1st+Grade+Orff+Arrangement

Hello! I am very passionate about including children’s literature in the music classroom and that is how the idea for this lesson first came about. I knew my first graders needed to learn how to play a blocked bordun and I thought that writing an Orff/instrumental arrangement would be a fun way to do this. I decided to use The Foot Book because it’s short and simple and also one of my favorites! From there I wrote a simple melody and three accompanying ostinatos, one of which made use of the blocked bordun I wished to teach. My lesson plans are written fairly specifically to my classroom procedures and how I teach. Much of the plans are scripted, so feel free to take the sequence and teach it in your own teaching style. There is a lot you can do with this lesson, even more than I presented in my plans, so feel free to take the arrangement and adjust the content and how you teach it so that it can work best for your class. I hope you have as much fun with it as I have!

Kathleen Campbell – The Foot Book

National Standards: Performing- Rehearse, Eval & Refine, Present Primary Focus: Ostinato/Blocked Bordun Objectives: Assessment: Materials: Sequence: Day 1: Day 2: Day 3:
 * Provided with teacher instruction and modeling, students will be able to accurately sing 'The Foot Book' vocal part.
 * Provided with teacher instruction and mdleing, students will be able to accurately perform each ostinato seperately and together.
 * Provided with teacher instruction and modeling, students will be able demonstrate proper Orff playing technique, specifically the ability to perform a blocked bordun.
 * Assess students by observing their ability to accurately sing 'The Foot Book' vocal part.
 * Assess students by observing their ability to accurately perform each ostinato seperately and together.
 * Assess students by observing their ability to demonstrate proper Orff playing technique by playing the rhythm of 'The Foot Book' vocal part, the rhythm of each ostinato, and finally the blocked bordun ostinato.
 * The Foot Book
 * Rhythm Sticks
 * Various Orff Instruments
 * Mallets
 * Hand Drums, Tambourines
 * Read The Foot Book.
 * Discuss the use of opposites throughout the book. Have students brainstorm other opposites as well!
 * Teach The Foot Book vocal part by rote.
 * o First, simply chant the words one measure of a time, having students repeat them back to you.
 * o Next, teach the song on pitch, singing one measure at a time and having students sing it back to you. Consider using solfege body signs to accompany teaching the melody. After you have sung each measure, combine two measures and have students sing it back. Finally, sing the entire song through and then sing together one more time.
 * Read The Foot Book again, pausing to sing The Foot Book song every other time you turn the page, having students.
 * Move students to the Orff instruments, reviewing Orff procedures as well as proper mallet grip and playing technique.
 * Chant the words of each measure of The Foot Book song while playing the rhythms on your instrument. Have the students play this back to you. Continue by chanting and playing each measure, observing students and giving feedback on their playing technique as necessary. Combine two measures and chant and play these, having students play it back to you. Finally chant and play the entire song, again having students play it back.
 * Review The Foot Book song by singing two measures at a time and having students sing them back. Finally sing through the entire song together.
 * Read The Foot Book, singing the song as you turn every other page.
 * o Consider having students read pages of the book to the class to work on their reading skills.
 * Teach Ostinato 1, chanting it to the class and having the students chant it back. Next, have them chant it four times in a row.
 * Next, add the body percussion to the chant and have students chant it back, using the appropriate body percussion. Finally, have them chant it four times in a row using the body percussion.
 * Teach Ostinato 2 following the same sequence as you did for Ostinato 1.
 * Split students into two groups.
 * Have Group 1 chant Ostinato 1 using the body percussion and Group 2 chant Ostinato 2 using body percussion. Bring in Ostinato 1 first and bring in Ostinato 2 two measures later.
 * Have groups switch ostinatos and repeat.
 * Hand out the appropriate instruments to each group and repeat the above sequence using instruments rather than body percussion.
 * Move students to Orff instruments, reviewing procedures, mallet grip, and playing techniques.
 * Chant and play Ostinato 1 on your instrument, having students repeat it. Have students chant and play it four times in a row.
 * Chant and play Ostinato 2 on your instrument, having students repeat it. Have students chant and play it four times in a row.
 * Split students into two groups.
 * Have Group 1 chant and play Ostinato 1 and Group 2 chant and play Ostinato 2. Bring in Ostinato 1 first and bring in Ostinato 2 two measures later.
 * Have groups switch ostinatos and repeat.
 * Review The Foot Book song by singing two measures at a time and having students sing them back. Finally sing through the entire song together.
 * Read The Foot Book, singing the song as you turn every other page.
 * Teach Ostinato 3 following the same sequence you used to teach the ostinatos in Day 2.
 * Split students into two groups.
 * Have Group 1 chant Ostinato 3 using the body percussion. Have group 2 sing The Foot Book song using the body percussion. Bring in Ostinato 3 first and bring in The Foot Book song two measures later.
 * Have groups switch ostinatos/songs and repeat.
 * Move students to Orff instruments, reviewing procedures, mallet grip, and playing techniques.
 * Explain to students that there are TWO bars on the instruments now. Go over how to play two bars at a time. Practice having students slowly play Ostinato 3, using the blocked bordun, repeating and giving feedback as necessary.
 * Split students into two groups.
 * Have Group 1 chant Ostinato 3. Have Group 2 sing The Foot Book song (it isn’t necessary to have them play anything-just have them sing). Bring in Ostinato 3 first and bring in The Foot Book song two measures later.
 * Have groups switch ostinatos/songs and repeat.
 * Depending on the level of your class, challenge them and try to play all three ostinatos with the song at the same time!