Unit Plan - Instrument Families 2nd Grade

The purpose of this 2nd grade unit plan, “Instrument Families” is for students to gain a better understanding of the array of instruments that belong to each
family of the orchestra along with the physical and tonal qualities of each family.

Unit Outcomes:
 Students will be able to name the four instrument families
 Students will be able to identify the family to which specific instruments belong
 Students will be able to identify the physical and aural characteristics of brass, woodwind, percussion, and stringed instruments
 Students will be able to explain methods of playing within each instrument family
 Students will be able to name specific instruments by sight

Lesson Plans:
LESSON 1
2nd Grade
What: Instrument families
Why: I’m learning instrument families so that I
How will I know: can recognize different instruments by
sight and sound
When I am able to teach my classmates
about the different instrument families
SOL’s 2.10 The student will analyze music by
identifying selected orchestral and folk
instruments visually and aurally
2.10 The student will analyze music by
using music vocabulary to describe music
2.7 The student will explore historical and
cultural aspects of music by identifying
what musicians and composers do to
create music
Assessment Listening to student responses to
questions
Resources Youtube, paper cutouts of instruments,
speaker
Objectives  Students will follow the rules and
expectations of music class
through relationship-building.
PERCUSSION
Introduction
It’s okay if you don’t know anything!
 Instrument Pretest
Explain Instrument Families (Whole Brain)
 Class Class (Yes, Yes)
 Mirror
 Today we’re going to talk about instrument families
 Say: “Instrument families”
 There are four instrument families
 Say: “1, 2, 3, 4”
 Percussion
 Say: “percussion” vocalized, with hand motions
 Woodwinds
 Say “woodwinds” vocalized, with hand motions
 Brass
 Say “Brass” vocalized, with hand motions
 Strings
 Say “Strings” vocalized, with hand motions
 Discuss
 Tell your neighbor what the four instrument families are
Core Content
 Class Class (yes, yes)
 Mirror:
 Today’s instrument family is going to be percussion (with hand
motions)
 A percussion instrument is something you hit, shake, or scrape (hand
  Students will use Whole Brain
learning to begin understanding the
names and characteristics of
instruments in the PERCUSSION
family.
Notes
Closing
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nrmCbsM6eyk
motions)
 Say “hit, shake, scrape” with hand motions
 Discuss
 Tell your neighbor how to play a percussion instrument
 Class Class (yes, yes)
 Raise your hand and tell me:
 What instruments do you play by hitting shaking or scaping? (with
motion)
 Key instruments:
 Xylophone
 Drums
 Guirro
 Jingle bells, or egg shaker
 As students list instruments, have them say and do hand motions for
each
 ie: “Xylophone” while motioning with mallets
 Mention that percussion can be “hit” with mallets or your hands!
 Discuss:
 Tell your neighbor the name of one percussion instrument
 Class Class (yes, yes)
 Mirror
 Lets listen to some examples of percussion instruments (with motions)
 Listening
2nd Grade LESSON 2 WOODWINDS
Introduction

What: Instrument families Review Instrument Families (Whole Brain)

Why: I’m learning instrument families so that I can  Class Class (Yes, Yes)
How will I recognize different instruments by sight and sound  Mirror
know: When I am able to teach my classmates about the  Say: “Instrument families”
different instrument families  Percussion
 Say: “percussion” vocalized, with hand motions
SOL’s 2.10 The student will analyze music by identifying  Woodwinds
selected orchestral and folk instruments visually and  Say “woodwinds” vocalized, with hand motions
aurally  Brass
2.10 The student will analyze music by using music  Say “Brass” vocalized, with hand motions
vocabulary to describe music  Strings
2.7 The student will explore historical and cultural  Say “Strings” vocalized, with hand motions
aspects of music by identifying what musicians and  Discuss
composers do to create music  Tell your neighbor what the four instrument families are
Core Content
Assessment Listening to student responses to questions  Class Class (yes, yes)
 Mirror:
Resources Youtube, paper cutouts of instruments, speaker  Today’s instrument family is going to be Woodwind (with hand
motions)
 A woodwind instrument has lots of keys, sometimes has a reed,
Objectives  Students will follow the rules and and we play them by blowing air into the instrument (hand
expectations of music class through motions)
relationship-building.  Say “keys, reed, blow” with hand motions
 Students will use Whole Brain learning to  What is a reed?
begin understanding the names and  Show them a reed (woodwind connection)
characteristics of instruments in the  Discuss
WOODWIND family  Tell your neighbor how to play a woodwind instrument
 Class Class (yes, yes)
Notes
 Raise your hand and tell me:
 What instruments do you think have lots of keys and sometimes
reeds that you blow into?
 Key instruments:
  Saxophone
 Oboe
 Flute
 Clarinet
 As students list instruments, have them say and do hand motions
for each
 ie: “Saxophone” while motioning with lots of keys and the
reed
 Make point that the flute is a woodwind because it used
to be made out of wood

