SMART Notebook Music Lesson

SMARTBoard Music Lesson: The Orchestra Explore the Orchestra with this SMARTBoard Music lesson. Designed to introduce children in elementary school  to the instruments and the families or the orchestra, this SMARTBoard Music lesson on the Orchestra  has an enormous amount of information on each page. By design, this file provides the teacher with enough varied material to teach multi-grade levels. Options for Discovery: The links throughout this SMARTBoard Music Lesson give the teacher control of the lesson flow, but also, options for further discovery if the interest presents itself. For example: When learning about the job of the conductor, students can learn about the conductor’s job, watch linked video clips of famous conductors to compare conducting styles and body language, watch a Bug’s Bunny video clip to see how Bugs “controls” the pace of the music, or hear different musical clips and learn to conduct in duple or triple meter. Each page includes at least the following information: Interesting facts about each instrument A sound sample of just that instrument A link to at least one video of that instrument being played. When possible, the videos involve children playing in an amazing way. (Linked videos are via viewpure.com) 2017 Version The HOME page and LINKS The HOME page contains specific links to make navigation through the pages easier. Pages within each instrumental family group are also linked. SMARTBoard Music Lesson: The Orchestra –  A great resource! The purpose of this file is to serve as a resource to be used over many weeks. When introducing each instrument, you may show part of the linked performance video and/or discuss the sound and physical characteristics of instruments within each family. Interesting facts are included on each page. Stand Up Symphony Orchestra Activity This activity, part of the Saint Louis Symphony Orchestra Education resources, is the learning project I used with my second graders during the year. I found it on-line and it has been the perfect project to bring the Orchestra to life! Here’s How The Stand Up Orchestra Project Worked: During music class, I introduced an instrument and watched part of the video. Often, I had the actual instrument on hand for the students to see and hold. When possible,  band students came and demonstrated the instrument for our children. Then, I gave out the number of instruments that would be in the orchestra (3 trumpets, 4 french horns, etc.) We worked only on one instrument at the time. This kept everyone together. The students spent a few minutes coloring the pieces and cutting them out.  I played an orchestra piece or one of the longer videos as they colored. The students stored everything in their orchestra shoe box week to week. Each student was given an orchestra seating chart and they crossed off instruments as they completed them. Here are some pictures of our students working to create their very own orchestra:   Thoughts:  This ended up being the best project ever! The children not only learned all about the instruments, but where the instruments are placed in the orchestra and why. They learned how many of each instrument is needed in the orchestra, and what is involved in getting all the instruments to play together. They loved the conductor section! Lesson learned:  It always takes longer than you think to do crafty things with kids … a LOT LONGER!! It was worth it! 🙂 Update Now in 3rd grade, these students KNOW so much more about the orchestra than any class I’ve ever had. I am blown away by how much they recall and how they make the connections to the sounds and orchestration of the music we listen to in music class this year. Incredible!    update: January 12, 2018 Here are the links without going through Viewpure:   PDF of Hyperlinks for Orchestra Exploration 18