Welcome Back to Schulwerk

• Calyanne Crouch
• Posted 9/26/22
• 0 comments

Creating Lessons Using the Schulwerk

Carl Orff and Gunild Keetman provided general music educators with a wealth of material. However, deciphering their work can sometimes feel intimidating. Here is the first secret to using The Volumes: They are a GUIDE!

These pieces were never intended to be taught solely as written. Music for Children and Rhythmische Übung should be adapted to fit what works for you and your students. Now I will walk you through how I created the Lesson Sketch Welcome Back from Music for Children, Volume I, Page 74, Canon 10.

When I need new materials for my students, I peruse my copies of Music for Children or Rhythmische Übung, looking for exercises and arrangements to reinforce the rhythmic and melodic concepts I want to teach my students. Sometimes I find exactly what I am looking for; other times, I will use just a snippet of an arrangement.

In this instance, I was looking for an activity for the beginning of the year with a suitable rhythm for my students to create a body percussion piece that would also work as a canon. When I read through Music for Children, Volume I, Page 74, Canon 10, I decided this rhythm would suit my goals. However, there was no text.

Next, I experimented with different texts that fit the rhythm and would relay the message of welcoming students back to school. I came up with the poem, “Welcome Back to School.”

Welcome Back to School

Welcome Back to School, yes!
Welcome Back to School,
We are all so glad you’re here!

Welcome Back to School, yes!
Welcome Back to School, yes!
Welcome back to music, and now let’s play!

I used the arrangement almost entirely as written, with one exception. I altered the rhythm for the words “You’re Here.” I decided that I wanted to change the half note into two-quarter notes to balance the phrasing and make the piece more accessible to my students.

Movement is Essential

Orff and Keetman believed that movement was an essential part of teaching music. Therefore, I prepare the tempo by incorporating steady beat activities in my warm-up activities. While teaching a piece like this, you can empower students by giving them choices. For example, instead of patting their legs to maintain a steady beat, ask the students if they want to tap their heads or touch their shoulders instead.

Add interest and variety by experimenting with different types of movement while practicing the poem and keeping a steady beat. Examples could include hopping, marching, floating, or slithering.

To reinforce the poem’s ending, have students create interesting shapes by themselves, with a partner, or in a small group at the end of each iteration of the poem. If you want additional ideas on creating shapes, I suggest using The Kids Yoga Deck. Each card has a different outlined shape that students can recreate.

Body Percussion Composition

Incorporating body percussion was my second goal for this lesson. So, after teaching students the poem, I asked, “How can we create different sounds using our bodies?” This can be a dangerous question in a room full of kids, but it can also lead to quality discussions about appropriate behavior and encourage creativity.

When creating a body percussion piece for my students or guiding them in the creation process, I follow these basic rules.

1. Keep actions the same on repeating word patterns.
2. Use patterns that travel up or down our bodies. Example: stamp, pat, clap, snap will feel more natural than stamp, snap, pat, clap!
3. Keep balance in the body – include two stamps using both the right and left feet.
4. Sometimes less is more! Keep it simple so everyone can participate.
5. Document composition ideas, practice, and share with the class!
6. Color coding the text to indicate differentiate the body percussion sounds. Underlining, bold, italics, and all caps are helpful as well.
7. Give each group a laminated, printed copy and whiteboard marker to explore their compositional ideas in small groups.
8. Consider using a Body Percussion Staff – these can guide and organize your composing and reinforce reading on a staff.

What’s Next?

My final goal for this lesson was to review canon with my students. I like that we are not just speaking in canon but also incorporating movement. At this stage in the lesson, my students completed the goals I decided I wanted to cover, but there is so much more you can do with this rhythm!

Consider the following possibilities!

• Assign unpitched instruments to each of the different body percussions used in the poem.
• Compose a melody using barred instruments! Better yet – let your students do the composing. Hint: Define a pentatonic pitch set to set your students up for success.
• Have students accompany the new melody on the ukulele – to practice their chords.
• Add ostinati on unpitched percussion and create an entire Orff arrangement.
• Share student work in a thematic performance or group video.
• Change the words to fit a different season or theme!

Let’s go to the pool, yes!
Let’s go to the pool.
Splishing and splashing all day!

Let’s go to the pool, yes!
Let’s go to the pool, yes!
Everybody’s swimming and now let’s play!

Whatever you decide – let the children be your guide!

References

Orff, C. (1976). Canon #10. In M. Murray & G. Keetman (Trans.), Music For Children: Pentatonic (Vol. 1, p. 76). essay, Schott.