Playing Instruments Teacher Resources
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Curated OER
Music
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...
Curated OER
World Rhythms: Tabla
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.
Curated OER
Changing Sounds
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.
Curated OER
Spanish Influence in America
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.
Curated OER
Multi-Disciplinary Lesson Plan
Students listen to the book "Polar Bear, Polar Bear, What Do You Hear?" and play instruments.
Curated OER
PBS Kids Go Buster Buster and Beatrice/ The Giant Pumpkins
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...
Curated OER
Charlie, the Caterpillar - An Integration of Lit. and Music (Elementary, Literature)
Students sing, dance and play instruments that are integrated with the book, "Charlie the Caterpillar."
Curated OER
Rhythm-Music
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,...
Curated OER
Families and Neighborhoods
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...
Curated OER
Water Music
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.
Curated OER
Music and Emotion
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...
Curated OER
Introduction to Ludwig van Beethoven
"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...
Novelinks
Wildwood Dancing: Guided Imagery
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.
Curated OER
Physical Education and Music Program
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...
San Francisco Symphony
American Civil War Songs
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....
Curated OER
Japanese Music Study
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...
Hawaiʻi State Department of Education
Ostinato
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...
Curated OER
Using Harmonic Vision’s Music Ace Software to Reinforce Basic Music Skills
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...
Curated OER
Compare Characters in Bud, Not Buddy
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...
Curated OER
Music of the People - Native American Music
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.
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
Woodwind Instruments and Pitch
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...
Curated OER
Connecting Literature, Writing and Music
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...
Curated OER
"Let's Write a Song"
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.