This document outlines the development of a sign intended to encourage 4th and 5th grade orchestra students to practice more consistently. It starts with messages about practicing like throwing darts to improve playing in tune. Feedback noted issues with the clip art examples used. Later versions featured a photoshopped image that risked discrediting the message. The nearly final version features a girl embodying the courage needed to practice at home without tricks that could undermine the message. The goal is to help students improve their musicianship through effective practice habits.

1. Topic (Goals):
To improve the musicianship of Orchestra students. By
encouraging the youngest players to develop effective practice
habits, their musicianship can improve for years to come.
Audience:
4th and 5th Grade Orchestra students. These students desire to
improve on their instruments, but often struggle with the delayed
gratification it takes to improve their playing.
Message (Initial):
Anyone can improve their skill on a string instrument by practicing
carefully and consistently.
Practicing to play a string instrument in tune is a lot like throwing
darts-pitch too low? Aim higher; pitch too high? Aim lower next
time.

3. My students enjoyed throwing tissues at the “virtual honey”
projected image on a screen, and through the physical game, they
understood the concept of aiming higher and lower for pitches. The
bees didn’t really have anything to do with the message, and it turns
out students are mostly scared of bees and their parents don’t let
them play with darts anymore, which is probably why they are scared
of practicing, hahaha.
My next effort changed the script a little, the image completely,
and made more sense with a consistent (if not silly) theme.

5. OK, so theme wise, a little better, but I was advised by wise council to
start steering away from clip art. Good advice, Dr. Bucy.
Somewhere along the way, I realized that accomplishing the
mechanics of playing in tune is easier to accomplish in class.
The courage needed for students to go home and practice,
however, is a more useful message for a sign like this. I found
this next picture in Creative Commons and I think that she
embodies the message I want to send.

7. OK, so perhaps the picture doesn’t embody the message, because
she is actually a photoshop manipulated wheelie machine. She is
completely effective at getting students to read the message,
remember it, and relate it to their own learning of riding a bike. It
works, because the longer a student thinks about the message, the
more it gets into their brain. With this little trickery going on here,
there is a slight risk to the student discrediting the entire message.
Most of them know how to ride a bike, however, which is what they
tie into practicing a skill until they master it.
Here are two other fun designs I made along the way that
explore the style of different wanted posters, one FBI, the
other, Uncle Sam.

9. The following is very nearly the finished sign for my
interpretive sign project. I will make the Title Larger, and
perhaps change the color of the girls shirt so that it
doesn’t compete with the text. I went injured this week,
and am just now getting back in the game.
Thank you for adding comments to this late addition to
the projects. I look forward to seeing yours…