Music??

[RainbowSprinkles]

What have you used for music education? Either in place of or in additon to music lessons.

[SFM]

We have Biblioplan and during the time that we read through our history we read about composers and usually I just YouTube some of the composers music and have them listen and/or I have the book about the composer and we read through that and then we listen to that composer during the day for a week or two. Nothing too fancy yet. He also takes piano lessons so he practices daily in theory, technic, etc.

 

I am not musical, I love music but I have no "talent" or really prior knowledge so this is what I am doing for now. My children are 8, 4, and 2.

[gracesteacher]

We have used Kinderbah for piano with a keyboard at home and then story of the orchestra to study instruments and composers and then just listening to quailty music of different generations. I try to find as many free and cheap places to listen to all kinds of different music. We also are lucky to have a church that does music and have a great co op that when she is in second grade that does choir.

[Susie in CA]

The boys have always taken piano lessons. Aside from that we just listen to lots of music and read a biography here and there. I have used many listening materials from the WTM. And whenever I get tired of thinking about it I purchase a curriculum from Barb at harmonyfinearts. Nothing too fancy, really.

 

We have also liked the Classical Kids story CD's.

[ladydusk]

We have done piano lessons and homeschool choir.

 

We sing hymns during circle time.

 

We love the Opal Wheeler books.

 

The Classical Kids CDs are fun, my kids enjoy them during Quiet Time.

 

We have, but haven't used much, the Vox Music Masters CDs. The information is good, the presentation is a little dull for little ones.

 

We give instruments as gifts ... a harmonica in the stocking, a toy guitar. I hope to get handbells sometime soon.

 

The Story of the Orchestra

[Hunter]

The Jumbo Book of Music is a great introduction to music, for any parent feeling overwhelmed and/or confused about teaching music. Some of us have too narrow of a view of what music even IS. Before we can teach it, some of us need to be introduced to a fuller definition of music.

 

After reading this book, I felt like I was no longer taking pot shots at teaching music.

 

Right now I'm mostly following what's in the original What Your _ Grader Needs to Know series, but this book was essential for me years ago, and I was happy to reread a library copy recently.

[Mrs Twain]

I have used the What Your _-Grader Needs to Know books which have a music section starting at the K level. These are good and cover a wide variety of music topics that wouldn't get covered otherwise. I often found Youtube videos to go along with the lessons. They are helpful with lessons on various instruments, what a conductor does, popular songs, etc.

 

This year I also starting having the kids listen to Classics for Kids. These are great and quite entertaining. It covers classical composers.

 

To start school, we say the Pledge of Allegiance and one or two patriotic songs. My kids have learned all kinds of songs this way, such as excerpts from Stars and Stripes Forever, My Country 'Tis of Thee, and When Johnny Comes Marching Home.

[tomandlorih]

I'm using Music Ace Deluxe this year. Quick and easy. One lesson per week.

[Aurelia]

We started with Kinderbach and Calvert's Discoveries in Music. DD loved them. When we did US history, I got the Wee Sing America album so she could learn some of the patriotic songs. Other than that, it's mostly listening to classical music while doing art.

[mschickie]

I love Story of the Orchestra. We have also done some of Christian Light's music books. Dd is now doing music lessons so that is pretty much it.

[2_girls_mommy]

1st grade/preK: What Your 1st Grader Needs to Know as a spine. I used library books, C.Ds, and videos to round it out. We liked Classical Kids C.D.s that year too. Rod and Staff music workbook. I bought their music cards and made posters of the singing patterns to practice, and a tuning instrument for some theory.

 

2nd grade/K: Kinderbach video co-op class w/toy keyboards and Rod and Staff 2nd grade music workbooks. I used WY2GNTK a bit as well. 2nd grader learned recorder that year w/ a book from Target.

 

3rd grade/1st: Rod and Staff 3rd and 1st grade music workbooks, Kinderbach continued w/1st grader. Started Alfred Piano at home w/DVD and piano w/3rd grader . 1st grader transitioned to playing her Kinderbach lessons on piano at home.

 

4th grade/2nd: Alfred Piano at home still w/DVDs, some R&S workbook work.

 

***Every year we learn lots of new songs. We have learned songs in Latin w/our latin currics, songs in church, and they perform in the Christmas pageant each year. We learn songs from the Wee Sings C.D.s and from YouTube too.