Unit Plan 15 (Grade 7 Orchestra): Revision Studio—Intonation & Playability

Focus: Refine created music using clear criteria—accuracy, intonation, playability, bow control, and expressive clarity—and document revisions with explanations of how each change improves performance.

Grade Level: 7

Subject Area: Orchestra (Composition Revision • Technique • Musicianship)

Total Unit Duration: 5 sessions (one week), 50–60 minutes per session

I. Introduction

In this unit, Grade 7 orchestra students become editors of their own music. Using short compositions or melodies from earlier units, they apply intention-based revision criteria—focusing on accuracy, intonation, playability, bow control, and expressive clarity—to make their pieces sound better and feel more natural to play. Students learn to spot awkward finger patterns, difficult bowings, and unclear phrasing, then experiment with concrete fixes. The week culminates in a Revision Studio Share, where students demonstrate before/after versions of a passage and explain how their changes improved intonation and playability.

Essential Questions

• How can intonation, bowings, and playability make the difference between a piece that is frustrating and one that feels great to play?
• What criteria can we use to evaluate and refine our own music instead of just “liking” or “not liking” it?
• How do changes to finger patterns, shifts, rhythms, and bowings affect intonation and ease of playing?
• Why is it important to document and explain revisions when improving a composition or part?

II. Objectives and Standards

Learning Objectives — Students will be able to:

1. Use a clear set of revision criteria (accuracy, intonation, playability, bow control, expressive clarity) to evaluate a short composition or passage.
2. Identify passages that cause intonation problems, awkward shifts, or bow control issues, and propose specific revisions.
3. Revise musical ideas (notes, rhythms, fingerings, bowings, dynamics/phrasing) to improve playability while preserving core musical intent.
4. Document revisions clearly on the page and write a brief explanation of why each change was made.
5. Present a before-and-after example to peers, demonstrating how revisions improved intonation, ease of playing, and expressive clarity.

Standards Alignment — Grade 7 Orchestra (custom, NAfME-style)

• OR:Cr3.7a — Evaluate and refine created music using criteria (accuracy, intonation, playability, bow control, expressive clarity), documenting revisions and explaining changes.
  • Example: Students revise a passage to improve intonation and explain how the change reduced awkward shifts.

Success Criteria — Student Language

• I can use specific criteria (accuracy, intonation, playability, bow control, expressive clarity) to evaluate my music.
• I can spot trouble spots that make intonation or bow control difficult.
• I can change notes, fingerings, or bowings to make my piece easier to play while keeping its main idea.
• I can write down my revisions clearly so the new version is understandable.
• I can show and explain how my before-and-after versions sound and feel different.