Margaret Ortbal

Small Group Teaching

Introductory Lesson Plan
Objectives:

Students will be able to play the 8-bar melody of Gypsydance with accurate notes,
rhythms, and articulation.
Students will be able to improvise a melody or an accompaniment that is
contrasting or complementary to the original melody.

Materials:

Full score for reference

Lesson plan (2 hard copies)
Flute
Band instruments for students

Other Important Information:

Gypsydance written by David R. Holsinger
Concert C Minor & E-flat Major
Sequence:
Learning the Melody
1. Teacher plays C-minor chord on piano then sings 8-bar melody on solfge.
2. Teacher sings 8-bar melody on solfge a second time
3. Teacher plays do on flute and asks: Can you find do?
4. Teacher asks: What concert pitch is do?
5. Teacher says: Ill sing short phrases, then you sing them back.
a. Teacher sings: do re me fa me re do me re te
b. Teacher sings: do re me fa sol fa me re me do
6. Teacher says: Ill sing long phrases, then you sing them back.
a. Teacher sings: do re me fa me re do me re te
do re me fa sol fa me re me do
b. Teacher assesses the long phrases and corrects mistakes

7. Teacher motions for students to pick up instruments

8. Teacher asks: What concert pitch is do? and motions for students to play
9. Teacher uses flute to model, says: Ill play some short phrases, listen then echo
a. Teacher plays: do re me fa
b. Teacher plays: me re do
c. Teacher plays: me re te
d. Teacher plays: do re me fa sol
e. Teacher plays: fa me re me do
f. Teacher repeats all short phrases
g. Teacher assesses the short phrases and corrects mistakes
10. Teachers says: Ill play some different phrases now, listen carefully then echo
a. Teacher plays: do re me fa me re do
b. Teacher plays: do me re te
c. Teacher plays: do re me fa sol fa me re
d. Teacher plays: re me do
e. Teacher assesses the phrases and corrects mistakes
11. Teacher continues with longer phrases
a. Teacher plays: do re me fa me re do me re te
b. Teacher plays: do re me fa sol fa me re me do
c. Teacher assesses the phrases and corrects mistakes
12. Teacher says: Listen as I play, remember that the short melody repeats. Please use quiet
fingers to practice with me
a. Teacher plays: do re me fa me re do me re te
do re me fa sol fa me re me do
13. Teacher says: Pick up your instruments and try it with me
a. Teacher gives a ready go and listens to and assess the students
14. Teacher divides the room in to two groups
a. Teacher says: Lets have group 1 play the first line of the melody, then group 2
will come in with the second line of the melody.
b. Teacher guides student performance, then switches the groups in the same activity
Improvisation
1. Teacher says: This is the melody from a band piece by David R. Holsinger called
Gypsydance. Now that you know the name, how do you think this melody should
sound?
2. Teacher uses student input to play the melody in 2-3 contrasting styles
3. Teacher says: In your sections, can you come up with an accompaniment figure to go
with a Gypsys dance? Take one minute to create something.
4. Teacher goes from section-to-section listening to the accompaniment styles
5. Teacher picks one section and asks them to play it again while the other instruments play
the melody
a. Repeat this activity until every section has played their accompaniment with the
melody