Microteaching #2: Chord Changes
November 16, 2004
[click here to download Word document
version]
LESSON PLAN
Microteaching #2: Teaching a Concept Through a Song
“This Old Hammer” – Black American Work Song
Musical Concept to be taught: Chord structure
Instructional Goal: The students will sing “This Old Hammer” and be able to prove understanding of common chord structures by writing chordal accompaniment to this song, in 3 different keys (E minor and two other keys).
Materials Used in the lesson:
Staff paper (I provide)
Pencils (students provide)
Song hand-out (from last class)
(Before lesson - three staves on chalkboard)
National Standards covered in
this lesson:
1. Singing, alone and with others, a
varied repertoire of music.
3. Improvising melodies, variations, and accompaniments.
4. Composing and arranging music within specified guidelines.
TEACHING PROCEDURE:
Introduction:
Today, class, we’re going to use what we’ve learned about different kinds of
chords to analyze the chord structure of a song, and then you’re going to write
an accompaniment to the song. The song we’ll be singing is one we learned last
week called “This Old Hammer.”
Step-By-Step
Procedure/Process:
Let’s start by reviewing the song from last week.
First, somebody tell me what time signature this song is in.
And what key is it in? … good, so what scale degree does it start on?
Alright, let’s all sing it together. We will go ahead and take the repeat. (go
to piano and play/sing)
Good! Now, let’s talk a little bit about the chords in this song. E minor…
what roman numeral would we give that chord? … Okay, and what notes make up a
i
chord in E minor?
Okay, what about A minor? … same thing
Now, in the last line there is a chord symbol that says B7. What does that
indicate?
So, what is the general pattern of the chords in this song? (There are five
chord changes – what are they in order?
i iv i V7 i)
Alright, well, now I’d like all of you to use the piece of manuscript paper I
passed out and write these five chords down. You can just use one staff, that’s
fine. But spell out all five chords in order. You don’t have to worry about
measures or rhythm, just get the chords down. When you get that done, I’d like
a volunteer to come up and put the chords on the board. I’ll give you about 30
seconds or so.
Okay, who’s got the chords done and wants to put them on the board? … (Do it.
Check it.)
Great! Alright, are there any questions at all about this? No? Okay, we’ll go
on then.
Now, suppose we wanted to sing this song in a different key. What other key
could we do it in? (It still has to be minor.) … So what key signature will
that have? … Good. Okay, so now I want all of you to apply the same chord
changes (the i iv
i V7 i from the song) but put it in the
[new key]. So, I’ll give you about a minute to do this.
Volunteer put answer on board.
Now, I want you to do one more, but this time you get to pick the key. Make it
something a little harder, like B minor or Cb minor even. Otherwise, do the
same thing that you’ve been doing. I’ll give you about a minute again.
Okay, now I want one of you, once again, to write your answer on the board, but
this time, we’re going to use it to sing the song again, but in the new key. So
make sure your answer’s correct! Who wants to use theirs? … What key did you
put it in? … (On board again, check…)
(Go to piano, play and sing.) We’ll just sing one verse this time.
(If time…) Okay, anybody else have one in a key that they think would be fun to
try?
Review/Closure
Statement
Well, good work. Today, you guys took what you have learned about how to build
chords and applied it to an actual song! Kinda exciting, huh? Anyway, we’ll do
more of this next time, but it’ll be even more fun! Thanks!
Follow-up
Lesson Ideas
Students could…
Do homework assignment that is more detailed. Possibly, it could actually deal
with rhythm and perhaps even dual-staff music with 4-part writing.
Play accompaniment on piano themselves.
Write all-new chord progression.
[ home ] [ philosophy ] [ mused courses ] [ pgp ] [ intasc standards ] [ links ]