Research Best PracticesInstrumental Language and ICT Resources

Content and Language Integrated Learning

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RESEARCH BEST PRACTICES

INSTRUMENTAL LANGUAGE AND ICT RESOURCES

FOR

CONTENT AND INTEGRATED LANGUAGE LEARNING

An Educational Proposal by Jorge Agost Prades

CONTENT: Music/English

LEVEL: Secondary – 1st ESO

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Research Best Practices CLIL and ICT Grouphttp://www.uv.es/clilUniversity of Valencia

Copyleft, 2016 – Jorge Agost Prades

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Table of content

BASIC DESCRIPTORS............................................................................................................. i

UNIT DESCRIPTORS......................................................................................................................... i

LESSON DESCRIPTORS................................................................................................................. vi

ABSTRACT............................................................................................................................... x

CONTENT................................................................................................................................. 1

THE ORCHESTRA............................................................................................................................. 1

Strings................................................................................................................................................................ 1

Woodwinds......................................................................................................................................................3

Brass................................................................................................................................................................... 6

Percussion........................................................................................................................................................7

GLOSSARY (A – Z)................................................................................................................ 11

INDEX..................................................................................................................................... 13

APPENDIXES......................................................................................................................... 14

SELF-ASSESSMENT............................................................................................................. 16

DOUBLE BLIND PEER REVIEW........................................................................................ 18

FIRST REVIEWER.......................................................................................................................... 18

SECOND REVIEWER.......................................................................................................................................18

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BASIC DESCRIPTORS

UNIT DESCRIPTORSEducational Level(s) 1st ESOArea(s) MUSIC/ENGLISHUnit(s) THE ORCHESTRAL INSTRUMENTS

Number of Lesson(s) 5

Benjamin Britten introduces to you the Orchestra.

Blow through the reed! The Woodwinds. Blow through the mouthpiece! The Brass. Bow and pluck the Strings. Percussionists: Always hitting

everywhere!Student Learning Outcomes (4Cs Framework)Content Instrument families and subfamilies.

Instrument names and characteristics. Visual and aural identification of the orchestral

instruments. The origin of the instruments sound: the vibration.

How they produce the vibration. Sound characteristics.

Cognition Cognitive skills: Identify (visual and aural) and classify.

Information processing skills: search, sort out, select and investigate data on the internet, worksheets and booklets.

Learning strategies: ask questions to their classmates and his/her teacher, taking notes, team work.

Aural skills: auditory discrimination of different tones.

Technology research tools: students use technology to locate, evaluate and collect information from a variety of sources.

Culture Co-operative work. Pair work / Group work. Interest in knowing the principal orchestral

instruments and its characteristics. Interest in watching and listening to classical

music, concretely, concerts or interpretations. How to behave in a concert: manners and

traditions.Communication Language for the Topic AND for InteractionContentOf (What)

Musical families: string, wind, Percussion, Woodwinds, Brass, idiophone and membranophones.

Musical instruments: violin, viola, cello, double

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bass, flute, piccolo, oboe, English horn, French horn, …

Technical words regarding instruments: reed, mouthpiece, bow, string, …

Sound characteristics: pitch, duration, loudness, tone, tune, …

Adjectives related to sound: shrill, mellow, full, powerful, light, bright, etc.

Verbs: play, blow, drum, conduct, compose, interpret, tongue…

Meta-cognition &Grammar SystemFor (How to)

Content:o Comparatives: The bassoon is bigger than

the oboe.o Description: It is…, It has got, …o Present simple.o Passives (only readed).o Questions: How many instruments are in the

Woodwinds?, Is the trumpet a string instrument?, etc.

o etc. Classroom management: I don’t know, Can you

repeat, please?, I don’t understand, etc.CognitionThrough (Why)

Interaction teacher – student. Interaction student – student. Interaction group – student. Interaction machine – student.

Key competences (Knowledge, Skills and Attitudes) for Lifelong Learning (EU Act)01 Communication in the mother tongue02 Communication in foreign languages03 Mathematical competence and basic competences in science and

technology04 Digital competence05 Learning to learn06 Social and civic competences07 Sense of initiative and entrepreneurship08 Cultural awareness and expressionTeaching Objectives

Show to the learners the different instrument families and subfamilies. Explain how each family produce the vibration needed to sound. Introduce the orchestral instruments, classifying them by families and

subfamilies; and Practice the visual and aural identification of the instruments taught

before.Assessment CriteriaHetero When the teacher has to assess their students s/he will

take into account the following criteria: Being able to sort out the orchestral instruments by

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families and subfamilies. Knowing how each family produce the vibration. Being capable of explaining how that vibration is

produced. Knowing all the orchestral instruments and their

general characteristics. Identify visually and aurally the orchestral

instruments. Being capable of identify aurally the orchestral

instruments when they are playing alone. Knowing the key vocabulary in English, Spanish

and Valencian. Being able to work in a group and in pair. Participate in all the activities.

Initial Check the student’s initial and previous knowledge by doing a questionnaire at home before the lesson in order to get the PDF worksheet uploaded in “AulaVirtual”. If they don't pass the test, they won't be able to get the worksheet we are going to use during the lessons.

Continuous Analyse their group and pair work. Analyse their ability to “learn to learn”. Analyse their aural discrimination development.

Final Interactive form including:o Families and subfamilies questions.o Instrument questions.o Questions about how the instruments

sound.o Aural and visual identification of the

orchestral families and instruments.Self-Assessment Make the students fill a self-assessment

questionnaire about the goals they think they have achieved and how they have felt during the learning process.

Materials Primary Interactive PDF worksheets.

Families name puzzles, Cardboard instruments and cardboard blank Orchestramap.

Webpage on purpose. Computers, Smartphones or tablets. projector speakers, as well as an earphone or headphone per

student.Secondary Blackboard.

