**Lesson Plan: Cultural and Creative Arts**
**Grade Level: Junior Secondary 3**
**Topic: Review of Chords and Triads**
---
**Lesson Objectives:**
1. Students will identify and differentiate between chords and triads.
2. Students will explore the construction of major, minor, diminished, and augmented triads.
3. Students will gain practical skills by playing and recognizing various chords and triads on the keyboard or guitar.
4. Students will appreciate the role of chords and triads in music composition and performance.
**Materials Needed:**
- Whiteboard and markers
- Projector and computer (for displaying slides or audio-visual aids)
- Music theory handouts
- Keyboards or guitars (one per student or shared in small groups)
- Staff paper and pencils
**Lesson Duration:**
90 minutes
---
### Lesson Breakdown:
**Introduction (10 minutes):**
1. **Greeting and Attendance:**
- Welcome students and take attendance.
2. **Engage Students:**
- Begin with an audio-visual clip of a popular song featuring noticeable chords and triads.
- Encourage students to identify the chords they hear in the clip.
**Direct Instruction (30 minutes):**
1. **Review of Concepts:**
- Define and differentiate between a chord and a triad.
- **Chord:** A combination of three or more notes played simultaneously.
- **Triad:** A specific type of chord made up of three notes: the root, the third, and the fifth.
2. **Types of Triads:**
- Discuss and illustrate the construction of different triads:
- **Major Triad:** Root, major third, perfect fifth
- **Minor Triad:** Root, minor third, perfect fifth
- **Diminished Triad:** Root, minor third, diminished fifth
- **Augmented Triad:** Root, major third, augmented fifth
- Use the whiteboard to draw and label examples of each triad on the staff.
3. **Practical Demonstration:**
- Demonstrate the sound of each triad on a keyboard or guitar.
- Explain common usages and characteristics of each type of triad in music.
**Guided Practice (20 minutes):**
1. **Hands-On Practice:**
- Distribute keyboards or guitars to students in pairs or small groups.
- Provide each student with staff paper and pencils.
2. **Construct and Play:**
- Guide students to construct each type of triad on staff paper.
- Have students practice playing these triads on their instruments.
- Circulate the room to offer individualized assistance and ensure that all students grasp the concepts.
**Collaborative Activities (20 minutes):**
1. **Group Exercise:**
- Form small groups and assign each group a piece of music. Groups must identify and circle the chords and triads within the piece.
- Prompt groups to share their observations with the class.
2. **Composition Task:**
- Each group composes a short musical piece (4-8 measures) using various triads discussed in the lesson.
- Allow time for groups to rehearse their compositions for performance.
**Closure (10 minutes):**
1. **Group Performances:**
- Have each group perform their composition for the class.
- Encourage classmates to identify the types of triads used in each performance.
2. **Review and Q&A:**
- Recap the main points of the lesson: the definitions, types, and uses of chords and triads.
- Allow students to ask any remaining questions about the topic.
3. **Homework Assignment:**
- Assign a short worksheet where students analyze a piece of music for triads and label them appropriately.
- Encourage students to practice playing the triads on their chosen instruments at home.
**Assessment:**
- **Formative:** Observe student participation during the practice sessions and group activities.
- **Summative:** Evaluate the homework assignment for understanding of triad construction and identification.
**Notes for Next Lesson:**
- Plan to introduce more advanced chords like seventh chords.
- Integrate the practice of using chords and triads in simple songwriting.
---
This lesson plan aims to make the concept of chords and triads engaging and accessible through a blend of theoretical instruction and practical application, fostering both understanding and creativity.