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Notating
“The Star-Spangled Banner”
Middle Level Strings
Objective
•
Students
will hear a melody, play it on their instruments, and write it
down on manuscript paper.
National
Standard
5D:
Reading and notating music: Students use standard notation to
record their musical ideas and the musical ideas of others.
Materials
•
Chalkboard
with staff
•
Manuscript
paper
Prior
Knowledge and Experiences
•
Students
have developed basic notational skills and can read music.
Procedures
1.
Play the first six notes of “The Star-Spangled Banner.”
Ask the students to sing the melody on “la.”
2.
Sing the first note and ask the students to find that note on
their instruments. Ask the first student who locates the pitch
to tell the others what the note is.
3.
Have students listen to the melody again and then try to play
it on their instruments. Repeat this process as needed, offering
individual assistance as you walk around the room.
4.
Help students determine the key and meter.
5.
Using the students’ responses, put the clef, key, and meter
on the staffed chalkboard and have students put them on their
manuscript paper. Ask students to write out the melody on their
manuscript paper. Have one student write the melody on the chalkboard.
6.
Have the class play what is written on the board, and then ask
if it is correct. If it is not, ask a student to revise the melody
written on the board.
7.
Have students correct their melody and play from their own manuscript
paper.
Indicators
of Success
•
Students
listen to a phrase from “The Star-Spangled Banner,”
sing it back, write it correctly, and then play it.
Follow-up
•
Continue
this procedure at least once a week, increasing the length and
difficulty of excerpts as appropriate.
•
Use
other patriotic songs such as “America” and “America,
the Beautiful.”
From
Strategies for Teaching Strings and Orchestra. Compiled
by Dorothy A. Straub, Louis S. Bergonzi, and Anne C. Witt. Copyright
1996. MENC, Reston, VA.
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