Rhythm Magnets

Here are some magnets I made for different rhythms.  The length of each magnets corresponds to the number of beats (one beat = 6 inches).  I also color-coded the background of rhythm by the number of beats represented (which matches the rhythm bulletin board).  This will be a very visual way to see the relationships between different rhythmic values and to create measures with different note values.

The documents have the rhythms already spaced out--just cut on the line (or cut it slightly smaller than the lines to make room for a colored border).  The longer values (whole note, dotted-half note, etc.) will need extra white paper on either end to make them the corresponding length.  Then, after laminating, I just cut strips of adhesive magnetic sheets to finish them off.

I'm able to use these on the white board or on my teacher desk, as both are magnetic.

• Rhythms (Word document)
• Rhythms (PDF)  

Composition #5--C/E-string Notes

This was the first year that I was able to carve out enough time to include this fifth composition for my beginners.  There's always so much going on at the end of the year with the spring concert and wrapping up for the school year that it has been tough to fit everything in that I'd like to do.  Instead of having students hand in their compositions so I could type them up and include them in one more packet of compositions, this time students simply performed their composition for their small group during the last week of orchestra.  Students announced the title as well as the tempo and dynamic markings before performing.

Students were excited when they found out they could use any note from any string, and they had fun selecting dynamic and tempo markings to make their piece exactly what they envisioned.

Composition #5 (C/E-string notes; includes tempo/dynamics):

• Word document
• PDF

As always, feel free to take and adjust for your students!


--

Links to other composition worksheets: 

• Composition #1 (open strings, pizzicato)
• Composition #2 (D-string notes, pizzicato)
• Composition #3 (A-string notes, arco)
• Composition #4 (G-string notes, arco)

Link to Templates for composition packets

Dynamics

 

Here's a colorful display for the basic dynamic markings.  I matched each dynamic marking up with a color going in rainbow order and from softest to loudest.  I wrote out the Italian word as well as gave the meaning in English for each symbol.  To make the crescendo, I just attached 1/2 inch strips of black paper.  And just above the window in the orchestra room was the perfect size to post these!  I made a smaller set (diamond shaped) for the smaller orchestra room at my second school too.

• Dynamic markings text--large version (Google doc)

• Dynamic markings text--small version (Google doc)

 

C Major Packet and Scavenger Hunt

As we get into our unit on the key of C Major, I present my students with a packet of pieces that use the C Major key signature (there is one piece in A minor).  To become better acquainted with these new pieces, I tell students that I have a scavenger hunt for them.  Some questions will have one more than one possible answer, and the same title may be used more than once.

I do very few written worksheets in orchestra, but I like this one because it's a good review of many topics that we've covered over the course of the year (anacrusis, triad, note-reading etc.) and it exposes students to some new musical concepts that we haven't officially covered (6/8 time signature, dotted quarter-eighth note rhythm).  And when students get to the music history questions, their heads always turn to the music history timeline wall to figure out where each composer would fit.  Nice use of resources :)

I tried to include a variety of public domain pieces, some familiar and some not so familiar.  Here are the contents:

• Pop Goes the Weasel
• Theme from Surprise Symphony
• November (Bohemian Folk Song)
• Sailor's Hornpipe
• Mexican Hat Dance
• America, the Beautiful
• Red Wing
• Minuet in C

Enjoy!

• C Major repertoire packet (Word document)
   
• C Major repertoire packet (PDF)
   
• Scavenger hunt (Word document)
   
• Scavenger hunt (PDF)
   
• Answer key (PDF)

(See a second version of the C Major packet with some different repertoire and updated scavenger hunt here)

Elements of Music

Here are the elements of music:

• Melody
• Harmony
• Rhythm
• Form
• Texture
• Timbre
• Expression