Lesson Notes By Weeks and Term v3 - Junior Secondary 1
Use of music
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Use of music
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Subject: Cultural and Creative Arts
Class: Junior Secondary 1
Term: 1st Term
Week: 9
Theme: Performing Arts & Entertainment
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States the uses of music in the society. State the impact of music on human life
This section provides the core content necessary for the teacher to deliver the lesson effectively.
Definition of Music: Music can be broadly defined as an art form whose medium is sound. It is organized, often harmonious, and can evoke emotions, communicate ideas, and tell stories. In many African cultures, including Nigerian cultures, music is often inseparable from dance, drama, and rituals, forming a holistic artistic expression.
Uses of Music in Society: Music serves numerous purposes in society, acting as a functional element in various aspects of human life. These uses are deeply embedded in Nigerian cultural practices:
1. Entertainment and Recreation: This is perhaps the most common use. Music provides enjoyment, relaxation, and a means of escape. Nigerian
Examples: Parties, concerts, listening to popular music on radio/TV/streaming, traditional storytelling sessions accompanied by music, children's play songs.
2. Cultural Preservation and Expression: Music is a powerful vehicle for transmitting cultural heritage, traditions, values, and history from one generation to another. It helps define group identity. Nigerian
Examples: Traditional festival music (e.g., music for the New Yam Festival, Eyo Festival, Argungu Fishing Festival), folklore songs, praise singing (oríkì), communal dances like the Atilogwu dance.
3. Communication and Storytelling: Music can convey messages, narratives, and emotions without the explicit use of spoken words, or by enhancing them. Nigerian
Examples: Talking drums (e.g., gangan) used to send messages or praise dignitaries; protest songs by artists like Fela Kuti; lullabies telling stories to children; funeral dirges expressing grief.
4. Ceremonial and Ritual Purposes: Music is central to many religious, social, and cultural ceremonies, marking significant life events or rituals. Nigerian
Examples: Church hymns and gospel music, Islamic recitations (nasheed), traditional religious chants and drumming (e.g., during initiation rites or shrine worship), wedding songs, naming ceremony songs, funeral music.
5. Work and Labour: Music can accompany and synchronize manual labour, making repetitive tasks more bearable, increasing productivity, and fostering camaraderie. Nigerian
Examples: Farmers singing while tilling land, fishermen singing while paddling, communal work songs (e.g., during house building or road construction in rural areas), market traders singing jingles for their wares.
6. Education and Moral Instruction: Music can be used to teach lessons, impart morals, children's rhymes often carry educational messages, and jingles can educate the public on health or safety. Nigerian
Examples: Children's rhymes teaching numbers or good manners, songs that include proverbs and wise sayings, public awareness jingles (e.g., for sanitation, immunization).
7. Therapy and Healing: Music can have therapeutic effects, aiding in relaxation, stress reduction, emotional expression, and even physical recovery. Nigerian
Examples: Listening to calm music to relieve stress, using traditional healing chants, music as a distraction from pain, improving mood in hospitals or during recovery.
8. Social Cohesion and Unity: Singing or playing music together can foster a sense of belonging, strengthen community bonds, and mobilize people for a common cause. Nigerian
Examples: National anthem, school anthems, political campaign songs, songs during peaceful protests or rallies, community choir singing.
9. Advertising and Commercial Use: Music is extensively used in advertising to create memorable jingles and enhance brand recall. Nigerian
Examples: Jingles for products on radio and television (e.g., for soft drinks, detergents, mobile networks), background music in shopping malls.
1
0. Military and Parade: Music dictates marching pace, signals, and adds solemnity or grandeur to military events. Nigerian
Examples: Military band music during parades, ceremonial bugle calls.
Impact of Music on Human Life: Beyond its specific uses, music profoundly affects individuals and society in various ways:
1. Emotional Impact: Music directly influences feelings and moods. It can evoke joy, sadness, excitement, peace, motivation, or anger. It allows for the expression and processing of emotions.
Example: A melancholic traditional dirge evokes sadness and empathy at a funeral; an upbeat Afrobeats song makes people feel happy and want to dance at a party.
2. Psychological Impact: Music can affect cognitive processes. It can reduce stress, aid concentration (e.g., studying with background music), improve memory (lyrics help recall information), and alter perception.
