Music Composition - It's Elementary: Lesson Plans for Late Elementary and Middle School

This book provides lesson plans and exploratory activities for the elementary or middle school music teacher who wishes to incorporate meaningful, creative compositional activities in the general music classroom. This book aims to provide inspiration, additional ideas, creative activities, and contemporary techniques for the innovative teacher.All lesson plans include an Exploratory Set, a step-by-step Composition Guide, photocopiable templates, and Performance suggestions. The lesson plans are written as a general guide for the teacher and are not grade specific. All lessons can be adapted to suit multiple age and ability levels. Flexible composition lesson plans allow teachers to include own materials, connect to concepts studied in the curricula, and utilize additional resources.Photocopiable pages have been provided.Lesson features include: Standard notation: pitch, staff notation, letter names, rests, note values and basic theory such as measures, bar lines, time signatures, etc.Graphic notation: twentieth-century techniques, graphic notation, alternative music symbols, found sounds, body percussion, electronic sounds, and digital techniquesCompositional techniques: repetition, sequence, motif, phrase, 4-measure phrase, form, augmentation, diminution, inversion, etc. Technology: ringtones on phones, composition apps, computer software, online tone-generators, voice memo apps, video, and slide show presentationsMulti-media: Compositions include speaking parts, drama, images, slide shows, story, technology, live or recorded performance, spatial components, etc.Harmony: chordal work to start establishing the idea of harmonic progression Graphic Organizers: work charts for student groups, listening analysis, format of the composition, brainstorm maps, etc. Novelty: Student engagement is at its peak when novelty and variety are present. To this end many lessons have included fun, surprise and novelty items such as games, cards, toys, pipes, string, buttons, dominoes, images, charts, new sounds, etc. Read more