First Day with Instruments: Lesson Plan Ms. Emily Thomas Objectives: 1. Students will be able to pack and unpack thei instruments themselves, and set the instruments on the racks. 2, Students will be able to hold their respective instruments using the steps and checkpoints for their specific instrument. 3. Students will be able to peeform pizzicato on open strings while using the correct position. 4, Students will understand the procedure for instrument drop off and pick up. Procedure: ‘Materials: Student instruments, demo violin, shoulder rests, rock stops Time Frame: 50 minutes Set-up: Semi cr, stand partner set, wo stands. Colored tapes wil separate the instrament section. I. Welcome and Introduetion (7 minutes) 1. Greet students at the door as they walk in 2. Ask students to set their backpacks against the back wall of the classroom. 3. Tell each student his section's color, and ask each student to sit within his section. 4. At the bell, ask any students who are standing to sit down, 5. Explain that itis the expectation that all students willbe sitting in theic seats, with theic instruments unpacked, by two minutes after the bell as rung, ‘a. At evo minutes after the bell, you will hear the “A” come on the speaker- this is your cue that you should be seated and ready for class 6. Give Orchestra Handbooks to students in “section leader” seats to pass back to the rest Of the sections a. Explain that this is how we will distribute papers and music in orchestra class. 7. Review other classroom expectations (ask students to refer to handbook): For our team to be successful, we will. 1. Be in our seats and ready for rehearsal within three minutes of the second bell 2. Wait to be dismissed before leaving our seats or the classroom, Remain quiet during tuning and instruction. Raise our hands before speaking or leaving our seats. Keep our hands, feet, and objects to ourselves. Refiain from brining gum, food, or drinks into the orchestra room, Maintain a positive environment where we are free to be creative and make ‘mistakes. Be respectful of all people, instruments, and property. Follow all school rules 10. Respect the team, and give 10076! sewae Pao 8, Ask the students and theie parents sign the contract page in the back of the handbook and return it for the next class. TL Unpacking the Instruments (6 minaies) 1. Demonstrate first a. Violins and Violas: i. Set case on a flat services (with the latches opening upwards), against the back wall of the class fi, Open the zippers and undo the latches. fix Leave the bow in the case for now.iv. Unstrap the violin/viola from the case. b Cellos and Basses: i. When you come into class, your instrument will be unpacked, sitting on the a rack. ii. When taking instrument off the rack, hold it by the neck and the top curve of the C bout- make sure the endpin does not scrape against the floor. iit, When you are at home, set your cello/bass on the floor and take the bow out first + Explain that the bow can be snapped in the soft cases jz Unzip the case. «Slide the instrument out of the case 2. Students unpack their instruments a. Ask the students to unpack their own instruments using these steps i. Cellos and basses willbe in their cases for practice purposes. II. Parts & Basic Care (8 minutes) 1. Introduce Parts a. Body, bow, fingerboard, neck, neck block, nut, pegs, pegbox, scroll, fine turners, tailpiece, £ holes, bridge . Top, back ¢. Top bout, C bout, lower bout c. Difference- button v endpin, chinrest, machine head 4d, Shoulder rest, rockstop 2. Rapid fire: point and identify 3.Care a. Instruments are fragile-be carefull i. Violins/violas: don't sit on your instruments ji. Violins/viols: don’t hang your instruments on the stands iii, Cellos/basses: only lean your instruments on theie sides and on the ground iv. Cellos/basses: don't spin your instruments b. Do not try to repair the instruments yourselves ¢ Instruments are wooden- no water IV, How to Hold the Instruments (13 minutes) 1. Violin/Viola Steps * While working with violins, ask cellos and basses will quiz each other on the instrument pacts 2. Bring it up high (aise the violin/viola up) . Lower the instrument down c. Turn the head 2. Cello/Bass Steps * While working with cellos and basses, violins and violas will quiz each other on the instrument parts .. Endpin (cellos to the nose, bass eyes to the frst dot) b. Rockstop (cellos make triangle, basses in front of left foot fright triangle Lean (cellos lean straight back, basses lean and tlt) bs z 3. Violin/ Viola Checkpoints * While working with violins, ask cellos and basses will quiz each other on the instrument setup steps 1. Scroll is chin high b. Ten O'clock scroll direction Angle of the head (not tilted, turned) 4. No bend in the left wrist 4. Cello/ Basse Checkpoints* While working with cellos and basses, violins and violas will quiz each other on the instrument steps and checkpoints a. Cellos i. Knees above the C bout ii. Fingers- thee fingers length from the ear to fingerboard it Center the cello as close to the middle of the body as possible 'b Basses i. Belt loop ii, Phone iii. Angle 5. Steps and Checks- all together! V. Open Strings Names and Pizzicato (8 mints) 1. Introduce Strings a. Violins: GDAE (Good Dogs Always Eat) Violas: CGDA (Cats Go Down Alleys) | « Cellos: CGDA (“) 4. Basses: EADG (Every Angry Dog Growl) 2. Pizzicato 1. Thumb in the fingerboard i i. Phick with index finger 3. Phy each string 4 times, 2 times, 1 time (EADGC) 4. Callout strings, students pluck those strings four times VI. How to Pack the Instruments (4 mines) 1. Pack the instrument in the opposite order in which you unpacked the instrument. 2. Cellos and basses: a. In class: put the instruments on the racks with the endpins in screwed, and the bridges all facing right. 43. Ask students t0 pack their instruments and quickly return to their seats. VIL. Instrument Pick-up (2 mines) 1. Violins/ Violas: drop instruments off on the violin/viola racks in the morning, pick-up before leaving everyday 2. Cellos/Basses: rent an instrument to keep at home ‘Remind students that they must bring in rented instruments sometime within the fist ‘two weeks of the school year for inspection and dotting, VIII. Closing (2 minutes) 1. Be gentle and careful with your instruments. 2. Homework a. Pizzicato of open strings (say string names) 'b. Return signed handbook contract for next class ¢ Instrument Pacts quiz will be at the end of the week. i. Look at the Essential Elements diagram, Assessment: 1. Were the students able to pack, unpack, and store their instruments quickly, following the right procedure, and without damaging the instruments? 2. Were the students able to hold their instruments correctly by using the steps and checkpoints for their instruments? 3, Were the students able to perform pizzicato while using the correct position. 4. When asked questions about the procedure for instrument drop off and pick up, did the students answer correctly?