
Materials: Pre-test, Listening examples on CD, Flight of the
Bumblebee (Canadian brass), stool-drumming video
National Standards
6. Listening to, analyzing, and describing music
7. Evaluating music and music performances.
8. Understanding relationships between music, the other arts, and
disciplines outside the arts.
9. Understanding music in relation to history and culture
Objectives
1. Students will complete the pre-test to the best of their ability
2. Through listening to different examples and class discussion,
students will create and understand their own definition of
melody.
3. Through listening to different examples and class discussion,
students will create and understand their own definition of
accompaniment.

Procedure
Introduction to the unit: From now until spring break, we will be
working on a unit that combines several musical ideas. We will
be learning how to read music, play drums and piano, and doing
some composing.
Teacher will administer pre-test (30 min.)
o Listening portion to be done as a class.
Melody
o Create definition
Accompaniment
o Create definition
Listening examples: Hallelujah, Boogie Woogie Bugle Boy, Ride of
the Valkyries, Carmina Burana, pop song
Video examples
o Stool drumming
o Canadian Brass Flight of the Bumblebee
Assessment: The pre-test will be collected and graded for data
analysis. It will appear in the students grade-book as a participation
grade, and the post-test will be graded for point.
Continuing lessons: Echo drumming, reading rhythms, learning note
values
Liz Miller
HIJH 3/17/16
General Music LAMP 2
Materials: Melody CD, floor and hand drums, rhythm reader, notes
National Standards
2. Playing instruments, alone and with others, a varied repertoire of
music.
3. Improvising melodies, variations, and accompaniments.
5. Reading and notating music.
6. Listening to, analyzing, and describing music.
Objectives
1. Students will be able to identify the melody in different listening
examples.
2. Students will improvise short rhythmic patterns on drums, which
will be echoed by the rest of the class.
3. Students will be able to define and play various note values,
using the rhythm reader.

Procedure
Listening: Students and teacher will listen to different pieces and
discuss: type of music, emotions, pictures or stories
o Students will identify the melody and accompaniment in
each piece
o Toccata and Fugue, In the Mood
Drumming
o Echo drumming patterns
o Rhythm reader
Have students take notes
Steady beat- relate to a heart beat, work on keeping
a steady beat
Quarter note and quarter rest exercises p. 3-7
Play tracks 8, 12, 17
Half note and half rest exercises p. 8-13
Play tracks 24,
Whole notes: discuss- no pages in books
o Drum circle
Start with echo drumming, have students keep a
steady beat. Teacher will play pattern, students will
echo then go back to steady beat.
Assessment: Assessment in this class will be informal. Students will
take notes on note values to be collected later, but during class
teacher will listen to hear if students are playing correctly
Future lessons: Finish listening examples, Bill Nye
Liz Miller
HIJH 3/18/16
General Music LAMP 3
Materials: Melody CD, Bill Nye the Science Guy: Music
National Standards
6. Listening to, analyzing, and describing music.
8. Understanding relationships between music, the arts, and disciplines
outside the arts.
9. Understanding music in relation to history and culture
Objectives
1. Students will identify the melody in pieces of music of various
genres.

2. Students will understand the basic physics behind music,

especially how sound is created.
Procedure
LAMP portion
o Students and teacher will finish the remaining listening
examples, continuing to discuss: types of music, pictures
and ideas
o Students will identify the melody in each piece
Hallelujah from Messiah
Boogie Woogie Bugle Boy
Carmina Burana
Bill Nye
o Students will watch Bill Nye the Science Guy: Music
Assessment: Assessment during this lesson will be informal. Students
will verbally identify the melody in the listening examples.
Future lessons: Continuing reading rhythms, finishing learning note
values, 1 video accompaniment

Liz Miller
HIJH 3/21/16
LAMP 4
Materials: Floor and hand drums, notes, rhythm reader, music video
for Irresistible
National Standards
2. Playing instruments, alone and with others, a varied repertoire of
music.
4. Composing and arranging music within specific guidelines
5. Reading and notating music.
6. Listening to, analyzing, and describing music.

