Activities

Theory
Building fluency
Bow Technique
Culture & Community
Assessment
other

Theory

Enharmonic Hopscotch
How to implement: Start by reviewing whole steps vs half steps as well as flats vs sharps. Then we go outside with chalk, the students create an enharmonic hopscotch court starting on C Natural. They then go through the hopscotch court saying the note names they are hopping on. We go back to the classroom and they start to play through a chromatic scale using the fingerings from Habits of A Successful String Player. This usually takes about two days to complete! Contributed by: Lisa Coyne

Bow technique

Bow cup Pass
What it is: Pass a cup around to every member of the ensemble using the tip of the bow while maintaining a correct bow hold Round two: Create different patterns/ways students need to work together to pass this around
Spider Bow Races
What it is: Have students hold the bow vertically in front of them with a correct bow hold at the frog. “Race” to the tip by utilizing finger movements. Bow should not be tossed and bow hold should not be changed during the race. Finger flexibility and dexterity is the object of these movements. Races can be to the tip and back to the frog.Optional: Have the winner stomp, clap, raise their bow, yell “UNO” or something silly to mark their “victory.” Contributed by: Mindy Curtis

Assessment

Scaling Mt. nona
What it is: A visual activity that motivates students to achieve the goals set.From Joanna: This is for my beginners. Once they earned their first step, they were given a cut out of a person. They put their name on it and could even take it home to decorate. Each step they earn, their person moves up and there are rewards for each step. The kids have been having a great time with it. I thought it would be a good motivator for the beginners and give me an opportunity to make them accountable for the important skills I want them to be able to do this year.Optional: Different steps could be skills or scales Contributed by: Joanna Sell
Scale roulette
What it is: Project a wheel spinner found online to select scales to play at random.How to implement: Search wheel spinner online and enter the information you would like displayed on the spinner. Optional: If only working with a few scales, repeat the scales on the list to create a more exciting-looking wheel.Optional: If working with many scales, delete each scale after performing to be sure each scale is performed.
online spinner

building fluency

Hide the letter names
What it is: Have students black out the letter names in their method books after playing the exercises a few times. Help to minimize beginning player dependence on the letter names.
Rock the D string (& beyond)
What it is: "We Will Rock You" using notes on the D string! G F# E D EE Optional: Add the Stomp Stomp Clap to accompany & encourage steady beat Expand: As you learn more notes, add more sections Expand again: When you learn slurs and 8th notes, add those in to get closer to the original rhythm! Hook, all D string: G F# | E D | E E Verse, open D through B: D E E (rest) | D E E (r) | D E E (r) | A G G (r) | D E E (r) | D E E (r) | D E E B | A G E (r) Contributed by: Sacha Phelps

culture & community

VIP Coffee Day
What it is: Invite teachers and administrators to your room for coffee while ensembles perform. -Contributed by Dr. James Mick
Mick, J. (2015, January 15). Flmusiced.org. Energizing the Orchestra Rehearsal: Getting in Touch with Your Inner 7th Grade Self. Retrieved October 4, 2021, from https://flmusiced.org/FLmusicApps/Sessions/Handouts/2015/3859_Energizing_Rehearsals_Handout.pdf.
Draft day
What it is: Make a big deal out of students choosing their instruments, welcoming them to their new section "team." Play ESPN theme songs through the speakers, project a "Draft" image on the board, even decorate if you want. Adapt this structure as it suits you:
  • Instruct students to list their top two (or three) choices on a paper. Include their name! (Bonus tip: assign this the day prior & have parents sign off on their choices). Turn in selections to the teacher.
  • Teacher--organize the selections based on first pick on your own before announcing to the group. Is your ensemble balanced? Hopefully so. If you need to negotiate with anyone to pick their second choice for balance or instrument availability, ask those who listed the instrument you need as their second choice (e.g. Too many violins & not enough basses? Ask a couple 1st choice violin, 2nd choice bass kids if they'd be happy playing bass).
  • Have all students sit on the floor in a neutral space. Indicate where in the room each section sits. This is where the students will go when they are called.
  • Announce who has been "drafted" to each section one by one, using your best ESPN announcer voice & celebrating as each student joins their instrument team.

Other Activities

Activities from Dr. mick's "Energizing your 7th grade self" FMEA presentation
Phone Number
What it is: Create an “orchestra phone number” on the board (no area code). Each digit of the phone number represents the number of beats each pitch will be played. Set a metronome and use the entire bow for each digit (0 = rest/silent note).How to implement: This can be applied to one pitch or a scale. If using a one octave scale, repeat the first number to complete the scale.Optional: Have students create the “phone number”
Compass day
What it is: Change up the pace of rehearsal. Rotate the group east, west, south, and north in one rehearsal. How to implement: Simply rotate chairs/stands in the same physical (2’ x 2’) location.Optional: Set a timer to keep track of rotations
Rhythm Dice
What it is: Select six rhythms or difficult passages in the music and assign to a number. Roll the dice to select which rhythm or passage to play.How to implement: Write the rhythms on the board; pass out a copied worksheet with the rhythms numbered; or have students number the measures in their music (1-6) with the isolated rhythms.Optional: Technique can be utilized for any purpose to shake up rehearsal pacing (i.e. difficult passages, varying technique exercises, scale practice, etc.)
3 Penny slide
What it is: Ensemble game to rehearse a section of musicHow to implement: Have 3 pennies or small objects on display (podium, board, table, etc). Start on the left, move one to the right each time the passage is played correctly. Move back to the left if incorrect. Finished when all 3 are on the right.
Mick, J. (2015, January 15). Flmusiced.org. Energizing the Orchestra Rehearsal: Getting in Touch with Your Inner 7th Grade Self. Retrieved October 4, 2021, from https://flmusiced.org/FLmusicApps/Sessions/Handouts/2015/3859_Energizing_Rehearsals_Handout.pdf.