_______________________ MUSICAL INSTRUMENT DISCOVERY SERIES - Lesson Plans -

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Beamz® Musical Instruments Discovery Series - Lesson Plans Index Instruments Games ________________________________________________________________________ pg.3 Play the Beamz to interact with and discover musical instruments of all kinds. Engage students with six (6) fun and educational memory games. Instruments Rehearsals ___________________________________________________________________ pg.4 Students increase their memory skills with these six (6) entertaining rehearsals. No pressure of a time limit. Just play along at your own pace. Instruments Class Quiz Games _________________________________________________________ pg.5 Test your memory with these two (2) expanded-length group activity games. Students will develop strong focus abilities while being challenged and encouraged. Instruments Training Games ____________________________________________________________ pg.6 Training is a key to success. Students can “practice” the Class Quiz Games independently with these separate “training” versions of the Class Quizzes. Activity Guide ________________________________________________________________________________ pg.7 Discover various ways to engage your students with the games Included in this series. Instrument Fact Sheets ____________________________________________________________________ pg.8 Instruments descriptions and fascinating information. Quiz Sheets __________________________________________________________________________________ pg.17 Quiz sheets for the class to fill out during the two (2) Class Quizzes.

© 2015 Beamz Interactive, Inc.

 

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Instruments Games Lesson Plans for Musical Instrument Discovery ________________________________________________________________________  

Objective: Play the Beamz to discover the sound and appearance of various traditional musical instruments - develop memory skills. Skills Targeted: Creativity, recognition, memory, recall, comparison. The student makes artistic decisions and is then challenged with multiple-choice questions. Components: Six (6) games: 1. Wind Instruments Game 2. String Instruments Game 3. Percussion Instruments Game 4. Guitars Instruments Game 5. Keyboards Instruments Game 6. Instruments of the World Game Description: Each of these Beamz Instruments Games introduces a variety of musical instruments showcased in a group of similarly styled instruments. These games all begin with an introduction of each individual instrument. The player sees a picture of each instrument individually and plays the Beamz to hear what it sounds like. After this section, the game begins. The player is shown a group of instruments, one of which has its sound play just prior to revealing the four possible answers. The player is then asked to select the correct instrument by its sound via multiple-choice. If the player selects the correct instrument he/she instantly receives an auditory response congratulating him/her. If a wrong answer is selected then the player hears a sound that denotes that the wrong answer was selected. There is enough time allotted enabling the player to try again if he/she first selects the incorrect answer. There is no score kept for these games. No winning or losing, just fun and learning.

© 2015 Beamz Interactive, Inc.

 

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Instruments Rehearsals Lesson Plans for Musical Instrument Discovery ________________________________________________________________________  

Objective: Play the Beamz to discover the sound and appearance of various traditional musical instruments – play at your own pace (no pressure of a time limit). Skills Targeted: Creativity, recognition, comparison, expression. The student makes artistic decisions under no pressure. Components: Six (6) Instruments Rehearsal games: 1. Wind Instruments Rehearsal 2. String Instruments Rehearsal 3. Percussion Instruments Rehearsal 4. Guitars Instruments Rehearsal 5. Keyboards Instruments Rehearsal 6. Instruments of the World Rehearsal Description: These six (6) Beamz “Instruments Rehearsal” games correlate directly to the six (6) Instruments games described above. The same instruments are showcased but in a manner that the student can play each instrument for as long as they like, without being limited to a few seconds as is the case in the games above. There are no multiple-choice sections to these games, like the above games. The Instruments Rehearsal games format is specifically design for the student to become more intimately familiar with all of the instruments.

