Introduction to Melody

Learning Resource Type

Learning Activity

Subject Area

Arts Education

Grade(s)

6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12

Overview

This activity serves as an introduction to the study of melody at the novice level of ensemble participation. In this activity, the student will begin to explore melody. They will learn to aurally differentiate between high and low pitches, identify melodic motion by step and skip (intervals), and represent melodic contour using simple graphic representations.

This activity was created as a result of the Arts COS Resource Development Summit.

Phase

Before/Engage
Arts Education (2017) Grade(s): 06-12 - Music

AE17.MU.TEE.N.2

Select and draft melodic and rhythmic ideas or motives that demonstrate understanding of thecharacteristics of music or texts studied in rehearsal.

UP:AE17.MU.TEE.N.2

Vocabulary

Choral
Rhythm
  • Measure
  • Bar line
  • Time signature
  • Simple meter
  • Common time
  • 2/4 time
  • Whole note/ rest
  • Half note/ rest
  • Quarter note/ rest
  • Eighth note/ rest
  • Tempo
Melody
  • Head voice/ chest voice
  • Staff
  • Clef (treble and bass)
  • Major key signature
  • Diatonic major scale
  • Tonic major arpeggio
  • Pitch
  • Stepwise motion
  • Skip motion
Harmony
  • Unison
  • 2-part singing
  • Vocal ostinati
  • Imitative harmony (canon, etc.)
Form
  • Phrase
  • Verse
  • Chorus
  • Section
  • AB
  • ABA
  • Repeat sign
Expression
  • Balance/ blend
  • Phrasing
  • Dynamics: pianissimo, piano, mezzo piano, mezzo forte, forte, fortissimo, crescendo, decrescendo, diminuendo
  • Uniform vowels
  • Fermata
Other
  • Sharps
  • Flats
  • Naturals
  • Diction
  • Posture
  • Performance etiquette
  • Correct breathing

Instrumental
Rhythm
  • Beat
  • Tempo
    • Adagio
    • Andante
    • Moderato
  • Counting System
  • Simple Meter
  • Time Signature
    • 4/4
    • Common
    • 2/4
    • 3/4
  • Barline
  • Measure/ Bar
  • Whole Note & Rest
  • Half Note & Rest
  • Quarter Note & Rest
  • Eighth Note & Rest
  • Dotted Half Note
  • Tie
  • Pick-up Note
  • Rudiment
Melody
  • Staff
  • Clef
    • Treble
    • Bass
    • Alto
  • Key Signature
  • Sharp
  • Flat
  • Natural
  • Accidental
  • Pitch
  • Range
  • Register
  • Middle Register
  • Tonality
  • Major
  • Diatonic
  • Chromatic
  • Scale
  • Arpeggio
  • Half-Step
  • Whole-Step
  • Stepwise Motion
  • Intervals
Harmony
  • Unison
  • Solo
  • Duet
  • Tutti
  • Chord
  • Progression
Form
  • Phrase
  • Repeats/ Repeat Sign
  • Double Bar Line
Expression
  • Dynamic
    • Piano
    • Mezzo Piano
    • Mezzo Forte
    • Forte
  • Articulation
    • Tonguing
    • Slurring
    • Accent
    • Legato
    • Staccato
    • Detaché
    • Pizzicato
  • Breath Mark
Other
  • Posture
  • Instrument Carriage
  • Instrument Assembly
  • Instrument Maintenance
  • Embouchure
  • Grip
  • Characteristic Tone Quality
  • Tone Color
  • Range
  • Timbre
  • Breathing
  • Support
  • Sustain
  • Release
  • Intonation
  • Balance

Essential Questions

EU: The creative ideas, concepts, and feelings that influence musicians' work emerge from a variety of sources.
EQ: How do musicians generate creative ideas?

Skills Examples

Choral
Performing
  • Read rhythmic notation aloud using a consistent system (e.g., counting, neutral syllables, etc.).
  • Read melodic notation aloud using a consistent system (e.g., numbers, solfege, etc.).
    • Creating
    • Improvise 4-8 beat rhythms using body percussion and call/ response.
    • Improvise 4-beat melodic patterns using visual stimuli and call/ response.
    • Collaborate to synthesize original compositions with peers using improvised elements.
      • Reading/ Writing
      • Create and share 8-16 measure unison rhythmic and melodic exercises using standard notation within teacher-provided guidelines.
        • Responding/ Evaluating
        • Identify thematic elements and repetition in notated music.
        • Identify challenging elements in notated music.

