What a Week!

I am officially taking over 3rd Grade. Last week, I finished the rotation with my Folk Songs/Rhythm lesson. It seems like each new rotation SNEAKS up on me! We recovered and found a good lesson to work on.

The beginning of the week was crazy. I had a rough day, and to make matters even crazier, Tracy was out sick. No sub teachers were available, but luckily Ben Burnette teaches on Mondays. We both tag-teamed, and I was able to do my folk lesson for 3rd and 4th Grade and my Kindergarten lesson about high and low. HOWEVER, things went really well with my lessons!

As soon as she was back, Tracy showed me a neat Kodaly/Orff lesson she learned about in a workshop involving Beethoven's Symphony No. 7. The first round of classes have been watching Beethoven Lives Upstairs, which is an interesting movie to them but pretty rough for the teacher to watch over and over again. This is the disadvantage to watching a film in an Encore class (Music, PE, Art, etc.), but the kids really needed to see it to get background on Beethoven's life before my lesson, "Beethoven Part II."

Let me explain the lesson (Grades 3, 4 and 5. Yes, I am doing more than just 3rd Grade this week!)

You listen to Mr. B's Symphony No. 7, Movement 2. There is a rhythmic pattern repeated three times followed by a different rhythm played only once.
Ta ta-di Ta Ta or Hi, Sis-ter Su-san (repeated x3)
Ta ta-di Ta sh or Hi, Brother John (once only)
The students listen to the movement and identify how many "Sister Susans" and "Brother Johns" are heard. They identify the rhythm's Ta-dis (takadimi method for this school zone) and are given a set of rhythm cards (one per pair of students.) They find the pattern and put a repeat sign between the two rhythm cards. Their next task is to "compose" their own set of rhythms to be played in the same 3+1 pattern. We drew numbers (the sets of cards were labeled with a number) and displayed a few patterns on the SmartBoard for all to see. Partners got one Orff Pitched instrument and the rest of the class (as there are not enough pitched instruments to go around) took non-pitched percussion instruments (mostly drums) to play the rhythms displayed on the SmartBoard.

We ran into a few problems with that first class. They were last week's guinea pigs. I didn't give an example of what to do with the pitched instruments and directed the class with a drum. Therein, the kids who played Orff pitched instruments only played the same notes, which is what the first pattern of Beethoven's is in his 7th. Also, I am not going to draw names. I want all the students to get an opportunity to play their own invented pattern. I think I will give the students about 5 minutes to figure out their melody with their invented rhythmic pattern. Also, I am just going to have enough instruments out for each pair to have one instrument. I can draw numbers out of a hat to determine who will have their compositions featured. I think things will be a bit simpler if I do it this way.

This week, I am teaching Beethoven Part II. All the other 3rd-5th graders have watched the bulk of the film, except for today's kids. Tuesday, Wednesday, and next Thursday will be the days for this lesson. I've got to think of a new one for 3rd Graders soon!