 Discuss:
 Tell your neighbor the name of one woodwind instrument
Closing
 Class Class (yes, yes)
 Mirror
 Let’s listen to some examples of woodwind instruments (with
motions)
 Listening
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7OjqeyOvC1c
2nd Grade LESSON 3 BRASS
Introduction

What: Instrument families Review Instrument Families (Whole Brain)

Why: I’m learning instrument families so that I can recognize  Class Class (Yes, Yes)
How will I different instruments by sight and sound  Mirror
know: When I am able to teach my classmates about the  Today we’re going to talk about instrument families
different instrument families  Say: “Instrument families”
 Percussion
SOL’s 2.10 The student will analyze music by identifying  Say: “percussion” vocalized, with hand motions
selected orchestral and folk instruments visually and  Woodwinds
aurally  Say “woodwinds” vocalized, with hand motions
2.10 The student will analyze music by using music  Brass
vocabulary to describe music  Say “Brass” vocalized, with hand motions
2.7 The student will explore historical and cultural aspects  Strings
of music by identifying what musicians and composers do  Say “Strings” vocalized, with hand motions
to create music  Discuss
 Tell your neighbor what the four instrument families are
Assessment Listening to student responses to questions Core Content

Resources Youtube, paper cutouts of instruments, speaker
Objectives  Students will follow the rules and expectations of
music class through relationship-building.
 Students will use Whole Brain learning to begin
understanding the names and characteristics of
instruments in the BRASS family.
Notes
 Class Class (yes, yes)
 Mirror:
 Today’s instrument family is going to be brass (with hand
motions)
 A brass instrument has a bell, a tiny cup mouthpiece, and
you buzz your lips to play it (hand motions)
 Say “bell, cup, buzz” with hand motions
 Discuss
 Tell your neighbor some characteristics of a brass
instrument
 Class Class (yes, yes)
 Raise your hand and tell me:
 What instruments have a bell, has a tiny cup mouthpiece,
 and you play by buzzing?
 Key instruments:
 Trumpet
 Trombone
 French Horn
 Tuba
 As students list instruments, have them say and do hand
motions and voice inflections for each
 Fun Fact: a trombone has a SLIIIIDE
 Discuss:
 Tell your neighbor the name of one brass instrument
Closing
 Class Class (yes, yes)
 Mirror
 Lets listen to some examples of brassinstruments (with
motions)
 Listening
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2EvgkO_bwQA
2nd Grade LESSON 4 STRINGS
Review Instrument Families (Whole Brain)
 Class Class (Yes, Yes)
What: Instrument families  Mirror
Why: I’m learning instrument families so that I can recognize  Today we’re going to talk about instrument families
How will I different instruments by sight and sound  Say: “Instrument families”
know: When I am able to teach my classmates about the different  Percussion
instrument families  Say: “percussion” vocalized, with hand motions
 Woodwinds
SOL’s 2.10 The student will analyze music by identifying selected  Say “woodwinds” vocalized, with hand motions
orchestral and folk instruments visually and aurally  Brass
2.10 The student will analyze music by using music  Say “Brass” vocalized, with hand motions
vocabulary to describe music  Strings
2.7 The student will explore historical and cultural aspects  Say “Strings” vocalized, with hand motions
of music by identifying what musicians and composers do  Discuss
to create music  Tell your neighbor what the four instrument families are
Core Content
Assessment Listening to student responses to questions
 Class Class (yes, yes)
 Mirror:
Resources Youtube, paper cutouts of instruments, speaker  Today’s instrument family is going to be strings(with hand
motions)
 A string instrument has strings, and is bowed, plucked, or
Objectives  Students will follow the rules and expectations of strummed (hand motions)
