Course code: Grade 7

Critical Challenge: Students will learn the elements of music and explore what to look at in a
piece of music and how to approach it musically.
Connection to a Culminating Activity: Students will identify the elements of music by definition
and through the exploration of the piece Fur Elise by Beethoven.
Overall Expectations: Students will identify with duration, pitch, dynamics, timbre,
texture/harmony, and form within the fundamental concepts for grade 7. They will actively
perform their learnings to display this knowledge when going over definitions (C1.2, C1.5).
They will identify the elements of music through the study of Beethovens famous Fur Elise that
they will both listen to as well as refer to visually through score analysis (C2.2). Students will
then reflect on the music and state similarities and differences from our contemporary North
American music, stating which elements of music seem to be common (C3.2).
Learning Goals/Enduring Understandings: Students will grasp the elements of music in order to
develop their musicianship and further their understanding of musicality.
Prior Knowledge Required: Students will build on their knowledge of the elements of music and
related musical concepts that were introduced in Grades 1 to 6. They will have already been
provided with some Italian terminology in a musical terms sheet which they may use to reference
as well.
Agenda:
Class discussion: Lead the students in a critical thinking group discussion questioning why we
learn what we learn. Put any ideas and answers on the board.
1. What is music?
2. What is musicality?
3. How do we tell stories through music?
Review of Elements of music:
Duration: clap
*ta ta tee-tee ta* (class claps back)
*Tri-pl-et Tri-pl-et*
*Strong weak strong weak*
*Strong weak weak Strong weak weak*
Draw 2/4, 6/8, and 5/4 on the board. Get students to identify what each number means.
Question:
1. What does the top number mean in a time signature?
2. What about the bottom number?

3. What is compound meter versus simple time? (if class struggles with this one, clap the
strong weak versus strong weak weak as a mental trigger)
Pitch:
Write Do Re Mi Fa So La Ti Do on the board linearly. Point to each pitch and go up the scale
stepwise singing with the students. Then skip a note or two to practice intervals vocally.
Do-So-Do Does anyone know what interval we sang? Lets count! Do Re Mi Fa So, 1 2 3 4 5!
So this interval is a perfect 5th.
Do-Mi-Do How about this interval? 1 2 3, very good! This is a Major 3rd.
Do-Do-Do 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8! A P8!
Texture/Harmony:
Draw another Do Re Mi Fa So La Ti Do on the board linerally next to the first. Split the class in
half and have team on and team two. Assign team 1 to sing for one solfege and team 2 to sing for
the other. Then have the students sing the scale degree you point to. Start of in unison and then
have one team sing a different note to help them with harmony and texture. This is a great game
to actively involve the class.
Dynamics/Expressive Controls:
After playing the solfege game, end the class on Do. Tell them to watch your hands. When you
feel attention is on you, raise your hands in a swelling motion. The dynamic should go through a
cresc. And decresc. Play with loud and soft as the class is engaged in active learning. Ask the
students if they can remember the terminology.
Pianissimo (pp), Fortissimo (ff)
< > Cresc. & Decresc.
Question: Why do we have dynamics in music? Whats the point? Do we have dynamics in our
speaking tone?
Form: Whats a theme in music?
Memorable melodies, repeats: modern example call me maybe
Question: What part of the song does everyone know? The verses or the chorus?
Timbre:
Does music have character?
Engage students: Can you sing like a mouse? Can you sing like a big opera singer? Can you sing
happy? Can you sing sad? Can you sing angry? Can you sing shy?
(sing to Ahh)

Questions: Why did we sing higher pitches for a mouse? Why were we loud when we sang
angry?
What is the quality of a musical note?
Hitting the books:
Play the song Fur Elise by Beethoven. Hand out score to students along with a question sheet
to complete in groups of 2-3. Play the song at least 3 4 times, and more if needed. Students
should have their Italian definition sheet by this point in time that they can refer to if needed.
Tour around the class to make sure everyone stays on task and help with any trouble.
Questions:
Definitions:
1. What does PP mean?
2. Look at Bar 9 and 10. What does this mean in the Form? (Hint: Listen to the music)
3. Who is the composer?
4. What is the time signature?
5. In Bar 14 the bass clef turns into the treble clef until bar 17. What does this mean?
6. Bar 14 has what intervals in the melody?
7. What does Dolce mean?
8. What does A Tempo mean?
9. What is the Theme of this piece?
10. What does F mean?
11. What does Morendo mean?
12. What does < > mean?
Creative Enrichment:
13. What is this music saying? Create a story that goes with the dynamic expression.

Class discussion:
Are the elements of music in Beethovens time any different than today? How does
contemporary music compare?

Differentiated Instruction Details: It is important that students be engaged in class discussions as

well as group activities. Peer mentoring is available in group activities, but if students are
struggling with a concept, it is important to go over the elements of music in different ways that

enable understanding. My hope is that my agenda plan provides visual, auditory, and tactile
methods of learning.
Required Materials:
Score to Fur Elise
Recording of Fur Elise
Question Sheet
Chalk board/chalk
Student Assessment Procedures/Considerations:
All Students are actively learning and participating in class.
Student worksheet to be handed in and marked at end of class.
Following classes will include a test on the elements of music.
Teacher Reflection Strategies:
Educational cues include engaging all students in class participation, vocal creativity, exploration
of sound and musical elements, and cooperative social skills in giving positive feedback to peers
and growing together as musicians.