Curated OER
Grow a Musical Instrument
Music, culture, social studies, and plant growth all in one! Kids explore the various type of traditional African instruments that are made out of gourds. They then grow their own gourds and use them to create a wide variety of...
Curated OER
The Ultimate Instrument!
Third graders identify the four instrument families of the symphony orchestra. They listen to the instruments and compare the similarities and differences of each of the four families. They design and create an instrument that belongs to...
Purdue University
Design of Music Instruments for a Rock Band
Can you create a rock band? Scholars learn about the creation and transmission of sound in a hands-on STEM activity. First, they explore the transmission of sound using a tuning fork. Then, they must solve the problem of missing...
Curated OER
Designing a Crew Exploration Vehicle
Take your class on an out-of-this-world adventure with this fun engineering design lesson. Working in small groups, young scientists design, build, and test crew exploration vehicles using some creativity, teamwork, and...
Curated OER
A Musical Composition Experience
Upper graders having skills in music performance will extend their abilities through creative musical composition. They'll use Finale 2000 to explore facets of music composition, they'll then compose a piece for their instrument in C, F,...
Curated OER
Playin' the Blues
Students explore history and sounds of blues music, construct instruments from scrap materials, and compose music to accompany lyrics of songs for kids.
Curated OER
Mexican Culture “La Raspa”
Here are three lessons that work together to engage learners in a cultural and musical exploration. In lesson one the listen to the Mexican folk song, "La Raspa" and discuss cultural context. In lesson two they dance along to both "La...
Curated OER
Exploring the Families of Instruments
Students investigate the families of instruments. In this instrument lesson, students discuss how each instrument family makes their sound. Students then make their own instruments. Students write a paragraph about their favorite musical...
Curated OER
Woodwind Instruments and Pitch
Students explore musical pitch. In this cross curriculum musical instruments and "sound" physics lesson, students identify and describe common traits of woodwind instruments. Students research "pitch" and what causes pitch fluctuation by...
Curated OER
Chinese Instruments
Students explore Chinese instruments. For this Chinese instrument music lesson, students listen to a performance by Liu Fang and describe the sounds they hear. Students classify western and Chinese instruments according to their...
Curated OER
A Stomping Good Time: Using Found Instruments and Invented Rhythms to Make Beautiful Music
Learners work in small groups to use everyday objects to create performances inspired by the work of STOMP. They create a system of notation to document the music and movement of a 2-minute performance.
Curated OER
Exploring Careers
Fourth graders explore various careers and research the education and skills required, the job location and description, and the tools/instruments used.
Curated OER
Asian Rhythms
Learners experience another culture through a unit that explores instruments, spoken language, and calligraphy. Students experience the Asian culture first hand through a Taiko Drum Concert, as well as lunch at an Asian Buffet &...
Curated OER
Music from the Silk Roads
Learners explore different types of musical instruments. For this musical instrument lesson, students create a replica of a sheng. Learners utilize this instrument to understand different types of breathing used in different sounds....
Curated OER
Sounds Like Science- Jamboree
Students explore sound, pitch, volume, frequency, and musical notes. In this homemade instrument lesson, students use materials such as jars, buckets, strings, rackets, rubber bands, and bottles to create their own unique instrument....
Curated OER
Sound/Pitch
Learners explore how pitch changes when using instruments that are plucked, blown, and hit. In this sound and pitch lesson, students blow across the top of bottles that are filled with water to create sound. Learners use recorders...
Curated OER
Acoustical Science
Students explore musical instruments and the pitches and tones they make. In this acoustical science lesson, students create their own string instruments and explore how pitch is altered.
Curated OER
Draw Your Instrument
Students be shown a variety of materials they create an instrument from in a classroom center. They discuss options for materials and how they could be put together to form an instrument that makes sounds. They use KidPix to draw the...
Curated OER
Sounds Good To Me - Instrument Creation
Third graders differentiate between pitch and volume and explain how sound travels through different materials. They analyze sound waves for their basic characteristics. Students design an instrument based on the principles of sound...
Skoog Music
St. Patrick’s Day
Traditional Irish music can bring even the most stoic audience to tears. This St. Patrick's Day, explore the lilting flutes and mournful ballads of the Emerald Isle with a interactive and inspiring music lesson.
Curated OER
Rock Music
Learners create percussion instruments using limestone and other rocks. They use instruments to perform a song.
Kenan Fellows
Saving Those Who Save Us: Exploring the Use of Sensors with Data Visualization
Sensor technology is amazingly accurate and useful. Combining the sensor technology and mathematical knowledge, scholars design experiments to answer a question they have developed. Questions may focus on light sensing, temperature...
Curated OER
Catch the Gullah Beat: Rhythm and Percussion
Students explore the Gullah culture. In this social studies lesson, students construct and play instruments similar to those of the Gullah people.
Curated OER
Mooring Mobiles Lab
Oceanography experts use candy to construct a model of a bio-physical mooring that would test a variety of factors. Each piece of equipment to be included on the mooring is described within the write-up. As pupils gather the candies for...