Peris Alban
October 26th,2004
Lesson Plan for
Middle/High School Music Classroom
Project # 4
OBJECTIVE‹
- Students will learn and become familiar with the BLUES
JAZZ scale.
PURPOSE‹
- Students will gain an understanding of how a
blues jazz scale is built, and what characteristics it has making it
different from the pentatonic scale. (Previously learned.)
- Students will be expected to compose their own
blues piece at the end of the unit to demonstrate their understanding of
the subject.
MATERIALS NEEDED‹
- Computer; projector/screen; CD Player; Examples
of blues music‹Muddy Waters recording; Jessie Mae Mepham recording;
Sibelius Compass software.
ANTICIPATORY SET‹
- As students enter the classroom, a Muddy Waters
song is playing. (Any song may be chosen from the CD). Once students are
settled, a Jessie Mae Mepham song is played. (Again, any song may be
chosen).
- Following the recordings, a brief discussion will
follow, based on the following questions‹³Did the music sound strange?²
³Why²? ³Was the music similar/different to a song sung using the
pentatonic scale²? ³Can someone identify the style of music²?
PROCEDURE‹
- Following the anticipatory set, the students will
be directed to watch the screen, as Sibelius Compass will guide the
students in a detailed explanation of how a blues jazz scale is built.
This scale will be compared to the pentatonic scale for comparisons of how
intervals differ in the make-up of the scales.
- Students will learn that the interval pattern is
the same, no matter what key the music is in.
CLOSURE/STUDENT UNDERSTANDING‹
- Following the Sibelius demonstration, students
will be able to show their understanding of how the blues jazz scale is
built by taking a quiz following the main lesson using the Sibelius
software. Sibelius will keep
track of correct/incorrect answers.
EXTENSION‹
- In lessons that follow this introduction to the
blues jazz scale, students will further show their understanding of the
subject by utilizing Sibelius Compass Tracker lessons. These are
extensions whereby the students will demonstrate their understanding of
the topic by composing their own blues song based on the blues jazz scale.
- Students will be able to perform and record their
compositions on the Sibelius tracker, and download them onto a disc for
future use.