Chalk. Pens. Paper.

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OthersResourcesPrimary Youtube Lesson 1 – Benjamin Britten introduces to you

the Orchestra: Britten: The Young Person's Guide to the

Orchestra - English Chamber Orchestra / Mark Laycock (1/2)

Britten: The Young Person's Guide to the Orchestra - English Chamber Orchestra / Mark Laycock(2/2)

Lesson 2 - Blow through the reeds! The Woodwinds:

Flute: Ravel – Daphnis et Chloe Suite 2. Piccolo: Tchaikovsky – Symphony no. 4,

3 rd movement. Oboe: Brahms – Violin Concerto, 2 nd

movement. English horn: Dvorak – Symphony no. 9

(New World Symphony), 2 nd movement . Clarinet: Gershwin – Rhapsody in blue. Bass Clarinet: Ferde Grofé – Grand

Canyon Suite, 3 rd movement: On the trail. (Excerpt)

Piccolo Clarinet: Ravel – Bolero. Bassoon: Stravisky – The rite of Spring,

part 1: The adoration of the Earth. Contrabassoon: Ravel – Ma mère l’Oye

Suite, 4 th movement: Les entretienes de la Belle et de la Bête.

Soprano Saxophone: Ravel – Bolero. Alto Saxophone: Tenor Saxophone: Ravel – Bolero.

Lesson 3 - Blow through the mouthpieces!! The Brass:

Trumpet: Mahler – Symphony no. 5, 1st movement.

Horn: Tchaikovsky – Symphony no. 5, 2 nd movement.

Trombone: Mahler – Symphony no. 3, 1st movement.

Tuba: Gershwin – An American in Paris.Lesson 4 - Bow and pluck the Strings.

Violin: Strauss – Ein Hendenleben. Viola: Enescu – Rumanian Rhapsody no.

1. Cello: Shostakovich – Symphony no. 15,

2 nd movement. Double bass: Milhaud – Le creation du

Monde.

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Harp: Tchaikovsky – Nutcracker Suite – Waltz of the Flowers.

Lesson 5 - Percussionists: Always hitting everywhere!

Timpani: Strauss – Also Sprach Zarathustra.

Snare Drum: Ravel – Bolero. Xylophone: Gershwin – Porgy and Bess

Suite. Bass drum and cymbals: Tchaikovsky –

Symphony no. 4, 4 th movement. Castanets: G. Gimenez – La boda de Luis

Alonso, Intermedio. Tambourine: Dvorak – Carnival

Overture.Lessons 2, 3, 4 and 5:

Philarmonia Orchestra : Instrument Guide.

Internet Berliner Philarmoniker Webpage. Vienna Symphonic library. http://www.uv.es/clil/ePortfolio/

html/jorapra.htmlKahoot! Warm up test at the beginning of the

lessons 2, 3,4 and 5 in order to evaluate their initial knowledge learn at the first introductory lesson.

Secondary Spotify Album: Britten: Young Person’s Guide to the Orchestra (The) / Peter Grimes: 4 Sea-Interludes.

Others Spotify Album: Prokofiev: Peter and the Wolf / Britten: Young Person’s Guide to the Orchestra (Children’s Classics)

Album: Prokofiev: Peter And The Wolf / Britten: The Young Person’s Guide To The Orchestra .

Final Task(s) Going to a concert and listen to a symphonic Orchestra, try to identify

the sound of the instruments explained during the unit and behave politeness.

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LESSON DESCRIPTORSUnit THE ORCHESTRAL INSTRUMENTSLesson 1 Benjamin Britten introduces to you the OrchestraLearning Outcomes (4Cs Framework)Content Introduction to the instrument families and subfamilies.

Introduction to the instrument names and characteristics. Begin to identify visual and aurally of the orchestral

instruments. Know how the instruments produce the vibration (by

blowing, bowing, plucking, etc.). Refresh some sound characteristics.

Communication

Vocabulary:o Musical families and subfamilies.o Musical instruments.o Technical words regarding instruments.o Sound characteristics and verbs related to how to

play an instrument. Grammar and structures:

o Comparatives.o Descriptions.o Present simple.o Questions.o Classroom management.

Interactions:o Teacher – Student.o Student – Student.o Group – Student.o Machine - Student

Cognition Cognitive skills: Identify (visual and aural) and classify. Information processing skills: search, sort out, select and

investigate data on the internet, worksheets and booklets. Learning strategies: ask questions to their classmates and

his/her teacher, taking notes, team work. Aural skills: auditory discrimination of different tones.

Culture Co-operative work: Group work and pair group. Interest in knowing the principal orchestral instruments

and its characteristics. Interest in watching and listening to classical music,

concretely, concerts or interpretations. How to behave in a concert: manners and traditions.

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Introduction In this lesson, we are going to introduce the orchestral instruments and their families with the Britten’s “Young Person’s guide to the Orchestra”. In previous units, we have already introduced the sound characteristics, so they would be able to classify intuitively some sound characteristics of each instrument family or instrument. We also want to introduce them the aural discrimination of the instruments and obviously, their visual identification.

ActivitiesRevision Check the student’s initial and previous knowledge by

doing a questionnaire at home before the lesson in order to get the PDF worksheet uploaded in “AulaVirtual”.

Warm up Activities

Split randomly the students in 4 groups using the webpage https://echaloasuerte.com/.

Choose randomly a group speaker using the same webpage in order to represent the group.

Give them a puzzle with an instrument family or subfamily name (Wind: Woodwinds, Brass; Strings and Percussion).

Solve the puzzle in order to know which family or subfamily they have to work during the lesson.

Main Activities

Give each group a cardboard instrument set with all the instruments of the Orchestra.

Choose in groups the correct instruments of their family. Check they have chosen the correct instruments. The group

speaker chose randomly has to tell their classmates what instruments have chosen their group and why.

