This is a really fun assignment because students are encouraged to grab "instruments" from around their house and play along to the video.  Kids can usually figure out this video instruction pretty easily beacuse they're used to seeing games like Guitar Hero and Dance Dance Revolution style games.  They get the concept, and now they get to play along!

The Musication YouTube channel has some other videos that would work well either at home with adaptation or in the classroom (think about how you could put this in a center!).  I love this video for use at home because it is easily adaptable depending on what the kids have around the house.

Hello students, it's time to play!  You're going to need some family members to make this challenge really shine so grab a sibling, parent, or pet to help you out!  You're going to need to find a few things around your house like a box, metal can, cutlery (that means a spoon or fork), and some type of lid.  Don't have those things?  Use anything else you can find that will make a  nice sound.

Once you've got all the other players and the right "instruments" click play and the video will show you how to play along with the music on the screen.  After you've played through once, switch instruments with someone else in the room and try again.  Can't find anyone else to play with you?  That's okay.  Just play one part, and then when you watch again play a different part.  Good luck and happy music making!

Instruments are so versatile.  They can play high, low, loud, soft, quick, slow, and so much more.  Did you know that you can put things into or next to the instrument to change the sound?  Sometimes with brass instruments we use a device called a "mute" to change the sound coming out of the instrument.  I bet you've heard these sounds before but watch the video below to see how they work.

The video above showed you about a lot of different types of mute and gave you examples of how they sounded.  Below you'd find a video of a very famous musician named Wynton Marsalis playing at the Kennedy Center in Washington D.C.  He's am amazing trumpet player and very well known.  See how he uses a mute with a song called "Hope."

Leave two-four sentences below to describe what a mute does to the sound of a trumpet. Describe some of the differences between the original sound and the muted sound.

This is a super amazing website because it allows students to see inside the orchestra.  I love that it lets them explore up close, actually see musicians playing, and hear great music at the same time.  Some kids might just stay on the site because they like how interactive it is.  Others might get hooked into the music or the whole production of it all.  No matter what, I like that kids can explore and learn more about orchestras and see INSIDE the group!

​Here's the link:  ​https://play.lso.co.uk/performances/Berlioz-Symphonie-Fantastique

The London Symphony Orchestra is one of the most prestigious orchestras in the whole world.  On this interactive website you can see them play a famous piece called "Symphony Fantastique" by a composer named Berlioz.  You'll get to see four videos from inside the orchestra.  If you want to change a view just click on one of the four boxes and you'll be able to see a different section of the orchestra or a different view of the conductor and instrumentalists.

Click on the image below to go to the London Symphony Orchestra's Interactive Website.