Chrissy Ricker
  • Home
  • Publications
    • Piano collections
    • Pop & rock arrangements
    • Video game arrangements
    • Vocal music
    • Instrumental music
  • Search
    • Search my catalog!
  • About
  • Blog
  • Free Stuff
  • Contact

A Spring-Themed Lesson Plan and Freebie!

3/8/2018

0 Comments

 
Picture

For many of us in the eastern U.S., it doesn't feel like spring right now! However, spring is just around the corner, and today I would like to share a spring-themed lesson plan including an elementary arrangement of the famous theme from Vivaldi's "Spring Concerto." 

My students had fun at our most recent group class learning a bit about Vivaldi's life and how he incorporated the sights and sounds of spring into his famous concerto. However, these activities would work equally well in a private lesson!


First, head on over to the Classics for Kids website, HERE, ​to find plenty of great information about Vivaldi, including a kid-friendly bio and a recording of the first movement of the "Spring" Concerto. My students were fascinated by the fact that Vivaldi spent much of his life teaching at an orphanage for girls and writing music for the talented young musicians there to play.

Next, encourage students to think like a composer! What sights and sounds of spring do you think Vivaldi might have used when writing his concerto? Birds, bees, growing flowers, thunderstorms...encourage your students to imagine some of the sounds they might expect to hear when they listen to this famous piece. (There is also a link to a podcast on the Classics for 
Kids website that discusses the sounds Vivaldi used, if your students need some help with this!)

Finally, listen to the first movement of the "Spring Concerto" found on the website. Vivaldi used the famous "spring" theme as a ritornello--a returning idea played by the entire ensemble that serves to unify a piece of music. Between these ritornellos, Vivaldi intersperses sections representing the sights and sounds of spring. How many of your students' guesses can you hear?

Once students hear the piece, encourage them to try the elementary arrangement found HERE. If you are doing this lesson as a group activity, you can have students sight-read the piece in groups as a duet, with one student playing the right hand and one student playing the left hand.

What do you think? Do you have any spring-themed activities planned for your students this season? Please leave a comment below!



0 Comments

Your comment will be posted after it is approved.


Leave a Reply.

    Author

    Chrissy Ricker is a pianist, teacher, and composer from North Carolina. These are her thoughts on teaching, composing, and all things music.


    Looking for teaching ideas related to a specific topic? Use the "search" feature or scroll down to see blog posts organized by category!

    Archives

    May 2025
    March 2025
    February 2025
    January 2025
    December 2024
    November 2024
    October 2024
    September 2024
    August 2024
    July 2024
    June 2024
    May 2024
    April 2024
    March 2024
    February 2024
    January 2024
    December 2023
    November 2023
    October 2023
    September 2023
    August 2023
    July 2023
    June 2023
    May 2023
    April 2023
    March 2023
    February 2023
    January 2023
    December 2022
    November 2022
    October 2022
    September 2022
    August 2022
    July 2022
    June 2022
    May 2022
    April 2022
    March 2022
    February 2022
    January 2022
    December 2021
    November 2021
    October 2021
    September 2021
    August 2021
    July 2021
    June 2021
    May 2021
    April 2021
    March 2021
    February 2021
    January 2021
    December 2020
    November 2020
    October 2020
    September 2020
    August 2020
    July 2020
    June 2020
    May 2020
    April 2020
    March 2020
    February 2020
    January 2020
    December 2019
    November 2019
    October 2019
    September 2019
    August 2019
    July 2019
    June 2019
    May 2019
    April 2019
    March 2019
    February 2019
    January 2019
    December 2018
    November 2018
    October 2018
    September 2018
    August 2018
    July 2018
    June 2018
    May 2018
    April 2018
    March 2018
    February 2018
    January 2018
    December 2017
    November 2017
    October 2017
    September 2017
    August 2017
    July 2017
    June 2017
    May 2017
    April 2017
    March 2017
    February 2017
    January 2017
    December 2016
    November 2016
    October 2016
    September 2016
    August 2016
    July 2016
    June 2016

    Categories

    All
    2 Minute Teaching Tips
    Active Listening
    Composer Focus
    Composition
    Duets
    Ear Training
    Easter
    Fall/Halloween
    Free Stuff
    Friday Funny
    Games
    Group Classes
    Holiday Music
    Lesson Planning
    Living Composers
    Memorization
    Music For One Hand
    Music History
    Musicianship Monthly
    NFMC Selections
    Online Lessons
    Patriotic Music
    Performing
    Pop Arrangements
    Practicing
    Professional Development
    Repertoire
    Rhythm
    Rote Teaching
    Saint Patrick's Day
    Sight Reading
    Sports Themed Resources
    Summer
    Summer Challenge Calendars
    Technique
    Technology
    Thanksgiving
    Theory
    Tips For Teens
    Transposition
    Travel Teaching
    Valentine's Day
    Wedding Music
    Young Beginners

    RSS Feed

    Subscribe to my monthly newsletter to stay informed about my latest publications and free teacher resources. Once you subscribe below, a fresh newsletter will be delivered to your inbox on the first of each month!

    *Your email will never be shared or used for any other purpose besides this once-monthly newsletter, and you may unsubscribe at any time by clicking "unsubscribe" at the bottom of your newsletter email. 

Subscribe
 © ​Copyright 2016-2025 Chrissy Ricker. All Rights Reserved.
Photos from hyekab25, Giancarlo - Foto 4U, geraldbrazell, djordjemiladinovich, Rosmarie Voegtli, barnimages.com, brownpau, magicatwork, wuestenigel