Lesson Plan
Mood Mapping Lesson
Students will identify and convey musical moods by exploring chord choices, tempo, and arrangement, then create and self-assess a short composition using a clear rubric.
Understanding how musical elements evoke emotion builds critical listening, creative decision-making, and expressive skills essential for confident composition and collaboration.
Audience
7th Grade
Time
45 minutes
Approach
Engaging activities, guided examples, and a hands-on composition task
Prep
Prepare Materials
10 minutes
- Review Mood Mapping Lesson to understand sequence and goals
- Open and preview Emotion & Chords Slide Deck
- Print or distribute Song Mood Rubric for each student
- Prepare cards or digital prompts for Chord-Emotion Matching Activity
- Queue examples for Mood Memory Game Warm-Up
Step 1
Warm-Up: Mood Memory Game
5 minutes
- Play pairs of short chord progressions via Mood Memory Game Warm-Up
- After each pair, ask students to name the mood they heard
- Quickly discuss correct answers and highlight why certain progressions feel happy, sad, tense, etc.
Step 2
Introduce Emotion & Chords
10 minutes
- Present Emotion & Chords Slide Deck
- Listen to audio examples for major, minor, suspended, and seventh chords
- Ask students to predict each chord's mood before revealing its common associations
- Discuss how tempo and rhythm further influence mood
Step 3
Activity: Chord-Emotion Matching
10 minutes
- Divide class into small groups and give each group the Chord-Emotion Matching Activity
- Groups match chord cards with emotion words and arrange them by intensity
- Circulate to prompt discussion about why certain chords match specific moods
Step 4
Composition: Mood Mapping
15 minutes
- Introduce task from Mood Mapping Lesson
- Students select a target mood and choose a chord progression, tempo, and simple arrangement
- They notate or record a 4-bar example that communicates their chosen mood
- Teacher supports with one-on-one feedback during composition
Step 5
Reflection & Rubric Assessment
5 minutes
- Distribute Song Mood Rubric
- Students self-assess or peer-assess their 4-bar compositions against mood clarity, chord choice, and tempo alignment
- Conclude with a brief class discussion: What decisions were most effective?
Slide Deck
Emotion & Chords
How do chords shape the mood of a song?
• We’ll listen to examples of Major, Minor, Suspended, and Seventh chords
• Observe notation, hear audio, and discuss the emotional impact
• Note how tempo and rhythm further influence what we feel
Welcome students! Explain that today we'll explore how different chords convey different emotions and how tempo affects mood. Encourage students to listen closely and share their thoughts.
Major Chords
Notation: C – E – G
Mood Associations: Bright, Happy, Uplifting
▷ Play audio example (C Major)
Discussion Prompt: What words come to mind when you hear this chord?
Display the notation for a C Major chord (C–E–G) on the staff or keyboard graphic. Play the audio example twice.
Minor Chords
Notation: A – C – E
Mood Associations: Sad, Reflective, Somber
▷ Play audio example (A Minor)
Discussion Prompt: How does this chord’s mood differ from the Major?
Show the A Minor chord (A–C–E). Play the clip. Ask students to compare it to the Major example.
Suspended Chords
Notation: D – G – A
Mood Associations: Open, Unresolved, Expectant
▷ Play audio example (Dsus4)
Discussion Prompt: Does this chord feel tense or relaxed? Why?
Introduce a Dsus4 chord (D–G–A). Emphasize the suspended note and tension it creates.
Seventh Chords
Notation: G – B – D – F
Mood Associations: Bluesy, Tense, Anticipatory
▷ Play audio example (G7)
Discussion Prompt: What emotion does the extra seventh add?
Present a G7 chord (G–B–D–F). Explain the dominant seventh function and its push toward resolution.
Tempo & Rhythm Effects
• Fast Tempo (e.g., 120+ bpm): Excited, Energetic
• Moderate Tempo (80–120 bpm): Natural, Comfortable
• Slow Tempo (<80 bpm): Relaxed, Melancholic
Discussion Prompt: How might you adjust tempo to strengthen a chord’s mood?
Explain how faster tempos can increase energy and slower tempos can create calm or tension.
