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Music Appreciation – Rock ‘n’ Roll

Dear Sis,

This is the tenth and final part 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. 

Rock & Roll

Week Thirty-Three

Approximately 20 minutes

Read playful narration “Rock ‘n’ Roll is…” text.

  • Encourage your pre-reader to try to repeat the song and sing along. Being silly with your kids is a great way to catch their interest.
  • If you have multiple learners you can make a game of it and see who can give the best performance by family vote

Listen to Sample One: “Strange Things Happening Everyday” by Sister Rosetta Tharpe (gospel/early rock ‘n’ roll)

Listen to Sample Two: “Hound Dog” by Elvis Presley (rockability/rock ‘n’ roll)

Watch the Biography of Elvis Presley video.

Week Thirty-Four

Approximately 15 minutes

Read “ROCK ‘N’ ROLL” history text.

Watch the History of Rock ‘n’ Roll video. 

Week Thirty-Five

Approximately 10 minutes

Listen to Sample Three: “Roll Over Beethoven” by Chuck Berry (rock ‘n’ roll)

Listen to Sample Four: “Paperback Writer” by The Beatles (pop rock)

Week Thirty-Six

Approximately 15 minutes

Listen to Sample Five: “Little Wing” by Jimi Hendrix (classic/psychedelic rock)

Listen to Sample Six: “We Will Rock You/We Are the Champions” by Queen (classic/arena rock)

Read “Music is YOU!”. 

Please tell us about your experience in the comment section.

Happy Homeschooling!

Love,

b




Music Appreciation – Rhythm & Blues

Dear Sis, 

This is the ninth 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. 

Rhythm & Blues

Week Thirty-One

Approximately 20 minutes

Read playful narration “Rhythm & Blues is…” text.

  • Encourage your pre-reader to try to repeat the song and sing along. Being silly with your kids is a great way to catch their interest.
  • If you have multiple learners you can make a game of it and see who can give the best performance by family vote

Listen to Sample One: “Monday Morning Blues” by Mississippi John Hurt (Delta Blues)

Listen to Sample Two: “I Got You (I Feel Good)” by James Brown (R&B/Funk/Soul)

Listen to Sample Three: “Respect” by Aretha Franklin (R&B/Soul)

Week Thirty-Two

Approximately 20 minutes

Read “RHYTHM & BLUES” history text.

Listen to Sample Four: “Signed, Sealed, Delivered I’m Yours” by Stevie Wonder (R&B/Soul)

Listen to Sample Five: “Escapade” by Janet Jackson (R&B/Pop)

Listen to Sample Six: “Halo” by Beyonce (R&B/Pop)

Please tell us about your experience in the comment section. Stay tuned for the tenth installment: Rock (Weeks 33-36).

Happy Homeschooling!

Love,

b




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

Geography for Little People

Dear Sis,

I recently posted Global Greetings Geography, a full year of cultural immersion for elementary homeschool families. This is what I plan to use for our 2022-2023 school year. 

This post is the prequel. We are using what I am call Geography for Little People this year. This is a single semester (18 week) geography immersion for your littlest learners, (Preschool – 3rd grade). It can be used with a single student or family style. Eventually, I hope to post an 18 week health and safety class for littles that can be paired with this course for a full 36 weeks of programming in a given time block. 

The Text

Beginner’s World Atlas (spine)

Beginner’s World Atlas by National Geographic Kids

This link leads to the 5th edition, which came our in July of 2022. We bought our book before that date, so we have the 4th edition, published in July 2019. Either will work for this course.

Children Just Like Me (spine)

Children Just Like Me by DK

This book develops the cultural side of geography, because geography isn’t just places… its people too! Occasionally this book is used heavily. On such weeks, you may need to break the reading into two sittings. One do half, break for the sticker activity, and then do the second half.

World Atlas Sticker Activity Book

(consumable)

World Atlas Sticker Activity Book by Nation Geographic Kids

This book adds a hands-on aspect! What little person doesn’t like stickers?! Please note that you will need one copy per student.

The Manipulatives

Every homeschool family needs a globe and world wall map! If you haven’t invested in these items, please do! The inflatable globe from the Dollar Tree is a good place holder until you can invest in a good quality globe (might be a good item for a birthday or holiday wish list). Just don’t let your kids pop it, like mine did on the very first week of school…lol. Our wall map is actually a wall quilt I made in 4H a few decades ago, but it works great.

Lastly, this compilation makes use of a world map floor puzzle. There are countless purchasing options here as well!

Without further ado here is the schedule, so you can get started teaching your littles geography!

Geography for Little People Curriculum Schedule PDF

Happy Homeschooling!

Love,

b




Music Appreciation – Jazz

Dear Sis, 

This is the sixth 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. 

Jazz Music

Week Twenty

Approximately 15 minutes

Read playful narration “Jazz is…” text.

  • Encourage your pre-reader to try to repeat the song and sing along. Being silly with your kids is a great way to catch their interest.
  • If you have multiple learners you can make a game of it and see who can give the best performance by family vote

Watch The History of Jazz video.

Listen to Sample One: “Livery Stable Blues” by Dixieland Jazz Band (Dixieland jazz)

Listen to Sample Two: “Jeepers Creepers” by Louis Armstrong (big band)




Week Twenty-One

Approximately 20 minutes

Read “Jazz” history text.

Listen to Sample Three: “A-Tisket, A-Tasket” by Ella Fitzgerald (swing)

Watch The Use of Instruments in Jazz.

Week Twenty-Two

Approximately 20 minutes

Watch The History of Bebop Jazz. 

Listen to Sample Four: “Salt Peanuts” by The Quintet: Dizzy Gillespie, Charlie Parker, Bud Powell, Charles Mingus, and Max Roach (bebop)

Week Twenty-Three

Approximately 20 minutes

Listen to Sample Five: “Take Five” by the Dave Brubeck Quartet (cool jazz)

Listen to Sample Six: “So What” by Miles Davis (modal jazz)




Please tell us about your experience in the comment section. Stay tuned for the seventh installment: Latin (Weeks 23-26).

Happy Homeschooling!

Love,

b