Roses are Red:
An Orff Inspired Valentine

Lesson Process

Learning the Song

• Speak the full poem for students. Then have them repeat it phrase by phrase until they learn it.
• Using the same process, sing the full song for students and then have them echo by phrase to learn the song.
• Introduce bordun pattern by having students pat the pattern on their legs while they sing.
• Move some students to the instruments and have them play the bordun pattern while the rest of the class sings.

Question and Answer in a Circle

• Have students sit in a circle and tell them to think of their favorite Valentine’s day candy.
• Introduce a question and answer with students.
  • Sing your question on the pitches Sol and Mi: “What’s your favorite candy?” and students can reply with “I love chocolate,” “I love M&Ms,” and so on.
  • Give them several examples so that they are sure of the process before you proceed.

• Sing a question and answer with students, going around the circle so that each student gets a chance to answer the question.
• Several students can stay on the BX and BM to play the bordun and keep the beat.
• Sing the question and answer with 3 or 4 students and then sing the “Roses are Red” song again as a refrain. Do this AB pattern (refrain – Q&A) until you get all the way around the circle.

Next Steps

Word Chain and AB Form

• In a later lesson, come back to the refrain (Roses are Red) and sing it with students.
• Students should sit in duets, trios, or small groups. Then have students brainstorm their favorite types of candy.
• Give them a few minutes to write out the names of their favorite candy.
• Show students how to create a short word chain out of the candy names. For example, you could have something like

• Have them piece together their own word chain in their small group.
• Play the bordun pattern for students while they practice saying their word chain.
• As a final form, students sing the A – refrain of “Roses are Red” and then let each small group speak their word chain as a B section while you play the bordun.  Alternate A and B until each group gets the chance to speak their word chain.
• As a further extension, each small group could clap or pat the rhythm of their candy word chain.

National Standards Addressed:

 Creating:

Anchor Standard #3. Refine and complete artistic work.

Evaluate and Refine Plan and Make Enduring Understanding: Musicians evaluate, and refine their work through openness to new ideas, persistence, and the application of appropriate criteria.

Essential Question: How do musicians improve the quality of their creative work?

Performing:

Anchor Standard 5: Develop and refine artistic techniques and work for presentation.

Enduring Understanding: To express their musical ideas, musicians analyze, evaluate, and refine their performance over time through openness to new ideas, persistence, and the application of appropriate criteria.

Essential Question: How do musicians improve the quality of their performance?

For more inspiration and encouragement, visit David’s website – Make Moments Matter