Playing Instruments Teacher Resources

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Lesson Plan
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Music

For Teachers 4th
Fourth graders are introduced to the ABA form of music through singing and playing instruments. Using music, they practice reading the notations and improvising melodies. They also sing in duets and trios in various keys to end the...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

World Rhythms: Tabla

For Teachers K - 8th
Students use various materials to build and play simple percussion based on a Silk Road design, and write step-by-step instructions for others about how to make and play instrument.
Lesson Plan
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Changing Sounds

For Teachers K - 2nd
Pupils listen to sound. In this changing sounds lesson, students play instruments to help them hear volume and pitch.  Pupils use the interactive whiteboard to experiment how change can make sounds go higher or lower. 
Lesson Plan
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Spanish Influence in America

For Teachers 6th - 8th
Students try out instruments from South America. In this multiculturalism lesson, students discuss the attributes of Latin American music and play instruments from South America.
Lesson Plan
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Multi-Disciplinary Lesson Plan

For Teachers K
Students listen to the book "Polar Bear, Polar Bear, What Do You Hear?" and play instruments.
Lesson Plan
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PBS Kids Go Buster Buster and Beatrice/ The Giant Pumpkins

For Teachers 2nd
Second graders visit San Antonio, Texas and Mt. Hood, Oregon in these two episodes of PBS Buster Go Kids. They examine the music and food that is local to San Antonio by looking at images and pretend to play instruments. They use...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Charlie, the Caterpillar - An Integration of Lit. and Music (Elementary, Literature)

For Teachers K - 1st
Students sing, dance and play instruments that are integrated with the book, "Charlie the Caterpillar."
Lesson Plan
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Rhythm-Music

For Teachers 1st
First graders identify and keep a steady beat by playing instruments and playing the game stated in the activity. Then they use what they know about rhythm and apply it to the use of instruments. Students also perform on instruments,...
Lesson Plan
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Families and Neighborhoods

For Teachers 2nd - 3rd
Students study family structure. For this family structure lesson, students read the book The Family Book and discuss families. Students create a bulletin board of family photos and draw their families on paper. Students dance and play...
Lesson Plan
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Water Music

For Teachers K - 2nd
Students explore music about water. They listen to various pieces of music, play instruments, and plan and create a piece of art that includes a water motif.
Lesson Plan
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Music and Emotion

For Teachers 9th - 12th
Students identify the various emotions created by different types of music. They Identify role of music in creating various emotions for film and television . They observe and practice various ways of playing percussion instruments. They...
Lesson Plan
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Introduction to Ludwig van Beethoven

For Teachers 2nd - 4th Standards
"Ode to la Tortilla" and "Ode to Joy"? Sure! Use Gary Soto's poem to introduce learners to the ode format. After examining the descriptive words Soto uses, class members study a poster of Ludwig van Beethoven, suggest words that describe...
Activity
Novelinks

Wildwood Dancing: Guided Imagery

For Teachers 9th - 12th
Reader's of Wildwood Dancing engage in a guided imagery exercise designed to encourage them to visualize the setting of Juliet Marillier's young adult fantasy novel.
Lesson Plan
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Physical Education and Music Program

For Teachers 3rd - 8th
Teach everyone how to work together in both physical education and music activities. Parents and their children are shown a presentation that highlights the philosophy of cooperation. They apply these concepts to their physical education...
Unit Plan
San Francisco Symphony

American Civil War Songs

For Teachers 6th - 12th
Learners will compare and contrast two songs from the Civil War era, one from the North and one from the South. They'll write a comparative essay on their songs, and then compare their essays and songs with others in their small groups....
Lesson Plan
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Japanese Music Study

For Teachers 3rd - 5th
Gagaku is music traditionally played in the Japanese imperial courts of long ago. Learners listen to this and other traditional Japanese music to gain an understanding of culture and music history. They work to identify Japanese...
Lesson Plan
Hawaiʻi State Department of Education

Ostinato

For Teachers 3rd
Quarter notes, eighth notes, and rests; it's time to read rhythmic patterns in music. The class plays ostinatos as they practice identifying rhythmic patterns. They then listen to Mannheim Steamroller as they draw geometric patterns that...
Lesson Plan
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Using Harmonic Vision’s Music Ace Software to Reinforce Basic Music Skills

For Teachers K
If you have access to Harmonic Vision’s Music Ace Software, then this lesson plan could work for you. Kindergarteners use the video music software to place, identify, and read musical notes. They listen in and identify both high and...
Lesson Plan
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Compare Characters in Bud, Not Buddy

For Teachers 7th - 12th
After your class finishes reading Bud, Not Buddy by Christopher Paul Curtis, they use the Venn diagram here to compare two characters from the novel, in this case Bud and his grandfather Herman E. Calloway. Examples of qualities on which...
Lesson Plan
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Music of the People - Native American Music

For Teachers 3rd
Third graders complete a unit of lessons on the singing, instruments, and dancing of Native Americans. They identify and play various instruments, complete worksheets, define key vocabulary, sing songs, and perform dances.
Lesson Plan
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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
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Woodwind Instruments and Pitch

For Teachers 3rd - 5th
Students explore musical pitch. In this cross curriculum musical instruments and "sound" physics lesson, students identify and describe common traits of woodwind instruments. Students research "pitch" and what causes pitch fluctuation by...
Lesson Plan
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Connecting Literature, Writing and Music

For Teachers 9th - 12th
Students assess the impact of music to portray emotions and tell stories. Examples are taken from the life of Rosa Parks and a piece of band music called "A Movement for Rosa". Evaluation is accomplished through in-class participation...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

"Let's Write a Song"

For Teachers 4th
Fourth graders analyze, brainstorm and practice playing a melody/pattern with rhythm, tempo, dynamics, and instrumental pieces of many styles. In addition, they create an original piece of music.

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