8th Grade Music Composition Lesson

Looking for a way to have some fun while learning music? Look no further. This Graphic Scores Unit will have your students exploring how to represent sound using graphics and composing in no time! There are 3 main lessons included in this unit, however, the last lesson will likely take 6-8 lessons to put together and perform. This unit is one I have used with my own students so I know how much fun they have with it! The great thing with graphic scores is you don't really need any instruments to compose which makes this unit even better if you're teaching music on a cart or have limited resources available.

Overview:

This graphic score short unit exposes students to what a graphic score is. They get to represent sound using graphics and compose their own graphic score using found sounds. Students will learn how sound and music can be represented using graphics. They will practice representing a short piece of music through graphics. After, they will represent common soundscapes using their own graphics and will then create their own graphic score to perform. I created this in Google Docs/Slides so that you can customize this unit to your own unique needs.

Learning Goals:

• We are learning how to represent sounds and music using non-traditional notation.
• We are learning to compose a piece of music using found sounds and represent our sound using graphics.

Success Criteria:

• I can represent sound using graphics.
• I can compose a piece of music with a group and perform it using my score.

What’s Included:

• Lesson Plans and Ideas
• Google Slides Lesson on Graphic Scores (including original composition to practice creating graphic scores)
• Graphic organizer for students with fill in the blanks about graphic scores
• Graphic organizer for students to represent original composition as a graphic score
• Graphic organizer for students to represent soundscapes using graphics
• Graphic score for students to create their own graphic scores
• Rubrics to mark graphic score assignments
• 3 Stars and a Wish for peer feedback

Looking for a fun, exciting, challenging, and engaging way to reach students in your upper elementary or lower middle school grades? Try this all-inclusive lesson that will get your kids racing against the clock and each other with The Great Escape!

In “THE GREAT ESCAPE”, students will be given a specific amount of time to perform tasks successfully (as designed by the teacher). Each one of these tasks is a musical task and the theme for this escape room are the notes of the treble clef staff.

There are five rooms, and in each room are several "tasks" students will have to perform (either individually, as a class, A vs B, side by side, or however you wish). As soon as the task is completed, advance the slide for the correct answer (the teacher will control the game).

After a certain number of tasks, a key will be issued to exit the room and head into another room with a different set of tasks.

The five rooms and tasks are as follows:

• Room One: The Office (Name one note on the staff)
• Room Two: The Laboratory (Name two notes on the staff)
• Room Three: The Library (Spell out the word)
• Room Four: The Lounge (Pick the correct note to match the letter)
• Room Five: The Foyer (Pick the correct tile to match the word)

If students complete all tasks and open the door to all five rooms they win the game!

You can play this one of four ways

• Set a timer (5 minutes, 10 minutes, etc). You can designate how long students should receive to complete the entire game
• Keep track of time to beat another class or grade level
• Keep track of time and try again during another class to name it faster
• Play it side vs side, boys vs girls, and see who can get to the end the fastest (or before time ends)

If you would like music to accompany this to make it a bit more engaging, try using this in the background:

Escape Room Background Music

Have a terrific time with this and let us know how it goes!

Looking for a fun, exciting, challenging, and engaging way to reach students in your upper elementary or lower middle school grades? Try this all-inclusive lesson that will get your kids racing against the clock and each other with The Great Escape!

In “THE GREAT ESCAPE”, students will be given a specific amount of time to perform tasks successfully (as designed by the teacher). Each one of these tasks is a musical task and the theme for this escape room are rhythms.

There are five rooms, and in each room are several "tasks" students will have to perform (either individually, as a class, A vs B, side by side, or however you wish). As soon as the task is completed, advance the slide for the correct answer (the teacher will control the game).

After a certain number of tasks, a key will be issued to exit the room and head into another room with a different set of tasks.

The five rooms and tasks are as follows:

• Room One: The Library (Perform the Rhythm shown)
• Room Two: The Kitchen (Identify Rhythm)
• Room Three: The Den (Perform the Rhythm BACKWARDS)
• Room Four: The Boiler Room (Identify Rhythmic Value)
• Room Five: The Lobby (Perform Polyrhythms (1-4 groups of class split)
• Room Five: The Lobby (Diagonal Rhythms and Shapes)

If students complete all tasks and open the door to all five rooms they win the game!

You can play this one of four ways

• Set a timer (5 minutes, 10 minutes, etc). You can designate how long students should receive to complete the entire game
• Keep track of time to beat another class or grade level
• Keep track of time and try again during another class to name it faster
• Play it side vs side, boys vs girls, and see who can get to the end the fastest (or before time ends)

If you would like music to accompany this to make it a bit more engaging, try using this in the background:

Escape Room Background Music

Have a terrific time with this and let us know how it goes!