Example: Listening to soothing music after a stressful day helps relax the mind; students sometimes listen to instrumental music to focus while doing motivation, or anger. It allows for the expression and processing of emotions.
Example: A melancholic traditional dirge evokes sadness and empathy at a funeral; an upbeat Afrobeats song makes people feel happy and want to dance at a party.
2. Psychological Impact: Music can affect cognitive processes. It can reduce stress, aid concentration (e.g., studying with background music), improve memory (lyrics help recall information), and alter perception.
Example: Listening to soothing music after a stressful day helps relax the mind; students sometimes listen to instrumental music to focus while doing homework.
3. Social Impact: Music fosters unity, connection, and shared experiences. It can bring people together, reinforce social norms, and serve as a basis for social gatherings.
Example: Communal singing during a religious service strengthens faith and community bonds; a popular song at a wedding party gets everyone dancing together.
4. Cultural Impact: Music transmits cultural values, history, and identity across generations. It reinforces a sense of belonging to a particular ethnic group or nation.
Example: Children learn about their heritage through folk songs; traditional music forms are passed down from elders to youth, preserving indigenous languages and stories.
5. Physical Impact: Music often elicits physical responses. It encourages movement (dancing), can synchronize actions (work songs), aids relaxation, and can influence heart rate and breathing.
Example: Energetic drumming and singing inspire vigorous traditional dances; calm music can help lower blood pressure.
6. Cognitive Impact: Engaging with music can improve listening skills, foster creativity, and enhance language development, particularly through understanding lyrics and rhythm.
Example: Learning to play an instrument improves coordination and problem-solving skills; analyzing song lyrics deepens understanding of poetic language.
7. Spiritual Impact: For many, music is a crucial element in spiritual expression and worship, deepening connection to the divine or sacred.
Example: Powerful gospel music can evoke a strong sense of spiritual presence in a church service; chanting during traditional rites connects participants to ancestral spirits.
8. Economic Impact: The music industry provides livelihoods for a vast network of people, including musicians, producers, sound engineers, instrument makers, event organizers, and marketers.
Example: A successful Nigerian artist generates income for their band, crew, record label, and various other support services, contributing to the nation's economy. This section outlines the step-by-step activities for the teacher and students during the lesson. Introduction (10 minutes)
Teacher Activity: Begin by playing a short, familiar, and culturally relevant Nigerian song (e.g., a popular Afrobeats track, a folk song, or a gospel song). Ask students to listen carefully.
Student Activity: Students listen to the music. Teacher asks, "What kind of music is this?" and "Where have you heard this music before?" to gauge prior knowledge and interest. Teacher then asks, "Why do people listen to or use music?" (Brainstorming).
Development Phase 1: Uses of Music (20 minutes)
Teacher Activity: Guide a brainstorming session on "Uses of Music." Write student responses on the board. Group similar ideas. Introduce and explain the specific categories of music uses (e.g., Entertainment, Cultural Preservation, Communication, Ceremonial, Work, Education, Therapy, Social Cohesion, Advertising, Military) using the Nigerian examples provided in the "Key Concepts and Explanations" section. Emphasize examples from their local community.
Student Activity: Students actively participate in brainstorming, giving examples from their experiences (e.g., "My mother sings while cooking," "We hear music at church," "I dance to music at parties"). They take notes as the teacher explains and categorizes. Practical
Example: Teacher can play snippets of different types of Nigerian music (e.g., a talking drum piece, a gospel song, a work song) and ask students to identify its likely use.
Development Phase 2: Impact of Music (20 minutes)
Teacher Activity: Transition to "Impact of Music." Ask students, "How does music make you feel?" "What happens when you listen to your favorite song?" Explain the various impacts of music (Emotional, Psychological, Social, Cultural, Physical, Cognitive, Spiritual, Economic) using relatable Nigerian examples. Highlight how different genres can have different impacts.
Student Activity: Students share their personal experiences with music and how it affects them (e.g., "Music makes me happy," "It helps me relax," "It makes me want to dance"). They discuss in pairs how music influences their daily lives and the lives of people around them in Nigeria, then share with the class. Students take notes. Activity for Synthesis (15 minutes)
Teacher Activity: Divide the class into small groups (4-5 students). Assign each group a specific scenario (e.g., a Nigerian wedding ceremony, a school sports day, a traditional chieftaincy ceremony, a market, a church service).
