Junior High Band
Lesson Plans

First-Day Plans

A number of times new teachers have asked me what I do the first day of school. Here is a typical first-day lesson plan:

  1. Welcome
    Welcome the new students to the school and the returning students back to school. Introduce self, etc.
  2. Roll
    Call the roll and check the numbers in each section.
  3. Locks and lockers
    By sections the students sign up for a locker - locker sign-up sheets were on the bulletin board; I issued locks.
  4. Board
    Point out where the next test is listed and when it will be. Explain how the rotating early-morning calendar works and where their daily lesson plan is written (See Daily Lesson Plans).
  5. Citizenship Grades
    Explain that negative marks are given for being tardy, unprepared, chewing gum, and being rowdy - the fewer the marks the better the grade.
  6. Practice Reports
    Distribute the practice reports for first quarter (See Practice Report).
  7. Playing test/EMR lists
    Distribute the playing test lists and the early-morning-rehearsal lists (See EMR Calendar and Playing Test Lists).
  8. 2nd-day Needs
    Bring instruments, method books, and pencils tomorrow. School instruments will be issued after school today.
  9. 7th-grade info
    Review orientation information for the 7th graders.
  10. Disclosure documents
    Distribute disclosure documents. (See Disclosure Document - Band)

The goal was to get everything done so we could play day two.

Video Disclaimer

The attached videos are not perfect examples of how each tune should be played. They are recordings of junior high students, some of whom have had their instruments for only a few months. Also, they are not professional recordings. They were taken by band parents using home equipment and naturally focusing on their own children.

I include them for two reasons: (1) To give you an idea of what the arrangements are like, and (2) To illustrate the kind of performance you can expect from your junior high students.