Orchestra Classroom: October 2020

Wednesday, October 21, 2020

Using google slides for ONLINE activites

There are some things I totally LOVE about online learning. I've been creating rhythm building activities in Google Slides for my students to learn how to build and count rhythms in 4/4 time. These activities have been AWESOME for my students. Today I used a rhythm building activity by sharing the file as a google cloud assignment in Canvas. That automatically creates a copy for each student. In class, I divided students into groups and had them work together to create/build rhythms and practice counting. Why in groups? Because I've been taking tech classes where I learned students do better with technology activities when they work in groups because it keeps everyone on task. I found this to be totally true. Everyone particpated and worked to help each other build and count. And I feel this technology helped my students learn rhythm better and faster than any regular old worksheet. ;)

Here's a link to the easy rhythm building activity: (this link will automatically have you create a copy in your own google drive so I can keep my original intact)

https://docs.google.com/presentation/d/1GYw4wJL8gTAksBPu80CmBp7vwwr0ZHVbHwNs-CnccBQ/copy?usp=sharing

This activity worked so well, I created another one with dotted quarters and single eighth notes:

https://docs.google.com/presentation/d/1x0Cb-LPBctUpPAQOwA2hHu1cvur4-lFTnZRi-QjDRQs/copy?usp=sharing

And, I'm excited to help my students understand fingerboard geography better with this drag and drop activity. You can have students do all the notes on the fingerboard, just naturals, or notes from scales. So many possibilities!

https://docs.google.com/presentation/d/1RyVFJhYsufOUgG4zk0YUFw7rOl3NFkaLRKHMOmVGw4U/copy?usp=sharing

Friday, October 16, 2020

Theme Weeks for Orchestra Classes

Need an idea to liven things up in your orchestra class? I've been having a lot of fun with weekly themes to get my students focusing on improving certains areas of their playing. A few of my favorite are: Rhythm Week, Intonation Week, Listening Week, Performance Week, Slow-Mo Week, Go Pro Week, Practice Week, Ear Training Week.

Here's a post which includes ideas for doing RHYTHM WEEK as a theme:

RHYTHM WEEK

Focus on mastering: steady beat, the difference between beat and rhythm, clapping/plucking/air-bowing rhythms, figuring out rhythm by ear.

Ideas for daily activities:

Practicing a quick 'rhythm of the day' as part of warm-ups.

Rhythm clapping game: teacher claps a rhythm, students echo. To make it hard, the teacher begins clapping the next rhythm while students are still echoing the previous rhythm.

Around the World Rhythm Game - presentation where students take turns clapping rhythms on screen. Use THIS LINK to access this free resource!

Practice rhythms with party blowers or kazoos. Or any rhythm instrument.

Practice making/sharing rhythms in class- students create rhythms and trade to play different rhythms.

Give students notes to a popular tune and let them figure out the rhythm. I did this with Cheap Thrills and my students LOVED IT. Many students practiced a TON to get this tune down. It really helped my beginners progress quickly. Get FREE Cheap Thrills resources HERE.