Make the students listen in the Britten’s webpage to their family or subfamily instruments in order to become familiar with them.

Make them choose a specific instrument in pairs or trios. Find information (in pairs or trios) related to the

instruments they have chosen in their worksheet and on the Internet (http://www.uv.es/clil/ePortfolio/html/jorapra.html and at the Vienna Symphonic Library webpage), writing down some characteristics and how they produce the sound.

Search in the Berliner Philarmoniker the name of one soloist (player in case they get the Percussion section), write it down and download a picture of s/he.

Finally, make the pairs (or trios) explain to his/her classmates the main characteristics of his/her instrument and tell the name of the Berliner Philarmoniker player they have chosen.

Create a mural with the cardboard instruments, the cardboard blank Orchestra map, the characteristics they have written down and a picture of the Berliner Philarmoniker player.

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Want to Know

Students should become familiar with the instrument families and subfamilies in order to get focused on them individually the following lessons

They should also be able to know the instrument names and some important characteristics about them.

Reinforcement

We are going to keep focused on the instrument families and subfamilies in the following lessons, so at this point, reinforcement actions wouldn’t be necessary at all.

AssessmentHetero The teacher will take into account the following criteria:

Being able to sort out the Orchestral instruments by families and subfamilies.

Knowing the name of all the orchestral instruments. Identify visually the orchestral instruments and beginning

to identify them aurally, or at least being able to identify which family it belongs.

Being able to work in a group and in pair. Participate in all the activities.

Initial Check the student’s initial and previous knowledge by doing a questionnaire at home before the lesson in order to get the PDF worksheet uploaded in “AulaVirtual”.

Continuous Analyse their group and pair work. Analyse their ability to “learn to learn”. Analyse their aural discrimination development.

Final Interactive form including:o Families and subfamilies questions.o Some basic instrument questions.o Questions about how the instruments sound (wind,

bow, pluck, hit, etc.)Self-Assessment

No needed at the moment.

Reflections MaterialsPrimary Interactive PDF worksheets.

Families name puzzles, Cardboard instruments And cardboard blank Orchestra map.

Webpage on purpose. Computers, Smartphones or tablets. projector speakers, as well as an earphone or headphone per student.

Secondary Blackboard. Chalk. pens. paper.

OthersResources

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Primary Youtube

Britten: The Young Person's Guide to the Orchestra - English Chamber Orchestra / Mark Laycock (1/2)

Britten: The Young Person's Guide to the Orchestra - English Chamber Orchestra / Mark Laycock(2/2)

Internet

Berliner Philarmoniker Webpage. http://www.uv.es/clil/ePortfolio/html/

jorapra.html Vienna Symphonic Library

Secondary Spotify Album: Britten: Young Person’s Guide to the Orchestra (The) / Peter Grimes: 4 Sea-Interludes.

Others Spotify Album: Prokofiev: Peter and the Wolf / Britten: Young Person’s Guide to the Orchestra (Children’s Classics)

Album: Prokofiev: Peter And The Wolf / Britten: The Young Person’s Guide To The Orchestra .

Cross Curricular LearningUnit(s) No cross curricular learning in this lesson.Observations

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ABSTRACTThe main aim on this unit is to explain the Orchestra and the instruments which play in it. I tried to do it by recycling online information, videos and tracks. This information is taught in small snippets by using a webpage made on purpose. That webpage has content, videos and audios which teaches the student gradually. This webpage, the Vienna Symphony Library webpage and Berliner Philarmoniker webpage are going to be the student sources to learn that Unit. Regarding the didactic I’m going to apply group work, to improve the speaking skills; and focus on the “learn to learn“ and the digital competences. I have also chosen a huge number of videos in order to develop their listening skills. Finally, I think that the webpage made on purpose could give me the chance to apply the flip lesson model to that unit, if I am keen on it.

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Research Best Practices Dr. Jose Saiz Molina

CONTENT

THE ORCHESTRAThe Orchestra is a large instrumental ensemble composed by instrument of different families and subfamilies. It’s usually composed by string instruments, Woodwinds, Brass and Percussion instruments, grouped in sections. Other instruments can play in the Orchestra, such as the piano, the celesta, etc. but that’s unusual. The number of musicians depends on the instrumentation, which is the number of instruments which the composer chose when s/he composed the piece. The number of musicians which play in an Orchestra fluctuate between 20 and 120 in the larger instrumentations of the XIX and XX centuries.

At the beginning, the firsts Orchestras (Baroque period) were very small, they were small and the only Woodwinds instruments which played were the Flute, the Oboe, the Bassoons and Trumpets or/and Horns occasionally. The only Percussioninstrument played was the timpani. In the classical period the clarinet were added to that list and the horns and trumpets finally played regularly. In the romantic period appeared the Trombones, the Tuba and the Harp. There were other instruments of the families which joined to the group, such as the Piccolo, the English Horn, the Contrabassoon, etc., the Percussion section grew, adding the Bass Drum, the Snare Drum, the Tam-Tam, etc. and other instruments also joined, like the Piano, the Celesta, etc.

The Orchestras are usually led by a conductor who directs the performance moving his arms and using a baton. Her/his task is to unify the Orchestra , set the tempo and look for an orchestral sound or timbre.

The first Violin is called Concertmaster, and s/he also has to lead the musicians. Regarding the wind section, the first Oboe is the leader as well as the Timpani in the Percussion section.

StringsThe String section is the largest part of the classical Orchestra. It’s normally formed by Violins, divided in first and second Violins; Violas, Cellos and Double Basses. The only difference between the first and the second Violins is that the musical lines are different.

