Teaching creativity can be challenging in the music classroom. For starters, the concept of creativity is usually an ambiguous complex one that many are uncomfortable with. Still, not only is it important to a holistic music education but it is a necessary concept for aspiring musicians. In this post, I have compiled a list of five activities that are effective in introducing and teaching creativity in the music classroom. These particular activities are intended for the upper grade, elementary general music classroom but can be adapted for other grades.
(1) Rondo is my name: In this activity, all students will be given an index card and a pencil. The class will begin by stating their first name only. They will then be instructed to say their first name in varying speeds and rhythms (a teacher model will be needed here). After selecting a rhythm for their name that they like, each student will come up with a way to "notate" the rhythm for their name. Notation choices could include dashed lines, dots or any way that is most useful to the student. Next, students will need to be grouped in three's and given a number (1,2,or 3). They will introduce their rhythm on their name to the group. Each group will learn every group member's rhythm and practice performing the rhythm in random order. Students will focus on fluidity in these stages. Lastly, students will be introduced to Rondo form (ABACA). They will be asked to perform their group rhythms in rondo form, where #1-A, #2-B, and #3-C. The students who are 'A' will leave a space where their card should go as the line progresses.
(2) Drum Circle-phase 1: The students will sit in a circle and have either hand drums or another non-pitched percussion instrument. The teacher will have a dominant sounding non-pitched percussion instrument, such as a Djembe. The teacher will start by reviewing the correct technique. Next, the teacher will have the students participate in echoing the teacher. That is to say, they will play the rhythm that the teacher plays while maintaining the steady beat. After the students become comfortable with this process, the teacher will then choose another student to be the 'teacher'. The teacher keeps her instrument but the student will be the initiator of the echoes. After that student has completed four measures of this, they will choose another student to take their place as the 'teacher'. This process will continue until all students have had a turn to be the 'teacher'.
(3) Drum Circle-phase 2: This activity begins the same as phase 1and should only be done after successful completion of phase 1. In this phase, the teacher will tell the student to her left that they will be the 'teacher' immediately after the class echoes her. The next person to the left that student will be the next so that the cycle will be in a clockwise motion. This process will continue ('teacher'-class-'teacher'-class) until the cycle reaches the actual teacher of the class again.
(4) Musical Story Time: This activity will begin with each student reviewing the technique for classroom instruments. Each student will have a barred instrument with mallets. The teacher will select (or write) her own short story for this activity. The teacher will instruct the students to listen for verbs (a review will be needed here). The teacher will practice with the students on three verbs first like run, fly, and jump. The students will play musical sounds that reflect the verbs. The students will improvise musical sound to accompany the verbs read in the story. *Note: the teacher will have to slow the pacing down for each verb to allow time for student response. A very short story is encouraged.
(5) Improvisation: Each student will have a barred instrument. The teacher would have arranged the bars for a C pentatonic scale. The students will learn two chords that will be used to cover four measures. They will play C-E, C-E, C-F, C-E on whole notes. They will play each chord on beat one of each measure. After the class is successful with this, the teacher will improvise eight measures or two repetitions of this sequence. After modeling the improvisation the teacher will select a student to begin this process. Afterwards, the teacher will arrange an order for the improvised solos and the improvisation will begin. *Note: the class will continue to play the entire time so that all students are participating throughout the activity.
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