BASIC SONGWRITING LESSON PLAN DESIGNED FOR 12 SESSIONS LESSON 1: CREATIVITY Ask the student the following questions:

1. What is your perception of creativity? 2. Who is your favorite singer? Why? 3. What is your favorite song? Why? Define Creativity: Creativity- is the ability to create something original IMAGINATION + INSPIRATION ACTIVITY: Ask the student to enumerate his or her inspiration, and let him or her write about his?her dream scenario. LESSON 2: Qualities of a good composer 1. You are a risk taker - not playing it safe 2. You got talent 3. You think for yourself and make up your mind about things 4. Youre a non comformist 5. You have a playful attitude 6. You have a good sense of humor 7. You find it easy to entertain yourself 8. Youre a daydreamer 9. You can function in a stste of confusion 10. You enjoy complexity 11. Youre flexible 12. You are self motivated, persevering and passionate 13. You have the ability to absorb, digest and organize ideas.

The Creative Process: STAGES: 1. Preparation- music education 2. Incubation- unconscious process 3. Illumination-words and music are created 4. Verification- critical outlook 5. Stage 1: Rudiments in music What is music? Music are organized sounds How do we organize sounds? We organize sound through the following elements: a. Rhythm b. Melody c. Harmony d. Texture e. Dynamics ACTIVITY: Let the student create his or her own rhythmic pattern

LESSON 3: MUSICAL SIGNS AND SYMBOLS The Staff- it has 5 lines and 4 spaces Parts of the Staff: Barline- divides the staff into measures Double BArline- Indicates the end of a phrase Final Bar- Indicates the end of the song Leger Lines- extends the lines and spaces of the staff Time Signature- the upper no indicates how many beats in a measure while the lower no. indicates what note will receive one beat

Clefs: The treble clef- in singing: The part to be sung by the treble voices In piano playing: the part to be played by the right hand The bass clef- in singing: The part to be sung by the male voices In piano playing: the part to be played by the left hand Notes- represents sound Whole note- 4 beats Half note- 2 beats Quarter note- 1 beat 8th note beat Introduce the scale: ACTIVITY: Let the student create his or her own melody, using the rhythmic pattern he has created on the previous activity, and let him ? her notyate it on the staff. LESSON 4: HINDRANCES IN THE CREATIVE PROCESS: 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. Evaluation from critics Surveillance- when others are watching you work Reward Competition Restriction- limiting your options

CONSIDERATIONS IN COMPOSITION: 1. 2. 3. 4. GENRE MOOD STORY TO DEVELOP BASIC CONCEPTS IN MUSIC

THEMES IN SONGWRITING: 1. Universal theme-heartaches, survival 2. Personal experience 3. Cleverness 4. Cross-over 5. Love themes 6. Sex sells 7. Novelty 8. Lifestyle songs 9. Christmas songs 10. Television 11. Print music 12. gospel