Music Curriculum
written by Brian Crisp

IN THIS ISSUE
The Lesson
Lesson Improvisation
What Student Learn
Assessment

From Socrates to Grant Wiggins, inquiry has served as the core of teaching and learning. Students develop knowledge and shape understanding when presented with intentional and artful questions. This year, MMB Music’s curricula focus on questions that promote authentic learning for true musical, cultural, and aesthetic understanding.

THE LESSON
Steady beat is the foundation improvising and composing music in the Orff-Schulwerk. This lesson combines the traditional American jump rope chant, “One for Ice Cream,” with Gunild’s Keetman’s “Spielstucke 8” from Erstes Spiel am Xylophon to provide a virtuosic barred instrument experience that emphasizes the steady beat. Use the following steps to give students the musical materials necessary for improvisation, composition, performance and understanding.

While students pat the steady beat on their knees, say the following poem:
One for ice cream,
Two for soda,
Three to walk to
Minnesota.

• As students learn the poem, have them keep the steady beat on another part of their bodies (i.e. shoulders, head, feet, etc.).
• Have students walk to the steady beat while they say the poem.
• Ask them to say the poem in their heads while they move to the barred instruments.
• Have the students set up the barred instruments in C pentatonic by gently removing scale degrees 4 (F) and 7 (B).
• Ask students to say the poem while they clap the words . At this point, have them assess each other by clapping the rhythm of the poem for a classmate.
• Invite students to play the rhythm of the poem by tapping the mallets together.
• Once secure, have students play the rhythm of the poem with mallets on the resonance box or floor while saying the words of the poem.
• Ask students to play the rhythm of the poem on low G. Remind them of proper mallet technique by alternating mallets and playing low and close to the bars.
• Repeat on low G and E.
• Repeat by adding D and C with students using the low G ,E, D, and C.
• Ask students to play only the first line of "One for Ice Cream" on the four notes.
• Ask students to start the phrase on G and end on C.
• At this point, listen to the students’ ideas about playing the first line of “One for Ice Cream.” Hear several ideas before selecting one that is identical to Keetman’s first line (C-D-E-G).
• Have students play this first line in unison while saying the remainder of the poem.
• Have students play the first line in unison while improvising the remaining parts of the poem.
• Decide that the first three lines should be the same and play the first three lines identically (C-D-E-G) while saying the last line “Minnesota.”
• Ask students to play the C-D-E-G line backwards; this becomes “Minnesota.”
• Have students practice all four lines with fingertips on bars while saying the words of the poem.
• At this point, have students sing the words while playing with fingertips.
• When secure, have them play the piece with their mallets while singing.
• Invite students to play the piece twice—first on the low end of the barred instruments and then on the high end.
• Practice this until they play the piece steadily and securely; add an alternating steady beat drone using octave C’s on the bass xylophone.
• The coda is easily taught by saying:
  Min—Ne—So—Ta
  Three to walk to Minnesota
• “Min-Ne-So-Ta” is played entirely on low G while the remaining phrase is the phrase from the piece.
• Play and sing the entire piece including the coda.

This simple and elegant melody demonstrates the power of Orff-Schulwerk. A simple rhythm that matches the steady beat is enhanced by a specific melodic contour that repeatedly rises and falls to the release of the tonic. Employing the lower and upper range of the barred insuments magnifies the virtuosic capabilities of even the youngest students.

LESSON IMPROVISATION 
Improvisation is critical in the Schulwerk. It gives music students the opportunity to think and perform in the moment. The key to success in improvisation is structure, which allows students to maximize their learning through improvising and performing. This process usually involves words as rhythmic building blocks, an additive approach to a melodic sequence, and asking questions that allow students to construct knowledge around the desired results. Use the following ideas for successful improvisation:

• Say “ice cream" four times while students pat the steady beat.
• Have students say “ice cream” four times while patting the steady beat.
• Repeat while alternating hands and patting the rhythm “ice cream” four times.
• Transfer this to clapping.
• At this point, check individual work by asking “Who can clap ‘ice cream’ four times by themselves?” Many students will volunteer; after hearing several, proceed to the next step.
• Invite all students to play “ice cream” on the mallets.
• When secure, invite them to play “ice cream” four times on low G.
• Repeat, adding low E.
• Continue step by step until the low D and C have been added to the melodic vocabulary.
• Take time to listen to individual students and check for rhythmic accuracy. This can be assessed by asking “Did you hear the words ‘ice cream’ played four times?”
• Ask students to begin the phrase on a note that is not low C.
• After practice, ask students to end the last “ice cream” on low C.
• Have students work in small groups to assess each other on rhythmic accuracy, beginning pitch, and ending note. They can also coach each other if some elements need further work.
• After practice and coaching, have students play their “ice cream” improvisations for the class.

