Cheerful Start to Your Class

Summary 

Mix and match activities to create a fun introductory lesson to your class. Integrate Solfeg.io in singing, clapping along and performing a popular song.

_{These activities can be adapted to any song of Solfeg.io. In fact, it is very important that your students enjoy the song that they'll be learning, so you can ask your students to choose their favorite songs before the lesson and decide on a song which has the most votes. Additionally, you can mix and match the activities according to your students' level - leave out an activity that you think will be too complicated for them, or add more exercises (there will be additional instructions in each exercise). Be creative!}

🎲 What's included in the activities:

• Describe a popular song
• Analyze a song
• Learn to clap along a song
• Learn to sing along a song
• Combine clapping and singing in a song
• Reflecting
• Ideas for homework & further lessons (Beyond the lesson)

💻 Materials:

• Solfeg.io web app best used with Chrome browser
• Projector or computer and access to WIFI
• Percussion instruments (optional)

Start here!

🕐 Time: 5 min

🎯 Objectives:

• Describe a popular song

🎶 Recommended Songs:

‍

🎲 Activity:

• Open the song “Riptide” (or any other song your students chose) on your projector or computer so that all students can see it. Read some facts about the song in the description.
• Listen to the whole song.
• Discuss with students what you heard.

Do you know the song?

What is the genre/mood/tempo of this song?

What adjectives would you use to describe this song?

Get to know the song!

🕐 Time: 10 min

🎯 Objectives:

• Analyze a song

🎶 Recommended Songs:

‍

🎲 Activity:

• Read out the lyrics of the Chorus 1 to your students. Ask your students:

What do the lyrics in the Chorus say? What is the Chorus about?

• Next, explore how the song is built! Read out the song's parts to your students (e.g. Intro - Verse - Chorus - Verse - Chorus - Bridge - Chorus - Chorus). Ask them:

How many verses/choruses are in the song?

• Get to know all the instruments used in this song! Under Sound, mute all the sound tracks. Then, press Play, unmute the tracks one by one and listen to all the 'building blocks' that make up the overall sound!

In Riptide, 1st sound track - vocal, 2nd sound track - ukulele, 3rd sound track - bass guitar, 4th, 5th, 6th & 7th sound tracks - percussions.

Practice:

🕐 Time: 10 min

🎯 Objectives:

• Learn to clap along a song

🎶 Recommended Songs:

‍

🎲 Activity:

• Select Notation under Visuals. This will open up all the rhythm (clapping) tracks of the song.
• Loop Chorus 1 (or any other section if you have chosen to practice it).
• Tell students that they will now try to clap along the 4th rhythm track (we recommend choosing the easiest rhythm track to start. For Riptide, it is the 4th rhythm track).
• Under Sound, mute all the tracks except the 4th rhythm track.
• Press Play and let students listen on what they will have to replicate! You can also show them how to clap or tap - they can use any instruments in class or use body percussion! Then, let the students join you and clap together!
• Finally, unmute all the other tracks, press Play and try to clap the same rhythm while all the other tracks are playing.

If the students level of knowledge or the time allows it - learn another rhythm track, split the class into two groups and make each group clap their own rhythm track along the Chorus!

Sing along!

🕐 Time: 10 min

🎯 Objectives:

• Learn to sing along a song

🎶 Recommended Songs:

‍

🎲 Activity:

• Now, read out the lyrics of the Chorus 1 once more. Ask students to repeat the lyrics after you!
• Under Sound, mute all the tracks except the vocal track.
• Press Play and let students listen to the vocal melody of the chorus! Then, let the students join you and try to sing the chorus together a couple of times. Give your students advice on what to improve and repeat again.
• Finally, unmute all the other tracks, press Play and try to sing along while all the other tracks are playing.

If the students level of knowledge or the time allows it - learn to sing another part of the song (e.g. Verse)!

Combine!

🕐 Time: 10 min

🎯 Objectives:

• Combine clapping and singing in a song

🎶 Recommended Songs:

‍

🎲 Activity:

• Divide the class into two (or more) groups and give each group a task on what to do (1st group - sings, 2nd group - rhythm track).
• Press Play and combine everything you have learned today! Repeat the section a couple of times until the students feel comfortable!

If the students level of knowledge or the time allows it - try to play the whole song from start to finish and tell your students to clap along the same rhythm to the whole song. For singers - try to listen to the vocals and sing along!

Reflection

🕐 Time: 5 min

🎯 Objectives:

• Reflect on clapping and singing a song

🎲 Activity:

• What did you like the most about singing/clapping along a song? What was challenging?
• How was the experience of playing together in different groups?

Beyond the lesson

🕐 Time: 20 min

🎯 Objectives:

• Develop clapping and singing skills

🎲 Activity:

• Assign homework:

Ask students to learn the lyrics of the whole song and then sing the song in the next lesson!

Ask students to learn another rhythm track from the song.

‍

‍