Learning about the Orchestra

I'm doing something I've never done before.

We are picking one thing and learning as much about the one thing as we can in 6 weeks.

We chose Stravinsky's "The Firebird."  Along with learning about Stravinsky and ballet and Russia and Russian Fairy tales and "how to write a story" and Russian food, we are learning about the parts of the Orchestra.

The resources I found for learning about the orchestra is what I would like to share today.

Here are some things we have been doing:

WORKSHEETS ABOUT INSTRUMENT FAMILIES (printable - my kids like the crossword puzzle that goes along with the illustrated instruments.)

INSTRUMENTS OF THE ORCHESTRA (online, so fun!)

MORE Instruments of the OCHESTRA (online, also SOoooO fun!)

After we got familiar with the instrument families in the Orchestra we used this link to test our knowledge:
(Just follow the instructions.)

LISTEN TO MUSIC

And it you REALLY want to have fun, check out the PERFORMALATOR. You'll thank me later.  ;-)

These sites are so full of fun ways to learn about music, we haven't even begun to scratch the surface, but we are having a great time.



Leave a comment if you find a fun thing on one of these sites that I should try with my family.  THANKS!

Our Best Books

Here are a few of our favorite Audio books that we have enjoyed in the last month. They can all be found at DBRL.  


-The Lost Prince and  The Runaway King- both by Jennifer Nielson are the first 2 books in the Ascendance Trilogy. Join Sage, as he is coached with a few other orphans on pretending to be the Prince and Future King of Carthia.
-The Cay by Theodore Taylor is about Phillip who is lost at sea with a 70 year old Jamaican man named Timothy. They float to a small deserted island and learn to survive even through a hurricane.

Black Star-Bright Dawn  by Scott O'Dell about an Alaskan girl named Bright Dawn who competes in the Iditarod Dog Race and her experience as she endures to finish the race.
 The Story of Classical Music- Darren Henley. It introduces the many changes that have occured in classical music and introduces many of the famous and not so famous composers and some of their best known works.

Adventures in Odyssey. A Radio show put out by Focus on the Family. The stories teach Biblical messages and stories through modern experiences. There are about 20 different collections and my kids regularly check out 2-3 every time we visit the library.

The Magic Tree House Collection by Mary Pope Osborne- Siblings Jack and Annie  travel to meet historic figures and witness memorable moments in history. They are very short books and are great for listening to at bedtime.

Mrs. Piggle-Wiggle Books by Betty MacDonald. Mrs. Piggle Wiggle is the friendly neighborhood Grandmother who helps to cure children of their character weaknesses such as being lazy, or a cry baby or a forgetter. These stories always make us laugh and help us recognize the areas where we could use a a visit from Mrs. Piggle Wiggle.

These are some of our favorites that we enjoy and listen to again and again!    


We hope you will enjoy them too!