Eventually the improvisations should be incorporated into a larger piece with the “Spielstucke 8." A simple rondo will allow students to play as individuals and a large ensemble. For a surprise ending, have students say “I scream, you scream, we all scream for ice cream” and play octave C’s as a final note on the barred instruments. Although these pedagogical ideas are consistent with the Orff-Schulwerk philosophy, teachers and students should feel free to contribute and explore other ideas and models for teaching and learning.

WHAT STUDENTS LEARN
When planning lessons, several benchmarks for evaluation should be used. Primarily, identify the major rhythmic concept, the major melodic concept, and the major concept regarding form. This lesson emphasizes:

• Rhythm—quarter notes as the rhythmic equivalent to steady beat in simple meter.
• Melody—defining the elements of effective melodies .
• Form—simple rondo form.

In addition to these fundamental elements, the national standards of music should be applied to the lesson. From the nine standards, the following seven are applicable:

• Singing, alone and with others, a varied repertoire of music.
• Performing on instruments, alone and with others, a varied repertoire of music.
• Improvising melodies, variations, and accompaniments.
• Composing and arranging music within specified guidelines.
• Reading and notating music.
• Listening to, analyzing, and describing music.
• Evaluating music and music performances.

By merging concepts about learning with the fundamentals of music with the National Standards for Music Education, the lesson provides an experience that will enhance students’ knowledge about understanding and performing music.

ASSESSMENT

This is a necessity in understanding what and how students process and understand information. The following are ideas and questions that address the major rhythmic, melodic, and form concepts employed in composing and improvising “Spielstucke 8.”

Rhythm—-the quarter note as the rhythmic equivalent to the steady beat in simple meter:

• In partners, have the one student pat the steady beat on another's shoulders while the partner claps the rhythm of the poem “One for Ice Cream.”
• Repeat and reverse roles.
• Ask students what they noticed about feeling the steady beat while clapping and saying the poem.
• Most will say they matched. When this happens, repeat the process so all students have the opportunity to experience matching.
• Explain that when the rhythm matches the steady beat, it equals and is called a quarter note.
• Notate it for them and practice saying it in your preferred rhythmic syllables.
• Practice saying and writing quarter note patterns in simple duple meter.

Melody—defining the elements of effective melodies:

• After playing the melody, ask students what they noticed about how the melody moved.
• Play a melody that leaps randomly and does not employ pattern nor end on the tonic.
• Ask students to describe which melody was more effective and why.

Assist students in constructing the following criteria:

• Effective melodies move mainly by step, carefully using skips and leaps.
• Effective melodies have shape, or melodic contour.
• They are memorable and easily played or sung back.
• They utilize patterns.
• Effective melodies approach the tonic by step.

When the students create their “Ice Cream” melodies, apply this to their improvisations. It will help them assess their work and provide ground work for forthcoming composition exercises.

Have students ask themselves and each other the following questions:

• Am I able to sing my melody back?
• Did my melody move by steps or skips?
• What was the melodic contour?
• Did it have rhythmic accuracy?
• Was C used as the tonic?

Form—simple Rondo:

• Make a map for your students showing “Spielstucke 8” and improvisations.
• This map could be denoted by shape, color, or letter.
• Ask students what they noticed about the map. Explain that this large pattern is called Rondo.
• Make visual representations for the Introduction and Coda. These form concepts are easily understood by primary age students.

These ideas and questions will help you assess how students process information and are able to express that understanding. More importantly, this type of assessment will give students tools to assess themselves and each other.

NORM GOLDBERG SCHOLARSHIP

With great joy, MMB Music announces this scholarship, honoring our founder for his vision, passion, and tireless efforts toward the establishment and growth of the American Orff-Schulwerk Association in the USA. One recipient will receive tuition, travel, and housing for Level I study and certification at Webster University in St. Louis, MO, an AOSA-approved teacher training course, July 14 – 25, 2008.

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