Exploring New Tonalities through Lincolnshire Posy

This lesson is the start of a unit exploring 20th century approaches to tonality to expose
students to a wide range of musical styles for listening and performance.

Central Focus: Students will identify and perform alternatives to homophonic tonality
including the compositional techniques of bitonality, polytonality, modality,
non-traditional cadences, organum, counterpoint, and the use of tone clusters.
Students will describe reasons that a composer may utilize techniques that do not fall
under the umbrella of homophonic tonality, and compose music that utilize the above
techniques.

Learning Target: Students will identify new harmonic techniques presented in the first
two movements of Lincolnshire Posy (Lisbon and Horkstow Grange). Students will
define the terms bitonality, polytonality, and parallel organum. Students will listen to
recorded examples they have not heard before and identify whether they exhibit
traditional homophonic tonality or a new technique learned that day.
Learning Objective (Target)
Students will define the terms bitonality, polytonality, and parallel organum. Students
will listen to recorded examples they have not heard before and identify whether they
exhibit traditional homophonic tonality or a new technique learned that day.

These objectives are measured through an exit slip assessment, as well as through
verbal communication (informal assessment) throughout the lesson.

Standards:
E.12.9 Demonstrate the ability to read an instrumental score of up to four staves by describing how the
elements of music are used
F.12.15 Compare how musical materials are used in a given example relative to how they are used in
other works of the same genre or style
F.12.16 Analyze and describe uses of the elements of music in a given work that make it unique,
interesting, and expressive
I.12.12 Identify and explain the stylistic features of a given musical work that define its aesthetic tradition
and its historical or cultural context
UDL Engagement
Assessment: The exit slip allows
Instruction: Warm-ups allow students to
students to write in their own words how
pick a scale, which increase the
they would define the terms.
autonomy and ownership in the
classroom. The exit slip is not graded for
correctness, so students can use this as
Student participation in the review from
a chance to receive feedback to work
the previous lesson alongside the
towards mastery.
creation of definitions allow for
collaboration and communication
UDL Representation
Assessment: Assessment could be
Instruction: Information throughout the
presented in other formats besides a
lesson is spoken, written/drawn on the
written exit slip if needed, such as a
board, and experienced through
group review or individual verbal
performance.
questions.

Relation to personal
Assessment ties in previously learned
thoughts/feelings/experiences makes
concepts of vocabulary and musical
the learning more personal for students
understanding to draw upon.
UDL Action and Expression
Assessment: Exit slips provide a way to
Instruction: Students will have chosen
monitor progress of student
an instrument that fits their needs.
comprehension.

Materials are presented and

Allows students to apply their
experienced in multiple formats, building
knowledge in a new way, using their
off of past experiences (scaffolding).
own words and thoughts.
Supports
During the lesson plan I am sure to include representation of information in many
different formats. I include kinesthetic experiences of the concept by leading the
students through the performance of a poly-tonal scale. They can play, hear and
feel what this concept feels like. This aids students who may have a visual
impairment, dyslexia, or who learn better in this format. I write answers that are
given by students on the board, as well as the definitions that we come up with on
the board throughout the lesson, which gives visual cues for students who may
need visual reminders, or with hearing impairments. Throughout the lesson I also
verbally explain the concept to students and provide listening examples for
auditory learners. This helps students who may struggle with reading or
experiencing the concept by providing another avenue in which to experience it.
Accommodations
I do not have any particular accommodations built into the lesson plan, but there
are several that I could make. Seating students closer/further from the board,
providing braille music to students with visual impairments, having word-banks for
students who struggle with memory, instrumental modifications for students with
unique mobility situations, speaking through a voice amplification system for
students with hearing impairments, and allowing extra time or other formats for the
exit slip at the end, to name a few accommodations. In order to come up with the
complete system of accommodations I would need to know my students better,
but this list is a good general starting place that would apply to most lessons that I
teach.
Modifications
There are several modifications that could be made for students in this lesson
plan. Students with visual impairment could be asked to do more aural exercises
rather than visual identification. Similarly, students with hearing impairments could
have a visual example on their exit slip. This way the curriculum is modified and
what is expected, but theyre still held to high standards of learning and showing
that they know the concept, even if it is just a different part of the concept.
Additional modifications could be made in the sight-reading portion by lowering the
accuracy expectations for students who have trouble processing complex visual
information. They will still be able to get to the end result, but lowering the initial
expectations for the first time playing through would be the best modification to the
curriculum, and would also serve to help give a bigger way of showing
improvement by the end.