Unit Plan 11 (Grade 6 Orchestra): Improvisation—Pitch Sets & Mood
Grade 6 orchestra unit builds improvisation skills using pitch sets and rhythm to create mood-based melodies with steady beat and expression.
Focus: Improvise short melodies using limited pitch sets (open strings and first/second finger patterns) to match a clear expressive goal or mood.
Grade Level: 6
Subject Area: Orchestra (Improvisation • Expression • Pitch Sets/Scales)
Total Unit Duration: 5 sessions (one week), 50–60 minutes per session
I. Introduction
In this unit, Grade 6 orchestra students explore improvisation in a safe, structured way using limited pitch sets they already know (open strings and first/second finger patterns). They learn how to choose a mood word (bright, gentle, mysterious, excited) and then match that mood with pitch choice, rhythm, and bow style in short improvised phrases. Through call-and-response games, guided practice, and simple frameworks, students discover that improvisation is not “random playing” but making intentional choices that fit a musical goal.
Essential Questions
- How can I use a small set of notes (pitch set) to create music that fits a specific mood?
- What is the difference between random notes and a purposeful improvised melody?
- How do rhythm, bowing, and tone help communicate an expressive goal?
- How can I improvise confidently while still listening and fitting in with the ensemble?
II. Objectives and Standards
Learning Objectives — Students will be able to:
- Improvise simple melodic and rhythmic ideas using limited pitch sets (open strings and first/second finger patterns) with a steady beat.
- Choose an expressive goal or mood (e.g., bright, gentle, mysterious, excited) and create short improvised phrases that match it.
- Use basic rhythmic values (quarters, eighths, half notes, simple patterns) to organize their improvisation.
- Demonstrate ensemble awareness by listening and leaving space when others improvise.
- Perform a short Improvisation—Pitch Sets & Mood Showcase, explaining how their musical choices matched their expressive goal.
Standards Alignment — Grade 6 Orchestra (custom, NAfME-style)
- OR:Cr1.6a — Improvise simple melodic and rhythmic ideas using limited pitch sets (open strings and first/second finger patterns) and steady rhythms to match a given expressive goal.
- Example: Students improvise a 4–8 beat melody using D major finger patterns to sound “bright” or “gentle.”
Success Criteria — Student Language
- I can use a small set of notes (pitch set) to make my own short melody.
- I can keep a steady beat while I improvise.
- I can choose a mood (happy, calm, mysterious, etc.) and make my improvisation sound like that mood.
- I can listen and respond to others while they improvise, not just play over them.
- I can explain how my pitch and rhythm choices matched my expressive goal.