Merana Lesson Plan Final
Merana Lesson Plan Final
Merana Lesson Plan Final
I. OBJECTIVES
At the end of the lesson, the students are expected to:
1. Understand the historical background and origin of Impressionism in Music.
2. Distinguish the elements that make up or encompass an Impressionistic form of music.
3. Appreciate the impacts and influences of Impressionism to contemporary music or
setting.
4. Create a short lyrical song based upon the elements involved in making an
Impressionistic form of music.
III. PROCEDURE
A. Preparatory/Routinary Activities
1. Prayer
- The teacher will lead the opening prayer of the class.
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B. Motivation
1. Through a Powerpoint presentation, the teacher will show to the class a pair of pictures
in each slide. The pair of pictures are contrastingly different from each other.
2. In a span of six rounds, the teacher will play a music on the piano as each slide (pair of
pictures) is being shown to the class.
3. The students will then be asked which picture best suits or describes the theme or
“impression” of the music that's been played.
4. Students who participated in the activity will be given a prize to boost classroom
engagement.
C. Lesson Proper
Activity: Classroom Discussion
What is Impressionism in Music?
- Impressionism was an artistic movement developed in Paris around the 1860s. Headed by
prominent Parisian artists, such as Claude Monet, impressionism centered around the idea of an
artist moving outdoors to quickly paint lightly-obscured, loosely-defined impressions of
landscapes, people, and fleeting scenes of nature.
- Impressionism was most popular from 1890 to 1920, and had three primary characteristics:
fluidity (the lack of a strong rhythmic pulse), atmosphere (how music feels and sounds), and
tone color (the quality of sound that distinguishes one instrument from another).
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2. Atmosphere
Atmosphere refers to the mood, emotion, and ambiance of a piece of music. It's what sets
the tone and creates a sense of place and time. Atmosphere can be created through the
choice of instruments, sounds, effects, and arrangement.
3. Tone Color
The tone color or timbre of a musical instrument is the unique sound quality of any
instrument that distinguishes it from another instrument, a quality that is not associated
with pitch, rhythm, or volume.
Mid-discussion Activity: To better understand how each Impressionistic element works, the
Teacher will first ask the class to sing a few parts of the National Anthem of the Philippines as
well as the song, “Pilipinas kong Hirang”. Afterwards, the students will analyze the differences
between the two songs based on their fluidity, atmosphere, and tone color.
- The combination of several elements such as the use of whole-tone and pentatonic scales
created harmonic ambiguity, or music that does not have a standard structure that's easily
recognized by the listener.
New Techniques and Musical Innovations Popularized during the Impressionistic Era:
1. Whole-tone Scale
A whole tone scale contains six notes and is made up entirely of whole-steps. For
example: C–D–E–F♯–G♯–A♯. Since the interval between each note of the whole tone
scale is exactly the same, it is considered a symmetrical scale.
2. Pentatonic Scale
A pentatonic scale is a musical scale with five notes per octave, in contrast to the
heptatonic scale, which has seven notes per octave (such as the major scale and minor
scale).
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3. Dissonance
Dissonance refers to discordant sounds or a lack of harmony in music. If the two notes in
this staff are played simultaneously, they'll produce a dissonant sound: Although
dissonance in music may make some listeners feel uneasy, it ultimately helps to create
tension and a sense of motion in compositions.
Mid-discussion Activity: The teacher will ask the students to prepare two small pieces of paper.
Afterwards, they will be asked to close their eyes while the music piece “Claire de Lune” and
“Spirited Away” is being played by the teacher. Then, they will be instructed to describe each
piece which they have listened to in just one word, based on their “impression”.
1. Claude Debussy
Claude Debussy (1862-1918) was a French composer active in the late 19th and early 20th
centuries. Debussy's style, which tended to prioritise instrumental colour and mood creation
over structural rigour, has often resulted in him being labelled the first Impressionist
composer. However, Debussy himself wasn't happy with the label. His works like Clair de
Lune have become piano standards while La Mer, with its unusual use of instruments and
impressionistic use of waves of sounds instead of melodies, broke the mould of convention
and ushered in the innovative music of modernism in the 20th century.
2. Maurice Ravel
Joseph Maurice Ravel (March 7, 1875 – December 28, 1937) was a French composer, pianist
and conductor. He is often associated with impressionism along with his elder contemporary
Claude Debussy, although both composers rejected the term. In the 1920s and 1930s Ravel
was internationally regarded as France’s greatest living composer. A slow and painstaking
worker, Ravel composed fewer pieces than many of his contemporaries. Among his works to
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enter the repertoire are pieces for piano, chamber music, two piano concertos, ballet music,
two operas and eight song cycles; he wrote no symphonies or church music.
Trivia time!
The famous online educational multi-player game "Minecraft" is also renowned for using
Impressionistic Music as their game's background theme.
(The teacher will then proceed to play the "Minecraft" main theme on the piano)
IV. ANALYSIS
How can you define Impressionism?
When did Impressionism originate and where was it first popularized?
What are the differences between the three elements of Impressionistic Music?
Who are the most notable composers/musicians of the Impressionistic Era?
Can you name at least two famous Impressionistic musical pieces?
Do you appreciate the Impressionistic style of Music? What are its characteristics that you
appreciate the most?
V. APPLICATION
How are the concept of Impressionism in music continuously cultivated in our present time?
Besides music, how can you implement the notion of Impressionism and Expressionism in
your life?
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Citta Grande, Brgy. Ibabang Iyam, Lucena City
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VI. EVALUATION/ASSESSMENT
A. GROUP ACTIVITY
The teacher will divide the class into three groups. Afterwards, they will be tasked to create a
short lyrical song that encompasses the different elements involved in making an Impressionistic
music. If available, the students will be encouraged to use musical instruments in their
performance.
B. WRITTEN ASSESSMENT
I. Modified True or False.
Write IMPRESSIONISM if the statement is correct and EXPRESSIONISM if the statement is
wrong. Then, underline the word/phrase that makes the statement incorrect. Write your answer
on the space provided before each number.
__________1. The Impressionism Movement began in the city of Paris in the 21st Century.
__________2. Arnold Schoenberg was considered as the most notable composer of
Impressionism.
__________3. Impressionism relies on the elements of fluidity, tone color, and atmosphere to
convey its message.
__________4. Impressionism did not start in the form of music. Rather, it was popularized by
artworks made by artists around the 1860s.
__________5. Claude Debussy was the one who popularized the concept of Expressionism in
Music.
__________6. “Bolero” was a famous Impressionist piece written by Maurice Ravel.
__________7. The Impressionist Movement rose to popularity from 1890 up until the year 1920.
__________8. Tone color refers to the mood, emotion, and ambiance of a piece of music.
__________9. Impressionism paved the way for other genres such as Jazz and Pop Music to also
be discovered and developed.
__________10. Impressionism introduced the use of the Chromatic Scale in compositions and
musical pieces.
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II. Differentiation
Differentiate each element of Impressionistic music according to what you have learned in the
lesson. You can use examples to further elaborate your answers.
III. Essay
Answer the following questions in no less than 2 sentences. Write your answers on the space
provided.
1. How are the elements of Impressionistic music seen and used in the contemporary
setting?
VII. ASSIGNMENT
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Citta Grande, Brgy. Ibabang Iyam, Lucena City
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The teacher will ask the students to research and do an advanced reading about the historical
background of the Expressionism Movement. Then, they will be required to listen to Arnold
Schoenberg’s piece entitled, “Pierrot Lunaire” and provide some insights in relation to the said
composition.