- Parent Category: Lesson Plans
- In: Middle School Lesson Plans
Title: Crash Course in Western Music
Submitted By: James Berry - North Conway, NH
Objective: Students will have an understanding of the origins of Western music through the 1300s to the present day.
National Standards Covered: 8. Understanding relationships between music, the other arts, and disciplines outside the arts. 9. Understanding music in relation to history and culture.
Materials: - Crash Course in Western Music handout (click here to download)
- List of pieces for each time period and audio excerpts
(recommendations will be posted here soon)
Procedure:
1. Pass out the handout and tell students that you will be studying the origin of Western music from the 1300s until today. Have audio excerpts handy - I suggest a burned CD or ipod for this lesson.
2. Play each piece for the students and give them information regarding the popular composers at that time - give them dates, but let them figure out the unique charactaristics through discussion.
3. Ask probing questions to relate the music to culture. For instance, for Renaissance music - remind them that the Western history of music typically begins here because of the invention of the printing press. Give students historical references - for instance 1776 being in the classical period of Mozart, Haydn and early Beethoven (the time of the American revolution). This will help them to understand the purpose behind the music.
4. Take time discussing each period - this handout make take 3-4 hours to complete, but students will enjoy listening to new music and relating it to their world. Also make references to how older music that has had an impact is still being used today - For instance Bach's cello suite no. 1 in the soundtrack for the movie Master and Commander.
5. Repeat steps 2-4 for each time period and make it interesting for the students. Simply lecturing will make this long and drawn out.
Assessment:
See if students can use their notes to listen to a piece and figure out which time period it fits with. I would recommend for MS only using pieces that you have played before. Make this into a game or a short quiz. Help them by giving them hints if necessary.
