Fortnite for Orchestra - A Rehearsal Game

 

My students LOVE it when we play rehearsal games!  It's a great way to increase student engagement and focus on specific skills.  Fortnite is huge right now and it was really fun making this Fortnite inspired game.  I hope you like it!   

I designed the game in Google Slides.   It's fully editable - so teachers can change the notes, excerpts and rhythms as needed.  I used screenshots or 'music snippets' for each of those.  Best of all....It's FREE!

CLICK HERE  to access your free download

Empowered Note Reading for String Orchestra

 

I'm so excited...IT'S FINALLY FINISHED!  I've been working on this project for quite awhile and I can't wait to use it with my students.  My students do a lot of bell-work activities at the beginning of class and it's been working well to use that time for students to practice writing rhythms or note names.   It's a great way to help students learn notes...BUT...students need more than worksheets.  I have noticed my students get very good at writing note names and learning notes on paper.  When it comes to actually PLAYING those notes, the skill doesn't always transfer as quickly.  Students need practice to build note reading skills and that is what this resource is all about.  It's also about students taking on ownership and accountability for their progress.  That is why there are so many embedded self-assessments, questions for reflection, and multi-level parts.  I wanted to create something that could be challenging for students who had music/piano experience and those with none.  We can't expect all students to learn at the same rate, but we can help students work and progress on their level.  Also included in this resources are short pieces that can be used in performance.

Here the info and link to TPT!  CLICK HERE

Students need to PRACTICE note reading using a step by step process. This is a packet for beginning string orchestra and includes a 45 page book for violin, viola, cello, and bass (180 pages total!) This workbook empowers and motivates students to master note reading by utilizing student choice, multi-level parts, targeted practice, creative exploration, and self-assessment. AND, all strings are included in the resource! Violin and bass students practice notes on G, D, A, E. Viola and cello students practice notes on C, G, D, A.

FREE Warm up challenge for beginning orchestra

 

Do you know what students need more of?  CHOICE!  To motivate students, they need to develop ownership of their playing and progression.  One way to intrinsically motivate students is to provide options and allow students a voice in the learning process.  I just designed this beginning orchestra warm up game called WARM UP ROULETTE!  Try it!  Let me know how it goes.  

CLICK HERE TO PLAY!

(It's like a slide show, so viewing it works best from a computer.)

New music for VERY beginning orchestra

 

One thing I always wish for at the start of each school year is more VERY EASY beginning orchestra music for our first concert.  Our first concert is always at the end of October.  By that time, students are just solidifying note reading on the D string (perhaps some A string notes as well).  They have learned the standard rep all beginners have learned...Mary Had a Little Lamb, Twinkle, etc....but those tunes are so short (thought we often do perform those at our concert...there's time for them to perform everything they have learned!)   I also want them to learn a more substantial piece for their first concert.  At that time in their development, grade 1 music is too difficult.  I need music that is quick teach and enforces skills they have learned in their first couple of months.

Here are a couple of pieces I just finished:

1. The Champion (click title to view on TPT)

This piece uses only 5 notes: D, E, F#, G, and A.  The rhythms are simple.  Learning this piece will help reinforce note reading on the D string.  Dynamics were omitted on purpose.  You can use this piece to teach dynamics!  Let students decide when they would like to play soft or loud in order to 'tell a story.'  Notes on the page are slightly enlarged to help with note reading.  Score are parts for violin, viola, cello, and bass.

Here's the audio: https://drive.google.com/file/d/1c_bUYQnzxeBxmLGlCVQD-Y7gXljfCU7t/view?usp=drive_link

2. Night Quest (click title to view on TPT)

This piece uses only 6 notes: D, E, F#, G, A, and B. It's quick for beginners to learn because of the repeating phrases between the violin/viola and cello/bass part. Students and learn similar sections in unison, then put it all together.  Score are parts for violin, viola, cello, and bass.

