classical music curriculum

Homeschooling with The Story of the Orchestra

Dear Sis,

The state of Ohio requires that homeschoolers study music. Last year I wrote a 36 week Music Appreciation course for students PreK-Grade 8.  

This spring we started taking weekly piano lessons, which count toward our school music requirement, but the musician in me wanted more! I stumbled upon The Story of the Orchestra by Robert Levine recently during a visit to Half Price Books. It’s perfect! I’m excited to use it for our upcoming Kindergarten and first grade years. 

The Text Book

and accompanying 37 listening samples

We thrifted this 2001 edition, with CD

This revised 2019 edition, with audio downloads is available on Amazon.

Other than the title change and the manor in which the listening samples are provided, the two books are the same!

The book is broken into Part I: The Composers and Part II: The Orchestra Instruments. I plan to cover one part per year for the next two school years. I feel that my son is too young to work trough all the content in a single year, but for an older learner that might be preferred.

Also, I feel that learning the instruments is easier for the young learner than a timeline composer study, so we will be starting with Part II. 

Please select the printable schedule that is best for your learner(s).

36 Lesson, Instrument Study, K-8

18 Lesson, Composer Study, K-8

36 Lesson, Classical Music Study, 3-12

Happy Homeschooling!

Love,

b

Music Appreciation – Classical

Dear Sis,

This is the first of ten parts in our Music Appreciation lesson plan series. If you are just finding us now, the text that corresponds with these lessons is Music is… by Stephen T. Johnson. 

Classical Music

Week One

Approximately 30 minutes

Read playful narration “CLASSICAL is…” text.

  • Encourage your pre-reader to try to repeat the scat in a musical way. Being silly with your kids is a great way to catch their interest.
  • Emerging readers can try to sound it out. Sometimes its fun to read non-sense!
  • If you have multiple learners you can make a game of it and see who can say it fastest or with the best musical performance, by family vote.

Listen to Sample One: “Water Music, Suite no. 1 in F: Overture” by George Frideric Handel

  • I’ve included the entire suite. See if your kiddos can recognize when a movement ends and a new one begins. 
  • You don’t have to watch the videos for listening samples! The audio can be played during a car ride, meal, or quite play time.




Week Two

Approximately 30 minutes

Read about “CLASSICAL” music text.

Play our Solo to Symphony board game. Instructions for play are in the PDF.

  • Print the game cards on card stock. Laminate for durability, if desired. If you do not have the ability to print two sided, print only the card fronts.

Listen to Sample Two: “Cello Suite no. 1 in G Major: Prelude” by Johann Sebastian Bach

Week Three

Approximately 45 minutes

Watch an Introduction to String Orchestra Instruments and The Fountain by Marcel Lucien Gradjany.

  • Introduce violin, viola, cello, double bass, and harp

Listen to Sample Three: “Piano Concerto no. 21 in C Major: Andante” by Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart

Week Four

Approximately 30 minutes

Watch to The Woodwind Family.

  • Introduce the piccolo, flute, oboe, clarinet, bass clarinet, bassoon, and saxophone. 

Practice instrument identification and play our String & Woodwind MEMORY game.

  • Print the game cards on card stock. Laminate for durability, if desired. If you do not have the ability to print double sided, print only the card fronts.

Listen to Sample Four: “Symphony no. 5 in C Minor: Allegro con bio” by Ludwig van Beethoven




Week Five

Approximately 30 minutes

Watch to Brass Instruments in the Orchestra.

  • Introduce the french horn, trumpet, trombone, and tuba.

Play our Orchestra Fishing game. Instructions for play are in the PDF.

  • Print the game cards on card stock. Laminate for durability, if desired. If you do not have the ability to print double sided, print only the card fronts.

Listen to Sample Five: “Waltz in C-sharp Minor, op. 64: no. 2” by Frederic Chopin

Week Six

Approximately 40 minutes

Watch Percussion Instruments and The Solo Timpanist, Etude 1. 

  • Introduce vibraphone, xylophone, marimba, glockenspiel (orchestral bells), bass drum, tom-tom, snare drum, cymbals, triangle, crotales, tambourine, timpani.

Listen to Sample Six: “Appalachian Spring: II. Allegro” by Aaron Copland

Watch Guess the Orchestral Instrument: 20 Instrument Sound Quiz.

Please tell us about your experience in the comment section. Stay tuned for the second installment: Country Music (Weeks 7-10).

Happy Homeschooling!

Love,

b