Curated OER
Design an Instrument
Students design an instrument. In this sound, vibration and pitch lesson plan, students learn about the characteristics of sound, vibration and pitch. Students design a guitar using the assembled craft materials and demonstrate how...
Curated OER
The Bolero
Students discuss the structure of the musical film "The Bolero." For this film arts lesson, students watch "The Bolero" before participating in discussion questions and watching a second performance of the same musical. ...
Berklee College of Music
Create Your Own Afro-Latin Groove
The backbone of Latin American music is the beat! Young musicians work on blending Afro-Latin rhythms and beat patterns before incorporating the major pentatonic, minor pentatonic, and blues scales in their own compositions.
Curated OER
Percussion Instruments and Pitch
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...
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
Musical Role Models
Students identify instruments and their sounds and use them to model their own orchestra. After choosing an instrument to investigate further, they research to become familiar with the sound of the instrument, how the sound is created,...
Curated OER
Arranging Patriotic Music for Instruments
Students arrange a short piano composition for a group of four to six instruments of their choice. The musical arrangements should be then demonstrated and analyzed by the class as a unit study.
Curated OER
The Classical Orchestra
Students study the classical orchestra in this technology-based general music lesson for the high school classroom. Emphasis is placed on the use of the "Microsoft Musical Instruments" software. This lesson can be accomplished in one...
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...
Curated OER
The Brass Family
Students observe a PowerPoint presentation to explore how brass instruments produce wounds. They observe the teacher demonstrate the proper use of the mouthpiece and slides to produce a tone. With and without the mouthpiece, students...
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.
Perkins School for the Blind
Familiar Sounds
To foster concept development and auditory discrimination skills, learners with visual impairments listen to identify a variety of common sounds. The teacher makes recordings of various sounds, including those found in the home, at the...
Curated OER
THE TRAVELS OF BABAR: An Adventure in Scale : The Instruments of the Orchestra
Students 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...
Curated OER
Folk Songs, Instruments of the Orchestra
Second graders study Folk Songs and instruments of the orchestra in these lessons. They recognize the difference between folk songs and classical music.
Curated OER
Music: Instruments of the Orchestra
Pupils identify various musical instruments and explain their roles in an orchestra. Following a Powerpoint presentation, students discuss what they have discovered in small groups. Then, each groups devises four questions based on the...
Curated OER
MUSICAL MYSTERIES
Students explore the orchestra and identify the sounds of common musical instruments.
Curated OER
Playing With Your Food
Students discover about the form and function of traditional musical instruments, then use this knowledge to create non-traditional instruments that replicate the sounds of traditional instruments. They use vegetables to create their...
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
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
Antonio Vivaldi-The Four Seasons
Second graders uncover the form, timbre, and the significance of Vivaldi's "The Four Seasons" in the five lessons of this unit. The use of instrumentation forms the basis of the lessons.
Curated OER
Performance Evaluation
Young scholars evaluate in class performance of music previously prepared by the ensemble. The rubric and assessment criteria are adaptable to any orchestra setting which allows the teacher to choose music to be assessed. Critical...
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.
Curated OER
Instrumental And Orchestral Development
Learners 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...
Curated OER
Woodwind Instruments and Pitch
Students explore musical pitch. In this cross curriculum musical instruments and "sound" physics instructional activity, students identify and describe common traits of woodwind instruments. Students research "pitch" and what causes...