          • Instrumental
          Performing
          • Assemble, disassemble, and perform routine maintenance on the assigned instrument(s).
          • Hold the assigned instrument(s) with appropriate posture.
          • Using the proper embouchure, breath support, articulation, and release, produce a characteristic tone in the middle register at dynamic ranges between piano and forte (Winds).
          • Perform pizzicato, up and down bows with a detaché bow stroke with 2 to 4 slurred notes (Strings).
          • On a steady beat and at slow to medium tempi, clap, speak on neutral syllables, count aloud, and play on instruments given rhythmic patterns using whole, half, quarter, eighth notes and rests and dotted half notes in 4/4, common, 2/4, and 3/4 meters.
          • On a steady beat and at slow to medium, speak the letter names of and sing on pitch and/or using solfege melodic notation within a given range.
          • Play the concert Bb, Eb, and Ab scales with arpeggios (winds and percussion). Play a one octave concert C, G, D, and A scales with arpeggios (strings).
            • Play five-stroke roll, nine-stroke rolls, flam, single paradiddle, and flamacue rudiments (percussion). Play a one octave chromatic scale (winds and percussion).
          • Play alone and with others, music graded .5 to 1 and beginner to very easy.
          Creating
          • Complete unfinished compositions using standard music notation.
          • Improvise simple rhythmic and melodic patterns of 1-2 measures within given parameters.
          • Compose simple rhythmic and melodic patterns of 1-2 measures within given parameters using standard music notation.
          Reading/ Writing
          • Read given rhythmic notation using whole, half, quarter, eighth, and dotted half notes and rests in 4/4, common, 2/4, and 3/4 meters.
          • Read melodic notation within the middle register of the assigned instruments(s).
          • Identify by name and notate common musical elements (staff, clefs, rhythms, etc.).
          Responding/ Evaluating
          • Identify parts of the assigned instrument(s).
          • Listen to and identify intervals by ear.
          • Listen to and echo simple rhythmic and melodic patterns 1 to 2 measures in length using body percussion, the voice, and instruments.
          • Listen to and dictate simple rhythmic patterns 1 to 2 measures in length using whole, half, quarter, eighth, and dotted half notes and rests in 4/4, common, 2/4, and 3/4 meters.
          • Listen to and dictate simple melodic patterns 1 to 2 measures in length within a given range.
          • Listen to a variety of live and recorded music performed by self, peers, instructors, and professional soloists and ensembles.
          • Listen to live and recorded music from a variety of time periods and cultures, of varying styles, from various composers.
          • Recognize conducting patterns used in 4/4, common, 2/4, and 3/4 meters.

Anchor Standards

Anchor Standard 1: Generate and conceptualize artistic ideas and work.

Learning Objectives

Students will

  • differentiate between high and low pitches,
  • identify melodic motion as ascending, descending, or repeated
  • identify melodic motion by step and skip (intervals),
  • represent melodic contour using simple graphic representations.

Activity Details

Opening Strategy

  • the students will open a blank document in Microsoft Word on their computers (or take out a blank sheet of paper)
  • from the Insert menu, they will go to the Shapes sub-menu and insert an oval shape into their blank document (The student may need to adjust the size of the oval - smaller is better)
  • the student will copy the shape and paste 15-20 duplicate shapes into the document. (Move the shapes to the bottom of the page so they are out of the way.)
  • the teacher will identify objects that are high or low in the room and the students will place the ovals so that they are high or low in the document

Core Strategy

  • the teacher will explain that musical pitches are also high and low and provide examples for the students to hear
  • (At this point, the teacher may provide the scientific explanation of why one pitch is higher than another - it is vibrating at a faster frequency)
  • the teacher will provide a visual demonstration of how musical pitches are represented on a page by moving an oval to the top of the page for a high note and lower on the page for a low note (demonstration should be projected on a screen for all students to see.)
  • the teacher will play several notes that are high and low and the students will move their ovals to high or low positions on their documents
  • the teacher will explain that pitches organized in succession create melodies and that melodic notes ascend, descend, and repeat
  • the teacher will provide short aural examples of ascending, descending, and repeated note melodies
  • the teacher will provide a visual demonstration showing how the ovals should be moved to represent ascending, descending, and repeated note melodies
  • the teacher will provide short melodic examples and the students will move their ovals to represent the shape (or contour) of the example
  • the teacher will play or sing a simple melody to a familiar song (i.e., Hot Cross Buns) 
  • the students will move their ovals to represent the contour of the melody
  • the teacher will ask if the distances between all of the notes are the same?
  • based on the students' responses, the teacher will demonstrate the ways in which moving the ovals can also represent the distances between notes as well as the overall contour (step-wise motion - ovals are close to each other, skip-wise motion - ovals have a small distance between them, leap-wise motion - ovals are a greater distance apart)
  • the teacher and students will identify notes that move by step or skip in the previous musical example

Closing Strategy

  • the teacher will play or sing a simple melody that the students have played or sung (recommendation - use a melody they are working on in class)
  • the students will use ovals to represent the pitches and arrange them to portray the melodic motion and intervals in the melody

 

Assessment Strategies

The documents created by the students are evidence of their learning. The teachers can collect or observe the documents and assess whether the students

  • correctly identified high and low pitches
  • correctly represented the contour of the melody
  • correctly represented the steps, skips, and leaps in the melody

Variation Tips

This activity can be completed with paper and pencils if no similar software is available.

Background / Preparation

Materials for this lesson are

  • Computers, iPads, or blank paper for all students
  • Knowledge of two simple melodies

Approved Date

Owner (Author)

mzelenak
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