Academy of American Poets
Teach This Poem: "Violin" by Nikki Wallschlaeger
Nikki Wallschlaeger's Violin is the featured poem in a instructional activity that uses music and multiple readings to delve deep into its analysis. After a writing warm-up, learners watch and listen to a video that showcases Regina...
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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...
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At Play
Ninth graders evaluate works of Robert Harris. They apply historical methodology to interpret and understand time, continuity, and change at an age appropriate level. They demonstrate awareness of the effect of context.
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Tree-mendous Game
Learners play a game where they classify the different characteristics of trees. In this tress lesson plan, students also use tree vocabulary and describe benefits of trees.
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Respecting the Differences of Others
Fifth graders discover the importance of respecting the differences of people around the world in different situations in order to avoid conflict and promote peace. Students compare the sounds of a symphony and the instruments creating...
SoundTree
Notating Friedrich von Schiller’s Theme to “Ode to Joy.”
To demonstrate their skills with traditional and computer-assisted notation, young musicians notate and perform the first eight measures of Friedrich von Schiller's theme to "Ode to Joy."
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Tuning the Violin
Students identify whether their A string is flat or sharp in comparison to a given pitch. Then they use their fine tuners to adjust their A string to a given pitch. Students also use the computer software program Aurelia to practice...
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All That is Irish and More - Activity 1
Young scholars listen to examples of fiddle music and violin music to determine the similarities and differences between the two musical forms. A video link is included in this introductory instructional activity to fiddle music (Part...
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Musical Instruments - Strings
Students explore various string instruments in this multi-week music lesson for the upper-elementary grades. Emphasis is placed on group violin lessons, listening to and identifying string instruments, and researching non-European...
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Concerto for Recorder, Oboe and Bassoon by Antonio Vivaldi
Students study the life and music of Antonio Vivaldi. They analyze and practice playing the various parts of Concerto a la Vivaldi on recorders. They record themselves and compare their performance to that of the same composition...
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Symphony No. 8 "Unfinished" by Franz Schubert
Students review vocabulary words and look at a piece of art work with one subject and play any or all of the familiar musical examples listed. They then identify the melody of each example and make a comparison between the art subject...
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Experimenting with Sound
Students explore physical science by completing a worksheet. In this sound perception lesson, students collaborate in small groups to research sound properties on the Internet and in libraries. Students conduct a listening experiment by...
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The Letter V
In this Letter V worksheet, learners trace and then write the letter V in upper and lowercase. They also trace and then write the words "vest" and "violin." Students may also color in a picture of a fox wearing a vest and playing the...
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Musical Instruments
Students identify a guitar, piano, trumpet, flute, drum, and a violin by sight and sound. They view pictures of each instrument as they are played on a recording, discuss how each instrument makes their particular sound, and listen to...
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Illustration # 1: Source of Illustration
Pupils play a game of imitating steady beats by mimicking the instructor. They use drums and repeat the game by echoing rhythmic patterns. The patterns may vary in degree of difficulty according to each individual's ability.
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The Whole World in Our Hands
Students discover the concept of "tikkun olam," or "repairing the world." In this service learning lesson, students identify skills that they possess which may be used to help those in need.
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Fiddling Around
Young scholars look at a piece of art to make connections between early Baroque art and Baroque music. In this art and music lesson, students focus on the painting The Boy Violinist, by Hendrick Terbrugghen. They listen to the music to...
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Enjoying Latino Music
Students view different musical instruments from around Latino world, predict what sounds instruments will make based on their appearance, listen to and evaluate music from different Latino genres orally or in writing, and make...
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Bedrich Smetana
Students discuss the Genesee River and they describe the different things they might see on its shore. They are asked to name different activities people do around the river. Students related the Genesee to the Moldau, they are told a...
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Designing Musical Instruments
Students examine musical instruments as main part of the study of sound energy. In this designing instruments lesson plan, students focus on the elements of an instrument that cause sound to be created and design a unique musical...
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Design an Instrument
Students design an instrument. In this sound, vibration and pitch lesson, students learn about the characteristics of sound, vibration and pitch. Students design a guitar using the assembled craft materials and demonstrate how they...
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Applied Science - Technology Post-Lab
Students explore inventions. In this Applied Science lesson, students discuss the history of everyday objects and the invention of them. Students illustrate and describe their own invention.
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Grouping Musical Instruments
Students study about musical instruments and group them into these categories: percussion, strings, woodwinds, and brass. After discussing these instruments, they independently complete the worksheet.
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What Is My Family Name?
Students listen to selected solo instruments and place the instrument in its correct family of instruments; students also identify from listening to examples: orchestra, band, vocal solo, and choral performance.