8th Grade Musical Terminology Lesson Plan Example

Topic: Musical terminology

Objectives & Outcomes

• Students will be able to define and provide examples of musical terminology such as tempo, dynamics, forte, piano, etc.

Materials

• Metronome
• Music with a wide range of dynamics and tempo
• Pen and paper for each student

Warm-up

• Ask students if they have ever listened to a song and felt like it was too loud or too soft. Ask them to explain why they felt that way.
• Play a short clip of music with a wide range of dynamics and tempo and have students listen and try to describe what they hear.

Direct Instruction

• Introduce the terms "tempo," "dynamics," and "forte" to the class. Explain that "tempo" refers to the speed at which a piece of music is played, "dynamics" refers to the volume or intensity of a piece of music, and "forte" refers to a loud volume.
• Play a few more short clips of music with a wide range of dynamics and tempo and have students identify the tempo, dynamics, and forte of each piece.

Guided Practice

• Play a longer clip of music and have students work in pairs to identify the tempo, dynamics, and forte of the piece.

Independent Practice

• Have students choose a piece of music and create a visual representation of the tempo, dynamics, and forte of the piece using different colored pencils, markers, or crayons. They can then present their findings to the class.

Closure

• Review the main points of the lesson, including the definitions of tempo, dynamics, forte, and piano, and ask students to share any additional insights or understandings they gained during the independent practice segment.

Assessment

• Observe students during the group practice segment to assess their ability to effectively use musical terminology in their songwriting and singing.
• Collect and review the worksheets submitted by students during the independent practice segment to assess their understanding of the definitions of tempo, dynamics, forte, and piano.