1. String & Felt Composition
- Small group activity (2-3 people)
- The activity is introduced by showing through visual representation of a line, how differently names can be pronounced. Show examples by making use of varied lines (squiggly, short, etc) . Encourage the class to take part in the activity, sounding out the name in the shape of the line. Each group is given a felt pad and a small ball of strings (assorted colours, gradient, solid etc.) to work with, as they test out their names in varied tones. Students can further overlap, colour code, stretch strings and more. Get the students to work together in their groups to compose a song using their names. Lets students create semicircles around each group that performs. After each performance, let the students discuss the performance in order to create proper questions that are thought provoking, in order to understand the compositions(avoid criticism and comparing groups/students).
- "What if....?"
- Remember to set a time and the time that the teacher gives is absolute.
- Provide safe environment for exchange of ideas.
2. Name Composition
- Small group activity (3-5 people)
- Students are put into small groups in order to create a short piece/composition with their names. The exploration of compositions means allowing for freedom in ideas within the group members. This allows for students to experiment with sounds that can be created with just their body (voice, actions, percussion etc). Students are to create a piece that has an introduction, body and conclusion. The groups are separated and come back together to listen to each other. Students can share what they noticed or what stood out in the performance.
- Discuss the work behind the composition and discuss importance of hearing everyone's points. Encourage discussion within the students, to better understand how one might hinder a group and effects on the mind of the people who speak up all the time versus those who don't get the chance to.
- Can talk about the power of education and what inclusion means.
3. Dinah Song - Follower the leader
- Full class activity
- Allow students to sit in a circle and have a full view
- No one in the house but Dinah Dinah, no one in the house but me I know. No one in the house but Dinah Dinah, playing on the old banjo.
- Without giving instructions, start tapping a pulse (try to use pulse over beat because pulse is more natural). Allow them to follow along with tapping the pulse, begin to sing a song and motion for group to stop if they try to sing along. Sing the full piece 3 times.
> First time tapping pulse (Listen)
> Second time tapping pulse (Learn)
> Third time try creating an arc (Review)
(If you just start facilitating an activity or doing something, they will pay attention (Talk Less). If you keep going they will figure out the process, you don't have to stop and explain. Don't use Classroom Management because you cannot control the children and how they think but you can facilitate a safe learning environment. ) - Create a call and response with the group. Motion to self when singing the first half of the piece, gesture to group for them to echo. Repeat with the second half of the song. Make sure when doing the gestures, the motion is fluid! Sing the piece fully together. (Keep in mind that "strumming on the banjo" is hard for students not native to the english language to say")
- Discuss who is singing in the piece! The context and story. Encourage students to talk with their partners beside them about who is singing the song and who the song is about. This is promoting metacognitive strategy (working and thinking out loud). It is good to model this behaviour allowing students to learn how to "think" for themselves and think out loud, enefiting everyone.* Discuss how many phrases and see how students figure that out.
- Sing the song together once more. This time instead of keeping pulse the original way, let students find their own method of keeping pulse on their body. Tell them to avoid clapping the beat. The can tap feet or pulse on different parts of their body. Sing the song once more, but they have to all have an individual pulse keeping method.
- Switch up the song and use the names of the people on either side of them. Allow students to sing through with two new names. Repeat but with next two people after and so on, looping the song. This allows students to learn names as well.
- Children respond better to quiet voices.
4. Draw Yourself
- Each student is given a piece of paper and given a around 15 minutes of time to draw themselves and who they are. There can be a variety of markers or drawing utensils for the students to use. It is meant to have more ambiguous instructions so that students can be free to express themselves however they like. They may share afterwards if they would like to.
5. Soundscape Circle
- This exercise is meant to help students develop listening skills and to be creative with their methods of creating sounds.
- Students are to get into a large circle together, making sure they are comfortable with space around them.
- As a teacher you can explain to them that you are all going to sing a starting pitch and each individual is free to move to any other pitch. It can be the same as the neighbour or something completely different.
- The teacher may sing the starting pitch and let the activity carry out and see what happens at the end. Discuss.
- Repeat the activity but at the second time, tell them to finish on the same note. Observe what happens and let students discuss how given a criteria, such as ending on the same note, change how they took risks in singing leaps.
- Do activity once more with students walking around the room, no restrictions just like the first time the soundscape was sung.
- Discuss with the students how different it was to walk and leap notes on their own.
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7. Ah Poor Bird
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8. Four White Horses
- Provide a run through example of the activity with three other students. Explain to them the basic movements that they are going to be needing to do. Allow the example group to really try out the activity and get it right before letting everyone get into groups to do the activity.
- Start off slow, and once the students have had several chances to get the feel of the piece, try speeding up the activity and see how they fare.
- Eventually you can ask the students to move in opposite directions than how they started. Slowly switching the direction, part by part. Until they can do it smoothly. Can also try speeding up this activity as well.
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