The String instruments produce their sound by bowing, plucking or hitting them. The Strings which play in an Orchestra are usually drawn with a bow (Violin, Viola, Cello and Double Bass) or plucked with the fingers (Harp), although the bowed instruments can also be plucked by using a technique called Pizzicato. All the String instruments of the Orchestra, unless the Harp, have a resonance chamber, which is a wood hollow area. The vibrations are transmitted to the body of the instrument and are amplified due to the resonance chamber.

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The Violin

The Violin is the highest-pitched instrument of the String section. It consists of three main parts: the body, the neck and the head. The body is made of slow-growing wood and the neck and the head of maple. It is usually played with a bow, which is a curved wooden rod with horsehair stretched between the two ends. Its tension can be adjusted with a screw. It has four Strings and they are tuned in perfect fifths beginning with G. The Violin Strings are G3, D4, A4 and E5.

The violin player usually produce the sound by drawing the bow across the Strings, but it can be played by plucking the Strings with the fingers (Pizzicato technique). It is pitched in the key of C and notated in treble clef. Its playing range starts at the G3 and the highest note you can play is the A7. The Violin timbre depends on a combination of factors: the string, the point of contact of the bow, the drawing speed and the bow pressure. According to that the G string is dark and sonorous, the D string is full and mellow, the A string is more mellow than the D string and the E string is lustrous, bright and metallic.

The Viola

The Viola is constructed using the same components as the Violin, the only difference is which it is larger. As well as the Violin, it is usually played with a similar bow as the Violin bow. It has four Strings and they are tuned in perfect fifths beginning with C. The four Strings are C3, G3, D4 and A4. It has a lower and deeper sound than the Violin.

The viola player produce the sound like the Violin player, and s/he can also play Pizzicatos. It is pitched in the key of C and notated in alto clef and sometimes in treble clef. Its playing range starts at the C3 and the highest note you can play is the A6. The Viola timbre also depends on the same factors as the Violin timbre. According to that the C string is powerful, clear, rich and dark, the G string is weaker and project less than the G Violin string, like the D string; while the A string is penetrating, nasal, rough and distinctive.

The Cello

The Cello is constructed using the same components as the Violin and the Viola, but it is larger than them. As well as the Violin and the Viola, it is usually played with a similar bow. It has four Strings and they are tuned in perfect fifths beginning with C. They are C2, G2, D3 and A3. It sounds an octave lower than the Viola.

The cello player produce the sound like the Violin player, and s/he can also play Pizzicatos. It is pitched in the key of C and it can be notated in bass clef, tenor clef or treble clef. Its playing range starts at the C2 and the highest note you can play is the A5. The sound of the C string is dark and powerful, the G string has a lack of power, the D string is more musical and soulful and the A string has a bright, shrill, incisive and dominant sound.

The Double Bass

The Double Bass is the lowest-pitched instrument of the String section. It is a hybrid between the Viola da Gamba and the Violin. It is played with a bow or with the fingers. It has four Strings and as a difference with the other String instruments 2

they are tuned in perfect fourths beginning with E, and their tunes are E 1, A1, D2

and G2. It is the only transporting string instrument, because it sounds an octave deeper than it is written.

It can be played with the bow or the fingers. It is pitched in the key of C and notated in bass clef. Its playing range starts at the E1 and the highest note you can play is the G4. The Double Bass timbre is full and dark in its E Strings, while the A string is clearer and more precise. The D and G Strings are more powerful and darker than the Cello’s ones.

The Harp

The Harp is one of the oldest instruments. It has three important components: the soundbox, the neck and the Strings. It has 47 Strings made of gut, steel, copper and nylon. They are tuned diatonically in C major. They change the string tune by using seven pedals located at the bottom part of the Harp. If the Harpist moved the C pedal down, all the C notes of the Harp would get flat. The left pedals changes B, C and D Strings while the right pedal changes the rest of Strings. The Harpist can only change one pedal of each group of pedals while s/he is playing. The C Strings are red whereas the F Strings are black.

It is played by plucking the string with the fingers, and there are several techniques for doing it. It is pitched in the key of C and as well as the Piano it is notated in two staffs one in treble clef and the another in bass clef. Its playing range starts at the C-flat1 and the highest note you can play is the G-sharp7. Its lower register has a long resonance, whilst the middle register is brilliant and warm. The upper register is very bright, short and penetrating.

WoodwindsThe Woodwind section is usually formed by two Flutes, two Oboes, two Clarinets and two Bassoons, although it can reach until five players per instrument in huge compositions. Some instruments of the family can be added or be doubled by a musician, like the Piccolo in the Flutes, the English Horn in the Oboes, the Bass Clarinet and the Piccolo Clarinet in the Clarinets; and the Contrabassoons in the Bassons. These instruments make the section more colourful and rich in timbres.

There are two types of Woodwinds: the Flute and the Reed instruments, even though all them produce the sound by blowing them. The Flute family does not have Reed and it produces the vibration by blowing in its embouchure hole. The Reed instruments are divided in two subfamilies: the Single-reed instruments and the Double-reed instruments. The Single-reed instruments produce the sound by placing a big reed onto the opening part of a mouthpiece. The Single-reed instruments are: the Clarinet family and, exceptionally in the Orchestra, the Saxophone family. Regarding the Double-reed instruments, they use a cane folded double wrapped on a metal tube. When the doubled cane is cut, it provides two precisely canes. The Double-reed instruments are: the Oboe and the Bassoon family.

The Flute

The Flute belongs to the Woodwind section, concretely to the instruments which no need a reed in order to make them sound. They are made of nickel silver or

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combine some metals, although it can be made completely of wood, silver, gold or platinum. Despite nowadays it is made of metal or precious metal, it belongs to the Woodwind family because originally it was made of wood. The cylindrical body contains most of the tone holes and the keys.

