Music - Instrument Families

I absolutely LOVE A House Filled with Music by Margret and Rolf Rettich.

This year Zac and Kamma and I are beginning our Music class with an exploration of the instrument families and learning how to recognize some of the most common instruments, by sight and by sound.

Here is the order of instruments as presented in the book:

String Family

father - Double Bass

mother - Cello

daughter - Violin

daughter - Viola

Woodwind Family

mother - Clarinet

father - Oboe

son - Flute

grandfather - Bassoon

Brass Family

mother - Tuba

son - Trombone

son - French Horn

son - Trumpet

Percussion Family

first attic room - Drums, Timpani

second attic room - Vibraphone, Gong, Chimes

front entrance - Grand Piano

turret - Harp

And, of course, the man who bought the house turns out to be the conductor! We first listened to the story on CD, so that the children could try to imagine what instrument might make each sound.

Next we will look at pictures of each and focus on recognizing them, so I'm off to look for high quality pictures that I can use to make three part cards! I have some picture books as well, and then I'll need a list of musical pieces that we can use to go deeply into each instrument. Suggestions welcome!

UPDATE:

Montessori Print Shop on TpT has three part cards already made up for many musical instruments! I am going to go ahead and get them; although they are not a perfect fit for the story, they are excellent. And the instruments which the story didn't include will allow us to talk about what else might be in each family.

Here is the list. Each PDF file is $2.50.

Types of Musical Instruments: Set 1

trumpet

trombone

saxophone

french horn

tuba

violin

cello

guitar

harp

xylophone

glockenspiel

marimba

timpani

snare drum

bass

triangle

castanets

maracas

piano

clarinet

flute

bassoon

tambourine

Types of Musical Instruments: Set 2

oboe

harpsichord

organ

electric guitar

bagpipes

double bass

bass drum

concert toms

cymbals

piccolo

contrabassoon

accordion

lute

harmonica

pipe organ

sousaphone

banjo

cornet

bar chimes

celesta

I wonder if it would be possible to make requests? I'd love to have baritone and recorder, as well as the other instruments in the book we read today (viola, vibraphone, gong), and the other instruments included in the book of musical folktales from around the world (pipe, singing drum, lyre, tiktiri, didgeridoo, balalaika). Oh, and some of the instruments we have in our classroom too (teardrop lap dulcimer, frog rasp, cactus rainstick, cow bell).

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