Here's the audio file: https://drive.google.com/file/d/1d14ImMYZ_KebR7hDXDq8nQNdJ4yHCHwI/view?usp=sharing

Practice Challenge using Google Forms

 I've been working on creating this practice challenge to help my students finish learning one of our concert pieces: Lion Sleeps tonight.  I occasionally do practice activities in class for 10-15 minutes of rehearsal time.  This enables me to teach students how to practice, give them time to practice, and help them see the benefits of practicing (they can immediately hear/feel a different after these guided practice sessions).  Normally I made worksheets or games for guided practice time...but I had an idea to us a google form.  Students have to look at the music and answer some questions before they practice. Students are able to track and report their accuracy on their reps and reflection on their progress.  The music is all embedded in the form.  Students have to answer questions correctly in order to move forward on the form.

Check out a sample HERE and see what you think!

Orchestra Stars the GAME!

 

I've been away from my students for a few days while I attended a conference.  Since I don't really know what (or how) they've been playing while I was away, I want to do an activity to reinforce good behavior and good practice.

I just designed this game called ORCHESTRA STARS.  In this game, the 'heart' icons are lives and students lose them if they are plucking or playing out of turn. It's a fun way to reinforce proper rehearsal protocols if you have students who ever play when they are not supposed to... :) Students earn bonus points (stars) for playing with proper posture and with quality intonation. 

CLICK HERE FOR YOUR FREE DOWNLOAD!

FREE for a limited time!  Simply use the template to fill in your own warm-ups, method book lines, or measure numbers from your concert music. Students play the assigned music for each round 3 times. They earn one star for each time they play correctly. Student with the most stars wins!  Games like this really help students stay focused during rehearsals.

Orchestra Rehearsal the GAME activity

 

It's fun making interactive games using Google Slides! I just made a new one called 'Orchestra Rehearsal: The GAME.  It's designed as a retro video game because I wanted to use the idea the 'hearts' as lives in the game...just like old Super Mario and Zelda games.  Students have to beat the game by 'defeating' bad position, poor tone, and mastering tricky measures from our music.  Because this was made with google slides, it is really easy to make changes and adjust the slides to work with any music we are rehearsing.  I opted to use note names, but it would also be really easy to use the Music Snippet add-on to insert music notation.

To play the game, the teacher clicks through the slides as indicated on the screen.  The teacher judges whether the students 'lose a life' or not...and can take away lives by simply clicking on the hearts on the screen.

This is a great game to use any time...and especially Valentines because you can challenge student so not lose their hearts!

Check out a preview HERE.

Available on TPT!

New Year Workout for Beginners

 

Here's the thing about going back to school after Christmas break....most of the students (and even many of the teachers) are sad to be back to school!  It's an adjustment to get back into a routine....practicing....homework....sitting through classes all day long.  

I'd like my first day back with my students to set a tone.  I want them to remember how much fun we have together, how we work hard to make progress, and how music is important in our lives.  Recently I was reading some articles about the impact of music education and I found this quote so interesting:

I feel a responsibility to do all I can to help my students thrive and succeed in music.

For my video of the week, I'll be showing parts of this video about a kid trains and pushes himself to achieve his goal to run 100 miles:  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Rfb1idsl2AE&list=PLdKxs7i55u4FZW_fqjMHDjJB9I6lNXm56&index=74

For our warm-up, I'll stick to a work-out theme to help students get back into shape for the New Year.  We will review some of the skills we were working on before break.  I want it too feel like training exercises so I'll be timing them to see if they can complete the note reading and rhythm activities quickly.   

For a limited time, you can download this activity for free!  Visit my TPT STORE for your download.

After the warm-up, we'll have fun learning/review exercises from the method book and concert music.  I'll using my new GIANT sized UNO game to keep students engaged.  The numbers on the cards determine how many reps students need to play.  I'll be carefully selecting the measures and rehearsal excerpts so students are practicing exactly what I need them to accomplish.