Chatter with the Angels Orff Arrangement | Free Music Lesson Plan

Music Lesson Plan

Step 1
Ask students to sit in a circle on the floor of the music classroom.

Step 2
Begin by chanting "Chatter with the Angels" phrase by phrase until the students can repeat each phrase with confidence.

Step 3
Next, practice the melody until the students are sounding confident. As you practice, ask students to pat the first beat of every measure on their knees. This will prepare them to play the bass xylophone part.

Moving too fast through any part of this process only layers confusion on top of confusion. Always make sure students are confident before moving to the next step.

Step 4
Pass out the bass xylophones and introduce that part. Tell students, "This part is made up of whole notes. When you play this part I want you to count the whole notes out loud - '1–2–3–4'. This will help you to play each whole note for four beats." Give the first group of students a couple of tries to be successful, and then rotate the instruments so everyone gets a chance.

Step 5
"Let's add the alto and soprano xylophone part. I want you to play a quarter-quarter-quarter-rest ostinato. An ostinato is a repeated pattern. I've written that pattern on the whiteboard - G–D–G–Rest. First, let's clap the pattern, and then you can play it - clap–clap–clap–rest."

Sometimes the hardest thing to do is not play. Bouncing your upturned palms off to the side when they say "rest" will give your students the activity they need to be successful.

I'll show you what to play, and then you can try it.' If students are struggling to play the pattern correctly, remove the "extra" bars.

Step 6
"Let's add the Glockenspiels. They play the same rhythmic pattern quarter-quarter-quarter-rest, but the notes are different. I've written that pattern on the whiteboard too - E–E–E–Rest."

If the arrangement offers more of a challenge than the students can manage, leave the glockenspiel part out. It's better to provide the students with a successful performance than to labor over this additional layer.

Step 7
Once all the parts are sounding good, put the parts together. Start by asking the bass xylophone players to play while you demonstrate how the soprano and alto Xylophone part fits in. Then, ask the students to try it. Next, add the glockenspiel part.

Step 8
Finally, play the melody on the soprano recorder while the students sing along.

Extension

Encourage students to improvise the glockenspiel part. Give them options, like:

1) Play the rhythm of your name on the note "E."
2) Use "D" and "B" to make a new part.

Give students 30 seconds to come up with a new part, and then ask for volunteers to share their idea. Choose one as it was written, or modify it to work with the arrangement.