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Instruments Class Quiz Games Lesson Plans for Musical Instrument Discovery ________________________________________________________________________  

Objective: Participate in the class quizzes to develop knowledge about a variety of musical instruments - develop memory and comparison skills. Skills Targeted: Recognition, memory, recall, comparison, focus. The student is challenged with multiple-choice questions on a fixed time limit per question. Components: Two (2) Instruments Class Quiz games: 1. Instruments Class Quiz 1 2. Instruments Class Quiz 2 Description: These two (2) Beamz Instruments Class Quiz games are for the entire class to participate in. The Class Quizzes should be given as the students have spent significant time on the Instruments Games and Rehearsals. Each Class Quiz has twenty-one (21) questions. Each question gives a random audio sample of one of the forty-two (42) instruments from the six (6) Instruments games, followed by a multiple-choice screen of four random instruments. One of the four instruments pictured is the correct answer (which correlates to the audio sample for that particular question). The student is given a “Quiz Sheet” (attached) from which to follow along with the Beamz Instruments Class Quiz games. The student will see a representation of the Class Quiz questions on his/her “answer sheet” and will answer each question by selecting one of the four options by circling with a writing utensil. At the end of the twenty-one (21) questions Class Quiz the students hand in the Quiz Sheets and the teacher grades/scores. These quizzes can be repeated as the students’ skills increase.

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Instruments Training Games Lesson Plans for Musical Instrument Discovery ________________________________________________________________________  

Objective: Play the Beamz to discover the sound and appearance of various traditional musical instruments - develop memory skills, prepare for Instruments Class Quiz Games. Skills Targeted: Recognition, memory, recall, comparison, focus. The student is challenged with multiple-choice questions on a fixed time limit per question. Components: Two (2) Instruments Training games: 1. Instruments Training Game 1 2. Instruments Training Game 2 Description: These two (2) Instruments Training Games correlate directly to the two (2) Instruments Class Quiz games. They are identical, but with an added feature for training purposes… the correct answer to each question is revealed (immediately following the question). This format is designed for a student to work Independently with headphones. The Instruments Rehearsals are the only games in the series that utilize the “SWAP” feature. The SWAP button on the Beamz laser instrument (and the user interface on the app and computer) allows the player to advance to the next bank of instruments to discover.

© 2015 Beamz Interactive, Inc.

 

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Activity Guide Lesson Plans for Musical Instrument Discovery ________________________________________________________________________ Activity 1: Using the Instrument Fact Sheets, discuss with class the wide range of styles of musical instruments (guitars, piano, winds, string, percussion, etc). Describe how a sound is produced in each of these categories (winds by blowing air, strings by plucking or strumming, percussion by striking, etc). Activity 2: Demonstrate how to use the Beamz (laser instrument, computer with mouse, or tablet app). Use one of the six (6) Instrument Rehearsal Games for this exercise. Demonstrate the multiple ways to trigger a laser producing a sound (single strike for one note or riff, hold for a series of notes and riffs, consecutive single strikes to build a melody). Activity 3: Begin by having students briefly take turns playing the Beamz using one of the Rehearsal Games to ensure everyone grasps the concept of how the Beamz works. Activity 4: As a class (directed by the instructor), play one (1) of the six (6) Instrument Games to demonstrate how to play the games to class. Follow the on-screen instructions. Hook the computer up to larger external speakers and video screen (if possible) for the best results. Activity 5: Students play the Instruments Games, the Instruments Rehearsals, and the Instruments Training Games independently (rather than full class participation), preferably with headphones rather than speakers (reducing room audio clutter). Students can follow the on-screen instructions. Activity 6: The instructor leads the class through the two (2) Instruments Class Quiz Games. Hook the computer up to larger external speakers and video screen (if possible) for the best results. Copy and hand out to the class the attached Instruments Quiz Answer Sheets (one for each of the two quizzes). Instruct students to circle the one correct answer per question on the Instruments Quiz Answer Sheet, add their name, and hand in after the quiz. Score the quizzes and hand back to students. The Class Quizzes are an “all-skate” opportunity for the class, unlike the other games in the series, which are designed for individual participation (or small groups for fun and entertainment). © 2015 Beamz Interactive, Inc.

