Orchestra Classroom

Help your beginners learn to play in a groove, maintain pulse, learn fiddle bowings, and create/improv their own variations while learning how to turn Hot Cross Buns into a fiddle tune. This resource features 7 detailed lesson plans, resources for drilling rhythms, worksheets for students to demonstrate understanding of rhythm and create their own variations, videos for teaching/play along by Christian Howes, and backtracks to use for practicing. This introductory price includes an amazing BONUS resource: Creative Twinkles.

This resource is a HUGE set of 100 google slides especially for beginning orchestra. Each slide contains an idea, a visual for an activity/warm-up, game instructions, and/or link to additional materials (for example a link for direct access to a ready-made rehearsal game). Each of the strategies and ideas in this resource have been tested and proven effective. Plus the ideas are CREATIVE and FUN. If you find yourself in a rehearsal rut, doing the same things over and over, this resource will save you. This resource is INVALUABLE to any beginning orchestra teacher. Having visuals, games, and warm-ups ready to go makes prep fast and easy. Since it's a google slide, it can be edited and changed to suit the exact needs of the teacher! If you need to change some wording or add specific notes it can be done!

This is a full course with presentation, over one hour of video instructions, and practice assignments for you to learn how to create your own worksheets, assessments, practice drills and more! No expensive software is required. We will explore Google Slides, Rhythm Randomizer, Sight Reading Factory, and Flat for Education. There are 6 segments in the course, each with an project where you will create your own resource: 1: Basic Settings to turn Slides into a publishing tool 2: Make your own fingerboard worksheet 3: Create your own note-naming worksheet 4: Create your own rhythm assessment 5: Create your own sight reading or note assessment 6: Create your own custom practice assignment Along the way, I will show you tips and hacks for creating professional-looking content in an efficient way. You will also receive 9 TEMPLATES to use as ideas or for building blocks in your own creations. To use the course, click the links on the slides to access video instructions and assignments. Complete it at your own pace by pausing the video and practicing each skill. It takes approximately 2 hours to complete the course. At the end, you can print a certificate of completion for PD credit.

This product includes 40 different worksheets (112 pages total) for string orchestra students to practice note reading. Parts are included for violin, viola, cello and bass. This resource makes a great accompaniment to my bestselling note-reading book called 'Be An Amazing Note-reader:' Students need lots of practice to master notes. These assorted worksheets include activities for the notes on all strings. They can also be used as assessments! These are the worksheets I use with my beginners throughout their first year of playing and they definitely learn their notes.

The perfect resource for the beginning of the year in your beginning orchestra class!  This book contains 42 pages of worksheets to teach beginning note reading and also fingerings/notes for orchestra students.  Students will learn how to draw notes and understand clef and note names.  Ear training exercises are also included.  At the end of the book, students learn the fingerings and names of notes for the D and A strings.  Purchase of this product will give you the file to download and permission to print as many copies as needed for your classroom. Pages are included for violin, viola, cello, and bass students. Pages may be printed individually for worksheets, or all together and bound into a workbook for each student.

This is a great way to practice flashcards! Students use a gameboard which is designed like a violin, viola, cello, or bass fingerboard. Students then place each flashcard on the correct note-name on the fingerboard. This helps students know their note names, but also understand where the notes are found on their instruments.

This is an 18 page download that includes 4 beginning note-reading exercises for violin, viola, cello, string bass.  Parts and score are included. Each exercises has an advanced melody line and a simple beginning line that consists only of open strings (G, D and A) so that students can begin learning to recognize and read notes.  See my blog post about this resource and view sample pages here:  http://orchestrateacher.blogspot.com/2014/09/open-strings-note-reading-exercises.html

This is a set of 24 half page rhythm assignments and 2 full page final rhythm tests to be used as bell-work or bell ringer activities in a string orchestra classroom. Concepts include quarter notes, half notes, whole notes, eighth notes, dotted quarter, dotted half, whole rest, half rest, quarter rest, measures, counting, 4/4 time and 3/4 time. Just copy and cut in half for instant worksheets to reinforce basic rhythm skills.

