DALCROZE METHOD

Lesson Plan 1

The children have been previously taught the song, “Clap, Clap, Clap Your Hands.” (Due

to copyright restrictions, we could not publish this song.) This lesson has several

objectives: to practice keeping a steady beat and to designate accent beats, to apprehend

the two sections of the song, to improvise an ensemble rhythmic movement activity, to

practice starting and stopping a movement activity at the designated time and in the

designated space.

When the lesson begins the students are sitting in a circle. The teacher reminds the

children that they know this song and lets them listen to “Clap, Clap, Clap Your Hands.”

While listening, the students will keep the steady beat on the palms of their hands with

their fingertips. Accented beats will be marked by hitting the fist in the palm.

Next, there will be a discussion of the two sections of the song. A ball will be

brought out and the students will be told that they will pass the ball around the circle

during the verse of the song. It will then be discussed how the ball or someone’s body

could be used to show the movement of the chorus. Students can demonstrate their ideas.

The song will be played again with the students passing the ball during the verse. The

person holding the ball when the chorus begins will rise and move to the rhythm of the

chorus using one of the suggested movements or a newly improvised one. The student

may move out of the circle but must have returned to the circle by the end of the chorus.

This will be continued for a few rounds according to the time allowed for the entire

lesson.

Now the children will choose a partner. They are asked to talk with their partner and

discuss what movements they want to use to demonstrate the rhythm of the chorus. At the

signal from the teacher the students will stop their discussion and this time stand in a

circle next to their partner. During the verse the children will pass the ball on the steady

beat as before. When the chorus comes the partners will break away from the circle and

perform their improvised movements. They must be back in the circle at the end of the

chorus. This activity can be repeated as many times as time allows.