Blended Learning Lesson Plan

Lesson Title: Key Signature Masters

Grade Level: Advanced High School Choir

Objectives:
-Students will be able to identify major key signatures up until 5 sharps.
-Students will be able to identify major key signatures up until 4 flats.
-Students will be able to correctly identify the above key signatures in treble clef.
-Students will be able to write in the noted key signatures using tricks such as BEADGCF.

State Standards:
1) CM.P IL. 5.1- “I can Identify sharps, flats, naturals, and simple key signatures.”
2) GM. P IH. 5.1- “I can read and use key signatures.”
3) GM. CR IH 1.1- “I can identify key signatures in melodic phrases.”

Context:
I am teaching this lesson because identifying key signatures is a fundamental skill all musicians
should be capable of. This skill strengthens sight singing, composition, and just a general
understanding of the music being performed. Before this lesson, I would start my unit with basic
music theory skills evident in previous lesson plans made. I would work on solfege skills and
ensuring my students understand the lines and spaces of each clef. Without the introduction to
reading the staff students cannot comprehend why the key signatures are notated the way they
are. Therefore, my students need to previous knowledge of reading the grand staff, and to have a
general understanding that music is in different keys. After this lesson would be a continuation of
learning key signatures because there is more than what was assigned for this lesson. Key
signatures in itself would most likely be 3-4 lessons worth of content in order to cover remaining
key signatures, reading them in bass clef, and identifying relative minor keys. Since the next
lesson topic is a continuation with some added content, this lesson and the comprehension of
reading the first set of key signatures is their preparation. I will also do a knowledge check to
make sure we ca move on, because the content only gets more detailed from here.
Data: Students will be grouped based on a knowledge check given about reding the grand staff
which has been already covered in class. Based on the scores of this knowledge check I will
group students into 3 sections (without disclosing what the groups represent) and start the lowest
scoring group with teacher directed instruction to answer any questions. Data will be collected
on these groupings based on a google form that will be assigned so I can get student feedback
and use these answers for future grouping strategies. I will also ask for a screenshot of the
independent study activity scores (not graded) in order to see personal growth and student
understanding.
Materials:
Link
Part of Materia
lesson ls
needed
Introdu - https://youtu.be/VU8mM1g_g38
ction Smartb
oard
and
comput
er in
order
to
watch
the
recap
video
“How
to read
notes
on the
staff”
on
YouTu
be.
-
Student
s have
the
option
to use
manusc
ript
paper
or a
notebo
ok and
pencil
in
 order
to take
notes.

Teacher - No links needed

directed Whiteb
oard
with
staff
line
stickers
(typical
for
music
room),
expo
marker,
piano
for
pitch
referen
ce.
Collabo -Mini http://www.thetuningnote.com/lessonsPiano/random%20keysignatures.html
rative whiteb
oards
with
staff
line
markin
gs,
expo
marker
s,
erasers/
wipes.
ONE
iPad or
Chrom
ebook
that
can
access
the
random
key
signatu
 re
generat
or.
Indepen iPad / https://www.musictheory.net/exercises/keysig
dent Chrom
study ebook https://horrycountyschools.net
in
order
to
access
the key
signatu
re
identifi
er
game.
Ability
to
screens
hot and
email
screens
hot to
me.
Closing iPad / https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/
activity Chrom 1FAIpQLSelmDCUgAOjxDDPR27ldho1BWDWL1U2PsnorJWdGllmjLCuTg/
ebook viewform?usp=sf_link
and
Google
Form.

Procedures:
Introduction (15 minutes):

Students will enter the room and find their seats right away. There is nothing on
their desks, but the SmartBoard will have the video up and paused so that students can
start thinking about what was talked about when reading notes on the staff. I will start the
lesson by asking students what they can recall about reading the grand staff and if they
have any previous knowledge on what a key signature is. I will take the replies I receive
and have an open class discussion on what is being brought up such as pitch names, lines
 and spaces, and possible key signatures that can be recalled (most likely c major). We
will then review what we have already learned about reading the staff and notes placed
on the staff with the help of 5 Minute Mozart’s video “How to read notes on the staff”,
(https://youtu.be/VU8mM1g_g38). I will open up for any last-minute questions before
moving on with key signature reading.

Teacher Directed (20 minutes):

After the video ends, I will turn the lights back on and make my way to the staff
lined whiteboard. I will write in a treble clef since that’s the only clef we will address on the first
day and start with the introduction of a sharp and flat sign. Everyone has seen these symbols
before in their music but may not know what they mean. I will draw the symbols and explain that
a sharp symbol means to increases the pitch by a half step while a flat symbol means to lower the
pitch by a half step. I will then explain that the number of sharps and flats as well as what lines
they sit on determine the pitches for the identified key. For the first day we will only discuss key
signatures going up to five sharp and four flats, only in major keys. I will start with C major
being that it’s a home tone and has NO sharps or flats. Then I will slowly add in sharps and
demonstrate on the piano how this changes the key. Then I will erase the sharps and show how
adding flats alters the key in the opposite direction. Before we test knowledge growth, I will
introduce the anagram BEADGCF in order to correlate the order of sharps and flats going in both
directions. I will then mix up the orders and write a random key signature for my students to
name outload and get a grasp for comprehension. After I feel they are familiar enough I will
section the students into 3 groups based on the exit ticket scores from the previous lesson.

