Lesson Plan
Curated OER

"Carnival Overture"

For Teachers 8th - 10th
Students assess that music can be used to express feelings and create a story portraying many different feelings based on "Carnival Overture," by Antonin Dvorak. They become more educated listeners as they listen to and interpret...
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
The Orchestra

The Orchestra: A User's Manual String Ranges

For Students 9th - 10th
Learn the ranges of all of the string instruments. The chart shows the written pitch and the sounding pitch. There are also comments about some of the instruments ranges.
Website
Dallas Symphony Orchestra

Dallas Symphony Orchestra Kids

For Students 3rd - 8th
This interactive site offers students resource for learning about composers, their works, the logistics of orchestra seating, the functions of different instruments, and the like.
Website
The Orchestra

The Orchestra: A User's Manual Double Bass

For Students 9th - 10th
An excellent resource covering many aspects of the double bass. Most explanations are made with video and audio clips of members of the Philharmonia Orchestra. Be sure to check out the players tips and tricks section.
Website
The Orchestra

The Orchestra: A User's Manual Violins

For Students 9th - 10th
A wonderful resource covering many aspects of the violin. Most explanations are made with video and audio clips of members of the Philharmonic Orchestra. Be sure to check out the players tips and tricks section.
Website
The Orchestra

The Orchestra: A User's Manual Viola

For Students 9th - 10th
A terrific resource covering many aspects of the viola. Most explanations are made with video and audio clips of members of the Philharmonia Orchestra. Be sure to check out the players tips and tricks section.
Website
The Orchestra

The Orchestra: A User's Manual Cello

For Students 9th - 10th
A fantastic resource covering many aspects of the cello. Most explanations are made with video and audio clips of members of the Philharmonia Orchestra. Be sure to check out the players tips and tricks section.
Lesson Plan
Alabama Learning Exchange

Alex: Instrument Families of the Orchestra: String

For Teachers 3rd - 5th
During this lesson plan students will learn to identify and name the instruments in the string family of the orchestra. Students will also order the string instruments from highest to lowest sound.
Interactive
PBS

Classics for Kids: Instruments of the Orchestra

For Students 3rd - 6th
See and hear the instruments of the orchestra.
Handout
Dallas Symphony Orchestra

Dallas Symphony Orchestra Kids: Harp, String Instrument

For Students 3rd - 5th
Use this resource to learn about the harp, find out how it is played and see pictures. Use RealAudio or Windows Media Player to listen to the harp play with the rest of the orchestra.
Interactive
Quia

Quia: Truth Is Stranger Than Fiction "Musical Hangman"

For Students 3rd - 8th
Test your knowledge of instruments of the orchestra with this interactive hangman game. Click on letters to guess the mystery word!
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.
Handout
Dallas Symphony Orchestra

Dallas Symphony Orchestra Kids: Viola

For Students 3rd - 5th
Read about how the viola fits into the string family of musical instruments. Use RealAudio or Windows Media Player to listen to samples of the viola solo and with the orchestra. There are also pictures of the viola. Does it look like...
Handout
Dallas Symphony Orchestra

Dallas Symphony Orchestra Kids: Cello

For Students 3rd - 5th
Read about the cello, the tenor member of the string family. Use Windows Media Player or RealAudio to listen to three samples if the cello on its own and with the orchestra. Pictures of the instrument are also provided.
Handout
Dallas Symphony Orchestra

Dallas Symphony Orchestra Kids: Double Bass

For Students 3rd - 5th
The double bass is the largest string instrument, and is the bass member of the family. Read about how to play this instruments and how it works. Use Windows Media Player or RealAudio to listen to samples of the double bass on it's own...
Handout
Dallas Symphony Orchestra

Dallas Symphony Orchestra Kids: Violin

For Students 3rd - 5th
Read about the violin, as well as a few other string instruments. Use Windows Media Player or Real Audio to listen to three violin samples. Pictures of the instrument are also provided.
Handout
Dallas Symphony Orchestra

Dallas Symphony Orchestra Kids: Piano

For Students 3rd - 8th
Read about keyboard instruments and the piano in particular. Use RealAudio or Windows Media Player to hear the piano alone and with the orchestra.
Handout
Dallas Symphony Orchestra

Dallas Symphony Orchestra Kids: William Grant Still

For Students 3rd - 8th
This resource describes how William Grant Still (1895-1978 CE) started out playing the violin and then began teaching himself to play other string instruments as well as the oboe, clarinet, and saxophone. His most famous work is...
Website
PBS

Classics for Kids: Musical Instruments

For Students 3rd - 8th
An A-to-Z directory of all the instruments and tools of the orchestra. Each entry includes a description, a picture, and a sound sample.
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.
Handout
Dallas Symphony Orchestra

Dallas Symphony Orchestra Kids: Viola

For Students 9th - 10th
A description of the viola accompanied by sound files that let you hear what the viola sounds like.
Handout
Dallas Symphony Orchestra

Dallas Symphony Orchestra Kids: Harpsichord

For Students 3rd - 8th
The harpsichord looks a little like a piano, but there are enough differences to place them in two different instrument groups even though both use keyboards. Use RealAudio or Windows Media Player to hear the harpsichord.
Website
Other

The Joy of Cello Playing

For Students 9th - 10th
A great site with teaching examples, excerpts from his book and cartoons. Site promotes and endorses book, "The Joy of Cello Playing".

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