Lesson Plan: NCEA Level 1 Music Theory - Chords and Intervals

Subject: Music Theory

Year Level: Year 11 (NCEA Level 1)

Duration: 50 Minutes

Number of Students: 15

Curriculum Reference

This lesson plan is designed to align with the New Zealand Curriculum for NCEA Level 1 Music, specifically within the strands of "Understanding Music in Context" and "Developing Practical Knowledge in Music". It focuses on the achievement standards:

• AS91094 (1.4) - Demonstrate knowledge of conventions used in music scores.

More details are available on NZQA - Music Subject Resources.

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Learning Objectives:

By the end of this lesson, students will be able to:

1. Define and identify different types of intervals and their roles in music composition.
2. Understand and identify various chord types including major, minor, diminished, and augmented chords.
3. Apply knowledge of intervals and chords to construct basic chord progressions and analyse simple scores.

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Resources Needed:

• Keyboard or piano (one per two students)
• Music staves whiteboard and markers
• Handouts with music staves and example scores
• Computers/tablets with access to music theory websites like Teoria for interactive exercises

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Lesson Plan

Introduction (10 minutes)

• Greeting and Objective Sharing: Briefly outline the objectives of today's lesson.
• Warm-up Activity: Display different intervals on the whiteboard; ask students to identify them by name and whether they are major, minor, or perfect.

Main Lesson Content (30 minutes)

Part 1: Intervals (15 minutes)

• Explanation and Demonstration: Explain the concept of intervals, including harmonic and melodic intervals. Use keyboard to demonstrate different intervals – major third, perfect fifth, etc.
• Interactive Activity: Students use their keyboards to find and play different intervals. Utilise peer checking where one student plays an interval, and the partner identifies it.

Part 2: Chords (15 minutes)

• Chord Construction: Explain how chords are built using intervals. Start with major and minor triads, then introduce diminished and augmented chords.
• Group Task: Students work in small groups to write down as many different triads as they can on their handouts, using keyboards to verify their sound.

Practical Application (10 minutes)

• Chord Progressions: Teach students common chord progressions like I-IV-V-I. Students practise these on the keyboard.
• Score Analysis: Show a simple music score. Ask students to identify the intervals and chords used in the score.

Conclusion (5 minutes)

• Recap: Quickly recap the lesson, reinforcing key terms and concepts learned.
• Homework Assignment: Assign the task of composing a simple 8-bar melody using specific intervals and chords discussed in the lesson.
• Feedback Request: Encourage students to share one thing they found challenging and one thing they enjoyed from the lesson.

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Assessment

Formative assessment through observation during activities and a quiz on intervals and chords at the next class meeting.

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Additional Notes:

• Ensure that all activities cater to various learning styles, incorporating auditory, visual, and kinesthetic elements to aid understanding.
• For students struggling with content, provide extra scaffolds, such as interval and chord reference charts for use during tasks.

Completion of this lesson will provide students foundational knowledge necessary for more advanced studies in music theory, composition, and performance as part of their NCEA Level 1 Music assessment.