 

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Instruments Fact Sheet Lesson Plans for Musical Instrument Discovery ________________________________________________________________________ Accordion: Name Meaning: Chord harmony Created: 1822 Origin: Germany Family: Keyboard/Reed Fascinating Fact: One of the world’s greatest accordionists is Myron Floren (1919-2005) who played in the Lawrence Welk Orchestra between 1950 and 1980. Bagpipes: Name Meaning: A windbag with a melody pipe and drone pipes protruding outward. Created: 1000 BC Origin: Asia Minor Family: Wind (Aerophone) Fascinating Fact: The bagpipes can only play nine (9) notes. Banjo: Name Meaning: Gourd with neck and strings Created: 1620 Origin: Africa Family: String Fascinating Fact: The iconic "Dueling Banjos" piece in the 1972 movie "Deliverance" actually features a guitar and a banjo. It was the first recording of this traditional song, which is normally played with two banjos. Bass Drum: Name Meaning: Low in Pitch Created: 2500 BC Origin: Sumeria Family: Percussion Fascinating Fact: The bass drum is played by using padded beaters or sticks and striking it against the drumhead. In a drum set, the musician plays the bass drum by using a pedal-operated stick. © 2015 Beamz Interactive, Inc.

 

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  Chimes: Name Meaning: Middle English (in the senses 'cymbal' and 'ring out' Created: 3000 BC Origin: South East Asia Family: Percussion Fascinating Fact: They are mounted in pitch order to produce rising or falling glissandos. Clarinet: Name Meaning: French clarinette (the feminine diminutive of Old French clarin or clarion) Created: 18th century Origin: Germany Family: Wind (Woodwind) Fascinating Fact: A person who plays any type of clarinet is called a clarinetist Congas: Name Meaning: The name conga is derived from the name of it’s homeland, the Congolaise of Africa Created: 1800’s Origin: Africa Family: Percussion Fascinating Fact: also known as tumbadora Cymbals: Name Meaning: The word cymbal is derived from the Latin cymbalum Created: 1100 BC Origin: Asia Family: Percussion Fascinating Fact: The size of the cymbal affects its sound, larger cymbals usually being louder and having longer sustain. Daf: Name Meaning: The word Daf is the Hebraic form of the word dap. Created: Not Known Origin: Persian (Ancient Iran) Family: Percussion Fascinating Fact: The Daf has been considered a spiritual drum in Persia (Iran).

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  Didgeridoo: Name Meaning: Imitative sound Created: Unknown Origin: Australia Family: Wind Fascinating Fact: The wax mouthpiece can soften during play, forming a better seal. Dobro: Name Meaning: meaning "goodness" or “goodwill” in their native Slovakian Created: 1928 Origin: USA Family: String Fascinating Fact: Many Dobro style guitars are now hybrid electric guitars, and some manufacturers add strings to create seven and eight-string resonator-style guitars. Electric Bass: Name Meaning: Low in Pitch Created: 1930’s Origin: USA Family: String Fascinating Fact: Bass Guitars are available with a number a different number of strings The most common are four, five, or six strings Electric Guitar: Name Meaning: Guitar including an electric pickup Created: 1928 Origin: USA Family: String Fascinating Fact: Without an amplifier, electric guitars make little musical sound. Flute: Name Meaning: Derived from the Latin word flare "to blow" Created: 40,000 BC Origin: Germany Family: Winds (Woodwind) Fascinating Fact: The first flute found was made from swan bones and are among the oldest known musical instruments. © 2015 Beamz Interactive, Inc.

 

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  French Horn: Name Meaning: Created: 16th century Origin: Germany Family: Wind (Brass) Fascinating Fact: The brass tubing that makes the French Horn is eighteen (18) feet long. Grand Piano: Name Meaning: Piano translates as “soft in Italian” Created: 1655 - 1731 Origin: Italy Family: Keyboard Fascinating Fact: When you press a piano key, a small padded “hammer” mechanism strikes the piano strings creating the tone. Guitar: Name Meaning: String (“tar”) Created: 1500 BC Origin: Central Asia Family: String Fascinating Fact: The word “guitar” is derived from the Old Persian “chartar”, which direct translation means “four strings”. Harmonica: Name Meaning: Musical Created: 1821 Origin: Germany Family: Wind Fascinating Fact: There are many types of harmonica, including diatonic, chromatic, tremolo, octave, orchestral, and bass versions. Harp: Name Meaning: Musical. Created: 3500 BC Origin: Asia, Africa, Europe Family: String Fascinating Fact: The harp is one of the oldest instruments in the world.