This is a 12 page workbook that teaches music students the basics of beat and rhythm.  Group class activities and worksheets are included.  Students learn eighth notes, quarter notes, half notes, whole notes, corresponding rests and time signatures (except eighth rests).  This workbook puts students on the great start to counting and rhythm reading.

HIGHLY RECOMMENDED FOR ALL BEGINNING ORCHESTRA CLASSES. This is how I help my students transition to note reading after learning the fundamental skills on their instruments. This 35 page book includes rote pages designed to help students begin to recognize notes on the staff. The book introduces open strings, D string notes, then A string notes. This set contains a 35 page book for violin, viola, cello, and bass. 144 pages total.

This is a collection of 24 assessments for beginning orchestra with rubrics and excerpts on each page. All pages are ninja themed as students work to achieve mastery in the areas of bow hold, bowing, intonation, position, and finger patterns (Bornoff 1 and 2 on D, A, and G strings). **On the last page of this resource is a link where you can access the entire template to make adjustments or changes to suit the needs of your students using a premium Canva.com account.

This is a .pdf download of a 97 page book that contains 10 lessons full of tips, techniques, and music to use in your beginning orchestra class.  Set your beginners up for success as they establish the building blocks of proper playing.

This resource is to be used to supplement your current method book. This resource provides many exercises to help students gain confidence and develop important skills before diving into the method book.

During the first weeks of playing it is essential to establish excellent technique. Playing by rote for several weeks will help students focus on maintaining proper playing position and solid intonation. A rote approach helps students develop good playing habits before having to add .another skill such as note-reading. This resource helps students learn rhythm without having to read pitches on the staff.

Are you stuck in a Warm-up rut? Try something new! Students love learning rounds. They are quick to learn because all parts are unison. When ready to try as a round, there are so many possibilities! Included in this packet is a Conductor Score, Rote pages for each round, Parts for Violin, Viola, Cello, and Bass. 62 pages total. 16 rounds included. Access to google slides included to use as a visual while teaching.

This is a resource which helps students practice various finger patterns on each string customized by key signature. Keys included in this resource are A major, D major, G major, C major, F major, Bb major, and Eb major. Parts are included for violin, viola, cello and bass. Each part contains 7 pages - one page for each major key. 29 pages total.

These exercises are written for beginning orchestra classes to be used as warm-ups to improve intonation in your ensemble. Each exercise drills a specific note pattern or fingering to help students achieve more precise intonation. The rhythm in each exercise is always simple in order to help students focus all attention on tone and intonation.  98 pages total with parts for violin, viola, cello and bass.

This book helps students get the right start with shifting using easy exercises that provide time for students to master technique and memorize new fingerings. I used much of this resource last year in my own classroom (not all of it was written, yet) and I loved the results! My 2nd year players were shifting and they sounded great. This download contains one teacher manual (50 pages) and student books (18 pages each) for violin, viola, cello and bass.

It's difficult to find a method book for the high school level. I wanted to have something my students could rehearse together that would help them develop advanced skills such as bow hold flexibility, bow control, shifting, and more. 18 Etudes for Advanced String Orchestra Warm-ups drills specific skills in each etude. The purpose of the book is to help an orchestra transition to a more advanced level of playing by working on right hand and left technique. Each etude includes one page of practice suggestions to help students master the techniques presented in each piece. This packet includes a 43 page book for violin, viola, cello, and string bass as well as a teacher score. 289 pages total.

This is a 7 page download of rules for your orchestra class that correspond to the word RESPECT.  Each page is a different letter.  After printing each page on regular sized 8 1/2 x 11 paper, you can assemble them in one long strip for your classroom.  See http://orchestrateacher.blogspot.com/2014/07/rules-for-orchestra-classroom.html to see how this looks all put together.

Five creative road sign posters for your orchestra classroom! Each is printable on 8 1/2 x 11 size paper.

