LESSON PLAN: The E Chord in 1 Chord Songs
Objective
Students will learn to play the E Major chord on guitar and apply it to playing a one chord song.
Resources
Any of the following recordings: “American Woman” by The Guess Who, “Hey Bo Diddley” by Bo Diddley, “Who do you Love” by George Thorogood, “Keep On Chooglin’” or “Graveyard Train” by Credence Clearwater Revival, “No Place to Go”, “Smokestack Lightning”, or “Spoonful by Howlin’ Wolf”, “High Time We Went” by Joe Cocker, “Coochy Coochy” by Ringo Starr, or “Whole Lotta Love” by Led Zeppelin, any lyrics, E chord handout.
Procedures
- Demonstrate playing an E chord
- Direct students in playing the E chord on their guitars using the handout.
- Use the strum pattern together as a group, making sure the arm continuously moves up and down.
- Listen to the song you are going to play along with as a group. Point out every time you hear the chorus. Discuss how the chorus is different from the verse. Practice singing the chorus along with the recording.
- Perform the song along with the recording using a strum pattern.
Extension
- Perform a couple of the songs as a group without the recording, having some students sing verses and encouraging everyone to sing the chorus. Since the song stays the E chord the whole time, a bass line can be improvised by some students using the low E string.
- Improvise solos over any of the song, taking turns, doing call and response, etc. (see lesson plan “Two Note Solo Open Position” or “G Extension”)
National Core Arts Standards (Music)
Anchor Standard 6: Convey meaning through the presentation of artistic work. Example: General Music MU:Pr.6.1.6 a. Perform the music with technical accuracy to convey the creator’s intent. Example: Traditional and Emerging Ensembles MU:Pr6.1.E.5a Demonstrate attention to technical accuracy and expressive qualities in prepared and improvised performances of a varied repertoire of music. Common Core Correlations: CCSS.ELA-Literacy.