The flute player produce the sound by blowing into the embouchure hole. It is pitched in the key of C and notated in treble clef and its playing range goes from C4

to C7, although nowadays they can play the B3 when a B foot is attached to the instruments. In the low register the notes can sound dull, dry and hollow, which gives them a melancholy character, whilst the middle register is mellow, light, bright and rich. The upper register is brilliant and can be penetrating and shrill.

The Piccolo

The Piccolo is a member of the transverse flute family and is the highest-pitched wind instrument in the Orchestra. It is can be made of wood (grenadilla or cocus wood) or metal (silver or nickel silver).

The way the Piccolo player produce the sound is the same as in the Flute. Its range is one octave higher than the flute range. As well as the Flute, the low register is dull, hollow and barely audible. The middle register can be delicate and graceful, whereas the upper register is piercing and conspicuous.

The Oboe

The Oboe is a Woodwind instrument which belongs to the Double-reed subfamily. It is played through a reed, which is made by folding a cane double and wrapping it on a metal tube. The body is usually made of grenadilla wood, cocus wood or Brazilian rosewood; while the keys are made of nickel silver, and they also can be made of silver or gold.

The oboe player produce the sound by blowing into the reed. It is pitched in the key of C, notated in treble clef and its playing range goes from B-flat 3 to G6. In the low register the notes are thick, heavy and melancholy, and it is very difficult to play piano in this register. The middle register is bright, forceful and reedy. The upper register is shrill and narrow.

The English Horn

The English Horn is the big brother of the Oboe. The only difference is that the bell is onion shaped and it has a crook where the cane must by placed, unlike the oboe, where you placed it into the tube. It is played like the Oboe and is made of the same materials.

It produces its sound by blowing into the reed, like in the Oboe. It is pitched in the key of F, notated in treble clef. So, it means when it plays a C sounds a G. It is written from B3 (B-flat3 in some instruments) to G6, but it sounds from E3 (E-flat3) to C6. In the low register it sounds warm, intense and rather dull. As well as in the Oboe it is very difficult to play piano in this register. The middle register is versatile, it can express a diverse variety of feelings. The upper register is sharp and insistent.

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The B-flat Clarinet

The Clarinet is a Woodwind instrument which belongs to the Single-reed subfamily. It is played through a mouthpiece with a single reed. The body is usually made of grenadilla wood or ebonite; whilst the keys are made of nickel silver, and they also can be made of silver or gold.

The clarinet player produce the sound by blowing into the mouthpiece. It is usually pitched in the key of B-flat, it means when it plays a C sounds a B-flat, although the A Clarinet is also very common. It is written in treble clef from E3 to C6, but it sounds (B-flat Clarinet) from D3 to B-flat6. In the low register it sounds dark, full, mellow and warm, even more if it is played soft. The middle register is dull and a little weaker than the upper register, whereas the upper register is brilliant, lustrous, bright and compact.

The E-flat Clarinet (Piccolo Clarinet)

The E-flat Clarinet, also called as Piccolo Clarinet, is the small brother of the Clarinet and is the highest instruments of the Clarinet family. The only difference is that it is smaller than the B-flat Clarinet. It is played like the Clarinet and is made of the same materials.

It produces its sound in the same way as the Clarinet. It is pitched in the key of E-flat and notated in treble clef. So, it means when it plays a C sounds a E-flat. It is written in the same range as the B-flat Clarinet, but in real sounds it goes from G3

to D-flat6. The sound characteristics are quite similar as the B-flat clarinet, but it is more piercing and shrill.

The Bass Clarinet

The Piccolo Clarinet is the big brother of the Clarinet, but it is not the biggest one of the family. The differences are that it has a cylindrical crook between the mouthpiece and the body and the bell is angled. It is played like the Clarinet and is made of the same materials.

It produces its sound in the same way as the Clarinet. It is pitched in the key of B-flat, like the B-flat Clarinet, but it sounds one octave deeper. It is notated in treble clef. It is written from E3 to E6, but it sounds it from D2 to D5. In the low register it sounds dark, sonorous, mellow and insistent. The middle register is dull and weak, while the upper register is powerful, full-sounding, bright and brilliant. The highest register sounds narrow, incisive and penetrating.

The Bassoon

The Oboe is a Woodwind instrument which belongs to the Double-reed subfamily. It is played through a reed, which is made by folding a cane double and wrapping it. The body is usually made of maple; while the keys are made of nickel silver or metal.

The bassoon player produce the sound by blowing into the reed. It is pitched in the key of C, notated in bass clef, although the tenor clef is used for highest registers. Its playing range goes from B-flat1 to F5. In the low register the notes are substantial, compact and inconspicuous, whilst the middle register is rich, clear and stately. The upper notes are often felt to sound pressed.

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The Contrabassoon

The Contrabassoon is the biggest instrument of the Woodwind family. The only difference is that it is double bigger than a Bassoon. It is played like the Bassoon and are made of the same materials.

It produces its sound by blowing into the reed, like in the Bassoon. It is pitched in the key of C and notated in treble clef too, but it sounds one octave lower than the Bassoon. It is written from B-flat 1 to C4, but it sounds from B-flat 0 to C3. its low register sounds substantial, sustaining and dark. The middle register is dark, sonorous and powerful, while the upper register is less loud, bright and acerbic.

BrassThe Brass section is usually composed by four Horns, two or three Trumpets, three Trombones and a Tuba. The number of musicians of each instrument can vary, and in some huge instrumentations can be formed by eight Horns, five Trumpets, four Trombones and two Tubas. Some instrument of the family can also be played or double, like the Tenor Horns in the Horn section, the Cornets in the Trumpet family and the Bass Trombone in the Trombone section.

This family produce the sound by blowing in a mouthpiece, which produce a sympathetic vibration of air. In order to produce the different pitches, the Brass instrument have slides, valves or keys which are used to change the length of the metal tube. That produces a different harmonic series allowing the player with the lip tension and the air flow s/he do to play the correct note.