Beginners are learning so many new skills. It is important to choose concert music that reinforces those skills. Since there is much to learn, I like to have my beginners play concert music that is quick to put together. This music is very attainable and easy to learn because all parts take turns playing the various melody/harmony lines. That means students can practice the same melodies and harmonies before putting it all together. For example, in this piece, measures 3-11 for violin and viola is the same as measures 21-28 for cello and bass. When rehearsing, have students practice all matching measures until they are comfortable with the notes and rhythms. Next, put it all together and it works up very quickly! Grade .5 This set includes: Score, Violin 1, Violin 2, Viola, Cello, Bass

Tired of Twinkle? Try something new for your next beginning orchestra concert! This piece is very simple, grade .5 with the following skills: quarter notes, half notes, whole notes, Notes: D, E, F#, G, A. Violin and viola sections play in unison and cello/bass play in unison. This makes the piece quick to put together. A fun first ensemble piece! Let students experiment and decide on dynamics. Parts included: Score, Violin, Viola, Cello, Bass. Listen here: https://drive.google.com/file/d/1AY-3HwyK3JMcq_AQwQLBg931cz_aQbYn/view?usp=sharing

I'm no Richard Meyer or Soon Hee Newbold, but I have a lot of experience teaching beginning strings and I know how hard it is to find the perfect piece for a concert. Beginners are learning so many new skills. It is important to choose concert music that reinforces those skills. Since there is much to learn, I like to have my beginners play concert music that is quick to put together. This music is very attainable and easy to learn because all parts take turns playing the various melody/harmony lines. That means students can practice the same melodies and harmonies before putting it all together. For example, in this piece, measures 1-8 for violin 1 is the same as measures 17-24 for cello and bass. When rehearsing, have students practice all matching measures until they are comfortable with the notes and rhythms. Next, put it all together and it works up very quickly! This piece is fast paced, set in e minor. All notes are on the on the D string and A string (D string and G string for basses). Rhythms included quarter notes, eighth notes, half notes, whole notes, and rests. Grade 1 This set includes: Score, Violin 1, Violin 2, Viola, Cello, Bass

INTRODUCTORY SPECIAL PRICE! This is an orignal work written in the key of e minor. All of the notes and rhythms are attainable for a 1st year beginning orchestra and students love the sound of the minor key. Students will love to practice the fun melody lines. This will make your group sound way more advanced! Included score and parts for violin 1, violin 2, viola, cello and bass.  See sample pages on my blog!

This is an arrangement of Arkansas Traveler for your beginning orchestra class.  There are advanced melody parts and simple back-up parts included for each instrument.  Plus, I have included a back-up sheet that is written using finger numbers and note names to help beginners gain confidence finding notes and fingerings before they are reading music.  This is a 23 page download.

Fiddle Tune for Beginners is an arrangement of a simple fiddle tune for string orchestra.  The arrangement includes parts for 3 different skill levels so that this can be used in a classroom with true beginners and more advanced beginning players.  Each part is only 8 measure long, but it can be repeated over and over as students try to play a different part each time.  I would use this for the first week of my beginning orchestra class.  Parts are included for violin, viola, cello, and bass.  There is also a score included.

 

In my orchestra class, I have some experienced players in my beginning class.  I teach the bass line to all students and I sometimes write out just the fingering or note names for the bass line if students are not yet reading notes.  The true beginners can the

n focus on a more simple part while others in the orchestra work on the harmony and melody.  I have found that my beginners enjoy this piece because they like the sound of all of the different parts happening at once.  It's a bit more satisfying for them to hear themselves on this piece than the typical 'Mary Had A Little Lamb.'

 

I have found that beginning students thrive when they are able to hear more advanced parts to the music they are learning.  Students always desire to learn the more difficult part because they like how it sounds.  That makes students practice more and figure out the harder parts.  It keep the orchestra class moving quickly!

Get all my beginning orchestra tunes in one file! These are the pieces of music I use at the start of the school year. Each piece has 2-3 parts for each instrument with different skill levels. Included in this 144 page book is the score and parts for the following tunes: Arkansas Traveler Caterpillar March Bonny James Epic Shuffle Fiddle Tune Georgia Railroad John Ryan Polka Mississippi Reel Ragtime Fiddles Simple Gifts Sourwood Mountain Twinkle Extreme (to be played with twinkle melody) Uncle Joe *Some of this music is included in "The True Beginning: Before the Method Book" and as separate digital downloads in my store.