Prescribed Learning Outcomes
It is expected that students will:
- use singing or instrumental skills to maintain a melodic or harmonic part in simple textures
- compare the form and principles of design in melodic structure
- use standard and invented notation to represent melodic patterns
- identify appropriate terminology to describe melody and harmony
To view the prescribed learning outcomes for Structure - Elements of Melody in other grades click on an icon below.
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Suggested Instructional Strategies
- Have students collect a variety of found sounds and categorize them in terms of pitched and non-pitched. Ask students to use pitched instruments to match the pitched sounds. Challenge them to use these found sounds to create and notate compositions.
- Play examples of major and minor scales and discuss the similarities and differences. Students then work in groups to identify major and minor tonality in known repertoire. Ask students: Do all pieces in the repertoire fit into one or the other category?
- Assist students in exploringthe physical properties of pitch and sound (e.g., demonstrate using an oscilloscope or music software). Ask students to suggest ways to demonstrate these concepts with simple objects (e.g., elastic bands, rulers).
- Invite students to perform from known repertoire and compare examples in terms of form. Use a contrast chart to present the similarities and differences in each piece.
- Discuss as a class some possibilities for using the principles of design. Have students work individually or in groups to compose and notate short melodic compositions (vocal or instrumental) and to list the design principles used.
- As a class, sing examples of traditional Canadian music in a variety of forms (e.g., Aboriginal music, Maritime or Québécois folk songs). Ask students in groups to analyse and classify each piece in terms of melodic patterns and form. Each group then creates and presents a movement sequence to represent its findings.
- Invite professional composers or high-school composition students to talk to the class about their composition techniques. Then have students use available computer applications to explore contour, pitch, register, and scale patterns, and discuss their findings with music mentors.
Suggested Assessment Strategies
- As students participate in classroom music activities, note the extent to which they are able to:
- reproduce or echo simple melodies
- sustain their assigned parts in simple rounds (starting the same melody at different times)
- sing in tune
- start a song higher or lower (reproduce a melody in another key)
- recognize familiar melodies in new contexts (e.g., in different arrangements or tempos, performed with different instruments)
- identify major and minor tonality
- use increasingly precise terminology to talk about melody and harmony
- Have students categorize or classify sounds, scales, and music, and discuss similarities and differences. Note and comment on:
- the logic of their classifications or comparisons
- their willingness to consider more than one option
- their fluency in identifying attributes
- their abilities to draw conclusions or make generalizations on the basis of their comparisons or classifications
- Ask students to work in small groups. Assign a familiar song to each group and invite students to analyse the melody by considering features such as register, pitch, patterns, contour, intervals, harmony, and repetition. Have the groups demonstrate their findings to the class. Look for evidence that they are able to:
- apply what they know to create clear and accurate demonstrations
- show their understanding in more than one way (e.g., verbal explanation, visual representation, demonstration)
- use appropriate terminology
- respond to questions with relevant and accurate information
- devise appropriate practice activities
- provide feedback to others in the class about their analyses of the melodies
Recommended Learning Resources
Print Materials
- Can You Canon
- Literature-Based Art and Music
- Music
- Music For All
- The Windsongs Series For Recorder, Orff or Kodaly Programs
Video
- Joy Of Singing
- Latin Nights
- Music
- Silver Burdett Ginn Music Magic Video Library
- Something Within Me
- The Vienna Boys Choir
Multimedia
- Exploringthe Music of the World
- The Music Connection
- Roots and Branches
- Share The Music Series
- Susan Hammond's Classical Kids
Software
- Theory Games Software Levels 1A, 1B & 2
- Theory Games Software Levels 3, 4 & 5
