Lessons Learned: A Dozen Plans for Orff Process and Improvisation
Author(s): Daniel C Johnson, Daniel C. Johnson , Joan Eckroth-Riley
Summary:
This book represents the work from the first cohort of students in the Graduate Certificate Program in Orff-Schulwerk at UNC-Wilmington. The first program of its kind in the history of the UNCW Music Department, the Graduate Certificate connects intensive, two-week summer levels courses with practical field experiences in K-12 schools. In this way, students translate the AOSA-approved curriculum into their authentic classroom contexts for both teacher and student learning. These dozen lesson plans exemplify the ways that these dedicated teachers apply pedagogical knowledge and concepts to their actual music classrooms.
By their very nature, lesson plans tend to fix the flow of learning and ideas into prescribed, sequential steps. The Orff process, however, is much more organic and creative. It moves more freely as students observe, imitate, explore, improvise, and create…often but not necessarily in that order. As such, writing Orff-based lesson plans is somewhat challenging. These lessons for Orff Improvisations and Process guide the teacher and their students with a framework for learning. While including details and specifics, these plans also leave essential room for improvisation and creativity – two ideas at the heart of the Schulwerk.
Each lesson plan includes recommended grade level, learning objectives, materials, an Orff process, assessments, and extensions. All lessons are “kid-tested,” and teacher-educator approved; music teachers can trust that they not only represent the Orff process but also effectively engage students.
We hope you enjoy these lessons and use them as starting points for improvisation to creatively make music with your students.
This book represents the work from the first cohort of students in the Graduate Certificate Program in Orff-Schulwerk at UNC-Wilmington. The first program of its kind in the history of the UNCW Music Department, the Graduate Certificate connects intensive, two-week summer levels courses with practical field experiences in K-12 schools. In this way, students translate the AOSA-approved curriculum into their authentic classroom contexts for both teacher and student learning. These dozen lesson plans exemplify the ways that these dedicated teachers apply pedagogical knowledge and concepts to their actual music classrooms.By their very nature, lesson plans tend to fix the flow of learning and ideas into prescribed, sequential steps. The Orff process, however, is much more organic and creative. It moves more freely as students observe, imitate, explore, improvise, and create…often but not necessarily in that order. As such, writing Orff-based lesson plans is somewhat challenging. These lessons for Orff Improvisations and Process guide the teacher and their students with a framework for learning. While including details and specifics, these plans also leave essential room for improvisation and creativity – two ideas at the heart of the Schulwerk.Each lesson plan includes recommended grade level, learning objectives, materials, an Orff process, assessments, and extensions. All lessons are “kid-tested,” and teacher-educator approved; music teachers can trust that they not only represent the Orff process but also effectively engage students.We hope you enjoy these lessons and use them as starting points for improvisation to creatively make music with your students.
