Class: Senior Secondary School 2 (SS2 / SSS 2)
Term: 1st Term
Week: 11
Age: 16 years
Duration: 45 minutes
Subject: Music
Curriculum Theme: Musical Instruments and Technology
Previous Lesson: Nigerian Dance Styles: Meaning, Space and Dance Patterns.
Topic: African/Western Musical Instruments: Four (4) Families of African Instruments and Digitalization.
Subject Matter: Meaning of musical instrument families (grouping instruments by how sound is produced), four families of African instruments (aerophones, chordophones, membranophones, idiophones), digitalization (use of electronic and digital tools in music), identifying tones of instruments (flute, saxophone, maracas, pot drum, kit drum, trumpet).

Specific Objectives

By the end of the lesson, pupils should be able to:

Cognitive Domain:

Define musical instrument families.
List and explain the four families of African instruments.
Explain how sound is produced in each instrument family.
Define digitalization in music.
Mention examples of digitalization in music.
Identify the tones of various instruments such as the flute, saxophone, maracas, pot drum, kit drum, and trumpet.

Affective Domain:

Appreciate the diversity and cultural significance of musical instruments.
Show interest in exploring different instrument sounds and their origins.
Recognize the importance of technology and digitalization in modern music.

Psychomotor Domain:

Classify given instruments into their correct African families based on how they produce sound.
Accurately identify instrument tones from live demonstrations or audio samples.
Draw simple sketches of instruments belonging to each family (if required).

Participate actively in discussions about musical instrument classification and technology.
Collaborate with peers in identifying and describing instrument sounds.

Reference Materials

The following resources were used in planning this lesson:

Senior Secondary Schools Education Curriculum
State Unified Scheme of Work
Adegbite, A. (2010). Comprehensive Music for Senior Secondary Schools. University Press PLC.

Instructional Materials

The teacher will teach this lesson with the aid of:

A keyboard
Pictures or charts of various African and Western instruments
Audio samples of different instrument tones
Selected African instruments (e.g., maraca, pot drum, talking drum)
A simple recording device (e.g., mobile phone)

Rationale for the Lesson

This lesson helps pupils understand how musical instruments are grouped based on sound production and familiarizes them with the four main families of African instruments. It also introduces them to the concept of digitalization and its impact on modern music, broadening their musical knowledge.

Prerequisite/Previous Knowledge

Pupils have a basic understanding of what musical instruments are and may have encountered a few instruments in previous lessons.

Lesson Content/Board Summary

African and Western Musical Instrument Families; Digitalization in Music

1. Meaning of Musical Instrument Families

Musical instrument families refer to the classification or grouping of instruments based on how they produce sound. This helps in understanding their characteristics and functions.

2. Four Families of African Instruments

African instruments are broadly classified into four main families based on their sound production mechanism:

Aerophones: These are wind instruments that produce sound by vibrating a column of air. The air is blown into or across a mouthpiece.
- Examples: Flutes (e.g., Oja, Sarewa), Trumpets (e.g., Kakaki), Horns.
Chordophones: These are string instruments that produce sound by the vibration of stretched strings. The strings can be plucked, bowed, or struck.
- Examples: Lutes (e.g., Goje), Harps (e.g., Kora), Zithers (e.g., Molo).
Membranophones: These are drum instruments that produce sound by the vibration of a stretched membrane (animal skin or synthetic material). The membrane is typically struck.
- Examples: Talking Drum (Gangan), Pot Drum (Udu), Kit Drum, Conga, Bata Drum.
Idiophones: These are self-sounding instruments that produce sound from the vibration of their own solid material when struck, shaken, scraped, or rubbed. They do not require a membrane or strings.
- Examples: Maracas, Gongs, Xylophones, Bells, Slit Drums, Shekere.

3. Digitalization in Music

Digitalization in music refers to the use of electronic and digital technologies in the creation, recording, production, and performance of music. It involves converting analogue sound into digital data.

The following are examples of digitalization in music:

Digital Recording: Using computers and software to record, edit, and mix music.
Synthesizers and Keyboards: Electronic instruments that can produce a wide range of sounds and instrument voices digitally.
Music Production Software (DAWs): Digital Audio Workstations like FL Studio, Logic Pro, Ableton Live, used for composing, arranging, and mastering music.
Digital Effects: Using digital processors to add effects like reverb, delay, and distortion to sounds.
Streaming Services: Digital platforms for distributing and listening to music (e.g., Spotify, Apple Music).

4. Identifying Tones of Instruments

Each instrument has a unique sound quality or timbre. Recognizing these tones is important for musical understanding.

Flute: Clear, airy, sometimes bright, high-pitched.
Saxophone: Mellow, resonant, sometimes brassy, versatile across ranges.
Maracas: Shaking, rattling, percussive, indefinite pitch.
Pot Drum (Udu): Deep, resonant, hollow, earthy, percussive.
Kit Drum: Sharp attack, varied sounds (snare, kick, cymbals), percussive, rhythmic.
Trumpet: Bright, piercing, brassy, powerful, high-pitched.

