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
San Francisco Symphony

Washington Portrait

For Teachers 2nd - 5th
Fifth and second graders pair up to create mini dance scenes based on the image Washington Crossing the Delaware. Second graders create the movements while their fifth grade partners play the musical accompaniment. Leadership...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Lesson Plan for Danse by Claude Debussy

For Teachers 9th - 12th
Learners study the life and music of Claude Debussy. They listen to and compare the orchestration and compositional technique of the Debussy composition, 'Danse.' They compare a piano arrangement to an orchestrated version.
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

The Travels of Babar: An Adventure in Scales

For Teachers 4th - 5th
Learners become familiar with the musical notify that are associated with the character in Monstel's The Travels of Babar: An Adventure in Scales, so that they can listen attentively to the performance and understand and appreciate ow...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Rhythmic Movement Skills

For Teachers 2nd - 3rd
Students practice using their physical skills while performing physical activities.  In this physical education lesson, students participate in musical orchestrated dances with their classmates.  Students utilize a jump rope...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

String Instruments and Pitch

For Teachers 2nd - 4th
Students make predictions and explore how pitch is altered in string instruments. In this acoustic science lesson plan, students learn the types and parts of string instruments and create their own. They listen to classical music and...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Save the Music Concert: Part 2 Composition

For Teachers 9th - 12th
Learners examine why music is considered to be the "universal language" and study the expressive quality of a musical performance. They compose a melody using a computer and software which they perform on an instrument.
Lesson Plan
Hawaiʻi State Department of Education

Beethoven’s 5th

For Teachers 3rd
Time to pick up an instrument and practice the first part of Beethoven's symphony No.5. Young musicians discuss melody, rhythmic pattern, dynamics, and movements found in symphonic and orchestral pieces. They then practice and play the...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

In My Dream

For Teachers Higher Ed
Students listen to recordings of early jazz and identify examples of ostinato and syncopation. They discuss important personalities from jazz cultures and take a quiz on aspects of jazz.
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Peter and the Wolf

For Teachers 1st
First graders integrate music and fairy tales to improve their listening and analytical skills. In this music and fairy tales lesson, 1st graders view and listen to the musical fairy tale 'Peter and the Wolf' using a SmartBoard. Students...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Concert Suite from Dances With Wolves

For Teachers 7th - 12th
Students complete a unit of lessons that prepares them to perform, 'Concert Suite From Dances With Wolves,' at a public performance. They analyze the emotions depicted by music, view excerpts from the movie, and perform the music.
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Percussion Instruments and Pitch

For Teachers 4th - 7th
Students play string instruments to discover how the pitch changes on various string instruments.  In this pitch lesson, students listen to video clips and play an online music game.  Students become familiar with music...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Tinker, Tailor

For Teachers 1st
First graders practice the song "Tinker, Tailor" using percussion instruments, Orff instruments, and their voices in this Music lesson for the 1st grade. The lesson is intended for use within an Orff unit of study and includes...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Creating Opera

For Teachers 6th - 12th
Students study the how music enhances drama in opera. They work in small groups to develop a short story that would be enhanced with music, costumes and props. They perform their operas for classmates and others.
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Contrast Listening

For Teachers 6th - 8th
Students listen to two different excerpts of the same music piece. In groups, they collectively write descriptions of the tempo and dynamics of the piece and assign a color to the music. They relate the color chosen to the tempo and...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Instruments of the Orchestra- Flute and Oboe

For Teachers K - 5th
Students name the different families in an orchestra, name many of the instruments in each family, listen to an orchestral recording to identify the flute and oboe and listen to the melody of a piece.
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Instrumental And Orchestral Development

For Teachers 7th - 12th
Students use the computer software "Sibelius" to investigate the development of the Orchestra and specific instruments throughout human history. This lesson can be used in conjunction with other lessons or as a stand-alone, small group...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

William Walton [1902-1983] LAM 102 Belshazzar's Feast (1931)

For Teachers 8th - 12th
Pupils explore the musical composition of William Walton. In this listening exercise instructional activity, students answer the questions that are based upon the influences of the composition of the piece of music, Belshazzar's Feast.
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Younger Generation

For Teachers 5th - 10th
Students discuss the composer Aaron Copland and the lyricist Ira Gershwin and their significance in/contributions to American music of their time while singing the song "Younger Generation" in the choir setting. Emphasis is placed on...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

The Sorcerer's Apprentice

For Teachers 3rd
Third graders listen to "The Sorcerer's Apprentice". Using the music, they identify the high and low parts in the orchestal composition. They compare the elements of a story to the piece of music and respond to the music and state how...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Lesson Plan for Scheherazade by Nikolai Rimsky-Korsakov

For Teachers 9th - 12th
Students study the music of Russian composer, Nikolai Rimsky-Korsakov. They compare the sounds individual instruments make. They listen to and study the story of "Scheherazade" and compare it to other pieces that also portray a story or...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Lesson Plan for Adagio for Strings, Op. 11 (1938)

For Teachers 5th - 7th
Students study the life and music of composer, Samuel Barber. In groups, representing trees, water, and stars they use interpretive dance to tell the story of the musical composition, 'Adagio for Strings, Op. 11' by Barber.
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Vivaldi's Storms

For Teachers 9th - 12th
Pupils listen to two selections of Vivaldi's "Four Seasons" symphony. In groups, they identify and describe the mood and musical elements used to represent each season using correct vocabulary. They write their observations in a paper...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Introduction To The Orchestra

For Teachers 3rd - 4th
Students listen to a book, "Meet the Orchestra." They observe a PowerPoint presentation, listen to the sounds in "Peter and the Wolf" and then match illustrations of instruments to their specific sound. Students identify instrument...