A melody and movement lesson for Grades 1-2 OBJECTIVES Demonstrate melodic patterns that include same/different and 3-pitch melodies Demonstrate rhythmic patterns that include quarter note, paired eighth notes, and quarter rest Demonstrate a steady beat while contrasting rhythms are being performed Play and identify pitched percussion instruments MATERIALS Melodic percussion instruments and mallets (xylophones, metallophones and glockenspiels) Visuals Colored Scarves for movement PROCESS Day One Teach the song through directed listening and echo. Invite students to listen as the teache ..read more

Being a general music teacher is a tough job. One area that can be a stress point is meeting the needs of our special education students. General music teachers can serve anywhere from 300 to 1,000 children during the course of a week or year, and keeping up with the details for each child can seem daunting. However, it is required by law that all educators meet the appropriate goals, targets, accommodations and modifications not only in the regular education setting. Before I go further, I am speaking from the perspective of a music educator in the USA. The language and processes ar ..read more

The book Del Otro Lado de la Calle / From Across the Street takes the main character Pati, a Dominican-American girl who is visiting her Grandmother in the Dominican Republic during the summertime, on a musical exploration into one of the most widely spread Dominican folkloric musical traditions, “Los Palos.” Readers will enjoy learning about the different sounds and instruments in the culture of the Dominican Palos tradition. As a culturally responsive, relevant, and ABAR (Anti-Biased Anti-Racist) teacher, my praxis is always evolving. One of my goals is to guide my students through the disco ..read more

By Karen K. Benson, AOSA Professional Development Director Yes, you! You are the educator who will benefit from taking your AOSA Teacher Education Level Courses. What’s that, you say? The American Orff Schulwerk Association approves an average of 50 courses a year that provide professional development in Orff Schulwerk commonly referred to as “taking your levels”. A frequent phrase heard from teachers after taking Level I is “Orff Schulwerk has changed my life and how I teach!”  Oh, you’ve already taken them. Guess what? Countless educators who have completed all three levels of the AOSA ..read more

Are you considering taking an Orff Levels course this summer? Your colleagues share their insights about this transformative professional development experience. Why Take Orff Levels? What to Expect When Taking an Orff Level Making It Work: Level I by Elaine Larson Making It Work: Level II by Betsy Kipperman Sebring Making It Work: Level III by Rob Amchin Find a Course Near You! AOSA Teacher Education Course List The post Summer Orff Levels 2023 appeared first on Teaching With Orff ..read more

Notes This is part of a series of lessons using hula hoops as a prop, for movement, drumming, improvisation and building teamwork. There activities focus on phrases, rhythmic perception, and listening skills. The rhythm is adapted from the Rhythmische Ubung by Keetman, number 20. Process Game 1—Phrases Everyone has a hula hoop to stand in. Stand inside your hula hoop (that is “home) Listen to the drum pattern (played on Tubano). When the drum plays you are invited to walk around your hoop. When the rhythm is over, step back into your hoop. Try again and find the ending of the patterns as a si ..read more

“Tideo” and away you go! Use one song and game for a variety of discovery and exploration. “Tideo” Play Party Game Traditional, Indiana Play-Party Songs of 1916 for one of the earliest notated versions “Tideo” is a song that I use for a variety of reasons! And while the whys behind my teaching it year to year may change, the number of different experiences I can create using one song is a reason why “Tideo” has a regular place in my curriculum. Do more with less! Option 1, Movement First- Teaching Process: Teach students how to shake hands like respectful adults! This is an important skill an ..read more

For a deeper dive, click here to listen to this Elemental Conversation with Victoria Boler If you are like many music teachers out there you have probably heard the term Elemental Music before. You may have also wondered at some point in your life what that phrase means. It’s one of those things that we hear thrown around at workshops at clinics at conferences… and even when people stop to explain what Elemental Music is, sometimes that definition can still feel fuzzy. So is this question is very simply ….. What is Elemental Music? Standard Definition There isn’t a standard definition for elem ..read more

Creative Processes for Donald Slagel’s “Fast Dance,” an American Volumes Classic Our winter weather has been strange this year for sure! Scott Roether uses a classic selection from the American Volumes to explore the crazy experience of winter driving! You can teach the whole lesson to older students or any one part of the process to any grade if time is short. You might even spiral this lesson by adding a step each winter with a variety of grade levels! I know you and your tiny musicians will have fun navigating the wintery terrain! Click here for a copy of Scott’s sl ..read more

There was an Old Lady All Skin And Bones: Part 2 Did you miss Skin and Bones Part 1? Click here! In part two of his post using the folk song “Skin and Bones”, Drue Bullington shares how to use this favorite folk song with upper elementary students to continue the fun through 6th grade!   4th Grade  Level I  In 4th Grade we return to the beginning of “Skin and Bones” in a way. The first experiences with the song from the young musicians’ standpoint was to sing the “Song of the Wind.” In 4th grade, we change the way students experience the melody by asking them to p ..read more