Objectives
1. Students will play quarter and half notes on drums, and be able
to keep a steady beat (review)
2. Students will be able to define and play dotted quarter notes and
eighth notes.
3. Students will read and play selected rhythm patterns to
accompany a music video.
Procedure
Echo drumming- have students come up with own patterns to
echo
Rhythm reader
o Make sure students are taking notes
o Review quarter notes and half notes quickly
o Dotted half note and rest exercises p.
Play tracks
o Eighth note and rest exercises p.
Play tracks
o Review number
Video drumming
o Review definition of accompaniment
o Show Doug the Pug version of Irresistible
o Teach students three previously determined rhythm
patterns
Have them count rhythms
Practice each rhythm
o Accompany the video using the patterns
Assessment: Assessment in this class will be informal. Teacher will
listen to make sure students are playing patterns correctly.
Future lessons: Drumming accompaniment with videos, creating own
accompaniment patterns.
Liz Miller
HIJH 3/21/16
LAMP 5
Materials: Floor and hand drums, music videos for Best Day of my
Life and Centuries
National Standards
2. Playing instruments, alone and with others, a varied repertoire of
music.

4. Composing and arranging music within specific guidelines.

6. Listening to, analyzing, and describing music.
Objectives
1. Students will be able to read simple rhythmic patterns and play
them to accompany a music video.
2. After watching a music video, students will be able to compose a
simple accompaniment part to play along with the video.
Procedure
Students and teacher will warm up on echo patterns
Video drumming
o Students will watch first music video and identify the
melody and accompaniment
o Teach students three previously determined rhythm
patterns
Count the rhythms
Practice each pattern by echoing
o Accompany the video using the patterns
Composing rhythm patterns
o Students will review note values they have learned along
with 4/4 time
o Students will each receive a strip of staff paper to write
rhythm patterns
Write 4/4 at the beginning to indicate time
Three measures using any known note or rest values
o Students volunteer or randomly draw for final performance
Assessment: The short composition will be collected for a grade.
Students will be assessed on ability to format music on the staff,
inclusion of taught material, and originality.
Future lessons: Introduction of notes and the staff, related to the
keys on a piano, history of piano, famous piano melodies
Liz Miller
HIJH 3/23/16
LAMP 6
Materials: Notes, staff paper, white board, piano stencil, videos and
listening examples
National Standards
5. Reading and notating music.
6. Listening to, analyzing, and describing music.
9. Understanding music in relation to history and culture.

Objectives
1. Students will be able to identify and describe the elements of the
musical staff.
2. Students will be able to explain musical notation in terms of
pitches, and be able to identify different notes in treble and bass
clef.
3. Students will be able to discuss the development of the piano
and identify different instruments throughout the pianos history.
4. Students will understand and be able to explain how a piano
works.
Procedure
Does anyone in here speak a different language: Take in school,
speak at home, etc.
Reading music is somewhat like learning a new language,
although its not nearly as difficult!
o To read music, we must first set up our staff. Since we
dont read regular letters, the staff us identify which notes
go where.
Draw grand staff. Five line staff is typical, read simple
rhythms on one line staff
Draw treble and bass clefs.
Different instruments use different clefs, show
on piano the range of the clefs
Explain lines and spaces
ABCDEFG- musical alphabet
Write notes on staff, explain FACE and EGBDF
o Ask students to identify different notes.
o Identify Middle C and explain its
importance
Piano development
o Psaltery: video
o Harpsichord: video
o PianoForte- what else does that mean in music?
Mechanics of the piano and keyboard: Piano Guysshow the inside of a piano
Listen and to identify the melody in famous piano pieces
Assessment: Assessment will be informal. Students will be asked
questions and expected to take notes.
Future lessons: Right-hand C position, download Real Piano app,
introduce melody portion of composition project, practice time,
composition writing.
Liz Miller
HIJH 2/24/16

