Class: Senior Secondary School 2 (SS2 / SSS 2)
Term: Second Term
Week: 10
Age: 16 years
Duration: 45 minutes
Subject: Music
Curriculum Theme: Music Theory
Previous Lesson: Western Dance Style: Meaning and Ballet Per.
Topic: Identification of triads (Aural Training) Tonality
Subject Matter: Meaning of aural training (developing listening skills in music), identification of triads (aural recognition of major, minor, diminished, augmented), tonality (key centre recognition), writing examples of types of triads.

Specific Objectives

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

Cognitive Domain:

Define aural training and tonality.
Identify the four types of triads: major, minor, diminished, and augmented.
Explain the relationship between triads and tonality.

Affective Domain:

Appreciate the importance of developing listening skills in music.
Demonstrate focused listening during musical examples.

Psychomotor Domain:

Aurally distinguish between major, minor, diminished, and augmented triads.
Write simple examples of identified triads on manuscript paper.

Participate actively in class discussions and aural identification exercises.
Collaborate with peers in musical listening tasks.

Reference Materials

The following resources were used in planning this lesson:

Senior Secondary Schools Education Curriculum
State Unified Scheme of Work
Agordoh, A. A. (2006). Comprehensive Music for Senior Secondary Schools.

Instructional Materials

The teacher will teach this lesson with the aid of:

Keyboard
Audio samples of different triads
Chord chart
Manuscript paper
Pencils

Rationale for the Lesson

This lesson helps pupils develop essential listening skills, which are fundamental to understanding and appreciating music. By learning to identify different triads and understand tonality, pupils can better analyze musical compositions and enhance their overall musicality.

Prerequisite/Previous Knowledge

Pupils have basic knowledge of musical intervals and how to read simple musical notation.

Lesson Content/Board Summary

Identification of Triads and Tonality (Aural Training)

Meaning of Aural Training

Aural training is the process of developing listening skills in music. It involves training the ear to recognize, identify, and understand various musical elements such as melodies, rhythms, intervals, chords, and tonality by hearing them.

What are Triads?

A triad is a chord made up of three notes, typically built by stacking two superimposed thirds. It consists of a root, a third, and a fifth.

Types of Triads and their Aural Qualities

The four main types of triads are:

Major Triad: Sounds bright, stable, and happy. It consists of a root, a major third, and a perfect fifth.
Minor Triad: Sounds sad, somber, and relatively stable. It consists of a root, a minor third, and a perfect fifth.
Diminished Triad: Sounds tense, unstable, and dissonant. It consists of a root, a minor third, and a diminished fifth.
Augmented Triad: Sounds mysterious, unsettling, and unstable. It consists of a root, a major third, and an augmented fifth.

Tonality (Key Centre Recognition)

Tonality refers to the organization of music around a central note or chord, called the tonic or key centre. It gives music a sense of gravitational pull towards a particular key. Triads, especially the tonic triad, play a significant role in establishing and defining the tonality of a piece of music.

Writing Examples of Triads

Once identified aurally, triads can be written on manuscript paper by indicating the root, the third, and the fifth of the chord according to the type of triad (major, minor, diminished, or augmented).

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, reviews the previous lesson on intervals, and introduces the new topic by asking pupils how they think musicians recognize different sounds in music.
Pupils’ Activity: Pupils respond to the greetings, recall the previous lesson, and share their ideas on musical recognition.
Learning Point: Pupils connect previous knowledge to the new topic and are prepared for the lesson.

Step 2: Explanation of Aural Training

Time: 5 minutes
Teaching Skill: Explanation/Definition
Teacher’s Activity: The teacher defines aural training, emphasizing its importance in developing listening skills for music understanding.
Pupils’ Activity: Pupils listen attentively and take notes on the definition of aural training.
Learning Point: Pupils understand what aural training means and its relevance.

Step 3: Introduction to Triads and their Types

Time: 7 minutes
Teaching Skill: Lecture/Demonstration
Teacher’s Activity: The teacher defines a triad and introduces the four main types: major, minor, diminished, and augmented, briefly explaining their construction.
Pupils’ Activity: Pupils listen, observe the chord chart, and write down the definitions and types of triads.
Learning Point: Pupils gain foundational knowledge of triads and their classifications.

Step 4: Aural Identification of Major and Minor Triads

Time: 8 minutes
Teaching Skill: Demonstration/Questioning
Teacher’s Activity: The teacher plays various major and minor triads on the keyboard or using audio samples, guiding pupils to identify their distinct sound qualities (e.g., happy for major, sad for minor).
Pupils’ Activity: Pupils listen carefully and orally identify whether each played triad is major or minor.
Learning Point: Pupils develop the ability to aurally distinguish between major and minor triads.

Step 5: Aural Identification of Diminished and Augmented Triads

Time: 8 minutes
Teaching Skill: Demonstration/Guided Practice
Teacher’s Activity: The teacher plays diminished and augmented triads, helping pupils to recognize their tense and unsettling sounds compared to major and minor triads.
Pupils’ Activity: Pupils listen and practice identifying diminished and augmented triads, describing their unique sound characteristics.
Learning Point: Pupils improve their aural recognition of all four types of triads.

Step 6: Explanation of Tonality and its Connection to Triads

Time: 7 minutes
Teaching Skill: Explanation/Connection
Teacher’s Activity: The teacher explains tonality as the key centre of a piece of music and demonstrates how the tonic triad establishes this key, playing simple progressions.
Pupils’ Activity: Pupils listen and understand how triads contribute to establishing a key centre in music.
Learning Point: Pupils grasp the concept of tonality and its relation to triads.

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 is aural training?
Mention the four main types of triads.
How would you describe the sound of a major triad compared to a minor triad?
What is tonality, and how do triads help in identifying it?

Pupils’ Activity: Pupils answer orally and in writing.
Learning Point: Pupils demonstrate understanding of the lesson.

Step 8: Conclusion

Time: 5 minutes
Teaching Skill: Summarizing
Teacher’s Activity: The teacher summarizes the key learning points about aural training, triad identification, and tonality. The teacher assigns homework: listen to different songs and try to identify major and minor chords.
Pupils’ Activity: Pupils listen to the summary and copy down the homework.
Learning Point: Pupils consolidate their learning and are encouraged to practice their aural skills.

Lesson Keywords

Aural Training – Developing listening skills in music.
Triad – A three-note chord.
Major Triad – A triad with a bright, happy sound.
Minor Triad – A triad with a sad, somber sound.
Diminished Triad – A tense, unstable sounding triad.
Augmented Triad – A mysterious, unsettling sounding triad.
Tonality – The organization of music around a central key or tonic.
Key Centre – The central note or chord around which a piece of music is organized.

Differentiation

For pupils who are struggling, the teacher will provide additional, simpler audio examples and focused one-on-one guidance. Advanced pupils will be challenged to identify inversions of triads and to identify triads within short musical phrases.

Note for teachers using this lesson plan

Ensure the keyboard or audio samples are clear and of good quality. Repeat the aural examples multiple times for reinforcement. Encourage pupils to describe the emotional quality of each triad sound to aid memorization. Incorporate active listening games to make the lesson engaging.