Getting Started with Grade Sevens
Can I just say that I am really loving teaching Music all day? After teaching half Grade 5 and half Music last year this is a welcome change. I'm sure I will miss those blessedly quiet moments of independent reading but I feel as though the lessons I'm coming up with are a lot more fun because I'm only focusing on one thing.
The start of a new school year is especially exciting for the Grade 7s at my school since they get to start band! I treasure these next couple of weeks because student motivation is high and they get to experience some major learning. Here's how I am having the students select their instruments.
Lesson 1 - Intro to the Instruments and Making Magic with Mouthpieces
I set up some stations for French horn, trumpet, trombone, and flute mouthpieces. I didn't include clarinets or saxes since I didn't feel like wasting 120 reeds. Maybe next time. Each station had an information sheet about how to make a sound on that mouthpiece, a basket containing 6 mouthpieces, some Sterisol, and paper towels. I labeled my flute head joints with masking tape and the case number written on there so I would know which case to return it to.
I did a brief demo of how to get a sound out of the brass and flute mouthpieces and then divided students into four different groups (one per station). Each student got the opportunity to try out all 4 mouthpieces (sterilizing them in between each rotation) and I circulated and helped as needed. We got through everyone in about 25-30 minutes. I limited the amount of time on each mouthpiece to about three minutes because it is easy for this to morph into a lot of silliness. This was a great opportunity for the students to figure out which mouthpiece was the easiest for them.
I finished up by showing YouTube videos of the remaining instruments (tuba, bass clarinet, alto sax, and tenor sax). The students then jotted down their top 3 instrument choices and a quick reason why they chose that instrument. I make it very clear to them that I will be choosing their instrument for them but that most people usually get their first or second choice.
Lesson 2 - Persuasive Paragraphs
To start off this lesson we played an elimination game. Students stand (you could have students stand in a circle but since we were in our rows we made it work that way) and each person names a musical instrument. If a student repeats an instrument already said or can't think of anything they sit down. The game continues until one person is standing. It's pretty fun!
I really like coming up with ways of integrating literacy into my program. I thought that the Debate Team Carousel (see below) would be a great way for my Grade 7s to really reflect upon why they want to play a certain instrument and it would give me a chance to see who the really keen students are based on how much effort they put into this assignment.
After the Debate Team Carousel (it took at least 20 minutes) the students began writing their persuasive paragraphs. Since not every student takes Music as seriously as I think they should (I know!) I told them that if they did not hand their paragraph in by next Wednesday I would select an instrument for them. I already have their Top 3 choices from the previous lesson so I know what they'd like to play. I really don't want to assign them something that they'd hate but I also want them to hand stuff in on time.
TPT #7 - Debate Team Carousel
- come up with a question that students will need to take a position on
- use the template found in the Total Participation Techniques book
- students pass papers to a peer and each time someone new is writing on their paper either supporting or opposing the original student's opinion
- papers are returned to the original student and arguments are shared
The start of a new school year is especially exciting for the Grade 7s at my school since they get to start band! I treasure these next couple of weeks because student motivation is high and they get to experience some major learning. Here's how I am having the students select their instruments.
Lesson 1 - Intro to the Instruments and Making Magic with Mouthpieces
I set up some stations for French horn, trumpet, trombone, and flute mouthpieces. I didn't include clarinets or saxes since I didn't feel like wasting 120 reeds. Maybe next time. Each station had an information sheet about how to make a sound on that mouthpiece, a basket containing 6 mouthpieces, some Sterisol, and paper towels. I labeled my flute head joints with masking tape and the case number written on there so I would know which case to return it to. 
I did a brief demo of how to get a sound out of the brass and flute mouthpieces and then divided students into four different groups (one per station). Each student got the opportunity to try out all 4 mouthpieces (sterilizing them in between each rotation) and I circulated and helped as needed. We got through everyone in about 25-30 minutes. I limited the amount of time on each mouthpiece to about three minutes because it is easy for this to morph into a lot of silliness. This was a great opportunity for the students to figure out which mouthpiece was the easiest for them.
I finished up by showing YouTube videos of the remaining instruments (tuba, bass clarinet, alto sax, and tenor sax). The students then jotted down their top 3 instrument choices and a quick reason why they chose that instrument. I make it very clear to them that I will be choosing their instrument for them but that most people usually get their first or second choice.
To start off this lesson we played an elimination game. Students stand (you could have students stand in a circle but since we were in our rows we made it work that way) and each person names a musical instrument. If a student repeats an instrument already said or can't think of anything they sit down. The game continues until one person is standing. It's pretty fun!
I really like coming up with ways of integrating literacy into my program. I thought that the Debate Team Carousel (see below) would be a great way for my Grade 7s to really reflect upon why they want to play a certain instrument and it would give me a chance to see who the really keen students are based on how much effort they put into this assignment.
After the Debate Team Carousel (it took at least 20 minutes) the students began writing their persuasive paragraphs. Since not every student takes Music as seriously as I think they should (I know!) I told them that if they did not hand their paragraph in by next Wednesday I would select an instrument for them. I already have their Top 3 choices from the previous lesson so I know what they'd like to play. I really don't want to assign them something that they'd hate but I also want them to hand stuff in on time.
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| Debate Team Carousel - Source: Total Participation Techniques p. 94 |
TPT #7 - Debate Team Carousel
- come up with a question that students will need to take a position on
- use the template found in the Total Participation Techniques book
- students pass papers to a peer and each time someone new is writing on their paper either supporting or opposing the original student's opinion
- papers are returned to the original student and arguments are shared
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