Understanding Clefs and the Musical Staff Music JSS 1 First Term Lesson Notes Week 6

Lesson Plan: Clefs/Letter Names of Lines and Spaces (Treble and Bass Staff)

Subject: Music
Class: JSS 1
Term: First Term
Week: 6
Age: 11-12 years
Topic: Clefs/Letter Names of Lines and Spaces (Treble and Bass Staff)
Sub-topic: Definition, Functions, and Types of Clefs
Duration: 40 minutes

Behavioral Objectives

By the end of the lesson, students should be able to:

1. Define a clef in music.
2. Mention the functions of a clef.
3. State different kinds of clefs used in music notation.
4. Draw the treble staff (stave) and identify the letter names of the lines and spaces.

Keywords

• Clef
• Treble Clef
• Bass Clef
• Staff (Stave)
• Lines and Spaces

Set Induction

The teacher plays a simple melody on the keyboard or piano using both the treble and bass clefs, asking the students to listen and observe how notes are written on the staff. This introduces the topic and emphasizes the importance of clefs in reading music.

Entry Behaviour

Students have basic knowledge of musical notation from previous lessons on musical staff and alphabets.

Learning Resources and Materials

• Flashcards showing the treble and bass clefs
• Charts with the lines and spaces of both the treble and bass staffs labeled with letter names
• Whiteboard and markers for drawing the staff and clefs

Building Background/Connection to Prior Knowledge

The teacher connects the lesson to the previous topic about musical alphabets and staff notation, explaining how clefs help musicians identify the pitch of notes on the staff.

Embedded Core Skills

• Visual learning
• Cognitive reasoning
• Hand-eye coordination

Reference Books

• Lagos State Scheme of Work
• Music Theory for Beginners by Hal Leonard
• Basic Music Notation by Alfred Publishing

Instructional Materials

• Whiteboard
• Flashcards
• Music charts displaying treble and bass clefs

Content: Clefs and Letter Names of Lines and Spaces

1. Definition of Clef:
   A clef is a symbol placed at the beginning of the staff (stave) that indicates the pitch of the notes on the lines and spaces. It helps musicians determine whether the notes are high or low in pitch.
2. Functions of a Clef:
   • It assigns specific pitches to the lines and spaces of the staff.
   • It helps musicians identify whether a note should be played high or low.
   • Different clefs are used for different instruments or voices to fit their pitch ranges.
3. Kinds of Clefs:
   There are two main types of clefs commonly used in music:
   • Treble Clef (G Clef): This clef is used for higher-pitched instruments and voices, such as the violin, flute, and soprano voices.
   • Bass Clef (F Clef): This clef is used for lower-pitched instruments and voices, such as the bass guitar, tuba, and bass voices.
4. Treble Staff and Letter Names:
   The treble staff consists of five lines and four spaces. Each line and space represents a different note.
   • Lines of the Treble Staff: E, G, B, D, F (use the mnemonic “Every Good Boy Deserves Favour”).
   • Spaces of the Treble Staff: F, A, C, E (spell the word “FACE”).

   Example of the Treble Staff:
5. Bass Staff and Letter Names:
   The bass staff also consists of five lines and four spaces.
   • Lines of the Bass Staff: G, B, D, F, A (use the mnemonic “Good Boys Deserve Favour Always”).
   • Spaces of the Bass Staff: A, C, E, G (use the mnemonic “All Cows Eat Grass”).

   Example of the Bass Staff:

15 Fill-in-the-Blank Questions with Options

1. A clef is a symbol that is placed at the beginning of a _____.
   a) song
   b) note
   c) staff
   d) melody
2. The _____ clef is used for higher-pitched instruments.
   a) bass
   b) treble
   c) alto
   d) tenor
3. The treble clef is also called the _____ clef.
   a) F
   b) G
   c) C
   d) D
4. The lines on the treble staff are _____, G, B, D, and F.
   a) E
   b) F
   c) G
   d) D
5. The spaces on the treble staff spell the word _____.
   a) FACE
   b) FINE
   c) FAME
   d) FIRE
6. The bass clef is also called the _____ clef.
   a) G
   b) F
   c) C
   d) A
7. The lines on the bass staff are G, B, _____, F, A.
   a) D
   b) E
   c) F
   d) G
8. The mnemonic for the lines of the treble staff is “Every Good Boy Deserves _____.”
   a) Favor
   b) Fruit
   c) Food
   d) Fun
9. The bass clef is used for _____-pitched instruments.
   a) high
   b) low
   c) medium
   d) very high
10. The clef that represents middle C is the _____ clef.
    a) alto
    b) tenor
    c) treble
    d) bass
11. The clef helps to determine the _____ of the notes.
    a) pitch
    b) rhythm
    c) dynamics
    d) tempo
12. The lines on the bass staff are G, B, D, F, and _____.
    a) C
    b) A
    c) E
    d) F
13. The mnemonic for the spaces on the bass staff is “All Cows Eat _____.”
    a) Grass
    b) Food
    c) Fodder
    d) Flowers
14. The treble clef is mainly used for _____ voices and instruments.
    a) high
    b) low
    c) fast
    d) slow
15. The bass clef is primarily used for _____ voices and instruments.
    a) high
    b) low
    c) mid-range
    d) fast