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  Lyre: Name Meaning: Lyrists Created: 2500 BC Origin: Greek Family: String Fascinating Fact: A lyre has far fewer strings than its relative the harp. Mandolin: Name Meaning: Small mandola (“almond”) Created: 17th Century Origin: Italian Family: String Fascinating Fact: The mandolin is very popular in folk and country music. Maracas: Name Meaning: Maraca Created: 6th Century Origin: Latin America Family: Percussion Fascinating Fact: Originally, maracas where made out of dried gourds and coconuts and filled with dried beans or seeds to produce a sound when shaking. Marimba: Name Meaning: “Ma”= many, “rimba”= single-bar xylophone Created: 17th Century Origin: Guatemala Family: Percussion Fascinating Fact: The marimba is the national instrument of Guatemala. Melodica: Name Meaning: Instrument named by the inventor, the Hohner company. Created: 1950s Origin: Germany Family: Keyboard (Winds) Fascinating Fact: The melodica is also known as the “wind piano”.

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  Pedal Steel: Name Meaning: An electric guitar neck mounted to a table stand with pitch pedals. Created: 20th Century Origin: United States Family: String Fascinating Fact: Most guitars have six (6) strings, but the pedal steel has ten (10) and sometimes up to fourteen (14). Pipe Organ: Name Meaning: “Pipe”= tube, “organ”= a musical instrument. Created: Greece Origin: 3rd Century BC Family: Keyboard Fascinating Fact: The pipe organ has many foot pedals that allow organists to accompany themselves with a bass part. Saxophone: Name Meaning: “Sax”= the name of the inventor (Adolphe Sax), “phone” = producing a sound (phonic) Created: 1840 Origin: Belgium (possibly France) Family: Winds (Woodwinds) Fascinating Fact: The saxophone has become synonymous with jazz music, but plays in the classical music ensembles as well. Shakuhachi: Name Meaning: “Shaku” = Thirty centimeters, “hachi” = 8/10 (referring to size) Created: 8th Century Origin: Japan Family: Winds Fascinating Fact: During the medieval period, shakuhachi were used by Zen Buddhist monks as a spiritual tool.

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  Shamisen: Name Meaning: Three strings Created: 16th Century Origin: Japan Family: String Fascinating Fact: The shamisen is a traditional Japanese instrument, but originally came from China, where it is called a “sanxian”. Shofar: Name Meaning: Ram’s horn Created: Ancient biblical times Origin: Hebrew Family: Wind Fascinating Fact: In ancient Israel the shofar was blown on Rosh Hashanah, marking the beginning of the New Year and a call to repentance. Sitar: Name Meaning: Three strings Created: 16th Century Origin: India Family: String Fascinating Fact: The sitar was famously performed by Beatles guitarist George Harrison on the hit song, “Norwegian Wood” in 1965. Snare Drum: Name Meaning: Harp string drum Created: 15th Century Origin: Medieval Europe Family: Percussion Fascinating Fact: The snare drum is sometimes called a “side drum,” and was originally worn by soldiers on a strap under one arm. Swarmandal: Name Meaning: Note group Created: 1850 Origin: India Family: String (Zither) Fascinating Fact: The hit song “Strawberry Fields Forever” by The Beatles features a swarmandal played by George Harrison. © 2015 Beamz Interactive, Inc.

