• Begin with students patting a steady beat on their knees.
• When comfortable, change the duple pattern to patting and clapping with a simple ostinato pat-clap.
• Next, change beat groupings from two to three, with a pattern that is pat-clap-clap.
• As students continue this new pattern, say:
  "Early to bed,
   Early to rise,
   Makes a man healthy, wealthy, and wise."
• Have the class echo the phrases of the poem until learned.
• Once students have mastered the poem, invite them to create steady beat patterns of three with a partner or small group.
• Watch the patterns—evaluate the patterns of three and select one to learn.
• Have students perform the poem with the new steady beat pattern.
• When comfortable, introduce the following speech ostinato:
  " Wise (rest, rest) wealthy and."
• Have the class say the new ostinato while you say the original poem.
• Repeat, switching parts.
• Divide the class and have half perform the poem while the other half performs the speech ostinato.
• Repeat and reverse roles.
  

Before the advent of xylophones, much of the Schulwerk was performed on unpitched percussion. The combination of drums, cymbals, woodblocks, and shakers makes for exciting and effective pieces. The simplicity of speech is enhanced by the ostinato that provides ample rhythmic counterpoint and demonstrates the power of Orff-Schulwerk.

• Transfer the speech to hand drums (or other unpitched percussion).
• Perform the poem with speech and hand drums.
• Perform with only hand drums.
• Transfer the speech ostinato to unpitched percussion that does not match the timbre of the unpitched percussion selected for the poem.
• Perform the ostinato with and without speech.
• Perform both parts together.
• With a partner, create a way to express the ostinato.
• Have partners join to form groups of four.
• Decide on a final form that includes the speech alone and the unpitched percussion.

• Have students set up barred instruments in F pentatonic by taking off scale degrees 4 (B) and 7 (E).
• 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 on the mallets.
• Once secure, have students play the rhythm of the poem on the wood part (or floor) with mallets, while saying the words of the poem.
• Ask students to play the rhythm of the poem on the low F. Remind them to utilize proper mallet technique by alternating mallets and keeping them low to the instrument.
• Repeat on low F and G.
• Repeat by adding the A with students using the low F, G, and A.
• Repeat by adding the high C and D with students using the F, G, A, C, and D.
• At this point, students may need some time to work out their ideas using all five notes.
• During this phase of melodic exploration, beginning and ending pitches are not critical, but correct rhythm is essential.
• Have students listen to a partner and check for rhythmic accuracy.
• Once secure, have students end their melodic exploration on the low F.
• Identify this note as the tonic.
• Have students begin their exploration on high C.
• Have students check the work of a partner, noticing the initial C and the ending low F.
• At this point, provide students with a model that is not accurate and employs mostly large leaps and skips.
• After the demonstration, ask students why the example was not an effective melody. Many will answer defining the need to employ mostly step-wise motion in melody making.
• Have students check their work for step-wise motion, starting their pieces on high C and ending on the tonic.
• Point out that approaching the tonic by step-wise motion is critical in elemental style; this will make the final melody easier to sing in tune.
• On the bass xylophone, play a simple arpeggiated bordun of low F, C, and high F as students perform their exploration.
• This exercise will help students solidify their rhythmic and melodic ideas.
• Have students play in small groups and as individuals so others have the opportunity to listen to different melodic ideas.
• Invite students to play for a partner and evaluate each other’s melodies with the known criteria.
• At this point, invite individuals to play their explorations and have the class select one that meets all the criteria of effective melody making.
• Once the melody is learned at the xylophones, have students sing this melody with the words from Benjamin Franklin’s aphorism.
• Repeat this until the melody is secure in playing and singing.
• Add a low bass bar F on the first beat of each measure.
• Continue the arpeggiated bordun on the bass xylophone and play the melody with these two bass parts.
• Return to the speech ostinato “Wise (rest, rest) Wealthy and” with the “Wise” played on the low F and the rest of the words played on the high F of the soprano glockenspiel.
• Play and sing the melody with the three auxiliary accompaniments.
  

Structured exploration leads to artful melody crafting. Once the melody and auxiliary accompaniments are secure, create a final piece that includes pantomime of the aphorism, the speech with ostinato, unpitched percussion, and the pieced played on barred instruments. The final piece will provide a satisfying experience for all students. Although these pedagogical ideas are consistent with Orff-Schulwerk philosophy, teachers and students should feel free to contribute and explore other ideas and models for teaching and learning.

WHAT STUDENTS LEARN