Music and Instruments Lesson
This is part 2 of a 4 part hands-on unit study on the five senses. See the inside of a piano and how it works, study pitch while playing water glasses, test out different instruments, and more! My lessons are geared toward 3rd-4th grade level children and their siblings. These are lessons cdeveloped by another creative mom to do with our weekly homeschool co-op. We meet each week for 2 1/2 hours and have 14 children between the ages of 0-13. Use these fun lessons with your classroom, family, camp, after school program, or co-op!
Introduction and Tuning a Piano
***Please bring any instruments you own. If your child plays an instrument and would like to play for us, please let them prepare a song.***
1. Stretch & pray.
2. Read Genesis 4:21 and Psalm 4:1-3.
3. Review the sense of hearing.
4. We had a man who tunes pianos come over during our co-op meeting. I paid him to tune my piano. While he did that, he showed the children all the parts of the piano and explained what he does & how he does it. (I did ask him ahead of time if he'd be willing to do this while he tuned our piano. He is a grandfather who loves children and was delighted to do this!)
5. Everyone shows the instruments they brought. Some children played the instruments and let others play them or touch them.
6. Read most of "Ah, Music" by Aliki. While reading the book, let children clap a rhythm and hum a melody. Quickly discuss pitch, tone, and octaves.
This was the best picture book we found that provides a broad introduction to many of the aspects of music theory and includes enjoyable illustrations.
Water Glass Chimes and Instrument Families
7. Divide children into 2 groups. Each group fills 8 glasses with different amounts of water. Let the children play them. Discuss how changing the amount of water changes the pitch of the sound waves.
YOU WILL NEED: 16 water glasses, 8 spoons, & 2 pitchers
8. Review instrument families using pictures from books.
9. Play parts of "Peter and the Wolf" and "Carnival of Animals" and have the children shout out what instrument they hear.
10. 5 minute review of what we learned
Storybook and CD
My children love hearing Peter and the Wolf, which allows children to hear how different instruments can be used to tell a story. They enjoyed this version that includes a beautifully illustrated picture book to accompany the CD.
My children also love listening to Carnival of the Animals, which features different instruments as they portray various animals. They enjoyed this version that includes a beautifully illustrated picture book to accompany the CD.
Ready for the next lesson?
Build a crawl-through ear as you study hearing, play scales on water glasses as you study music and sound, dissect a cow eyeball as you study sight, try to identify mystery objects simply by their smell, present on various aspects of the five senses, and more during this 4 lesson hands-on unit study of the five senses!
- Hearing and Sound Waves Lesson - This is part 1 of a 4 part hands-on thematic unit on the five senses. Build and crawl through a model of an ear, watch sound waves at work, make paper cup phones, use a stethoscope and otoscope, and more!
- Music and Instruments Lesson - This is part 2 of a 4 part hands-on unit study on the five senses. See the inside of a piano and how it works, study pitch while playing water glasses, test out different instruments, and more!
- Eyes and Seeing Lesson - This is part 3 of a 4 part hands-on unit on the five senses. Make an edible model of an eye, dissect a cow eyeball, visit an eye doctor, and more!
- Touch, Smell, & Taste Lesson in Five Senses Unit - This is part 4 of a 4 part hands-on unit on the five senses. Feel, smell, and taste mystery items, make a touch and feel book, and more!
- Five Senses Culminating Project and Field Trip Ideas - This is the culminating project for the 4 part hands-on unit on the five senses. The students created presentations on people and ideas related to the 5 senses and shared 5 Senses-themed snacks and desserts. (Recipes are included.) Also included is where we went for field trips during this unit.
Other Great Lessons and Activity Ideas for Instruments
To find even more great lessons on sound and music, check out these lessons by cutting and pasting the below links.
Musical Families Video
Walt Disney - Toot, Whistle, Plunk And Boom Movie
The Young Person's Guide to the Orchestra
Kids Orchestra Movie
Konos Curriculum (Attentiveness Unit)
Would you like to teach this way every day?
I use Konos Curriculum as a springboard from which to plan my lessons. It's a wonderful curriculum and was created by moms with active boys! This lesson is based on the activities found in the Attentiveness Unit Study from Konos Volume I.
If you're new to homeschooling or in need of some fresh guidance, I highly recommend Konos' HomeSchoolMentor.com program! Watch videos on-line of what to do each day and how to teach it in this great hands-on format!
© 2011 iijuan12