Erin Dixon

String Pedagogy
Experience Design

Orchestra Olympics | Angela Harman, 2015

Rationale: The purpose of Orchestra Olympics is to assess beginning strings students skill
sets through a fun and exciting approach. During each event during the Olympics, the student is
allowed to choose their partner, thus allowing for freedom of choice and hopefully allowing for
engaging participation. Because this game is meant for beginning learners, the events arent too
challenging and are meant to allow the student to understand how much have already progressed.

Understanding Statements:
-Be able to execute a proper bow hold both not and while playing,
-Establish proper playing posture,
-Understand the difference between pizzicato playing and bowed playing,
Be able to pluck the strings correctly (L shape, first inch of index finger)
Be able to bow correctly (loose wrist, uses all of the bow-not just near
frog)
-Validate an understanding to play simple rhythms (up to dotted quarter) in 4/4 time,
-Properly execute a D major scale and understand which sharps are in the key (C/F),
-Demonstrate well-practiced repertoire and correct note playing in A major (no sharps).

VA Standards of MUED:
1. EI.10 The student will demonstrate preparatory instrumental basics and playing procedures,
including 1. identification and selection of an appropriate instrument; 2. identification of the
parts of the instrument; 3. procedures for care of the instrument; 4. proper playing posture and
instrument position; 5. string studentbow hold and left-hand position;

2. EI.11 The student will demonstrate proper instrumental techniques, including 1. production of
tones that are clear, free of tension, and sustained; 3. string studentbow hold, straight bow
stroke; contrasting articulations (pizzicato, legato, staccato, two-note slurs);

3. EI.13 The student will read and interpret standard music notation while performing music of
varying styles, in accordance with VBODA Levels 0 and 1.

4. EI.15 The student will perform simple rhythmic and melodic examples in call-and-response
styles.

Materials: All thats needed for this game is the Orchestra Olympics PowerPoint. Each
student will also need a piece of paper, a pencil, and their instrument.

Detailed Process:
1. Explain the what or the purpose/context of Orchestra Olympics, communicate that
each student will need a piece of paper, a pencil, their instrument, and a partner.
Erin Dixon
String Pedagogy
Experience Design

2. Begin Orchestra Olympics (The teacher is more of a facilitator in this game.)

-Event 1: 30 seconds
-Event 2: 30 seconds
-Event 3: 30 seconds
-Event 4: 1 minuet
-Event 5: 1 minuet
-Event 6: 1 minuet
**be sure to fully explain the directions for each event so there is no confusion and the
lesson wont get behind schedule.

Assessments: During this game, the teacher should constantly be evaluating what is resulting
from the events, then evaluate what each students sheet of paper determines regarding
gold/silver/bronze/red.
Ex. of point system for event one: Bow Hold Race

Finally, ask yourself the following questions based on your previous evaluations:

1. Did the student properly demonstrate an understanding of instrumental basics and playing
procedures?
2. Did the student properly demonstrate an understanding of instrumental techniques?
3/4. Did the student play the rhythm and pitches correctly throughout Orchestra Olympics?

Adaptation: This game could be easily adapted for different pedagogy skill levels. First, the
events could be changed to reflect a more advance level of string placement. The events could
potentially require higher levels of engagement and knowledge as well as reflect ensembles of
various sizes, accessibility, and age.

Extension: This Orchestra Olympics was actually cut in order to fit into the five minuet
slot. As the facilitator, you could easily include assessment of pieces of repertoire or other things
youve currently been working on inside or outside of class to make more events. You could
also make the game more of an Olympic setting by adding different rounds (to be held on
different days) that vary in physical agility (s/a: who can properly put their instrument away the
fastest and quietest?) or vary in written/aural theory. If you wanted to make it a community
event, you could invite other school or departments to also participate. It can also be used as a
testing method to eliminate a testing environment and allow for optimum nerve-free test taking
and musicking.