Covid 19 turned our world upside down and inside out. There has been a lot of fear but it also gave us time – time to do the things that matter like:
- Solve the Rubik’s Cube
- Learn how to bake bread
- WRITE A RESOURCE FOR MUSIC EDUCATORS!!!!
It has been a dream of mine to write a book for music teachers. A book with clear process driven content that includes all the necessary visuals and Orff arrangements. A book that is current on best practices in primary music education. A book that unifies K to grade 3 music programs.
When I started creating resources for music educators in 2016, I made a commitment that everything I made would be used in my classroom. Full time teaching is so busy. I couldn’t waste the time creating something I wasn’t going to use. “Just Orffin’ Around – Sing, Play, Move, Create” includes lesson plans, visuals, and Orff arrangements that are indeed “Classroom Tested and Kid Approved“.
Elemental music and Orff schulwerk are based within the elements of music. How we experience these elements can be broken down into seven categories:
- Let’s Sing
- Let’s Say
- Let’s Move
- Let’s Play (Instruments)
- Let’s Create
- Let’s Listen
- Let’s Read and Write
There are certainly subsets of each of these categories. For example “Let’s Create” could be dramatizing a story. “Let’s Move”could be experiencing a rhythmic pattern through body percussion. In my Orff Journey, the seven categories of experience have worked well for me. In my new book, I focus on 4 of these experience categories – “Let’s Sing”, “Let’s Move”, “Let’s Play” and “Let’s Create”
STAR LIGHT – LET’S SING
Star light is a wonderful repertoire selection to work on vocal development and melodic contour.
Throughout this resource, I spiral the process across k to grade 3. (Same music, Different Achievement Indicators, Developmentally Appropriate Musical Experiences.) I don’t spiral all my instruction but I pick the gems and use them to unify my music classes through cross grade level sharing or performances. It feels like a big, warm, hug when the 4 year olds are making music with the 9 year olds.
In developing the lesson plan, I included experiences, with visuals, that you can use with other songs – like these Vocal Exploration Cards.
And these Melodic Contour Visuals.
And these Melodic Sight Reading Visuals.
I like to use them as a B section to the song.
Acka Backa, Soda Cracker – Let’s Play
Acka Backa is a gem I use every year. It can be used melodically and rhythmically.
After each process, I share classroom set ups, pointers, and pedagogy tools to support these songs and experiences.
Orff arrangements are clear and developmentally appropriate for each grade level.
And for our little recorder players…
One, Two, Three – Let’s Create
Gem number 3. “One, Two, Three” can be used as a poem or a song. I use it as a poem to support my K’s and 1’s first experiences in arranging and for my 2’s and 3’s, it leads to an experience in composition.
“Let’s Create” is my assessment tool. When students use what they have learned to create something new, they are showing a deep understanding of the new skills and learning.
Here is a little clip of my grade 3’s performing the compositions they created for “One, Two, Three”. They LOVE seeing themselves as composers.
One, Two, Three – Grade 3 Composition
Ice Cream – Let’s Move
This is a little piece I use to explore the ostinato and body percussion levels. Using the ostinati in a little story supports practicing and skill development.
This book was so much fun to write. I hope you take the chance to preview it. All the visuals used in this post are free for you to use and found on my PDF visuals page on the blog. If you are interested in purchasing the book, click the link below.
Click here.
Take care,
Syndi