Student Activity: Each group discusses: What types of music would be heard in this scenario? What are the uses of that music in that specific scenario? What impact does the music have on the people involved in that scenario? Groups then present their findings to the class.
Conclusion (5 minutes)
Teacher Activity: Summarize the key points discussed: the diverse uses of music and its profound impact on individuals and society. Emphasize music's role in shaping and reflecting Nigerian culture.
Student Activity: Students ask any lingering questions and review their notes. This section provides scaffolded practice questions to reinforce learning, with detailed solutions for the teacher.
Question: Consider a typical Nigerian market scene. Describe one specific use of music you might encounter there and explain why it is used in that context.
Solution: Use of Music: Advertising/Commercial use.
Explanation: Traders often play loud music with jingles or catchy tunes promoting their wares (e.g., "Come buy your fresh tomatoes here!"). This music attracts customers, helps their stalls stand out, and makes the buying experience more lively. It's used to capture attention and encourage sales.
Commentary: This question checks understanding of specific uses in a common Nigerian setting.
Question: Your school anthem is a form of music. State one main impact it has on the students and the school community.
Solution: Impact of Music: Social Impact / Cultural Impact.
Explanation: The school anthem fosters a sense of unity, pride, and belonging among students and staff. Singing it together reinforces the school's values and identity, creating a collective spirit and shared experience within the school community.
Commentary: This focuses on the impact aspect, using a familiar example to students.
Question: In many Nigerian traditional communities, songs are used during communal farming or fishing activities. What specific 'use of music' category does this fall under, and how does it help the people?
Solution: Use of Music Category: Work and Labour.
Explanation: The songs help synchronize the workers' efforts, making repetitive tasks more rhythmic and efficient. They also boost morale, reduce boredom, and strengthen community bonds among the workers, making the labour feel less arduous and more communal.
Commentary: This probes a less obvious but culturally significant use of music, linking it directly to practical benefits.
Question: A popular Nigerian musician releases a song that talks about the importance of good governance and fighting corruption. What specific 'impact of music' is this song trying to achieve in society?
Solution: Impact of Music: Social Impact / Cultural Impact (specifically, promoting social awareness and civic responsibility).
Explanation: The song aims to influence public opinion, raise awareness about societal issues, and potentially motivate citizens to demand accountability from their leaders. It uses music as a platform to educate, critique, and inspire collective action towards positive change.
Commentary: This expands on the social/cultural impact to include advocacy and political consciousness, highly relevant in Nigeria.
Community Festivals and Ceremonies: Music is integral to nearly all Nigerian festivals and ceremonies, from traditional rites of passage (e.g., naming ceremonies, chieftaincy coronations) to modern celebrations (e.g., school graduation parties, community carnivals). Learners can see how different types of music (traditional drumming, choral singing, contemporary DJ mixes) serve distinct purposes—for praise, storytelling, entertainment, or setting a mood—and unify participants. For instance, the drumming and chanting during an Eyo festival in Lagos is not just entertainment; it's a sacred ritual, a form of communication, and a strong marker of cultural identity for the people of Lagos.
Everyday Communication and Persuasion: Beyond formal events, music subtly integrates into daily life. For example, street hawkers in Nigerian markets often use catchy, rhythmic chants or songs to advertise their goods, demonstrating music's use in attracting attention and persuading customers. Similarly, public service announcements on radio and television frequently use memorable jingles to educate the populace on health, sanitation, or civic duties (e.g., jingles for polio vaccination campaigns or voter education), showing its impact on public awareness and behaviour change.
Socio-Political Commentary and Advocacy: Music has a long history in Nigeria as a tool for social commentary and political protest. Artists like Fela Kuti famously used their music to critique government corruption and injustice, sparking awareness and galvanizing public opinion. Contemporary Nigerian musicians also address issues like poverty, youth unemployment, and insecurity. This demonstrates how music can transcend entertainment to become a powerful voice for the voiceless, fostering critical thinking and inspiring social change within the society.