The Horn

The Horn is made by a 3.7 length tube coiled several times. The Horn is made of Brass, gold Brass or nickel silver. The most commonly used are the double Horns, which are in F and in B-flat, it means that the air flow by different tubes depending on the transposition the player use. It has three valves, operated by the left hand. The right hand is placed in the bell, and the player can adjust the intonation with it. The Horn can be played by using a mute, which change its sound, making it smoother.

The hornist make sound the instrument by blowing into a mouthpiece. It is usually pitched in the key of F (although its pitch vary habitually during the performance) and notated in treble clef. It means that when the hornist play a C it sounds a F. It is written from F2 to C6, but it sounds from B1 to F5. Its low register sounds mellow and sonorous when is played piano, whilst when it is played forte it sounds less powerful and expressive than in the upper registers. The middle register is full and resounding, while the upper register is soft as velvet, bright and very intense and brilliant.

The Trumpet

The Trumpet is made by a 65-72 cm length tube coiled form “A” tube. The Trumpet is made of Brass or gold Brass. The most thoroughly used are the C Trumpet and the B-flat Trumpet. It has three valves or three rotary valves (German model), operated by the right hand. The left hand just hold the instrument. As well as the Horn, it can be played with different mutes, which change the typical sound of the Trumpet.6

The trumpet players play by blowing into a mouthpiece, such as the hornists. It is usually pitched in the key of C or B-flat and notated in treble clef. It means that when it is pitched in B-flat, when they play a C it sounds a B-flat. The trumpet range goes from F-sharp3 to C6. Its low register sounds metallic, dark and heroic, whereas the middle register is full, brilliant, rounded and magnificent. The upper register is bright, shrill, penetrating and vivid.

The Trombone

The Trombone is made by a 2.69 m length tube. It is usually made of Brass, nickel silver or gold Brass. The Trombone has a U-shaped movable outer slide, which produces the different sounds. This slide is operated by the right hand. The left hand just hold the instrument and adjust the transposition valve. It can be played with different mutes, which change its sound, like the Horns and the Trumpet.

The Trombone sounds by blowing into a mouthpiece too. Although it is pitched in the key of B-flat, it is written in C and notated in bass clef and tenor clef for the upper register. Its range cover from the E2 to the F5. Its low register sounds dense, dark and weight. The middle register is grave, sustaining and full, while the upper register is brilliant and more mellow.

The Bass Trombone

The Bass Trombone is the Tenor Trombone big brother and the tube length is a bit longer (between 2.69 and 2.9 m). It is made of the same materials and the only difference is only that is a bit bigger than the Tenor Trombone as I said before. It can be also played with different mutes.

The sound is produced in the same way. Although it is pitched in the key of B-flat, it is written in C and notated in bass clef and tenor clef. Its range goes from the B-flat0

to the F5. Its low register has more or less the same characteristics as the Tenor Trombone, but the middle register is darker. The upper register is very difficult to play.

The Tuba

The Tuba is the lowest instrument of the Orchestra beside the Contrabasson. The Tuba is made by a 3.5 -4 m length tube. It is made of gold Brass , nickel silver or gold lacquer and it has 4 to 6 valves which low the pitch between 1 tone, ½ tone or 1½ tones. It can also be played with a huge mute.

The tuba player make it sound by blowing into a mouthpiece. It can be pitched in the key of B-flat, C, F or E-flat. The Tuba range cover from D-1 to G4. Its low register is soft and unobtrusive. The middle register is full-sounding, while the upper register is loud and powerful.

PercussionThe Percussion section of an Orchestra was at the beginning by the Timpani, but step by step the composers added new instruments to the section, such as: Bass Drum, Cymbals, Tambourine, Snare Drum, Triangle, etc. Nowadays, there are a big list of instruments which can be played in the section.

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The Percussion section is divided into: the Definite pitch Percussion, consisting of instruments which can be pitched; and Indefinite pitch Percussion, consisting of all the unpitched instruments. It can also be divided depending on the methods of sound production. This division split the instruments into: Idiophones, which produce sounds through the vibration of their entire body; Membranophones, which produce the sound when the membrane is struck with a hand, mallet, etc.; Chordophones, which are usually defined as String instruments; and Aerophones, which also are usually defined as a Wind instruments.

They produce the vibrations by being struck by a mallet, struck or rubbed by hand or struck against another similar instrument.

The Timpani

The Timpani is the most important Percussion instrument of the Orchestra and it belongs to the membranophone subfamily, being one of the Definite pitch instruments of the section. It has large bowl made of copper and the open top of that bowl is covered by calf or goat skin stretched, called vellum. They have a tuning pedal, which tune the timpani up, increasing or decreasing the tension of the vellum. The number of Timpani played in a piece fluctuate between 2 and 5 and they have different sizes, from 52 cm (piccolo) to 76 cm of diameter (bass).

The Timpani are played with Mallets, which are struck on the vellum. There are different kinds of mallets and they can be made of wood (hard), cork (soft), flannel or hard felt. Depending on the mallet the Timpani will sound different. They are pitched in the key of C, notated in bass clef and their sound range goes from B 1 to C4. The timbre is determined by three factors: what the mallets are made of, where the mallet is struck and how hard the mallet is struck. The soft mallets get a dark sound, whilst the hard mallets are more brilliant and definite. Their sound could be dull, deep, heavy, powerful, resonant, dry and hollow, depending on the way they are played.

The Bass Drum

The Bass Drum is a cylindrical soundbox made of wood and two heads stretched across the open ends of the shell. The head can be tensioned by tighten a screw and are made of calfskin or plastic. It belongs to the membranophones and to the Indefinite pitch subfamily.

The Bass Drum is also played with Mallets, which are struck on the head. They are made soft felt or even of wood. The timbre is composed by: the attack and the resonance. The attack is clear and well define, whereas the resonance has a duration of around 3-4 seconds. Its sound can be: dark, full, resonant, soft and hollow.

