This Unit at a Glance:

Grade Band:

Grades K-4
 

Integrated Subjects:
(click to view more lessons in these areas)

 

Targeted Standards:

The National Standards For Arts Education:

Music (K-4)
Standard 2: Performing on instruments, alone and with others, a varied repertoire of music

Music (K-4)
Standard 6: Listening to, analyzing, and describing music

Music (K-4)
Standard 8: Understanding relationships between music, the other arts, and disciplines outside the arts

 

Other National Standards:

Language Arts II (3-5) Standard 4: Gathers and uses information for research purposes

Language Arts II (3-5) Standard 8: Uses listening and speaking strategies for different purposes

Language Arts II (3-5) Standard 9: Uses viewing skills and strategies to understand and interpret visual media

Science II (3-5) Standard 8: Understands the structure and properties of matter

Science II (3-5) Standard 11: Understands the nature of scientific knowledge

Science II (3-5) Standard 12: Understands the nature of scientific inquiry

 

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Acoustical Science

 
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Unit Overview:

This unit explores the connection between size and materials used to create a musical instrument, and the pitches and tones the instrument makes. Following the steps of the Scientific Method, students will work in small groups to test their hypotheses. Students will explore the instrument families of the orchestra and will create their own versions of the instruments.

 

Lesson Overviews:

String Instruments and Pitch

Students will create their own string instruments, and explore how pitch is altered.

 

Brass Instruments and Pitch

Students will create their own "brass" instruments, and make predictions about how pitch changes based on the distance air travels in the instrument.

 

Woodwind Instruments and Pitch

Students will make predictions and explore how pitch changes based on the length of the air pipe.

 

Percussion Instruments and Pitch

Students will make predictions and explore how pitch changes based on the materials used in instrument construction

 

Authors:

  • Leslie Thomas, Teacher
    Thomas Pullen Arts Magnet School
    Landover, MD
 
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