Nathan Heed

Due Date: 11/01/2019

MUS-M434
Lesson Plan

Grade Level: 6th Grade Beginning String Orchestra (Violin, viola, cello, bass)

Area(s) of Focus: Teach students the proper instrument setup for violin, viola, cello, and bass

Lesson Objectives:
1. Students will be able to hold a violin, viola, cello or bass properly with minimal tension.
2. Students will be able to set up and tear down their ensemble setup properly.

Materials Needed:
• Chairs
• Stands
• Students will need instruments

Procedures
1. Students will be greeted at the door with their assigned seat. They will each get a chair
and a stand and set up in that assigned seat.
2. Only once students have set up their ensemble will they be allowed to go get their
instruments from their lockers.
3. Students will put their cases off to the side of the room. They will leave their bows in
their case.
4. Violins and violas:
a. Begin standing, with the instrument in their left hand, hand over the high dot.
b. They will make a ‘v’ with their feet, move them shoulder width apart, and sway
back and forth like a tree in the wind.
c. Hold the instrument straight out like the Statue Of Liberty
d. Flip the instrument upside down so the end button is facing up
e. Then float the instrument gently onto the left collar bone, making sure to keep the
instrument parallel to the ground.
f. While the cellos and basses are being setup, they will slide their left hand back
and forth on the neck, keeping their left index knuckle on the side of the neck.
5. Cellos and basses will begin with their instrument on its side, to the left of their chair.
a. Cellos will pick up their instrument and lay it back side down across their lap.
They will then adjust their end pin to a height designated by the teacher.
b. Basses will keep their instrument on the ground and adjust the end pin from that
position.
c. Students will place the endpin in the center of their rockstop. From here they will
adjust the height of the endpin so that it is at the proper height.
d. Students will lean the instrument into their body, making sure that it hits them in
the proper place for their instrument. For cellos, the top bow should hit students in
the middle of the chest when they are sitting tall on the edge of their chair. For
 basses, the side of the upper bow should hit them in the middle of the chest, and
the scroll of the instrument should be about at the top of their head.
e. Students should be able to rock back and forth while trying to remove as much
setup tension as possible.
6. All students will play left hand pizzicato on open strings. First D, then A, then G, then C,
then E.
7. Students will at this point, put their instruments carefully back in their cases, making sure
to put the endpins all the way back in the instrument and strap the instrument into the
case properly. They will then put their instruments back in the instrument storage locker.
8. Students will then put their individual chair and stand back on the chair and stand racks
before lining up to leave class.

Assessment:
• Assessment will be done informally by walking around and observing/correcting
students’ posture, grip, and overall setup.