Y2. Lesson 19. Ternary form - ABA
Prior learning: Binary form AB
Duration: 30 minutes
Materials:
Keywords: Beat, rhythm, singing, chanting, partners, rhymes, circle games.
Difficulty: 
Prepare
Present
Ternary form - ABA
Practise
Melodic development
Students discover sections of a song that may be repeated and are named as ABA.
- Lead the class in singing Twinkle Twinkle Little Star.
- Project the graphic to the left as a visual aid.
- Teach that the first part of the song: "Twinkle, twinkle, little star, how I wonder what you are", is called 'A'.
- The second part: "Up above the world so high, like a diamond in the sky," is called 'B'.
- Explain the last part is the same as the first and is again called 'A'.
- Tell the class they will sing again, but this time, the boys will put up their hands on the first and last part called 'A'. Remind them of the words for this section. They must put their hands down when the part has finished.
- Tell the girls that they must put their hands up when the second part, 'B', happens, reminding them of the words and that they will put their hands up when the part is finished.
- The boys will raise their hands on the last phrase.
- Teach that this song has an ABA form, where the first and last parts are the same.
Questions
- How many sections in the song are called A?
- How many sections in the song are called B?
- What is the order of A and B in this song?
Rhythmic development
Students sight read and clap a selection of rhythm patterns.
- Explain to the class that they are, once again, musical detectives.
- Project the rhythm patterns on the board and ask the class to say and clap the first rhythm pattern.
- When secure, repeat the process with the other lines.
- Monitor student's performance and offer gentle guidance where necessary.
- Extension: Choose individual students to come forward and say and clap a chosen line.
- Repeat as time permits.
Questions
- What is the time name for two sounds on a beat?
- What is the time name for four sounds on a beat?
- What is the name of a rest for one beat?
- Where do we put a double barline?
- What does the 2 in front of the music mean?
Creative movement
Students sing and move in this classic circle game.
- Two students stand together, joining hands with their arms extended upwards, resembling the iconic formation of London Bridge. They serve as the 'tree' in this game.
- The remaining students form a circle, holding hands.
- As the group sings the song, the large circle, excluding the tree, starts to rotate while still holding hands.
- At the song's end, during the line "knocks me out," the 'tree' students swiftly lower their arms to "catch" some of the other students within the large circle.
- Any students caught in this manner, which could be more than one, exit the large circle and become part of the tree, thus expanding its size.
- The game then resets with the larger tree formation and the student circle, and the process continues.
- Continue playing and capturing students until everyone has had a turn or until your allocated time for the game is exhausted.
Listening
Students discover the Ghanian cowbell and how it is played.
Performed by Odai, from Hello Africa
- Distribute cowbells, agogos or similar untuned percussion instruments.
- Divide the class into two groups - one for each set of instruments.
- Play the video showcasing a talented musician from Ghana explaining how the cowbell is used in their society.
- Ask the class what they wondered when they watched the video.
- Project the graphic and ask one group to read and say the time names for the first rhythm pattern on the board.
- Ask them to play the pattern on their cowbells.
- When secure, ask the second group to read and say the time names of the second pattern.
- Ask them to play the pattern on their agogos (or similar).
- Conduct both groups to play together.
Visual learning
Students visualise ABA form using a cookie as an example.
- Draw or project the image of the cookies.
- Explain to the class that music can have different parts and can repeat at times.
- Using the example of Muffin Man, demonstrate that the song only has two parts, named A and B.
- This could look like the first cookie.
- Using the example of Twinkle Twinkle, demonstrate that the song has two parts: A and B, with part A at the beginning and the end, with part B sandwiched in the middle.
- This could look like the second cookie.
Instruments
Students discover how to play the last eight bars of Here Comes A Magpie.
- Distribute tuned percussion instruments. In this exercise, xylophones are chosen.
- Divide the class into two groups.
- Demonstrate the melody of the first eight bars of the song to the first group.
- When secure, demonstrate the simple accompaniment to the second group.
- Conduct the two groups and monitor the class performance, offering gentle guidance where appropriate.
- The song's first half was shown in the previous lesson [18].
Part work
Students practise their rhythm abilities with a canon.
- Choose a familiar song, such as Bluebells, and ask students to sing it using rhythmic syllables.
- Then, students should practice clapping the rhythm.
- Split the class into two groups and perform the activity in a canon, starting after a two-beat count.
- Monitor the two groups' performance and offer gentle guidance where required.
Students section
Try these quick questions!
Assess
Suggested lessons
Y1. Beat II
Y1. Beat III
Y1. Beat IV