music class through relationship-building.  Say “bow, pluck, and strum” with hand motions
 Students will use Whole Brain learning to begin  Discuss
understanding the names and characteristics of  Tell your neighbor how to play a string instrument
instruments in the STRING family  Class Class (yes, yes)
 Raise your hand and tell me:
Notes
 What instruments do you play by bowing, plucking, or
strumming? (with motion)
 Key instruments:
 Violin
  Guitar
 Harp
 Bass
 As students list instruments, have them say and do hand
motions for each
 Mention that smaller instruments make higher
sounds (ie: violin vs. string bass)
 Fun Fact: Piano is both a string and a percussion
instrument
 Discuss:
 Tell your neighbor the name of one string instrument
Closing
 Class Class (yes, yes)
 Mirror
 Lets listen to some examples of string instruments (with
motions)
 Listening
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RxFNHeXKmrY
 LESSON 5 REVIEW AND POST TEST
2nd Grade Review Instrument Families (Whole Brain)
 Class Class (Yes, Yes)
 Mirror
What: Instrument families  Today we’re going to review our instrument families
Why: I’m learning instrument families so that I can recognize different  Say: “Instrument families”
How will I instruments by sight and sound  Percussion
know: When I am able to teach my classmates about the different  Say: “percussion” vocalized, with hand motions
instrument families  A percussion instrument is something you “hit
shake or scrape”
SOL’s 2.10 The student will analyze music by identifying selected  Woodwinds
orchestral and folk instruments visually and aurally  Say “woodwinds” vocalized, with hand motions
2.10 The student will analyze music by using music vocabulary  A woodwind instrument has “lots of keys, and
to describe music sometimes has a reed, and we play it by
2.7 The student will explore historical and cultural aspects of blowing”
music by identifying what musicians and composers do to  Brass
create music  Say “Brass” vocalized, with hand motions
 A brass instrument “has a bell, and a tiny cup
Assessment Listening to students’ responses to questions
mouthpiece, and we play it by buzzing!”
Observing their movement in the four corners activity
 Strings
Resources Youtube, paper cutouts of instruments, speaker, iTunes sound  Say “Strings” vocalized, with hand motions
bank  A string instrument has “strings, and we play it
by bowing, plucking, or strumming”
Objectives  Students will follow the rules and expectations of music  Discuss
class through relationship-building.  Tell your neighbor what the four instrument families
 Students will review what they have already learned are
about the characteristics of the instruments in each Core Content
instrument family and show what they know through  Class Class (yes, yes)
their post-test.  Play four corners instrument family guessing game
 Play example of brass
Notes  Play example of woodwinds
 Play example of strings
 Play example of percusison
 Class Class (yes, yes)
 Show cut outs of instruments
  Name this instrument
 Which family does it belong to?
 Raise your hand and tell me:
 What instruments do you play by hitting, shaking or
scraping?
 What instrument has lots of keys and sometimes has a
reed?
 What instrument do we play by buzzing?
 What are the three ways that we can play a stringed
instrument?
Closing
 Guided post test is given

PRE/POST ASSESSMENT BELOW:

Instrument Families Name:_____________________
Listening: Circle which family you hear:

1. Percussion or Brass

2. Woodwinds or Strings

Multiple Choice: Circle the correct answer:

1. A percussion instrument is something you:

a) Blow

b) Hit

c) Pluck

2. A brass instrument is played by:

a) Buzzing your lips

b) Trilling

c) Strumming

3. A string instrument can be played by:

a) Plucking

b) Bowing

c) Strumming

d) All of the above

Sort the words in the Word Bank into the correct instrument family:

Word Bank:

Trumpet Saxophone Xylophone

Flute Cello Jinglebells

Percussion: Woodwinds: Brass: Strings:

1. _____________ 1. _____________ 1. _____________ 1. _____________

2. _____________ 2. _____________

Circle the instrument that is in the string family:

Circle the instrument that is in the brass family:

Outcomes:
Pretest scores: out of 13 Posttest scores: out of 13
Student 1: 6/13 11/13
Student 2: 4/13 13/13
Student 3: 5/13 6/13
Student 4: 5/13 4/13
Student 5: 10/13 13/13
Student 6: 8/13 12/13
Student 7: 5/13 8/13
Student 8: 3/13 9/13
Student 9: 10/13 13/13
Student 10: 4/13 9/13
Student 11: 6/13 7/13
Student 12: 7/13 7/13
Student 13: 10/13 12/13
Student 14: 5/13 7/13
Student 15: 4/13 7/13
Student 16: 5/13 13/13
Student 17: 7/13 13/13
Student 18: 7/13 10/13
Student 19: 5/13 7/13
Student 20: 8/13 9/13
Student 21: 4/13 13/13
Student 22: 5/13 8/13
Student 23: 8/13 9/13
Student 24: 7/13 7/13

Average Score: 6.1/13= 46.15% 9.5/13 = 73.08%

Summary Reflection of Unit:

I taught my Instrument Families unit to all 2nd grade students at Clymore Elementary School. The plan, comprised of four lessons and a review
session, progressed through the instrument families focusing on one family per lesson. Material covered in each lesson included methods of
playing, physical characteristics of instruments within the family, and the sound qualities of each family. The formal assessment for this unit
was measured through a written pre and post test which covered aural identification, playing methods, instrument sorting, and instrument
identification by sight. After gathering the pre-test scores, I had a better understanding of the material the students already knew. I gathered
that many of the correct answers were most likely guesses, and the students did not have a good understanding of instrument families from the
start.

Each of my lessons included “Whole Brain” teaching, a style of teaching designed to maximize student engagement. This method combines
classroom management strategies with aural and kinesthetic elements to create lessons that are engaging and allow material to stick with
students. For each family, I had the students perform motions to learn and the methods of playing and physical characteristics while also
changing my vocal inflection to describe sound qualities of each family. My lessons were also primarily call and response, so as I was teaching,
the students repeated the material back to me. To conclude my lessons, I showed clips of musicians playing instruments within the specific
instrument family.

In order to differentiate my lessons throughout the unit, I began to incorporate paper cutouts of each instrument as I introduced them for the
visual learners. Specifically, for my woodwind lesson I brought different types of reeds for the students to look at. I also made sure there was a
listening portion for each lesson, so the students could associate the families with their sound quality. Because the lesson was call and
response, I was able to gague how involved the students were in the lesson. At points, I noticed that student engagement was lacking. In order
to accommodate this, I would exaggerate my vocal inflection for each instrument so they would have to respond with the same enthusiasm.

The post-test scores, sampled from a single class, reflected that students gained a better understanding of the instrument families after the unit.
Each student, apart from one, had improved scores. The average score improved from 46.15% to 73.08% and there were even six perfect
scores out of twenty-four students. Overall, students were most successful with the listening portion and sight identification of instrument
families. Students struggled more with sorting instrument names into their corresponding families.

If I were to teach this unit again, there are several elements I would change or add. In the sorting portion of my pre and post test, I would
replace the word “Saxophone” with “Clarinet,” as many students got confused between the word “Saxophone” and the word “Xylophone.” I
would have also clarified the definition of “All of the above” as many of the students didn’t appear to understand. Throughout the lesson I
would add more kinesthetic activities. For our review, the students participated in a listening activity in which they moved from corner to
corner corresponding with the instrument family played. I would add this activity into the regular lessons, as it kept students engaged and
excited about learning. I also may have incorporated an art activity in which students could color instruments based on their instrument
family. This would have added an extra visual element for students to remember the instruments within each family.