Lesson Plans from Edumate

Grade 1

Term 2
Unit 1 – Instrumental Group , Orchestra

OVERVIEW
Understanding
The students will understand that ...

 Learning how to play a musical instrument can benefit one academically, mentally and emotionally. 
 Taking care of school's musical instruments is a good way of practicing how to become a responsiblle
musician.
 Daily practice on musical instruments  requires dedication, discipline and hard work. 
 Musical skills can be acquired and can be honed.
 In order to create a symphony, player of orchestral instruments should follow the conductor and play
their respective parts well. 

Essential Questions
Students will keep considering ...

 How does the conductor help in creating symphony?

 What important lessons can a student learn from an orchestra?
 In what ways can the uniqueness of orchestral instruments speak about each student?
 What are the important things to remember in using the instruments in the Music Room?
 Why is it important to learn how to wait for one's turn in playing the instruments?

Knowledge
The students will know...

 Timbre or tone color refers to the quality of the sound that distinguishes one sound from another.

 Descriptive words like bright, rich, mellow, heavy, light, dark, brilliant, brassy, and reedy are used to
describe the timbre of the voice and instruments.

 Musical instruments are tools of self-expression. They help us communicate thoughts, ideas, and
feelings which we cannot easily express vocally.

 The term “orchestra” is derived from the ancient Greek theatre. It refers to the area in front of the
ancient Greek stage used by both performers and musicians. 
 The orchestra is composed of  four sections: the strings, the woodwind, the brass, and the percussion
section.
 The string section makes up more than half of the orchestra. This section is composed of the violin, the
viola, the cello, double bass, and the harp.
  The woodwind section  of the orchestra is composed of a variety of interesting musical instruments. The
instruments in this section of the orchestra produce sound when air is blown through their mouthpieces.
The air passes through the air column and impinges on an edge or on a reed. The flute, piccolo, oboe,
clarinet, and the bassoon belong to this section. 
 The brass section of the orchestra is composed of instruments that are also known as lip-vibrated
instruments. More than the fact that most of them are made from brass metal, these instruments
produce sound through vibration generated by the player’s lips.   This section is composed of the
trumpet, trombone, French Horn, and tuba. 
 The last section in the orchestra is the  percussion section. It is composed of musical instruments that
create sound through striking, beating, shaking, rubbing or scraping. This section is called the special
effects department of the orchestra because it greatly enhances the music. There are many instruments
in this section of the orchestra.
 Some of the more well-known percussion instruments with definite pitch include the xylophone, timpani,
and the chimes. There are some percussion instruments that do not have definite pitch. These include
the tambourine, the triangle, the snare drum, and the bass drum. 

Skills
Students will be skilled at...

 Naming the different orchestral instruments.

 Classifying the different instruments according to their family or section. 
 Creating different sounds but unifying them to create a harmony.
 Following the hand signal of the conductor
 Identifying the unique sound and timbre of each of the orchestral instrument. 

EVIDENCE
Performance Tasks
Group Singing of the "Orchestra Song" 

This performance test is an integration singing, dancing, and performing. It will show the students knowledge on
how each instrument mentioned in the song is played and how it sounds. It is also a challenge that requires both
cooperation and creativity. 

Creating Instrumental Sound

In this learning task, students with their groupmates will have to create the correct sound for their
assigned instrument and be ready to make that sound when the conductor gives them the signal. It is an
opening activity for the discussion on orchestral instruments. 

Identifying Orchestral Instruments Visually

In this task the students will have to give the name of the orchestral instruments with the help of the
pictures that will be flashed on the screen. They will also be asked to demonstrate how such instrument
is being played. 

Unit Quiz on Timbre and Orchestra

In this Unit Quiz, the students will be assessed on their knowledge about Timbe and Orchestra. The
Questions about the orchestra will include items about the different musical instruments and the
functions of the conductor. 
Group Singing of the Orchestra Song
This performance test is an integration singing, dancing, and performing. It will show the students
knowledge on how each instrument mentioned in the song is played and how it sounds. It is also a
challenge that requires both cooperation and unity.
Other Evidence
 Identifying Orchestral Instruments Visually and Aurally
 Explaining How Each Orchestral Instruments are Played
 Conducting with Simple Patterns or Time Signature
 Creating Movements that Match Music
 Singing the "Orchestra Song"