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 students getting ready to...
Curated OER
Timbre II
In this timbre of instruments learning exercise, students explore the concept of timbre meaning four different kinds of sounds: string, brass, choral and percussion. Students locate those concepts in a word search puzzle.
Curated OER
Timbre: Identifying the Tone Color of the Saxophone
Young scholars explore the concept of timbre. In this timbre lesson, students experience timbres produced by saxophones in contemporary music. Young scholars explore the science behind the music.
Curated OER
Meet the Instrument Families
Fourth graders listen to a recording of a string quartet and ask questions about what kinds of instrument they think they are listening to and describe what they think the instruments look like. Then they discuss musical ideas such as...
Curated OER
Exploring Musical Instruments of the Orchestra
Students listen to "The William Tell Overture," identify instruments, sounds and other characteristics of the music. They compare and contrast orchestra music to large band music. Students discuss the musical composition and how the...
Curated OER
Music of Japan
My, how Japan has changed! From Hogaku to karaoke, this slide show provides an overview of the culture, instruments, and periods of transition through Japanese music. Here you will find 21 text-rich slides which are great for note taking.
Leading Learner
Using Music to Tell a Story or Describe a Scene
Young composers demonstrate their understanding of the stylistic features of descriptive music, including pitch, tempo, dynamics, rhythm, and timbre, by developing a melody and countermelody for a main character in a story. As part of...
Curated OER
Timbre Activities
Students investigate the concept of timbre. In this music lesson, students listen to several recordings of musical pieces and identify the name of the instrument playing with its picture.
Curated OER
Timbre II
In this music worksheet, students learn that timbre, or tone color, means different kinds of sounds. Students complete 10 questions about timbre and general music topics.
Curated OER
Investigation of Timbre
Students design an experiment to analyze the timbre of different instruments. In this physics activity, students analyze the missing quality in sound. They discuss their results in class.
Curated OER
Changes of Musical Elements in Popular Music Through the Decades
Students probe samples of European classical, American jazz, and rock and roll to analyze the similarities and differences. The styles and form of these three types of music are examined for tempo, timbre, and rhythm.
Curated OER
Water
Third graders study different bodies of water and how they fit into the water cycle. They explain that materials exist in different states (solid, liquid and gas) and change from one to another, that there are systems, order, and...
Curated OER
Metallic Sounds
Learners differentiate between metallic and non-metallic sounds. In this music activity, students listen to the audio clip of "March" and march in time with the music. Learners identify the metallic sounds in the music piece. Students...
Hawaiʻi State Department of Education
The Golden Egg
Get ready for a musical story time! First your young musicians review musical dynamics as they listen to and discuss the pitch and sound of each instrument you play for them. Then they talk about special words (mostly verbs) in the book,...
Curated OER
Pavane pour une Infante Defunte
Students describe the music in terms related to basic elements such as melody, rhythm, harmony, dynamics, timbre, form, style, etc. They identify timbres heard in "Pavane" by movement and respond by movement to timbre.
Curated OER
You Can Play It
Students listen to a piece of music on the bells, recorder, and rhythm sticks, comparing and contrasting the different instruments. They play the song, Row Row Row Your Boat, rotating groups to play the bells, recorder, and rhythm sticks.
Curated OER
Sound Quiz
In this sound worksheet, students answer 5 questions pertaining to the sounds of various musical instruments. The name of a teach appears at the top of the page.
Curated OER
Comet And Rain Timbres
Second graders engage in a lesson that uses folk instruments in an accompaniment while listening to a song about a comet. They make a cross-curricular connection to Halley's Comet. Students discuss the qualities of a singer-songwriter.
Curated OER
Percussion Family Lesson Plan
Students gain an appreciation for percussion instruments. They can identify the instruments by sight and sound and associate them with different musical styles. Using Microsoft Musical Instruments, students hear other percussion...
Classics for Kids
"Mars" from The Planets
Gustav Holst's The Planets provide young musicians an opportunity to examine how composers can create a suite: a collection of smaller pieces grouped to explore a single topic. After listening to "Jupiter," they examine "Mars" in detail,...
Curated OER
Low Brass: Tibet, Switzerland and Haiti
Students identify sounds played on instruments from around the world. In this music lesson plan, students listen to music played on various low brass instruments from Tibet, Switzerland and Haiti to determine the differences in pitch...
Curated OER
Accomplished Practice # 10
Fourth graders performs on instruments in an ensemble, maintaining a common tempo, blending instrumental timbres, and matching dynamic levels. They respond to the tempo and dynamics cues of the conductor.
Curated OER
The Percussion Family
Second graders complete a unit to learn about the percussion family and African and Latin drumming. In this percussion lesson, 2nd graders complete 9 lessons to learn about the percussion family. Students learn to use shakers and sticks,...
Curated OER
"Nutcracker"
Students recognize the timbre of a celesta by listening to music that contains the celesta. They listen to music from Tchaikovsky's "Danse de la Fee-Dragee" (Dance of the Sugar-Plum Fairies), track #14 and describe how the music...