Lesson 3 Plan

Goal: To learn how to create a motive, and how to vary the motive melodically and rhythmically.
To have all compositions begin and end on do.

Review and assess compositions from the previous lesson

-Ask for volunteers from each section to write one of their compositions on the board.
-While students are writing their compositions on the board have individuals play their
compositions for the class.
- Have the class review each composition to make sure it is rhythmically accurate. If
there is an error have student fix it. Have the respective section play their peers
compositions. Ask for positive and constructive criticism.

Teach how to create a motive and how to vary the motive

-Show students my composition. Explain to students the motive, or musical idea, I used
in the first measure. Show and explain that I took the motive from the first measure and
used the motive on different pitches in the second measure (melodic variation). Show
and explain that I took the rhythm from the first measure and changed it a bit and used it
in the third measure (rhythmic variation).
-Show that the composition began and ended on do. Tell students that I wrote my
composition in the key of B flat, so that means that my beginning and ending note are B
flat.
-Play my composition for the class.

Collect the worksheet from the second lesson, and pass out final homework
-Instruct students that this is the final project, to create a four measure melody using
everything we have learned. The melody must be in the key of concert B flat, begin and
end on concert B flat, and create melodies using their patterns and motives.

Move on to the band music

Lesson 3 Analysis

In this lesson students learned how to use a motive to create a melody. They learned that they
can use their melodic and scalar patterns to create a motive, and how to vary the motive. The
evidence to support this can be seen in the composition project sheets. The first sheet shows a
motive in the first measure that is melodically varied by transposing the motive up a third in the
second measure. Their melody is then varied rhythmically through the end of the piece. The
student also had their melody use a scalar pattern, begin and end on concert B flat (the student
plays trumpet so their piece begins and ends on C), added dynamics and accents, and was
rhythmically correct. There was one error in that the notes above the middle line had the stems
in the wrong place. The second sheet shows a motive in the first measure that is melodically
varied by transposition in the second and fourth measure. The motive is then varied rhythmically
in the fifth and sixth measure. There were also melodic and scalar patterns used in the piece, it
began and ended on concert B flat (the student is a clarinetist so the piece begins and ends on C),
was notated correctly, used dynamics, had a tempo marking, had a staccato style, and used a
repeat sign at the end. All the students showed a marked improvement in their composing skills
in the final project.
I didnt make any adjustments during the lesson, but did change my original lesson plan to
reflect what I had learned about time management from previous lessons. I wanted to spend
more time having students put their compositions on the board and assessing and discussing
them with the class. However, the composing lesson needed to be shorter in order to have
enough time to rehearse the band music.
During this lesson I monitored student learning by checking the previous days homework when
students posted their compositions on the board and played them for the class. It allowed me to
see and hear what they had learned and retained from the previous day. All the students showed
improvement, but there were some composition and notation issues that I resolved during the
lesson.

Based on my assessments and the students work I would like to teach the class the basics of
writing harmonies, if the time permits it. Since this is the end of my Student Teaching Portfolio
project I would have to teach this at a later period in time. The next class period will be spent
having students perform their composition projects for the class.