| Course Number: | EDX 5710 S06 |
| Instructor: | Elizabeth "Betsy" Greene, |
| Location: | Asynchronous Online |
| Dates and Times: | Jan 20 - Mar 24, 2026. Six 1-hour meetings online: Tuesdays, 6-7pm Eastern Jan. 20, Jan. 27, Feb. 3, Feb. 10, Mar. 3, and Mar. 10, 2026 |
| Credits: | 1.5 Graduate Credits |
| Tuition: | Set by and payable to MusicCOMP |
Begin by learning classroom-ready activities which follow the eight part workout from First Steps in Music and integrate the Orff approach while gaining a better understanding of how to integrate these two approaches. Next, learn how to lesson plan using First Steps in Music with Orff Schulwerk and to develop your own integrated activities to use in your teaching. Additional topics include culturally responsive teaching and student-centered learning with First Steps in Music and Orff Schulwerk. Prior First Steps in Music and/or Orff Schulwerk experience is highly recommended but not required.
Audience: Elementary Music Educators with a Bachelor's Degree
Course Goals:
Course Objectives:
Instructional Sequence
Week 1 - Online 6-7 pm: Introduction: First Steps in Music and Orff Schulwerk; The Workout The Orff Extensions. Read Article #1 and submit journal entry under readings; Read the Introduction, Pitch Exploration/Vocal Warm-Up from required text and submit journal entry under Work Out.
Week 2 - Online 6-7 pm: Creating Orff Extensions - process and goal; How to fit into the Workout ; Lesson Planning Introduction; Choosing repertoire. Read Articles #2 and #5 and submit journal entries under readings. Read Fragment Singing, Simple Songs and submit journal entry under Work Out.
Week 3 - Online 6-7 pm: Creating lessons from the Repertoire; Student agency and Culturally Responsive teaching. Read Arioso and Song Tales and submit journal entries under Work Out. Read Articles #3 and #4 and submit journal entries under readings.
Week 4 - Online 6-7 pm: Pitch Exploration Fragment Singing; Simple Songs; Arioso. Read Movement Exploration, Movement for Form and Expression, and Beat Motion Activities then submit journal entries under Work Out.
Week 5 - Online 6-7 pm: Song Tales; Movement Exploration; Movement for Form and Expression; Beat Motion Activities. Work on Final Project due March 24, 2026.
Week 6 - Online 6-7 pm: Implementation - putting it all together. Complete Final Project due March 24, 2026.
Required Text: (no other text exists regarding this topic - it is definitive)
First Steps in Music with Orff Schulwerk: Sing, Say, Dance, Play by Brandon, Greene, Grimsby, Knapp, Tranberg. GIA Publications: 2017 G-9355
Required Readings:
Hughes, M. (2022, August 29). Who's who and what's what. Music ConstructED. https://www.musicconstructed.com/tool/whos-who-and-whats-what/
Economidou Stavrou, N. (2024). Embracing diversity through differentiated instruction in music education. Frontiers in Education, 9, Article 1501354. https://doi.org/10.3389/feduc.2024.1501354
Pridmore, C. (2025, March 3). What is Orff Schulwerk process? Teaching With Orff. https://teachingwithorff.com/what-is-orff-schulwerk-process/
Boler, V. (2021, April 21). Types of borduns in elementary general music. Teaching With Orff. https://teachingwithorff.com/types-of-borduns-in-elementary-general-music/
McQueen, R. (2022). Enhancing student agency in the primary music classroom through culturally responsive practice. Teachers and Curriculum, 22(2), 89–98. https://eric.ed.gov/?id=EJ1367776 (link to full text: https://files.eric.ed.gov/fulltext/EJ1367776.pdf)
Elizabeth "Betsy" Greene
(802) 373-0730
(802) 468-1325
This course requires registration with MusicCOMP first. Click on the Register Now! button below. Once you register with MusicCOMP, MusicCOMP will then give you the university credit registration link.