Lesson Plan

Name: Rose Mooney Date: 12/9/20

1.Measurable Objective(s): (Measurable learning objectives use action verbs to describe what you want the
students to be able to do by the end of the class.)

Students will be able to identify the components of a pop song (chord progression, lyrics, and
instruments)
Students will be able to compose a pop song with a basic chord progression, instruments, and lyrics
Students will be able to identify a pop song and know more about the genre by listening to the
characteristics that make it a pop song in the chord progression, lyrics, and instruments

2.Assessment: (What evidence will show that the students understand? Describe the assessment used – formal
and informal assessments based on learning objectives.)

Group songwriting activity - taking what they learned about pop songs- informal- will be able to see if
students comprehend what they just learned

3. National Standards: (Creating, Performing, Responding – Write out the standards that you will be
addressing in their entirety.)

MU:Cr1.1.C.Ia Describe how sounds and short musical ideas can be used to represent personal experiences,
moods, visual images, and/or storylines.

MU:Cr2.1.C.Ia Assemble and organize sounds or short musical ideas to create initial expressions of selected
experiences, moods, images, or storylines.

MU:Cr2.1.C.Ib Identify and describe the development of sounds or short musical ideas in drafts of music within
simple forms (such as one-part, cyclical, or binary).

MU:Cr3.2.C.Ia Share music through the use of notation, performance, or technology, and demonstrate how the
elements of music have been employed to realize expressive intent.

MU:Pr4.2.C.Ia Analyze how the elements of music (including form) of selected works relate to style and mood,
and explain the implications for rehearsal or performance.

MU:Pr6.1.C.Ia Share live or recorded performances of works (both personal and others’), and explain how the
elements of music are used to convey intent.

MU:Re7.2.C.Ia Analyze aurally the elements of music (including form) of musical works, relating them to style,
mood, and context, and describe how the analysis provides models for personal growth as composer, performer,
and/or listener.

MU:Cn10.0.Ia Demonstrate how interests, knowledge, and skills relate to personal choices and intent when
creating, performing, and responding to music.

4. State Standards: (Creating, Performing, Responding, Connecting - Write out the standards that you will be
addressing in their entirety.)

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 Generate and conceptualize artistic ideas and work. Consistently apply research to generate
compositional ideas (e.g., to help generate new ideas, students listen to several different recordings
of pieces that use industrial sounds). (AG.M.Cr.01)

Select, analyze and interpret artistic work for presentation. Explain how one’s composition relates to
established musical genres, styles, forms (e.g., explain how one’s piece combines elements of jazz and
Celtic music). (AG.M.P.04)

Synthesize and relate knowledge and personal experiences to make art. Explain the development of
one’s musicality or musical style and how it relates to a composition. (AG.M.Co.10)

5. Required Prior Knowledge and Skills: (What must students know to be successful.)

students should be able to recognize basic chords of the major and minor key by listening
Read music
Know form of a song (song structure)
Know how to actively listen and analyze songs

6. Material, Repertoire, Equipment needed: (Be sure to include music titles, composer/arranger, text etc.)

A pop song (whatever pop song is popular at the time of the lesson)
Lined/staff paper and pencil

7. Review Needed: (What needs to be reviewed to reinforce prior learning related to this lesson.)

Recognize the chords in a song (will be in DO NOW)

8. Accommodations: (Special Needs, ELL, etc.)

Students will be able to sit and can write a song in their own language. Students will also be able to
choose what part they want to do in the group activity. Students will be able to play any instrument of
their choosing from a pop song or can sing.

9. Agenda: (List items to be taught and post.)

- DO NOW: listen and respond

10. Lesson Sequence (Be sure to list time in the Pacing Section) Pacing
A. Brief Opening: (A teacher posted group or brief individual assignment. Brief A.…………………...
reading writing, editing, or problem-solving activity to ready them for learning – may
be a question about the rehearsal music or at the younger levels it may be a learning
activity to set up for today's lesson such as a "Do Now.")

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 There will be a pop song (whatever pop song is popular at the time of the 4 minutes
lesson so that the students can be engaged) playing as students walk into the
classroom. There will be a DO NOW that asks them what the form of the song
is (Verse? Chorus? Bridge?), what chords they hear, what the genre is, if it’s
catchy and if so, what makes it catchy

B. Learning Activities: (What learning experiences and instruction will enable B

1. students will discuss their do now’s after listening to the song 1. 1 minute

2. Students will learn some common chord progressions in pop songs such as: 2. 3 minutes
I V vi IV I vi IV V I iv ii V (in major) i iv v i i v VI iv (in minor)
Students will play those chord progressions to get it in their heads (inner
hearing) with their instruments or sing the root

3. students will learn the most common song form of a pop song 3. 2 minutes
(verse, chorus, verse, chorus, bridge, chorus) and will use the pop song that
they listened to in the beginning of class as an example

4. students will learn about lyrics of a song 4. 3 minutes

5. students will learn what instruments are usually in a pop song (vocals, piano, 5. 3 minutes
drums, guitar, bass) and go over what each instrument would do in the song
Vocals sing the melody/lyrics, piano and guitar play chords, bass plays the
roots of the chords, drums keep the beat

6. Review components of a pop song (chord progression, song form, lyrics, 6. 1 minute
instruments)

7. group songwriting activity: students will break up into groups of 3 and 7. 8 minutes
create their own pop song
have one person in charge of the instruments, one person in charge of the chord
progression and song form, and one person in charge of the lyrics. That way
each student can pick the part of creating a song where they’re most
comfortable in, teaches them the importance of cowriting/collaborating
taking what they learned about pop songs- informal- will be able to see if
students comprehend what they just learned
8. 4 minutes
8. performance time- each group will perform their song for the class

C. Closing/Wrap-up: (This is a recap of the key learning of the day to check for C.
understanding. Could be a ticket to leave as individuals or group answers.)

Review what they have learned and preview of next class (starting a new genre 1 minute
of songwriting)
D. Assignment: D.
Finish writing song if they didn’t get a chance to do so during class
Find a pop song and talk about what makes it pop 30 seconds

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 11.Reflection Prompt: What do you think went particularly well? How did this strength impact your students’
learning?

12.Reflection Prompt: If you could teach this lesson again, is there anything you would do differently? How
would this have impacted your students’ learning?

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