Curated OER
Orchestra: Focus on Rhythm and Arranging
High school orchestra is a great place to play music, like The Star Spangled Banner. Upper graders create new rhythms to the old song and perform them with the class. They rehearse their updated versions of the song using their...
TED-Ed
A-rhythm-etic. The Math Behind the Beats
Your learners will dance in their seats as this talented drummer connects math to music in a short video clip. Clayton Cameron shows how math puts the "cool" in various genres of music, including jazz, hip-hop, pop,...
Curated OER
Star Spangled Banner: For Orchestra
Middle schoolers practice playing "The Star Spangled Banner" while focusing on phrasing. They work with the instructor to mark the lyrics and music, then play the song using the phrasing indicated. Several...
Curated OER
Introduction To The Orchestra
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...
Curated OER
Collective Nouns and Verb Agreement Practice
Break down subject and verb agreement with this exercise. This activity only deals with present tense verbs and collective nouns. Pupils learn how to make the verb of a sentence agree with the collective noun by reading sentences and,...
Curated OER
Conducting the "Orchestra": How to Implement the Maestro
Students work as a team member to produce a newspaper. In this newspaper production lesson plan, students understand the role that each staff member plays in the production of a publication as they demonstrate commitment to...
Curated OER
Music of the Estuary
Students explore the sounds of the estuary. In this wetlands instructional activity, students discuss how to simulate the sounds of nature. Students write and record a musical score featuring the sounds of the wetlands.
Curated OER
Exploring the Brass Family
Third graders explore the four basic instruments of the Brass Family in the four lessons of this unit. The French horn, trumpet, trombone, and tuba are inspected as students develope a familiarity with their sight and sounds.
Curated OER
The Sorcerer's Apprentice
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...
Curated OER
Reviewing Good Playing Habits
The string section of your school orchestra can get a proper form make-over by incorporating this instructional activity. They reestablish proper playing form, posture, and sound as they compose an essay on how to maintain good playing...
Curated OER
Identifying Instruments and Families
Fourth graders complete with the class a KWL chart and discuss prior knowledge of orchestras. They visit websites to discover instruments and families of the orchestra and discuss appropriate audience behavior prior to going to a concert...
Poetry Class
Eccentricity and Sound
What do Lady Gaga and Dame Edith Sitwell have in common? As they examine Sitwell's poetry, class members learn that the similarities are far more than their unique appearance.
Curated OER
Families of Instruments
Learners identify families of instruments. In this music lesson, students read Berlioz the Bear and identify the families of instruments. Learners sing "Mr. Gus Goes Goofy," and listen for the sounds of the instruments.
Curated OER
Machiavelli's The Prince
Students compare and contrast their concepts of leadership with Machiavelli's, as outlines in The Prince. In this literature lesson plan, students identify positions that call for leadership and brainstorm qualities necessary for such a...
Curated OER
Musical Instrument Families
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 young scholars getting ready to...
Curated OER
Timbre: Identifying the Tone Color of the Saxophone
Students explore the concept of timbre. In this timbre lesson, students experience timbres produced by saxophones in contemporary music. Students explore the science behind the music.
Curated OER
Feelin' Swing, Part 2
Upper elementary schoolers listen to and reproduce the rythm of Mary Lou William's musical piece, "Scratchin' in the Gravel." The swing song was written at a time that women did not play jazz. She broke the rules by playing and writing...
Curated OER
Seven Jumps
Your young poets will jump at the chance to demonstrate their understanding of stanzas. Cue up “Seven Jumps,” a track on Michael Herman’s CD, International Folk Dances. Class members move to the music of each stanza and freeze when a...
Curated OER
Reading the Waves
Students view video segments which reveal the parts of sound and what factors control sound. The viewing and post-viewing activities serve to reinforce the video segments using worksheets and hands-out experiments.
Curated OER
Music from the Silk Roads
Students explore different types of musical instruments. In this musical instrument lesson, students create a replica of a sheng. Students utilize this instrument to understand different types of breathing used in different sounds....
Curated OER
The History of Rock and Roll: Part 6 - My Generation Social an Cultural Influence on Music Composition
Students examine influences on the creation and development of music.
Macmillan Education
Teamwork
Learners develop self-awareness and discuss the importance of cooperation and communication through worksheets and hands-on, collaborative activities.
Hawaiʻi State Department of Education
Beethoven’s 5th
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...
Curated OER
String Instruments and Pitch
Students make predictions and explore how pitch is altered in string instruments. In this acoustic science lesson, students learn the types and parts of string instruments and create their own. They listen to classical music and identify...