Discussion & Application
• How can you use these chords and tempos in your own compositions?
• What mood would you choose for your 4-bar piece?
• Sketch a quick idea: chord + tempo + instrument style
Encourage students to think about combining chord choice, tempo, and instrumentation as they compose.
Rubric
Song Mood Rubric
Use this rubric to evaluate your 4-bar composition.
Name: __________________________ Date: __________ Target Mood: _______________
| Criteria | 4 – Exemplary | 3 – Proficient | 2 – Developing | 1 – Beginning |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Mood Clarity | Mood is unmistakably conveyed; listener immediately identifies the intended mood. | Mood is clear with minor ambiguity. | Mood is somewhat conveyed; occasional confusion. | Mood is unclear or contradictory. |
| Chord Choice | Progression strongly supports and enhances mood with sophisticated choices. | Progression appropriately supports mood. | Progression somewhat relates; occasional mismatches. | Chords are random or conflict with mood. |
| Tempo Alignment | Tempo perfectly matches mood, greatly enhancing its impact. | Tempo generally matches mood; slight inconsistencies. | Tempo somewhat matches; mood weakly supported. | Tempo mismatches mood; creates confusion. |
| Creativity & Arrangement | Arrangement shows originality, inventive transitions, and thoughtful instrumentation. | Arrangement is creative and effective. | Arrangement is basic with minimal creativity. | Arrangement is undeveloped or uninspired. |
Total Score: ____ / 16
Score Interpretation:
15–16: Exceptional – demonstrates mastery
11–14: Competent – meets expectations
7–10: Developing – needs improvement
4–6: Beginning – requires significant support
Reflection Questions:
• What decision most strengthened my chosen mood?
• Which area could I enhance next time?
Use this rubric during the "Reflection & Rubric Assessment" step of the Mood Mapping Lesson.
Activity
Chord-Emotion Matching Activity
Objective: In small groups, students will match different chord types to emotional descriptors and discuss how chord quality relates to mood.
Materials:
- Sets of chord cards (Major, Minor, Suspended, Seventh)
- Emotion descriptor cards (e.g., Happy, Sad, Tense, Anticipatory, Open)
Time: 10 minutes
Instructions:
- Group Setup (1 minute)
- Divide students into groups of 3–4.
- Give each group one set of chord cards and one set of emotion cards.
- Initial Matching (3 minutes)
- Within your group, match each chord card with the emotion word you feel best represents its mood.
- Lay out the pairs on your table.
- Group Discussion (3 minutes)
- For each matched pair, discuss: “Why does this chord evoke that emotion?”
- Note any differences in interpretation among group members.
- Intensity Ranking (3 minutes)
- Arrange your matched pairs in order of emotional intensity (from least intense to most intense).
- Be prepared to explain one match and your intensity ranking choice to the class.
Follow-Up Questions:
- Which chord–emotion match was the easiest or hardest to agree on?
- How did ranking by intensity change your view of a chord’s mood?
Use this activity during the “Activity: Chord-Emotion Matching” step of the Mood Mapping Lesson.
Warm Up
Mood Memory Game Warm-Up
Objective: Sharpen listening skills and quickly identify how different chord progressions convey mood.
Materials:
- Sets of paired cards (one card shows a short chord progression name or notation, its match shows the corresponding mood word)
- Or, audio clips of chord progressions queued for quick playback
Time: 5 minutes
Instructions:
- Setup (1 minute)
- Lay all cards face-down on a table (or have audio clips ready to play in random order).
- Explain that each chord progression pairs with a mood word (e.g., C Major → Happy, A Minor → Sad).
- Memory Matching (3 minutes)
- Students work in pairs or small teams.
- On their turn, a student flips two cards (or listens to two audio clips) seeking a chord–mood match.
- If the chord and mood pair are correct, the student keeps the pair and names one reason why that progression feels that way.
- If they don’t match, flip them back (or replay the next two clips quietly).
- Quick Share (1 minute)
- Call on a few teams to share one chord progression they matched and explain why the mood fits.
- Highlight key elements: major feels bright, minor feels somber, suspended adds tension, etc.
Use this warm-up at the start of the Mood Mapping Lesson to engage students in rapid mood identification.