Collaborative (10 minutes):

For the collaborative activity, I will have set out at least 10 whiteboards with staff
markings on them and allow one student to bring their device with them. They will sit down
together and take turns using the random key signature generator website
(http://www.thetuningnote.com/lessonsPiano/random%20keysignatures.html) that can select
only sharps and or flats in order to generate a key signature that the other students will have to
draw on their whiteboards. They will take turns doing this in order to fill up the 10 minutes and
get a turn drawing and picking the key signature. It creates inclusion, collaboration skills, and
practice reading, identifying, and drawing out key signatures. Students will be able to grow
through peer correction and trusting their own knowledge. After this activity is done, they will be
told to switch to independent digital study.

Independent Digital (10minutes):

 Students will each get 10 minutes for independent study on their devices (iPad or
Chromebook), and access a website that is very familiar to them called musictheory.net. They
will use the activity https://www.musictheory.net/exercises/keysig that helps them name major
key signatures and is completely customizable to lessons and personal development. You can
select certain key signatures which is great because we have not covered all of them yet, and you
can select treble clef only. There is not a requirement for how many questions were answered
and if they were correct or not, I will just give them a goal of answering 8 questions in the
allotted time so they have time to reflect and look at any notes they may have taken. At the end
of the 10 minutes, I will have my students screenshot their score and email it to me from their
school email so that I can a secure and overall idea of how my students are comprehending the
new material. I will also be using this as data for future groupings and lesson planning.

Closure (10minutes):

For the closure activity, I will have the students all come back to their seats and
keep their devices out. I will ask the class how everyone felt about the material and if any
questions arose throughout the rotation that I can answer before assigning the exit ticket. After
having a class discussion and clearing up any miscommunications, I will ask the class to access
the google form I created as their exit ticket
(https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSelmDCUgAOjxDDPR27ldho1BWDWL1U2Psnor
JWdGllmjLCuTg/viewform?usp=sf_link). It’s compiled of music theory questions for data
analysis and grouping purposes, and then finishes off with some short answer feedback on what
was helpful about this rotation and what was not. I like to get feedback from my students so that
I can continue to tailor lessons to their needs and improve as we go.

Rationale:
5 Minute Mozart Video:
This piece of free multimedia supports my student’s learning by recapping what
they already know and building upon that. This video may answer any leftover questions from
the last lesson that will then better prepare my class to fulfill student objectives that were created
for this lesson. 5-minute Mozart is a trusted music theory source that gives concise information
in a short amount of time which is perfect for classroom instruction. This source is a great choice
for differential instruction because for visual and auditory learners, videos can be easily absorbed
and looked back on for future use. Closed captions can also be utilized for anyone who is
auditorily impaired.

Random Key Signature Generator:

 This free website is a great way to incorporate digital learning and hands on
learning in order to address my kinesthetic learners and anyone who benefits from hands on
experiences. This website’s game is customizable; therefore, my students can select only the
sharp and flat key signatures that we have worked on. You can skip key signatures that were not
taught, and they can select treble or bass clef examples. From these customizations, the game
generates random key signatures that students will have to use critical thinking skills, peer
collaboration, and recollection of lesson material in order to guess the key signature that the one
student will name or present. The game is easily accessible, customizable, and hands on.

MusicTheory.net Game
For the independent study section, I chose a very trustworthy site called
Musictheory.net. This site is used currently at Coastal Carolina University for its accurate
information and easy practice games. I assigned the Key signature identification game, which
this maybe my favorite multimedia material used in this lesson. It’s totally customizable for the
content that was discussed in class, the site gives direct student feedback, and is easily accessible
content. This free site can be accessed at home, on your iPhone, and in school where even just a
couple questions a day can strengthen your key signature naming skills. This site can be
screenshotted and sent to teachers for immediate and personalized feedback so that we as
educators can better tailor our lessons to the students’ needs. Great for visual and kinesthetic
learners and is great for students to see the physical key signatures as they would appear in their
music.

Google Form Exit Ticket

I assigned this exit ticket through google forms as it is a quiz format that is very
familiar to the students and all of them will be able to use comfortably. I get direct feedback
through Google Classroom and can save these answers for future purposes. Google Forms is
trustworthy, easy to use, and completely free. It supports the student objectives and state
standards of comprehension as well as allowing me to measure their individual comprehension.