Composing & Performing a melody and score with Notepad Software

Keith Quelet
kwquelet@aol.com
East Hills Middle School

TI:ME Technology Areas Addressed:

Notation

Level:

Middle School

Class:

General Music

Equipment:

30 Computer Lab iMacs with Notepad

Duration:

six 50 minute periods Minutes

Prior Knowledge and Skills:

Students are part of select group of music students who have music instruction every day (50 minutes); emphasis on performance; all receive music theory instruction

NAfME Standards of 1994 Addressed:

NAfME Standards of 1994: Composing and Arranging Music within specified guidelines.
NAfME Standards of 1994: Reading and notating music.

NAfME 2014: Creating 

Materials:

Finale Notepad
Composition paper for rough draft copies

Objectives:

Students will compose their own melody and score with Notepad Software. Students will later perform their composition for the class.

Who: all Harmonium music students (50)

What Specific Activity:

Learn to use Notepad to compose 16 measure composition

How well will the goal be accomplished in this lesson?

Students must follow explicit guidelines regarding Leap/Step rule, begin and end on tonic, show 2 dynamics

Procedures:

a. Give guidelines for project to class, along with specific timeline
b. Utilize 50 minute period to teach students to use Notepad, including how to download from home
c. Students will use specific class periods to work on their composition project (guided learning), with teacher feedback, interaction
d. Students will be handed back their rough draft copies for revisions/grades
e. Students will be given a final grade on project, after having submitted a final good copy of score

Evaluation:

students will be graded by teacher for rough draft and final copy, as well as performance of composition later in year; rubrics for performances and composition will be used

Follow Up:

Have a guest composer or music theory instructor for a local college give a follow up lesson in composition