Unit Plan 12 (Grade 8 Vocal Music): Melody & Countermelody

Focus: Create melodies and countermelodies within a given key and meter, using purposeful melodic shape, controlled leaps, and clear resolution to tonic or other stable tones.

Grade Level: 8

Subject Area: Vocal Music (Choir • Creativity • Musicianship)

Total Unit Duration: 5 sessions (one week), 50–60 minutes per session

I. Introduction

This unit helps students move from only singing written lines to designing their own. Singers learn what makes a melody feel singable, memorable, and complete, then apply those ideas to composing short vocal melodies and countermelodies in a given key and meter. Through listening, analysis, guided composing, and singing their own work, students practice building melodic shapes, using leaps carefully, and resolving phrases to stable notes. The week culminates in a short Melody & Countermelody Sharing, where students present and perform their paired lines.

Essential Questions

• What makes a good melody feel singable, memorable, and satisfying to the ear?
• How can I use melodic shape, steps and leaps, and resolution to create strong phrases?
• What is a countermelody, and how can it support or contrast with the main tune without clashing?
• How does composing melodies and countermelodies deepen my understanding of the music we sing in choir?

II. Objectives and Standards

Learning Objectives — Students will be able to:

1. Identify features of strong melodic writing (clear contour, mostly stepwise motion, purposeful leaps, resolution on stable tones).
2. Generate short melodic motifs and expand them into 4–8 measure melodies within a given key and meter.
3. Use controlled leaps (3rds, 4ths, 5ths, occasional 6ths) and resolve them with stepwise motion in the opposite or same direction.
4. Create simple countermelodies that fit above or below a given tune, staying within the key and avoiding clashes on strong beats.
5. Notate their melodies and countermelodies using standard notation, then sing them accurately with classmates.
6. Reflect on their compositional choices, explaining how shape, leaps, and resolutions support expressive goals and vocal comfort.

Standards Alignment — Grade 8 Vocal Music (custom, NAfME-style)

• VM:Cr1.8b — Generate melodies and/or countermelodies within a given key and meter, using purposeful melodic shape, controlled leaps, and resolution.
  • Example: Students compose an 8-measure melody that includes a leap and resolves to the tonic.

Success Criteria — Student Language

• I can write a melody in a given key and meter that has a clear beginning, middle, and ending.
• I can use mostly steps with a few leaps, and I know how to resolve those leaps.
• I can create a countermelody that fits with a main tune instead of fighting against it.
• I can notate and sing my melody/countermelody accurately.
• I can explain at least one melodic decision I made and why it works musically.