General Music LAMP 7

Materials: pianos, piano books, iPads, staff paper, Chrome music lab
National Standards
2. Playing instruments, alone and with others, a varied repertoire of
music.
4. Composing and arranging music within specific guidelines.
Objectives
1. Students will understand and be able to play with right- hand C
position: where it sits on the piano, what clef it plays in, etc.
2. Students will explore different rhythms and melodic patterns with
the Chrome music lab.
3. Students will understand the components of their final project,
and begin to work on it.
Procedure
iPad: Real Piano and Chrome music lab
Right-hand C position
o Draw piano up on board, also show hand, and notes on
staff
Composition project
o 4 measure melody using right-hand C position
o What notes does that include, drawing a treble clef, etc.
o Example up on board
Split class in half
o practice piano
o explore apps and work on composition project
Assessment: Assessment will be informal. Teacher will assess student
progress on the piano and composition project.
Future Lessons: Left-hand C position, composition project (left hand),
piano practice time, composition writing

Liz Miller

HIJH 2/24/16
General Music LAMP 8
Materials: pianos, piano books, iPads, staff paper, Chrome music lab
National Standards
2. Playing instruments, alone and with others, a varied repertoire of
music.
4. Composing and arranging music within specific guidelines.
Objectives
4. Students will understand and be able to play with left- hand C
position: where it sits on the piano, what clef it plays in, etc.
5. Students will explore different rhythms and melodic patterns with
the Chrome music lab.
6. Students will understand the components of their final project,
and begin to work on it.
Procedure
iPad: Real Piano and Chrome music lab
left-hand C position
o Draw piano up on board, also show hand, and notes on
staff
Composition project
o 4 measure melody using left-hand C position
o What notes does that include, drawing a bass clef, etc.
o Example up on board
Split class in half
o practice piano
o explore apps and work on composition project
Assessment: Assessment will be informal. Teacher will assess student
progress on the piano and composition project.
Future Lessons: Composition project (accompaniment), piano
practice time, composition writing

Liz Miller
HIJH 3/28 and 29/16
LAMP 9 and 10
Materials: Keyboards, Alfreds beginning piano book, iPads, staff
paper
National Standards
2. Playing instruments, alone and with others, a varied repertoire of
music.
4. Composing and arranging music within specific guidelines
Objectives
1. Students will use their knowledge of note and rest values to write
an drum accompaniment part for their final project.
2. Students will practice piano (book and composition project) using
proper hand position.
3. Students will play correct notes and rhythms on the piano.
Procedure
(28th only) Students and teacher will go over the requirements for
the accompaniment portion of their final project
o 8 measures
o Use note values and rests that we learned in class (in
notes)
o Should support your melody. Its not supposed to be the
same exact rhythms
o The composer will play piano and a friend will play the
accompaniment part
Class splits in half
o continue to practice piano (introduce playing test piece)
o continue to work on composition project
Assessment: Assessment will be informal. Teacher will assess student
progress on the piano and composition project.
Future lessons: Post-test, composition practice time

Liz Miller
HIJH 3/30/16
LAMP 11
Materials: Post-test, pianos, staff paper, drums
National Standards
2. Playing instruments, alone and with others, a varied repertoire of
music.
4. Composing and arranging music within specific guidelines
Objectives
1. Students will use the knowledge theyve learned throughout this
unit to complete the post-test.
2. Students will practice for the performance of their composition
project.
Procedure
Teacher will pass out post-test to everyone. No notes are allowed
for this test to accurately measure improvement.
o Students will complete the listening portion first with the
teacher.
o Complete rest of test 20 min.
Students will have the rest of class to practice their compositions
with their partner. Students can move back and forth between
the keyboard room and band room.
Assessment: The post-test will be turned in and collected for a grade.
The test is the exact same as the pre-test and will be used to measure
student improvement throughout the unit.
Future Lessons: Performances of composition project!

Liz Miller
HIJH 3/31/16
LAMP 12
Materials: Piano, floor drum, finished compositions
National Standards
2. Playing instruments, alone and with others, a varied repertoire of
music.
5. Reading and notating music.
Objectives
1. Students will use the knowledge theyve learned throughout this
unit to present their final composition.
2. Students will play each composition with correct notes, proper
hand position, steady tempo, and correct rhythms.
Procedure
Students will go to the ensemble room in pairs to perform their
finished compositions.
Students should practice compositions while waiting to perform.
After all performances are finished, students can watch 5-Browns
video.
Assessment: Students will be assessed on the performance of each
composition according to the criteria on the rubric. Compositions will
be collected after each performance and graded according to the
criteria on the rubric.
Future Lessons: Piano playing tests, moving into music history unit.