March 07, 2018 : How Did Music Begin?

The Mini Page is a syndicated, four-page tabloid written for young children found each Wednesday in The Denver Post. This issue of The Mini Page is available through the eEdition Archive to registered eEdition subscribers

Click here to download the PDF for this lesson

Activities:

1. Find newspaper pictures of five different modern musical instru ments. Paste the pictures on a piece of paper. Next to each picture , describe what prehistoric “instrument” might have been an early form of the modern instrument.

2. Conduct a survey among your friends and family members. Ask each person what musical instrument they play or what instrument they wish they could play. Which instrument was most popular? Why do you think that is?

3. Find newspaper pictures of items that are not musical instrument s . Show how you might use the nonmusical items to create five musical instruments. Explain your “new” instruments.

4. How are these related to early musical instruments: (a) bullroarer, ( b) bird bones, (c) animal teeth and (d) pounding grains?

5. Use newspaper pictures and words to try to create a modern - day orchestra. Look for string, woodwinds, brass and percussion instruments. Paste them in the locations they would be placed on a stage.

Mini Page activities meet many state and national educational standards. Each week we identify standards that relate to The Mini Page content and offer activities that will help your students reach them.

This week's standard:
Students identify a nd describe the roles of instruments in various music settings and cultures. (Fine Arts: Music)

(standards by Dr. Sherrye D. Garrett, Texas A&M University-Corpus Christi)