 

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  Synthesizer: Name Meaning: “Synthesize”, to form by combining elements. Created: Mid 20th Century Origin: United States Family: Keyboard (Electronic) Fascinating Fact: The Moog synthesizer (pronounced mogue, like “vogue”) was released in 1965 by Robert Moog and is considered a major milestone for electronic music. Tambourine: Name Meaning: Diminutive of tambour “drum”. Created: Late 16th Century Origin: Medieval Latin Family: Percussion Fascinating Fact: The metal jingles on a tambourine are called “zils”. Timpani: Name Meaning: To strike a hand drum. Created: 15th Century Origin: Eastern Europe Family: Percussion Fascinating Fact: Timpani drums are often referred to as “kettledrums”. Triangle: Name Meaning: A figure having three sides and three angles. Created: 16th Century Origin: Unknown Family: Percussion Fascinating Fact: Along with the saxophone, the triangle is the signature instrument in Henry Mancini’s “The Pink Panther” theme. Trombone: Name Meaning: Large Trumpet Created: 15th Century Origin: Origin uncertain (perhaps Italy or France) Family: Winds (Brass) Fascinating Fact: Some say that Beethoven and other composers described the trombone as the “Voice of God”.

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  Trumpet: Name Meaning: “Trump”, to proclaim, extol. Created: (1813 (valve) Origin: Germany (modern trumpet) Family: Winds (Brass) Fascinating Fact: The trumpet is the smallest and highest-pitched brass instrument. Tuba: Name Meaning: Latin for Trumpet Created: Early 19th Century Origin: Germany Family: Winds (Brass) Fascinating Fact: The tuba is the largest and lowest-pitched brass instrument. Violin: Name Meaning: Small viola Created: Early 16th Century Origin: Italy Family: String Fascinating Fact: Playing the violin burns approximately 170 calories per hour. Xylophone: Name Meaning: Wooden sound Created: 9th Century Origin: South East Asia Family: Percussion Fascinating Fact: Although originally the bars of a xylophone where wood (“xylo” means “wood”) you often find xylophones with metal bars, also referred to as a “glockenspiell”.

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Trombone Harmonica Pedal Steel Acoustic Guitar Pipe Organ Chimes Timpani Snare Drum Electric Bass Guitar Daf Swarmandal Flute Tuba Shamisen Banjo Maracas Bass Drum

Name: ____________________ Trumpet Saxophone Shamisen Mandolin Xylophone Synthesizer Tambourine Maracas Harp Banjo Shofar Didgeridoo Saxophone French Horn Acoustic Guitar Electric Guitar Timpani Snare Drum

Xylophone Pipe Organ

Melodica Marimba

Electric Bass Banjo

Harp Violin

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Swarmandal Bag Pipes

Daf Shamisen

Saxophone Trombone

Trumpet Clarinet

Electric Guitar Sitar

Mandolin Pedal Steel

Maracas Cymbals

Tambourine Bass Drum

Xylophone Accordion

Grand Piano Chimes

Electric Bass Swarmandal

Harp Sitar

Accordion Grand Piano

Pipe Organ Xylophone

Tuba French Horn

Trumpet Clarinet

Shamisen Banjo

Electric Guitar Acoustic Guitar

Bass Drum Congas

Maracas Cymbals

Great Job!

Score: _____ / 21 © 2015 Beamz Interactive, Inc.

 

 

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Harmonica Saxophone Sitar Dobro Tambourine Triangle Timpani Snare Drum Bass Drum Maracas Banjo Swarmandal Sitar Shakuhachi French Horn Saxophone Banjo Pedal Steel

Name: ____________________ Trombone Trumpet Electric Guitar Banjo Timpani Congas Tambourine Maracas Tambourine Cymbals Violin Lyre Bag Pipes Swarmandal Trombone Clarinet Dobro Sitar

Synthesizer Melodica

Marimba Grand Piano

Marimba Synthesizer

Grand Piano Accordion

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Sitar Violin

Lyre Swarmandal

Bag Pipes Daf

Shakuhachi Shofar

Flute Tuba

Saxophone French Horn

Dobro Banjo

Shamisen Pedal Steel

Triangle Snare Drum

Timpani Maracas

Synthesizer Marimba

Chimes Melodica

Bag Pipes Swarmandal

Shamisen Didgeridoo

Melodica Marimba

Chimes Pipe Organ

Clarinet Trumpet

Trombone Flute

Dobro Mandolin

Shamisen Pedal Steel Great Job!

Score: _____ / 21 © 2015 Beamz Interactive, Inc.