Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Instrument Families

For Teachers 4th - 5th
From the clarinet to maracas, this PowerPoint covers various instruments in the 4 instrument families: woodwinds, brass, strings, percussion. Descriptions and pictures of instruments in the four families are provided. Slides 19-22...
Handout
1
1
Music Fun

Musical Instruments

For Students 2nd - 12th
Membranophones? Aerophones? How about strings? Percussion? You need not be a music instructor to benefit from a packet of 24 worksheets that introduce aspiring musicians to the various instrument families.
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Musical Instrument Families

For Teachers 3rd - 5th
Using graphics, and an easy-to-understand format, this resource outlines the different kinds of instruments and their characteristics. This presentation could be used as an introduction to instruments for students getting ready to...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

The Ultimate Instrument!

For Teachers 3rd
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...
Lesson Plan
Acoustical Society of America

Musical Instruments Part I - Woodwinds

For Teachers 6th - 12th
What is the connection between sound and vibration? Learners find out as they conduct a series of experiments with instruments they create. The experiment is well explained, includes modifications for visuall and hearing impaired...
Activity
1
1
Fun Music Company

Substitute Lesson Ideas For The Music Teacher

For Teachers K - 5th
Have to sub for a music class on short notice? Or have some extra time to play with? Never fear! Help is here in the form of 20 sure-fire music activities and worksheets tested and submitted by music teachers. A great resource to add to...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Meet the Instruments of the Orchestra

For Teachers 2nd - 5th
Young scholars examine the characteristics of the four families of instruments. They read an eBook, unscramble instruments and categorize them in the correct families, take a quiz, and explore the San Francisco Symphony website.
Lesson Plan
Hawaiʻi State Department of Education

Instruments from Various Cultures

For Teachers 2nd
After a review of orchestral instruments and instrument families, learners make their own. They listen to the song "Simple Gifts" and identify the instruments heard in the piece. Then they draw an instrument of their own invention,...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

MUSICAL MYSTERIES

For Teachers K - 2nd
Students explore the orchestra and identify the sounds of common musical instruments.
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

The Orchestra: Exploring the Instruments

For Teachers 4th - 6th
Students explore the instruments of the orchestra. In this music appreciation instructional activity, students discover the four families of instruments and research each of them using selected Internet sources.
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Instrument families

For Teachers 3rd - 5th
Students brainstorm to list as many instruments as they can and try to guess which instrument family into which they fit. They research each instrument on a website and find the family, hear the sound and learn about each one.
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

THE TRAVELS OF BABAR: An Adventure in Scale : The Instruments of the Orchestra

For Teachers 1st - 3rd
Learners classify the classes of instruments of the orchestra: strings, brass, woodwinds and percussion. They aurally and visually identify the instruments of the orchestra. Students become actively engaged in live performances by...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Meet The Instruments Of The Orchestra

For Teachers 2nd - 5th
Students identify brass, woodwind, string, and percussion instruments and group them into appropriate families in this technology-based Music lesson for 2nd through 5th grades. Each students is required to have a handheld device or laptop.
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

What Is My Family Name?

For Teachers 3rd - 5th
Learners listen to selected solo instruments and place the instrument in its correct family of instruments; students also identify from listening to examples: orchestra, band, vocal solo, and choral performance.
Worksheet
Curated OER

Hunt the Fact Monster Hunt #23

For Students 3rd - 4th
For this internet research worksheet, learners answer three multiple choice and seven short answer questions by using the Fact Monster search engine.
Whiteboard
ClassFlow

Class Flow: Instrument Families

For Teachers Pre-K - 1st
[Free Registration/Login Required] Discover which musical instruments fit into which categories. A comprehensive listing of instruments with pictures is included in the flipchart.
Graphic
Georgia State University

Georgia State University: Hyper Physics: Musical Instruments

For Students 9th - 10th
Homepage for a hypertext about the different families of musical instruments. From this page, users can retrieve information on a the acoustics of a variety of specific instruments: stringed instruments, woodwind instruments, brass...
Whiteboard
ClassFlow

Class Flow: Orchestra Instruments

For Teachers 3rd - 5th
[Free Registration/Login Required] This flipchart describes the various instrument families and the instruments that fit in each family. Sound files are attached to the instruments so that students can hear what each sounds like.
Article
OpenStax

Open Stax: Catherine Schmidt Jones: Orchestral Instruments

For Students 9th - 10th
This is a brief introduction to the various instruments on the modern orchestra. It is broken into sections based on the instrument families. Each instrument is briefly defined.
Graphic
Curated OER

Musical Instruments

For Students 9th - 10th
Homepage for a hypertext about the different families of musical instruments. From this page, users can retrieve information on a the acoustics of a variety of specific instruments: stringed instruments, woodwind instruments, brass...
Graphic
Curated OER

Musical Instruments

For Students 9th - 10th
Homepage for a hypertext about the different families of musical instruments. From this page, users can retrieve information on a the acoustics of a variety of specific instruments: stringed instruments, woodwind instruments, brass...
Handout
Dallas Symphony Orchestra

Dallas Symphony Orchestra Kids: Orchestra Seating Chart: Baroque, Classical, Romantic

For Students 3rd - 8th
See how the number of orchestra members increased from the Baroque period through the Classical, up to the Romantic. You can print each orchestra seating chart.
Website
BBC

Bbc Orchestras: Guide to the Orchestra

For Students Pre-K - 1st
Enjoy learning about the different instruments of the orchestra with this well designed website. Divided into the various families, you can read about the instruments as well as listen to them.