Teaching Methods/Instructional Techniques

Discussion, Lecture, Demonstration, Question and Answer, Visual Aids

Instructional Procedures

Step 1: Introduction

Time: 5 minutes
Teaching Skill: Set Induction
Teacher’s Activity: The teacher greets the pupils and reviews the previous lesson briefly. The teacher then asks pupils to name any musical instruments they know.
Pupils’ Activity: Pupils respond to the greetings and name various instruments they are familiar with.
Learning Point: Pupils recall prior knowledge and are prepared for the new topic.

Step 2: Explanation of Musical Instrument Families

Time: 8 minutes
Teaching Skill: Explanation/Definition
Teacher’s Activity: The teacher defines musical instrument families as groups of instruments based on how they produce sound. The teacher explains that this classification helps in understanding different instruments.
Pupils’ Activity: Pupils listen attentively, ask questions, and take notes.
Learning Point: Pupils understand the concept of classifying instruments by sound production.

Step 3: African Instrument Families – Aerophones and Chordophones

Time: 8 minutes
Teaching Skill: Demonstration/Explanation
Teacher’s Activity: The teacher explains aerophones (wind instruments) and chordophones (string instruments), providing examples from both African and Western contexts. The teacher uses pictures or actual instruments to demonstrate how sound is produced in each family.
Pupils’ Activity: Pupils observe the demonstrations, listen to explanations, and note down examples.
Learning Point: Pupils can identify and differentiate between aerophones and chordophones.

Step 4: African Instrument Families – Membranophones and Idiophones

Time: 8 minutes
Teaching Skill: Demonstration/Explanation
Teacher’s Activity: The teacher explains membranophones (drum instruments) and idiophones (self-sounding instruments), providing examples. The teacher uses pictures or actual instruments (like a maraca or pot drum) to show how sound is produced.
Pupils’ Activity: Pupils observe, listen, and identify the characteristics of membranophones and idiophones.
Learning Point: Pupils can identify and differentiate between membranophones and idiophones.

Step 5: Digitalization in Music

Time: 8 minutes
Teaching Skill: Discussion/Explanation
Teacher’s Activity: The teacher defines digitalization in music and discusses its applications, such as digital recording, keyboard voices, and simple music editing. The teacher gives examples pupils might be familiar with.
Pupils’ Activity: Pupils listen, contribute examples they know, and ask questions about digital music.
Learning Point: Pupils understand the role of technology in modern music creation and production.

Step 6: Identifying Instrument Tones

Time: 5 minutes
Teaching Skill: Aural Training/Demonstration
Teacher’s Activity: The teacher plays audio samples or demonstrates the tones of a flute, saxophone, maracas, pot drum, kit drum, and trumpet using a keyboard or pre-recorded sounds. The teacher guides pupils to identify each instrument by its unique sound.
Pupils’ Activity: Pupils listen carefully and identify the tones of the instruments played.
Learning Point: Pupils develop their aural recognition of different instrument sounds.

Step 7: Evaluation/Review

Time: 5 minutes

Teaching Skill: Questioning/Assessment

Teacher’s Activity: The teacher evaluates the learning by asking the following questions:

What are musical instrument families?
List the four main families of African musical instruments.
Explain how sound is produced in an aerophone and give two examples.
What is digitalization in music? Mention two examples.
Identify the instrument that produces a “clear, airy, high-pitched” sound among those discussed.

Pupils’ Activity: Pupils answer orally and in writing.

Learning Point: Pupils demonstrate understanding of the lesson.

Step 8: Conclusion

Time: 3 minutes
Teaching Skill: Summarization
Teacher’s Activity: The teacher summarizes the key points of the lesson, emphasizing the classification of instruments and the impact of digitalization. The teacher gives a take-home assignment.
Pupils’ Activity: Pupils listen to the summary and copy the assignment.
Learning Point: Pupils consolidate their learning and are given tasks for further practice.

Lesson Keywords

Aerophone – A wind instrument that produces sound by vibrating a column of air.
Chordophone – A string instrument that produces sound by the vibration of stretched strings.
Membranophone – A drum instrument that produces sound by the vibration of a stretched membrane.
Idiophone – A self-sounding instrument that produces sound from the vibration of its own solid material.
Digitalization – The use of electronic and digital technologies in music creation and production.
Tones – The unique sound quality or timbre of an instrument.

Differentiation

For pupils who are struggling, the teacher will provide simplified definitions and more visual aids, focusing on identifying just two instrument families. For advanced learners, the teacher will encourage them to research specific traditional African instruments and their cultural significance or explore advanced concepts in digital music production.

Note for teachers using this lesson plan

Ensure to bring actual African instruments or high-quality pictures and audio samples to make the lesson engaging and practical. Encourage pupils to differentiate sounds actively. Emphasize how digitalization has changed music, encouraging discussion about its pros and cons. Practical demonstrations will greatly enhance understanding.