Welcome back to my website! You have a fun activity to try this week- Become a composer!

Also, be sure to check out the Middle School band information below.

1. Play great music as a background for working.

Some kids find it difficult to concentrate with background noise, but soft music (especially instrumental) can sometimes help kids focus better. Try it out! Play classical music while the kids are doing independent work. It's easy to find free classical music on Spotify and YouTube.

Classical Playlist

The Piano Guys

2. Virtual Field Trips & Free Websites

Search companies that are streaming free right now! The MET in NYC and other museums are a great place to start.

Operas

8 Notes

Music Tech Teacher

Free Apps

3. Learn about Composers

Research various composers and their music. The resources can be tied in with Reading and History. Your child can choose their favorite and write a shorter biography in their own words (Writing!)

Classics for Kids

Music in our Homeschool

Practical Pages

4. Musical dictionary notebook

Start a musical dictionary notebook with all the musical terms your child is learning while at home. Bonus if he/she adds sketches or drawings.

Music Theory

5. Become a composer

Print out blank sheet music and let your child compose a piece to later play on a keyboard or piano app.

Incredibox

6. Timeline

Create a musical era timeline. You could even include clips of the "top" songs from the era.

7. Musical Reactions

Play classical music and have your child write a response to it. The response can be a list of words, a paragraph, a picture, a poem, etc. The music can even be popular music, but try just the instrumental without the lyrics.

8. Sing the Lyrics

Materials needed:

• Paper
• Pen
• Song lyrics

How to:

~Write down one or two verses from popular or favorite songs. Ensure you leave a few words missing here and there and leave it as a blank.

~Write down the name of the song beside it, so you know the right answer.

~Divide the group into teams.

~Give each team a chance to guess while you read out the clues that you wrote down as a verse. Set a time limit by which the players have to guess. If the team or player cannot guess the lyrics, pass it on to the next person or team. The team that gets the maximum answers right is the winner.