Orff Lesson Plan

WvG MME 2020
Orff Lesson Plan
NAME: Alysa Hershman DATE: April 24, 2022
Activity Name Candy Rhythms
Grade Level/Class 4th Grade
Major Concepts
 Sixteenth Note Rhythms
 Improvisation
Materials and Resources

 Smart Board
 Temple Blocks
 Unpitched Percussion Instruments
Rationale
 The Orff-Schulwerk Method was developed by Carl Orff. It began in the 1920s with
adult music and dance students, and was reimagined around 1950 for use with children.
Orff had a love of dance and a vision of combining music with dance for the theater. The
keys to the Orff process are exploration and experience. The process involves exploration
of space, exploration of sound, exploration of form, imitation to creation, individual to
ensemble, and musical literacy.
 Movement is fundamental to the Orff process. Exploration of sound begins with

environmental sounds and then moves to organized sounds for children to experiment and
play with. Exploration of form occurs during exploration of space and sound. In Orff-
Schulwerk, imitation is used as a role model for creativity. The role of the teacher is
gradually lessened as children exhibit more independence and demonstrate the ability to
solve their own problems and answer their own musical questions. Working toward an
ensemble is a major goal of Orff-Schulwerk. Children approach music reading only after
much experience with musical sound. Orff instruments were developed by Carl Orff and
can be used in the approach, but are not necessary.
 In this lesson, students will move their feet to the steady beat and various rhythms. They
will listen to and read the poem “Bubblegum” and move to the rhythm of the poem.
Students will identify the beats containing their new rhythm (tika-ti) and read rhythms
from visuals associated with different types of sweet foods/candy (bubblegum, cupcake,
cotton candy, peppermint, and dish). Students will create and improvise patterns with the
candy rhythms.
References
Choksy, L. (2001). Teaching music in the twenty-first century (2nd ed.). Upper Saddle
River, N.J.: Prentice Hall.
WvG MME 2020
Frazee, J. (2006). Orff Schulwerk Today: Nurturing musical expression and understanding.
Schott.
Objectives
National/State Core Music Standards
 4.MU.Cr.1.1.a – Improvise rhythmic, melodic, and harmonic ideas, and explain
connection to specific purpose and context (such as social and cultural).
 4.MU.Cr.2.1.a – Demonstrate selected, organized musical ideas for an
improvisation, arrangement, or composition to express intent, and explain
connection to purpose and context.
 4.MU.Cr.2.1.b – Use standard and/or iconic notation and/or recording technology
to document personal rhythmic, melodic, and simple harmonic musical ideas.
Behavioral or Observable Objectives

As a result of this activity students will:
 Demonstrate steady beat
 Identify the rhythm of the poem “Bubblegum”
 Clap rhythms with sixteenth notes
 Improvise rhythms with sixteenth notes
Assessment
Students will be assessed in two parts. The first will be on their written creations. The second
will be on their ability to improvise rhythms for the class.
 4 = Consistently demonstrates understanding and independent mastery
 3 = Demonstrates understanding and can apply concepts much of the time
 2 = Beginning to demonstrate understanding, but needs some assistance
 1 = Not yet meeting the standard, even with assistance
Teaching Strategies
Anticipatory Set/Hook
T tells the students, “Let’s move our bodies around the room and carry the beat in our
feet. When the sound stops, freeze with your feet on the floor.” T plays the beat on the
temple blocks and students travel around the room to different tempos. T changes from
beat to subdivided beat and then to rhythm patterns containing two sixteenth notes
attached to an eighth note.
Procedure
T tells students, “Now I am going to chant a poem and play the rhythm of the poem on
the temple block. Echo the rhythm back and move your feet to the rhythm! T chants the
poem “Bubblegum, bubblegum, in a dish. How many pieces do you wish? One, two,
three, or four? Take a piece of candy or two or more!” Students echo the poem and move
their feet to the rhythm. They go back to their spots and clap the rhythm of the poem
from the visual on the smart board.
Students read rhythms from visuals associated with different types of sweet foods/candy
(bubblegum, cupcake, cotton candy, peppermint, and dish). T tells students, “Let’s create
an eight-beat rhythm pattern containing our candy rhythms.” Students create and clap an
eight-beat rhythm pattern (ending on a quarter note – dish) on the smart board as a class.
T replaces two candies with a question mark. T says, “Let’s read and clap our pattern
again, but when we get to a question mark, you decide what rhythm to use. When we
WvG MME 2020
create on the spot, we all that improvising!” Students improvise a rhythm during the two
question marks. Teacher continues to take one candy away and replace it with a question
mark until all beats are question marks except the last beat (end with one quarter note –
dish).
Optional: Students can choose unpitched percussion instruments to use while

improvising.
Closure/Transition
To conclude the lesson, students will move around the room to the beat to various tempos
and to rhythms with sixteenth notes as they did at the beginning of the lesson. T tells
students the new sixteenth note pattern they worked with (bubblegum and peppermint) is
labeled as tika-ti. Students read rhythms with rhythm syllables (i.e. ta, ti-ti, tika-ti, ta).
Modifications for special needs or cultural differences

Modifications will be used for all students by using a variety of instructional strategies so that all
learners are reached during the lesson. Visual aids, movement, and verbal instructions will be
given. Students will be given positive reinforcement for positive behavior choices and following
directions during the lesson. BIPs will be followed for students with accommodations.
Cultural differences are addressed by using a variety of songs and dances from different cultures
and perspectives during class. The “Bubblegum” poem can be used in many cultures and is not
specific to just one.
Reflection
I have used this poem and the candy rhythms to have my students create their own candy rhythm
patterns, but have not used it yet to have students improvise. Improvisation is something I need
to work on more with my students. I think they will enjoy getting to decide which rhythms they
want to use while performing the poem.

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WvG MME 2020

Orff Lesson Plan

NAME: Alysa Hershman DATE: April 24, 2022

Activity Name Candy Rhythms

Grade Level/Class 4th Grade

Materials and Resources

 Movement is fundamental to the Orff process. Exploration of sound begins with

Behavioral or Observable Objectives

Optional: Students can choose unpitched percussion instruments to use while

Modifications for special needs or cultural differences

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