Name: Alisha Reeve

Date: 2/10/2015
Setting: 6th Grade General
Song Title:
Adagio for Glass Harmonica
Materials:
8 glasses with water
iPads
Rubber mallets
Easy songs to play on the glasses
Worksheet on history of glass armonica
Video of Adagio for Glass Harmonica
Websites on sound waves, glass armonica and Ben Franklin
Computer with virtual armonica pulled up
Concept Focus:
Production of sound
Ben Franklin and the glass armonica
Standards:
Singing

Playing
X

Movin
g

Improvising

Composing

Reading/Writing

Listening

Evaluating

Objectives:
1. Explore how vibrations produce sound and explain how different pitches
are created.
2. Learn about the history and creation of the glass armonica and Ben
Franklins involvement through the completion of a worksheet.
3. Compose and play simple song on the virtual armonica.
4. Play simple childrens song on the glasses of water.
Procedure:
1. Students will watch a short video of a woman playing the glass armonica.
a. Lead a short discussion on the instrument, telling the students that
they will learn more in one of the stations.
2. Students will talk about how sound is produced and how the difference in
vibrations are what cause different pitches.
a. Use physicsclassroom.com to explain how sound waves occur.

Understandin
X

b. Demonstrate different frequencies using the glasses of water and a

rubber mallet or a moistened finger.
3. Students will watch a recording on Mozarts Adagio for Glass Harmonic as
it is played on a glass armonica. Notice that the notes overlap quite a bit
as he plays the tune.
4. Show the students the virtual armonica that they will use next class.
5. Teacher will talk about the three different stations that the students will get
a chance to work at for the next two classes. Each group will get to spend
10 minutes at each station. Each group need only fill out 1 worksheet in
eBackpack. There will be more than one group at a station at a time.
a. Station 1: Create a simple 4 bar composition in common time using
the notes C, D, E, G, and A. Use, quarter notes, eighth notes, half
notes, and whole notes. Practice playing this melody on the electric
keyboard. Later each group will play their creation on a virtual glass
armonica for the entire class. Write your composition in Section one
of the Glass Armonica worksheet in eBackpack.
b. Station 2: Play the songs This Old Man and Happy Birthday on
the glasses using rubber mallets. Allow each group member a
chance to play one of the songs. If there is extra time, try and see if
you can play any other simple songs you might know.
c. Station 3: Using your iPad, fill out the simple questions about the
glass armonica; this is Section 2 of the worksheet on eBackpack.
You will have to use the Internet to search and find these answers.
There is a list of websites that may be useful for you to use to find
the answers. Again, only one person in the group needs to turn the
assignment in.
Closure/Review
Students will be assigned groups of 4-5 randomly by the teacher. Each station
will have two groups assigned to it. Students will have 10 minutes to complete
each station. We will likely only have time for one station today. The other two
stations, and final performance of the compositions made at station 1 will be
completed on Thursday.