The Cymbals

The Cymbals consist of a pair of slightly conical plates with a small aperture in the middle where a leather strap is attached in order to handle them. They are made of Brass wire, sheet Brass, nickel silver or bronze alloys. The sizes fluctuate between 41 to 56 cm and weight between 1.5 and 2.5 Kg per Cymbal. The Cymbals belong to the idiophones subfamily and to the Indefinite pitch subfamily.

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The Cymbals are played by striking one cymbal against the other, although they can be played by striking them with a Mallet (soft or hard, depending on the sound wished). The Cymbals sound is bright, metallic, piercing, harsh and brilliant.

The Tambourine

The Tambourine is a Percussion instrument which belong to the membranophones and to the Indefinite pitch subfamily. It consists of a flat wood hoop (called shell), a head stretched over it and the jingles. The sizes fluctuate between 23 to 35 cm.

The Tambourine is played by striking it with the hand, to make concrete sounds; or by shaken it with the hand to make tremolos. Rarely, it can be played with mallets. Its sound is metallic, bright, brilliant, festive and jingling.

The Triangle

The Triangle is an idiophone and Indefinite pitch Percussion instrument. It consists of bar metal bent into a triangle shape. It is held by a loop of some form of thread or wire at the top curve. The Triangle is usually made by steel or beryllium copper.

The Triangle is played by striking a metal stick on it. Its sound is metallic, resonant and bright.

The Snare Drum

The Snare Drum is a Percussion instrument which belong to the membranophones and to the Indefinite pitch subfamily. It consists of a metal or wood shell, a calfskin or plastic head stretched under and over and 8-18 small Strings made of gut, metal or silk, placed in the bottom head, which are called snares. The Snare Drum size is around 35 cm of diameter.

The Snare Drum sound by striking sticks on his upper head. These sticks are made of Brazil-wood, ebony or lancewood, and have a round or oval tips. Depending on the sticks the sound of the Snare Drum will change. A well know Snare Drum technique is the rolls. Its sound is metallic, bright, hard, penetrating, dry and precise.

The Xylophone

The Xylophone is a Percussion instrument which belong to the idiophones and to the Definite pitch subfamily. It consists of a frame of wood pitched bars which rests on a metal stand which has wheels for ease transport. These bars are made of Rosewood, Japanese birch or synthetic materials. It weighs between 22 and 36 kg, and measures between 83 -95 cm of height.

It is played with Mallets, which are struck on the bars. The mallet heads are made of rubber, wood or plastic. Depending on the mallet the it will sound different. They are pitched in the key of C and notated in treble clef. Their sound range goes from F4 to C8. The timbre of the Xylophone is hard, bright, incisive, penetrating, sharp, precise, dry and piercing.

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The Castanets

The Castanets is a Percussion instrument which belong to the idiophones and to the Indefinite pitch subfamily. It consists of a pair of concave shells joined on one edge by a string. They are held in the hand and played by striking both shells.

The Tam-Tam (Gong)

The Tam-Tam (also called Gong) is a big round convex disc hung on a metal stand. It belongs to the idiophones and to the Indefinite pitch instruments. It is made of bronze or sheet bronze and its size fluctuate between 35 and 170 cm. It is played by striking it with a felt mallet. Its sound is metallic, shrill, brilliant and majestic.

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Research Best Practices Dr. Jose Saiz Molina

GLOSSARY (A – Z)Bell - /b l/ɛ

The flaring end of many instruments such as the clarinet or the French horn is also called a bell.

Blow - /bl /əʊ 1.- Of an instrument or the like, to emit a sound when air is forced through.transitive verb2.- To cause to make a sound by forcing air through.

Bow - /b /əʊA tool made of wood and horsehair used to set the Strings of a bowed string instrument in vibration. The bow was originally curved in the shape of a cycle, but it has been subject to many changes over time.

Crook - /kr k/ʊA curved metal tube that connects the double reed to the body of the bassoon. It is sometimes called bocal.

Double reed - / d b l ri d/ˈ ʌ ə ːA vibrating device in some woodwind instruments that consists of two pieces of cane bound together at the base, and placed so as the thin, upper part of the reeds are almost touching. The player's breath is blown between these two reeds, causing vibration and thus sounding the instrument. Double reeds are used in oboes, bassoons, crumhorns, English horns, etc.

Draw - /dr /ɔːTo move slowly in a certain direction (often followed by near, away, out, into, or toward).

Head - /h d/ɛ1. A tight membrane stretched across the end of a drum that is struck by a stick or mallet to create sounds. Up until the middle of the 20th century, drum heads were made out of animal skin. Today, a plastic material is used.2. The end of sticks used to strike drums. This also refers to mallets with various materials covering the end that strikes the Percussion instrument.

Mallet - / mæl t/ˈ ɪA device used by a Percussion player to strike the instrument. It typically has the appearance of a light hammer with a small, rounded or spherical head used to play certain Percussion instruments

(marimba, xylophone, Orchestra bells, chimes etc.). The head will come in a variety of materials of varying hardness to produce a wide range of timbres on the instrument. Head materials range from soft cloth to yarn to soft or hard rubber to hard wood.

Mouthpiece - / ma pi s/ˈ ʊθˌ ːThe part of a wind instrument that is placed in, on, or by the performer's mouth.

Mute - /mju t/ːA device used to dampen or soften the sound of certain instruments. Mutes are commonly used on most Brassinstruments and many bowed stringed instruments. The type of mutes used on Brass instruments can also change the quality of the sound, so genres such as big band or jazz band can require a performer to have several different mutes for specific sounds.

