Lesson Plan

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Lesson Plan
Grade: Date: 17/01/2026
Subject: Music
Lesson Topic: Use a variety of compositional techniques and musical resources.
Learning Objective/s:
  • Describe key compositional techniques (melody, harmony, rhythm, form, texture, timbre) and their impact on musical ideas.
  • Apply motivic‑development methods such as inversion, retrograde, augmentation, and diminution to a short motif.
  • Compose a brief original piece using at least three techniques and appropriate musical resources, demonstrating coherent form and expressive detail.
  • Evaluate the finished composition with the provided checklist to ensure balance, contrast, and technical accuracy.
Materials Needed:
  • Staff/ manuscript paper
  • Notation software (e.g., MuseScore, Finale)
  • Audio playback device or speakers
  • Whiteboard and markers
  • Example recordings illustrating texture and timbre
  • Assessment checklist handout
 Introduction:
Begin with a 30‑second excerpt that showcases contrasting textures, asking students to note any techniques they hear. Review that they already know basic melody and rhythm notation. Explain that today they will combine several compositional tools to create an original short piece, and success will be measured by the checklist criteria.
Lesson Structure:
  1. Do‑now (5’) – Listen to the excerpt and identify two compositional techniques used.
  2. Mini‑lecture (10’) – Review key techniques and motivic‑development methods with visual examples on the projector.
  3. Guided practice (15’) – In pairs, craft a 4‑measure motif and apply one transformation (inversion, retrograde, augmentation, or diminution) on staff paper or in software.
  4. Composition planning (10’) – Individually outline form, instrumentation, key, and meter on a planning sheet.
  5. Composition draft (20’) – Write a full sketch incorporating at least three techniques; teacher circulates for formative feedback.
  6. Peer review (10’) – Exchange drafts and use the checklist to give constructive comments.
  7. Whole‑class share (5’) – Volunteers perform a short excerpt and discuss their technique choices.
  8. Wrap‑up (5’) – Recap main ideas and set the exit ticket.
Conclusion:
Summarise how the selected techniques shaped each student’s piece and remind learners of the assessment checklist as a self‑review tool. For the exit ticket, each student writes one technique they will develop further in their homework composition. Homework: complete the composition, add dynamics, articulation, and submit a digital score file.