Best+Lesson-+Kourtlin+Churchman

This lesson was actually used to teach a 7th grade general music class the basics of musical form as they worked through a garage band project. We focused on three types of form: "Pop" (Verse/Chorus/Bridge), Ternary (ABA), and Rondo (ABACA). Students write, observe, listen, and move throughout this lesson. It incorporates visual, aural, and kinesthetic aspects throughout, working to get students involved in a number of ways.

Preparation: -Students were given a worksheet with the three types of form on it, a space to write the form diagram, and a space to write down the examples we played in class for each form - musical clips were made into a playlist on Spotify for easy access - Large "A" and "B" Signs were placed on opposite sides of the room - Individual note cards with "A" written on them for each student

1. Ask what the word "Form" means to them. Relate it to Musical form [I got a variety of answers but could some how relate them all back to "organizing thoughts or ideas"] 2. Pop Form: Write the three different elements on the board (verse/chorus/bridge). Explain that the chorus is the part that gets stuck in your head.. the part that you know! Play "Titanium" (or another other pop song that students will be familiar with). The students are able to identify which comes first, verse or chorus. Write these things different sections down as it progresses. After the verse, chorus, verse pattern emerges, stop the song to talk about how that usually repeats in a pattern. Then play the bridge. Ask the students if it is the chorus (no) or the verse (no). Then what is it?? They can identify that it is the Bridge because you have already written the three sections on the board. Let students fill out their study guide with the form and the song "Titanium" as examples used in class.

2. ABA form: -Write the form on the board and talk about how it is like a sandwich. Use "Twinkle, Twinkle Little Star" as a quick example. Check for understanding by asking "which part repeats?".. They can sing it back to you. -Ask them to stand up and move over to the "A" side of the room (with the signs you already placed on the wall). Play them the beginning of the Star Wars theme (about 1min of it) and ask them to move to the "B" when the music changes..and then back to the "A" side when they hear the beginning theme again. Repeat this process with the "Chick Dance", giving students the opportunity to move from A to B or dance to the corresponding sections. -Move back to your seats and have the students fill out the Ternary portion of the study guide.

3. Rondo Form: -Write the form on the board, drawing attention to the return of the A section. - Divide the students into "B" and "C" group. Ask each group to work collaboratively and come up with a four count chant about rain. The A part will be performed by you (Singing: "Rain, rain go away come again some other day). When the students have got their chant, you can perform a simple rondo by pointing at the students when it's their turn to chant inbetween each of your "A" interations. - Play the Overture of "Carmen" or a song called "Viennese Musical Clocks" for the students have them hold up their "A" card each time the repeated section comes back. (It helped to remind them when to start with the first "A", as many rondos have a quick little introduction or something that is NOT included in the actual A section) - Have students fill out the Rondo portion of the study guide

<span style="background-color: #ffffff; color: #5c626d; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue',Helvetica,Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 15px;">4. Quick Assessment: Inform students that they will have a quick quiz on the back of their sheets now. It won't be graded, but they just need to do the best they can. Give them two minutes of silence to study their guide they have filled out. Have them spread out, flip their paper over and write as much about the three different forms as they can remember (name, form diagram, and examples from class). Collect papers.

<span style="background-color: #ffffff; color: #5c626d; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue',Helvetica,Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 15px;">Most of the students were able to recall almost all of it. If they had troubles with certain parts, I tried to help them remember the examples we used in class and that usually helped them remember the form or the name! <span style="background-color: #ffffff; color: #5c626d; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue',Helvetica,Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 15px;">Have fun! :)