Strings Class Resources

Let your second or third year students discover notation through this authentic group project including rhythmic notation, simplified melodic dictation, and standard notation of a section of the Star Spangled Banner. They will make connections as they sing and then play the well-known melody on their instrument and discover the necessity of accidentals and altered finger patterns through experimentation. The completed melody in G major is included. More advanced students all play the melody

Using only open strings E, A, and D, string orchestra students play along with the recording or music video of this popular song. Appropriate for first-year beginners through intermediate students, elementary through high school age, this can be used as a performance piece or as a warm-up at the start of class. It is a fantastic activity to keep students excited and engaged in learning while the teacher tunes instruments or does formative assessment. The exercise can be incorporated into lessons

Using only open strings E, A, G, and C, string orchestra students play along with the recording or music video of this popular song. Appropriate for first-year beginners through intermediate students, elementary through high school age, this can be used as a performance piece or as a warm-up at the start of class. It is a fantastic activity to keep students excited and engaged in learning while the teacher tunes instruments or does formative assessment. The exercise can be incorporated into less

Posters for the 2014 National Music Standards (nafme.org)

I made this activity for my students to begin getting their feet wet in composition. Beginners feel successful when they can be creative within constraints. This activity facilitates student application of rhythmic knowledge, time signatures, and standard notation while being simple enough to be accessible to students after only a few months of study. Included: 1. First draft- students compose rhythms within common time. Then they choose what pitches to assign to each note. 2. Final draft-

Using only the strings D and A, string orchestra students play along with the recording or music video of this popular song. Appropriate for first-year beginners through intermediate students, elementary through high school age, this can be used as a performance piece or as a warm-up at the start of class. It is a fantastic activity to keep students excited and engaged in learning while the teacher tunes instruments or does formative assessment. The exercise can be incorporated into lessons to