Sydney Seed

Lesson Plan for Can Can Part A

Objectives:

(a) Students will participate in a stretch to physically prepare their body, and to
actively consider ways to prevent injury while playing
(b) Students will play a descending DM scale 1 octave (EI.6.2)
(c) Students will sing part A of Can Can in note names (EI.1.2)
(d) Students will analyze the form of Can Can
(e) Students will play through part A of Can Can on pizzicato, and then with
bows

Procedures:
The Students will:
(a) Place their instruments down practicing instrument care, and then stand to be
lead in a warm-up stretch focusing on an awareness of wrist health. (60
seconds)
(b) Prepare to sit and play a DM scale on bow *ask 2 students to highlight
important aspects of posture *ask 1 student to describe aspects of a good bow
hold (25 seconds)
(c) Sit demonstrating a good posture *acknowledge 2 model students. Play low
D, and in time jump an octave to descend down the DM scale. Repeat. (30
seconds) *play with students
(d) Sing either the first 6 measures on page 1 (upper strings), or sing the first 6
measures on page 2 (low strings) in letter names (EI.1.2) (20 seconds)
(e) Recognize that the first 6 measures on page 1 are the same as the first 6
measures on page 2 for all instruments *ask 1 student to state what they heard
when the ensemble sang together *ask all students to raise their hands if they
play the same 6 measures on page 1 and 2. (20 seconds)
(f) Analyze the form of the piece: [6 measures][descending DM][6 measures]
[end] (15 seconds)
(g) Add kinetics by fingering through their left hand parts while singing the letter
names of the notes for the same 6 measures as (f) (20 seconds)
(h) Identify that measure 4 is tricky, and will be lead in practicing the tricky B to
F# finger placement successfully 3 consecutive times, and then in context of
the full measure all on pizz. *ask 1 student to identify a tricky measure *play
with students (40 seconds)
(i) Rehearse the last 2 measures in pizz (20 seconds)
(j) Pizzicato the whole tune (40 sec)
(k) Practice their parts on pizz independently for 15 seconds to work out their
most troubling parts *say: take 15 seconds to pizz through something you
missed. Go. (15 seconds)
(l) Pizz, bow hover (to practice bowings), or actively listen. I will lead the
students in a rotation that will give each section the opportunity to pizz the
 first 8 measures once, bow hover twice, and actively listen once. (80
seconds)
(m) play through the piece as an ensemble with bows. (40 seconds)

Informal Assessment:

(a) While the students are playing the DM scale I will be gauging note accuracy
in terms of finger positions and whole note to half note relationships.
(b) I will also be informally assessing left hand shape, the placement of students
right hand while pizz, and bow holds.