Clarinet Lesson Video

    Video of a clarinet lesson
    Lesson plan
    Self Critique
    Peer Critique

This fourth grade clarinet lesson was videotaped on Thursday, April 6, 2006 at Andrew T. Morrow Elementary School.

This lesson plan can be opened or downloaded as a Microsoft Word file by clicking or right-clicking in this link.

Patrick Hait Clarinet Lesson - Eighth Notes and Band Music

Grade Level:	4^th grade beginning band. This lesson takes place approximately 1 month before concert.
Approximate Time:	One class period (40 minutes)
Objectives:	By the end of one class period, the students will be able to compose and perform (on their clarinets) a four beat rhythmic pattern using half, quarter, eighth notes and rests.
Standards:	MENC 2 (Performing on instruments, alone and with others) MENC 5 (Reading and notating music) NY 1 (Creating, Performing and Participating in the arts) NY 2 (Knowing and using arts materials and resources)
Materials:	White Board
Procedure:	Instead of the usual long tone scale warm-up, I will write a four beat rhythmic pattern on the board using quarter and eighth notes. Ask students to count the rhythm. Play the rhythm on a concert B^b. Assess students on their rhythmic accuracy. Ask students to play their scale using the rhythm on the board for each pitch (4 beats per pitch). Have each student write a 4 beat rhythm on the board using half, quarter and eighth notes. Have the student count the rhythm. Have the class count the rhythm. Have the class play a scale using that rhythm. I will alter the rhythms at my own discretion in an effort to further their rhythmic reading ability. Students will count then perform rhythms. At the end of this sequence, I will have students perform different rhythms without counting them first. Band Music – China Suite. Start performing the song with the repeats. Be sure students know where to repeat to. Also, be sure dynamics are accurate. I will play the harmony on a different instrument so the students can achieve greater part independence. Play through the rest of the movements of the suite ensuring correct style and dynamics. I will continue to play the harmony on another instrument. Work on the accuracy of the notes in the third section (School’s Out). Ask students to circle any part of their music that they have difficulty with so that they can focus their practicing. Ask students to write out a rhythm (like we did in the beginning of class) and use that rhythm to practice their scale at home.
Evaluation:	There are several areas for assessment built in to the procedure of the lesson plan. Be sure that students can count and perform the eighth note rhythms correctly. Be sure to individually assess each student on his rhythmic reading ability. Assess each students ability to perform correct dynamics throughout the band pieces.

My self critique can be opened or downloaded as a Microsoft Word file by clicking or right-clicking in this link.

Clarinet Lesson Self Critique

        This video shows a typical small group lesson that I teach to fourth grade beginning band students. This particular class is on the small side, having only four students. Most of my classes have five or six. As the school year progresses and the students become more proficient on their instruments, I have some time to teach them how to read some more advanced rhythms. Until the end of March, the students have been working mainly on different assignments in their book and preparing the three songs that will be performed in the spring concert.
        For the past two weeks, I have been teaching students about eighth notes. To my surprise, most of the students grasped the concept quite easily. In the beginning of this lesson, I incorporate eighth notes into the warm-up. In the very beginning of the video, you will notice me taking a chair away from a student and giving him a stool to sit on. This particular student never displays good posture and I thought that giving him a chair without a back would be beneficial to his development.
        I am very happy with the way that this lesson went. I feel that it went at a pace that both held the students attention, as well as let me reinforce my objectives. This particular type of warm-up is new to the students. They have never incorporated a rhythmic exercise using eighth notes into the playing of their scale. This warm-up exercise spiraled into a major part of the lesson that allowed each student to compose a rhythm for the class to perform. The composition exercise ensured that each individual student understood this concept, while giving the class the opportunity to play several different rhythmic patterns.
        While watching the video, I feel that I could have been more effective if I had followed this warm-up exercise with an example from the book. This would have given the students something concrete that they could practice for the next lesson. Instead, I asked the students to come up with their own rhythms and practice their scale at home the way we just practiced it here. That was a much less concrete assignment. In the future, I will be sure to give more concrete homework examples.
        The next section of the lesson pays close attention to the dynamics and tempo in a song called China Suite. In watching the video, I find myself calling out almost every dynamic change throughout the song. In the future, I would like to control that habit and force the students to change dynamics without a verbal cue from me.
        Towards the end of the lesson, I feel that time could have been used much more efficiently. I was in the midst of reviewing the eighth note exercise from the beginning of class when I asked the students to try some verbal dictation. The students had great difficulty with the concept of listening to and then counting a rhythm. If I am going to try an exercise like that in the future, I will be sure to properly introduce it to the children. In hindsight, I feel that I should have moved on to problem areas in another band song.
        As a whole, I feel that this lesson went very well. I introduced the students to a new way to practice their scale which will build up their dexterity around the instrument as well as help their articulations. I also helped the students to find particular areas within one of their band songs that they need to practice.

Peer Review of Mr. Patrick Hait – Clarinet Lesson
Reviewed by: Mrs. Andrea Majeski
Music Educator, Central Islip Public Schools
[email protected]

        Mr. Hait's clarinet lesson began with warm-ups using the C scale. After his example, each student got involved by composing a 4 beat pattern on the board. I not only liked that he gave each student the opportunity to compose, but that they were also asked to count the rhythm out loud before playing it. Students were also encouraged to tap their foot throughout the exercise to help them continue counting the rhythm. This is a great exercise and routine for students to practice additional scales to besides the C scale.
        During one particular rhythm, Mr. Hait found that the students had difficulty playing it together. He then discussed conducting cues and where the beats were. He successfully broke down the pattern for the students to play the notes only on beat 3. By doing this the students became more knowledgeable about where the beats were as he conducted in 4. This reminded the students to look at the conductor while playing, which also helped them play more accurately.
        In the band song, China Suite, students were concentrating on dynamics, articulation, and repeat signs. Mr. Hait also challenged the students by playing the trombone while they played. I liked that he decided to do that. It shows the students have a clear understanding of how to count and play their part while listening to another. For part of the song, the group rushed the quarter notes, but continued playing to the end. Mr. Hait briefly went over one part they rushed. I feel more time could have been spent on tempo, possibly with him conducting the song, reinforcing the importance of watching the conductor as practiced during the warm-ups.
        Throughout the lesson Mr. Hait complimented students on posture and fingerings. He took time to correct wrong notes during China Suite by isolating 2 measures at a time. A student was asked to play by himself, and without hesitation, he did. Mr. Hait also pointed out patterns in the music for the students to the relationship from one measure to the next, and encouraged them to circle measures that they needed to continue working on. The students were eager to play during the lesson. They showed good listening skills and an understanding to the objective of the lesson. Mr. Hait provided these students with music education that was well structured in a comfortable environment.