Stations for Instrument Unit

Every year during my 5th grade music curriculum, I cover an extensive unit on the instrument families. This unit helps get them ready to make some choices about the path they would like to take in middle school. Instead of the same routine of reading about the instruments, listening to examples and watching YouTube performances, I have decided to ramp things up and try out stations. This is the first time I have used center-based learning, and I am excited for the possibilities.

Station 1:

4 Music Rooms

The first station is all on the iPad. Students will be exploring the 4 Music Rooms app. I love that this app lets students see the instruments, tap on them to hear good quality music, and complete activities in basic music theory. Some of the questions are a bit too advanced for my elementary students, but the directions are clear enough that they can muddle through it and learn something along the way.

Other apps that they will be utilizing during this station include GarageBand, Air Harp, Leaf Trombone, and other instrument apps. While I believe nothing replaces the experience of holding and playing a real instrument, the instrument apps for iPad give students the chance to see and play instruments that otherwise would not be available to them. 

Station 2:
At this station students will be playing board games in pairs. I purchased the "Music Centers Kit 1," by Veronica Harper, which includes four games that cover dynamics, tempos, symbols and note names. While I am new to using the kit, I do think that everything is laid out in a way that enables success for both students and teachers.

Station 3:

SFS Kids

The final station will make use of the computer and SMART Board. SFS Kids has an interactive website that introduces kids to the instruments of the orchestra. I also have bookmarked YouTube videos that let students see and hear people playing the various instruments, both professionals and amateurs. They really love this portion of the unit. I have been able to show a beat-boxing flutist, string quartet on a single modified instrument (Stringfever), and "Fireflies" by Owl City performed on harp.

MVHY Stringfever performs "Bolero"

Station 4: 

Station 4 will feature a worksheet that fits in with whatever instrument family we are covering that particular day in music class. While I will be floating around the room to assess learning at all stations, this is the one piece that I will ask students to turn in to me. I have found with worksheets in the past that when they know the teacher will see it, they are more likely to do their best work.

We'll see how it goes this year. I'm excited to try it!