Content Area: Visual and Performing Arts

 

Index: 1.2B Grade 8 CPI 2

 

Standard: 1.2 - Creation and Performance

 

Strand: B - Music

 

Cumulative Progress Indicator: 3 -  The student will improvise original melodies and/or rhythms over given chordal progressions or rhythmic accompaniments in a consistent style, meter, and tonality.

 

Grade: 8

 

Sample Activities:

 

The Blues - Have students listen to various blues singers (B.B. King, Muddy Waters, etc). Discuss the chordal form of the blues (I, IV, V, I).
·     Demonstrate how a blues scale is constructed (flatted third and fifth).
·     Have students sing a major scale and a blues scale and discuss the differences.
·     Discuss how the lyrics fit to the chord progression.
·     Divide class into groups of at least four students.
·     Assign three students one chord each. The remaining students will lead the group in creating the lyrics.
·     Each group will create and perform a 12 bar blues with original lyrics and an improvised melody - each group will decide the order of the chords with the students assigned to each chord playing their chord on any chordal instrument at the appropriate time

 

Essential Questions:
·     Where can you find the blues progression in other types or styles of music?
·     How else can you perform a blues song without words?

 

Reflective Practice:
·     Is there a different between a blues song with lyrics and an instrumental version of a blues?