Unit Plan Outline

Teacher: Ashley Jeon

Unit Title: Triads
Grades: 9-10
Number of Classes: 4

MA Frameworks:

2.6 Read and sing at sight simple melodies and intervals in both the treble and
bass clefs

2.8 Use standard notation to record their own musical ideas and those of others

2.11 Read and sing at sight moderately difficult melodies, all intervals and their
inversions from unison through an octave, and triads and their inversions in
arpeggiated form

2.14 Read and sing at sight difficult melodies, all intervals, and seventh chords
and their inversions in arpeggiated form

National Standards

- Responding

- Connecting
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Rationale

This unit will serve as a first exposition of the concept of triads to early
high school students. In western music, triads play a fundamental role. The
understanding of such concept is elementary for the proficient musician at any
capacity. Having a solid understanding of triad in early high school will allow the
students with no previous music theory experience with a good starting point for
the remaining of their learning. Students with previous music theory knowledge
will have the chance to solidify their knowledge of this topic.
This serves as a bridge from the most basic concepts of music theory to more
practical studies to come.
 Essential Questions

-How do the four kinds of triads differ from each other?

-How can we apply triads in different musical contexts?

Enduring Understanding

Students will gain a solid understanding of not only how triads are built, but also
how they can be applied and how they behave in a variety of musical contexts.
Students will be able to draw connections between their current music knowledge
and ability and the music that they experience and strive to perform. Students will
be able to develop their skills in ear training as well, which is a useful ability to
have in music. This fundamental concept serves as the solid backbone to a
proper musical formation.

Behavioral Objectives:

- Students will be able to identify all kinds of triads in their respective

inversions.
- Students will be able to analyze triadic harmonies in multiple musical
contexts.
- Students will be able to write out chords and voicing to a given melody.
- Students will be able to improve their chordal reading.

Assessment/Evaluation:
Informal- Students will be informally assessed on the accuracy of their
comments and their participation in classes discussions.
Formal- Students will be formally assessed through the use of worksheets
focused of each lesson.
Long Range Assignment/Project/Product- This unit will help students
interpret triadic music in any setting including composition and analysis.

Prior Knowledge and Skills:

- Knowledge of solfege syllables.

- Knowledge of music notation
- Knowledge of notes on piano
Accommodations:
1. Special needs
2. ELL
--Speak clearly and perform oral or sing with the hand signs.
-Give many examples of notations and do many group activities
-Provide many picture based PowerPoint and print it for the student who needs
help.

School to Home/community connection:

-Knowledge of triads will help students better comprehend the music around
them, regardless of cultural background or geographical location due to the
extant in which triadic music is present in popular music.

Activator:
-Guiding questions, discussions of the applications of the topic to popular music
as well as drawing connections to previous units.

Repertoire:
- Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart G major
- Mozart - Symphony no.25 (G minor)
- Happy Birthday (major and minor)
- God save the queen (major and minor)
- Stand spangled banner (major and minor)
- Sonata no.2 in b flat minor Op.35 (major)

Materials Needed:
Piano
Computer with projector and speakers
PowerPoint
Worksheets
White board
Markers
 Lesson Outlines

1.Major Triads

Behavioral Objective
- Students will be able to define and identify major triads as well as recognize the
sound of C major chord and build any major triad on treble and bass clef.
Students will be able to do so through the comparison of major triads and scales.

Assessment/Evaluation
Formal- Students will define major chord on the worksheet
Informal- Students will be observed during the chord building process for fluency
and struggles.

Prior Knowledge

-Students should know key signatures.

-Students must be familiar with notes on the piano.

Activator
- discussions of the applications of major triads in popular music
- Have students do creative composition using the materials that are being
studied.

Lesson content

1.Explain the concepts of root, third and fifth with the aid of visual examples such as
notes on a staff and note letters.
2.Explain the role of the third degree in defining the quality of a major triad by showing
the notation.
3.Have students compare different major triads to help with the understanding of the
major quality.
4.Have students compose using I, IV and V triads to check for understanding

2. Minor triads

Behavioral Objective
- Students will be able to define and identify minor triads as well as recognize the
sound of A minor chord and build any minor triads on treble and bass clef.
Students will be able to do so through the comparison of major to minor triads
and scales.

Assessment/Evaluation
Formal- Students will define minor chord on the worksheet
Informal- Students will be observed during the chord building process for fluency
and struggles.

Prior Knowledge

-Students should know key signatures.

-Students must be familiar with notes on the piano.
-Students should know major triads.

Activator
- discussions of the applications of minor triads in popular music
- Have students do creative composition using the materials that are being
studied.

Lesson content

1.Review the concepts of root, third and fifth with the aid of visual examples such as
notes on a staff and note letters in order to differentiate minor from major.
2.Explain the effect of the flatted third degree and its impact on the harmony.
3.Have students compare different minor triads to help with the understanding of the
minor quality.
4.Have students compose using I, IV and V triads to check for understanding. Make sure
students are aware of where to place major and minor triads within the given harmony
(ie. I = minor, IV = minor, V = major)

3.Augmented triads

Behavioral Objective
- Students will be able to define and identify augmented triads as well as
recognize the sound of C augmented chord and build any augmented triads on
treble and bass clef. Students will be able to distinguish augmented triads from
major triads.

Assessment/Evaluation
Formal- Students will define augmented chord on the worksheet
Informal- Students will be observed during the chord building process for fluency
and struggles.

Prior Knowledge

-Students should know key signatures.

-Students must be familiar with notes on the piano.
-Students should know major and minor triads.

Activator
- discussions of the applications of augmented triads in music
- Have students to identify an augmented chord in midst of a variety of chords

Lesson content

1.Review the concepts of root, third and fifth with the aid of visual examples such as
notes on a staff and note letters in order to differentiate augmented from major.
2.Explain the effect of the sharped fifth degree and its impact on the harmony.
3.Have students compare different augmented triads to help with the understanding of
the augmented quality.
4.Have students to identify an augmented chord in the midst of a variety of chords.

4.Diminished triads

Behavioral Objective
- Students will be able to define and identify diminished triads as well as
recognize the sound of B diminished chord and build any diminished triads on
treble and bass clef. Students will be able to distinguish diminished triads from
minor triads.
Assessment/Evaluation
Formal- Students will define diminished chord on the worksheet
Informal- Students will be observed during the chord building process for fluency
and struggles.

Prior Knowledge

-Students should know key signatures.

-Students must be familiar with notes on the piano.
-Students should know major, minor and augmented triads.

Activator
- discussions of the applications of diminished triads in music
- Have students identify a diminished chord in midst of a variety of chords

Lesson content

1.Review the concepts of root, third and fifth with the aid of visual examples such as
notes on a staff and note letters in order to differentiate diminished from minor.
2.Explain the effect of the flatted fifth degree and its impact on the harmony.
3.Have students compare different diminished triads to help with the understanding of
the diminished quality.
4.Have students identify an diminished chord in the midst of a variety of chords.