15 FAQs with Answers

1. What is a clef in music?
   A clef is a symbol that shows the pitch of notes on the staff.
2. What are the main types of clefs?
   The main types of clefs are the treble clef and the bass clef.
3. What is the treble clef used for?
   The treble clef is used for higher-pitched notes and instruments.
4. What is the bass clef used for?
   The bass clef is used for lower-pitched notes and instruments.
5. What are the lines of the treble staff?
   The lines are E, G, B, D, F.
6. What are the spaces of the treble staff?
   The spaces spell the word “FACE.”
7. What are the lines of the bass staff?
   The lines are G, B, D, F, A.
8. What are the spaces of the bass staff?
   The spaces are A, C, E, G.
9. How do you remember the lines of the treble staff?
   You can use the mnemonic “Every Good Boy Deserves Favour.”
10. How do you remember the spaces of the treble staff?
    You can remember them by spelling the word “FACE.”
11. What is the bass clef also called?
    The bass clef is also called the F clef.
12. What instruments use the treble clef?
    Instruments like the violin, flute, and clarinet use the treble clef.
13. What instruments use the bass clef?
    Instruments like the bass guitar, cello, and tuba use the bass clef.
14. What is the purpose of a clef?
    A clef tells you the pitch of the notes on the staff.
15. Why is the treble clef also called the G clef?
    It’s called the G clef because it wraps around the line representing the note G.

Teacher’s Activities

• Explain the meaning of clefs and their functions.
• Demonstrate how to draw the treble and bass clefs on the staff.
• Help students identify the letter names of lines and spaces in both the treble and bass staffs.
• Definition of Clef

  Clef is a French word, meaning Key.

  Clef is defined as a symbol placed at the commencement [beginning] of a stave [staff] which indicates the pitch of a musical note and also fixes the letter names of the lines and spaces.

   

  Functions of Clef

  (i) To indicate the pitch of a musical note.

  (ii) To fix the letter names of the lines and spaces.

   

  Kinds of Clef

  At this level, we shall consider the two major clefs which are also in common use.

  (i) Treble or G clef.

  (ii) Bass or F clef.

  The letter names lines and spaces are taken from the seven letters of the alphabets; A B C D E F G called musical alphabets.

  Treble or G Clef

  This clef starts from the second line of the stave which is called G, and curls round it.

  When G clef is placed on a stave or staff, the stave automatically becomes a Treble Stave. Treble stave consist of five parallel lines and four spaces as shown below.

  Treble Lines E G B D F  (Every good boy deserves favour).

  Treble Spaces F A C E  (Fanta and cake every day). To remember the spaces, just remember that they spell FACE starting from the bottom.

  Treble Staff or Stave

   

  EVALUATION

  1. Define the word clef
  2. Identify the main kinds of clef.
  3. Write two functions of a clef on the stave [staff].
  4. What are the letter names of the treble clef?

   

  Bass or F Clef (pronounced ‘base’ )

  Bass clef starts on the fourth line of the Bass stave. When this symbol is placed on a stave, it becomes Bass staff or stave.

  Bass stave consist of five horizontal [parallel] lines and four spaces. The lines on the bass clef, from bottom to top are: G, B, D, F, A (Good boy deserves Fanta always) and the spaces are A, C ,E, G (All cows eat grass).

  1. What are the letter names of the bass clef?
  2. Draw the music staff.
  3. Draw the treble clef with the names of lines and spaces.
  4. What are the letter names of the bass clef?

   

Learners’ Activities

• Practice drawing the treble and bass clefs.
• Write down the names of the lines and spaces in the treble and bass staffs.

Assessment

Evaluation Questions:

1. Define a clef in music.
2. What is the function of a clef?
3. Name two types of clefs.
4. Draw the treble staff and label the lines and spaces.
5. Explain why the treble clef is important.
6. Name the lines of the bass staff.
7. What mnemonic can help you remember the lines of the treble staff?
8. How do the spaces of the treble staff spell the word “FACE”?
9. What is the purpose of the bass clef?
10. Describe how the bass clef is used for different instruments.

Conclusion

The teacher reviews the concepts of clefs and their functions, checks students’ work for accuracy, and provides feedback. The teacher also answers any remaining questions and clarifies any misunderstandings.