Pluck - /pl k/ʌTo cause the Strings on a stringed instrument to vibrate by picking or pulling them with fingers or a pick. This is a common means of playing the guitar and similar instruments but also applied to the violin family (pizzicato) and, on occasion, the piano. The harpsichord is also a plucked instrument although it is plucked by a jack rather than the finger.

Reed - /ri d/ːA thin piece of cane, plastic, or metal used as the principal vibrating source many instruments. A single reed vibrating against the mouthpiece of the instrument would be found in the clarinet and saxophone families. Double reeds vibrate against each other and are found in the oboe and bassoon families. A free vibrating reed (that doesn't vibrate against anything) can be found in the harmonium, harmonica, and accordion. Metal reeds are typically only found in the pipe organ, harmonium, harmonica, concertina, bandoneon, and accordion.

Single-reed - / s ŋ l ri d/ˈ ɪ ɡə ːA vibrating device in some woodwind instruments that consists of a piece of cane bound to a mouthpiece by a ligature. The player's breath is blown between the reed and the mouthpiece, causing a

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vibration of the reed and thus sounding the instrument. Common instruments using single reeds today are the clarinet and saxophone families.

Slide - /sla d/ɪ1.- The movable metal tube of a trombone which lengthens or shortens the tubing of the instrument, thus changing the fundamental and harmonic series of the instrument, enabling it to hit each chromatic note of its range.2. The small movable metal tube(s) of a Brass instrument which lengthens or shortens the tubing of the instrument, thus changing the pitch to bring the instrument, in tune with other instruments in an ensemble. Typically, there is a slide associated with each valve, so they can be tuned individually. Pulling a slide out (or making the tubing longer) will lower the pitch or make the pitch flatter. Pushing a slide in (or making the tubing shorter) will raise the pitch or make the pitch sharper.

Stick - /st k/ɪ

Wooden or metal dowell-shaped item used to strike a drum, also known as a drumstick. The typical drumstick is comprised of the bead (tip), the neck, the taper, the body and the butt. Sticks that are used for tuned Percussioninstruments are typically called mallets.

String - /str ŋ/ɪA thinly stretched natural or artificial fiber or metal that is attached to string instruments. The string is tightened to an appropriate tension, and set into vibration by being struck, plucked, or bowed. The gut string was the most common fiber used in early instruments, however, modern instruments use Stringsmade out of steel, nylon, and other synthetic materials.

Valve - /vælv/On a Brass instrument, a valve is a mechanism that, when in use, directs the air column along additional tubing inside the instrument, thus producing a different fundamental and harmonic series.

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INDEX

Brass, 6, i, iv, vii, 1, 6, 7, 8, 11, 12

Orchestra, i, iii, iv, v, vi, vii, viii, ix, x, 1, 3, 4, 7, 8, 11

Percussion, 6, i, vii, 1, 7, 8, 9, 11, 12

Strings, 6, i, iv, vii, 1, 2, 3, 9, 11, 12

Woodwinds, 6, i, ii, iv, vii, 1, 3

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APPENDIXES

SELF-ASSESSMENTAt the beginning was for me very difficult to think how to teach this Unit by using new technologies or methodologies and recycling information, until I came up with the Britten’s “Young Person’s Guide to the Orchestra”. At this point I saw the light at the end of the tunnel. I continued searching information and I came across with the Philarmonia Orchestra videos, where the players of the orchestra explain their instruments. I thought that it can be a great idea just embed the videos in the webpage, but I felt the language and the pronunciation of some people will not be clear enough for my “future” students. So then, I began to search more information and I also began to write the content.

Therefore, with the videos and the content my “future” students will be able to improve their listening skills as well as the text comprehension. Perhaps the content has a lot of new vocabulary, mostly adjectives, but I do not mind because that is not the aim of the unit. I just did it because the voice of experience says me that the process of learning a new language is very long, and the best way to learn it is by using it, so if I never showed to my students that vocabulary, they would never learn it. Furthermore, it is supposed that the other teachers will be also teaching in English, so perhaps my students would have learnt that vocabulary in their lessons.

The next step was to programme the webpage. For that aim, I just pick up a W3schools template and tried to change some visuals things I did not like. I chose it because it provided me modularity between computers, tablets and phones, and that was what I was looking for. Then I split the whole unit in the small chunks that Britten’s Guide provide me until I finished it. At the end, I made a questionnaire in order to evaluate my students. That online questionnaire will be send to my email, so I will know first-hand if my students are learning and achieving the new knowledge. That questionnaire is the same I have attached to the PDF document and it also has audio in order to help me to know if my students are able to discriminate aurally the families of the orchestra.

The whole webpage is the main content for that unit, and as I said in the abstract it provides me the possibility of apply a flipped lesson methodology in this unit thanks to that webpage.

Related to the methodology I’m going to apply a lot of work group, and let my students search information (in a specific sources), sort it out and afterward explaining it to his classmates, in order to know if they are acquiring new knowledge on their own. More clearly, I want to improve their learn to learn and digital competences, because I think it will help them in their future environment (the university and more concretely, the real life) even more in our ultra-technological society.

Finally, I have also applied gamification to that unit. They will not able to download the PDF worksheet and access to the webpage link unless they pass a test in “AulaVirual”. That test has some previous knowledge I want to reinforce o refresh before the unit starts.

To sum up, I think that I have applied all the tools and new knowledge I have learnt during the module and I am happy about it. I think it will help me in my lessons and make me a better teacher.

P.S.: I know my webpage it is not basic. I know that some people could get annoyed or just complain about it. At the beginning, I wanted to do a “basic” webpage (in compliance with my skills), but when I saw how powerful could be the project, I got keen on doing a good webpage which anyone in the world could use (I have friends abroad, and perhaps it could be useful for them). I know or guess how challenging is for my classmates understand the html language and I appreciate their effort.

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Research Best PracticesUniversity of Valenciahttp://www.uv.es/clil

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