YCP Model Curriculum

The following is a step-by-step curriculum, with explanations, links to anecdotal material and lesson plans, for creating the ideal Young Composers Playground (YCP) program in collaboration with Playground Ensemble Teaching Artists. 

Rarely does the program perfectly follow these steps, however. This document is designed to give teachers and administrators a better idea of what the program looks like from a time, curricular, and budgetary perspective. Music teachers will often make modifications to fit the age and level of the students, as well as the scheduling and budgetary needs of each particular school. 

In the DOWNLOAD RESOURCES area of this portal you will find lesson plans and resources to guide you through the Young Composers Process from start to finish. 

These lessons can be used before the Program Kickoff as a way to get your students prepared for composition. They can also be used throughout the process as a way to help students generate musical content. Classroom music teachers experienced in our program have used the individual lessons both ways with great success.

We also encourage you to use the lessons as individual composition drills as needed in your music curriculum.

Preparatory Lessons and Procedures

Who: Music teacher and students
What: It is useful for classroom teachers to do a series of preparatory lessons in the classroom before Playground teaching artists arrive for Program Kickoff. We suggest the following lessons and procedures.
Duration: 4-6 class periods

Watch School Success Stories Videos

  • Teachers will need to decide what kind of final performance they would like for their school. Before starting the program, watch the examples in School Success Stories link to see what kind of program fits your classroom, time, and budgetary resources.
  • Show the appropriate video to your classes and facilitate a discussion as a way to help them understand the final goal.

Form Classroom Groups

  • Teachers will put their students in groups for the Young Composers process. Each lesson in the sequence involves some kind of group activity and we suggest teachers form these groups early and keep them the same (aside from personality conflicts - this should be addressed while making groups as much as possible) throughout the entire process. Anecdotal experience related to forming groups can be found here: Creating Classroom Groups for Music Composition

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