Ternary Form, and a Thanksgiving Reflection

In November, we worked on a few projects. We solidified October’s work by practicing and performing the short compositions with tempi and dynamics. Audio is here (first picture below): https://goo.gl/2BXdWN

Then, we had a lesson based on Ternary Form. We started with a kinesthetic warm-up and created ‘same-different-same’ series of movements. The students volunteered their own suggestions as we moved quickly. Then, we brought the concept of same-different-same into the visual world with drawings. Students created their own same-different-same drawings while listening to a short melody on the flute that followed the same ABA format. Students then learned the term ‘ternary form’ and labeled their drawings as such. Next, as a class, we created short rhythmic motifs and put them into an ABA form, practicing the piece as a whole with both our feet and our hands. Last, we assigned notes to the rhythms and played them on the recorder. As a reflection, students listened to Debussy’s Syrinx on the flute and drew their ideas about what was happening in the beginning (A), middle (B), and end (A) as the piece was progressing. Older classes also wrote an accompanying sentence for each section. To end the class, students shared their drawings and writings.

​The Wednesday before Thanksgiving break, we had a visiting visual artist, so we did a joint lesson plan. First, we listed all the things we’re thankful for and put those words into our 1-7 kinesthetic warm-up. Then, we took a moment to be more serious and reflected on everything we’re thankful for while listening to Bach on the flute. As the piece was ending, students drew their thoughts in their journals while listening to more Bach flute music from the speaker. Both TAs (music and visual art) walked around and helped while students drew (older students again wrote a sentence as well). To reflect, we created an ‘art walk’ where students left their drawings on the desk and everyone walked around the room and looked at their classmate’s work. To end the class, I mentioned that I’m so very thankful for music, sound, and hearing… so I taught students how to say ‘Thank you’ in sign language. We left talking briefly about the Philadelphia Orchestra concert they attended the day before, and I mentioned that we’ll do a complete reflection lesson plan the week following Thanksgiving.