Music 6
Structure - Elements of Melody

This sub-organizer contains the following sections:
Prescribed Learning Outcomes
Suggested Instructional Strategies
Suggested Assessment Strategies
Recommended Learning Resources

Prescribed Learning Outcomes

It is expected that students will:

maintain a melodic or harmonic part in simple textures
apply knowledge of form and the principles of design to their melodic compositions
use standard and invented notation to represent melodic patterns
apply appropriate music 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.

Suggested Instructional Strategies

Ask students to represent a selection from classroom repertoire using their own notation systems. Then have them share their notations with partners and attempt to identify one another's songs. Invite students to share their notations with the rest of the class, justifying their representations. Discuss as a class the advantages and disadvantages of a common system of notation.

Use a stations approach to familiarize students with the conventions of standard notation (e.g., clef, note placement, ledger lines). Using a cloze strategy and classroom repertoire in standard notation, challenge students to fill in missing notes for the songs. They then share their responses with partners, justifying their choices.

Have students listen to or perform examples of music that portray one or more principles of design. Bring in samples of visual art, dance, and poetry, and have students work with partners to identify the design principles represented. As a class, examine how design in other art forms relates to design in music.

Play a selection of ensemble music while students follow the score. Identify which clef each instrument or voice uses and list these in chart format.

Review the components of form in music. Have students work with partners to play listening or visual "Name That Form" games using classroom repertoire.

Demonstrate improvisation of melodic phrases in a pentatonic scale, with one of the phrases ending on the tonal centre. Then identify which phrase sounds like the final point. Invite students to improvise in this way and then compose melodies ending on the tonal centre.

Suggested Assessment Strategies

After students represent a music selection using their own notation systems and share them with partners, ask them to compare their work to standard notation. Then ask the partners to assess one another's work by describing:
- two similarities in their systems of notation
- two differences
- one thing each student did well
- something they learned about notation from working together
- something they noticed about the design of melodies
- one thing they both need to learn more about
Collect examples of students' invented and standard notation. Look for consistency in the way they use conventions, forms, and symbols, as well as appropriate representation of the melodies (within the conventions they have chosen to use).
When students improvise music phrases in a pentatonic scale and compose melodies ending on the tonal centre, provide them with opportunities to perform their compositions for partners or small groups. Brainstorm descriptive comments and questions students can use to respond to the compositions. For example:
- I noticed that your melody started ---------- .
- I thought that the contour of your melody was like ---------- .
- Your composition reminded me of ---------- .
- Why did you decide to end with ---------- ?
Invite students to compare the melodic characteristics of various folk melodies. Then form groups and have each group find and perform two or three melodies from different cultures with similar characteristics. Invite other students to ask questions and offer feedback. Assess the group presentations for:
- accuracy in reproducing the chosen melodies
- ability to identify similar characteristics
- appropriate use of vocabulary
- willingness to add some challenge to the task (e.g., simple harmony or accompaniment)