Lesson Overview:
Many orchestra students return to school in the fall with poor habits from practicing unsupervised. This lesson will make them aware of adjustments they need to make by requiring them to write an essay contrasting good playing position with any poor habits that they may have developed over the summer.
Length of Lesson:
One 45-minute period
Instructional Objectives:
Students will:
- identify elements of poor posture and form for orchestra musicians.
- review the proper playing positions for orchestra musicians.
- write an essay to compare and contrast the proper form and playing position with the form and position they have developed over the summer.
Instructional Plan:
Warm Up:
Have students brainstorm what they learned at their first few string lessons. Encourage students to think about concepts such as playing position, names of various instruments and their parts, the range of their own instrument, important vocabulary words, etc. To move the discussion further, consider asking students if they have observed a professional orchestra or symphony. How did the musicians exhibit good playing positions? Have a student write these ideas on the board.
Developmental Activities:
Review with students the proper posture and positions for playing orchestra instruments. If possible, have students read page 2 from Strictly Strings Book 2 (See Sources for complete bibliographic information). This text provides directions necessary to perform the tasks of properly holding the instrument, holding the bow correctly, and obtaining the proper playing position.
Review the following writing process with students:
- Read the text.
- Organize thoughts on paper, using one of these techniques: a Venn diagram, outline, or list.
- Write the rough draft.
- Revise the work.
- Write the final draft.
Students will receive an outline of the essay format or it will be written on the board.
Paragraph 1: Introduce the topic and why proper playing position is important.
Paragraph 2: Let the reader know what good habits you have maintained over the summer.
Paragraph 3: Let the reader know what poor habits you have developed.
Paragraph 4 (Conclusion): Let the reader know how you plan to improve your playing position.
Guided Practice
As a class, formulate a list of things a student “should do” and another list of "poor habits" students commonly develop. For example:
| Good habits | Poor habits |
| Sitting up straight | Sitting in a slumped position |
| Sitting forward in the chair | Sitting far back in the chair |
| Keeping the wrist back | Resting the wrist against the neck |
Independent Practice
Students should complete their own graphic organizer, list, or outline. After students formulate their rough drafts, students should revise their essays and complete their final drafts.
Closure
Remind students to practice as they would perform. Playing position is important at all times—not just when someone is watching.
Assessment:
Students will receive a participation grade for the class based on preparedness and effort applied in class.
If the class is being taught independently by the music teacher, he or she must check with a language arts teachers to confirm the school’s policy for grading written essays. Questions to ask include:
- Is there a standard scoring rubric?
- How much is subtracted for grammatical errors such as spelling, punctuation, capitalization, etc.?
- How many sentences are required in each paragraph?
- Is content the most important element?
- How does the grading system apply when a student writes a well-written essay but does not answer the questions?
Extensions:
Have students suggest hand signals that the conductor or music teacher could use to let a student know that he or she has fallen out of the proper playing position without interrupting rehearsal. Encourage students to use these hand signals with each other.
Sources:
Print:
- Dillon, Kjelland, and O’Reilly. Strictly Strings, Book 2. Van Nuys, CA: Highland/Etling Publishing, 1992.
Web:
Authors:
-
Leslie Thomas, Teacher
Thomas Pullen Arts Magnet School
Landover, MD
