String Instruments Lesson Plan: Arts and Music

Grade Levels: 3-5, 6-8

*Click to open and customize your own copy of the String Instruments Lesson Plan.

This lesson accompanies the BrainPOP topic String Instruments, and supports students in defining types of instruments and explaining how to play them. Students demonstrate understanding through a variety of projects.

Step 1: ACTIVATE PRIOR KNOWLEDGE

Ask students:

  • What instruments have you heard or played?
  • How are the sounds different instruments make alike and different?

Step 2: BUILD KNOWLEDGE

  • Read the description on the String Instruments topic page.
  • Play the Movie, pausing to check for understanding. 
  • Assign Related Reading. Have students read one of the following articles: “Way Back When” or “In Practice” Partner them with someone who read a different article to share what they learned with each other.

Step 3: APPLY and ASSESS 

Assign String Instruments Challenge and Quiz, prompting students to apply essential literacy skills while demonstrating what they learned about this topic.

Step 4: DEEPEN and EXTEND

Students express what they learned about string instruments while practicing essential literacy skills with one or more of the following activities. Differentiate by assigning ones that meet individual student needs.

  • Make-a-Movie: Produce a tutorial that explains how sound is produced in different types of string instruments.
  • Make-a-Map: Create a concept map identifying string instruments from around the world and describing their sound.
  • Creative Coding: Code a digital museum exhibit featuring artifacts and figures to represent the history of string instruments.

More to Explore 

Time Zone X: String Instruments: Place historical events in chronological order in this interactive timeline game.

Sortify: Musical Instruments: ​​Challenge players to sort instruments by attributes, such as string, percussion, and more in this learning game.

Making Music Unit: Continue to build understanding around arts and music by exploring more BrainPOP movies.

Teacher Support Resources:

Lesson Plan Common Core State Standards Alignments

Related:

    Filed as:  3-5, 6-8, Arts and Music, BrainPOP, CCSS.ELA-Literacy.RI.3.3, CCSS.ELA-Literacy.RI.3.4, CCSS.ELA-Literacy.RI.3.7, CCSS.ELA-Literacy.RI.4.3, CCSS.ELA-Literacy.RI.4.4, CCSS.ELA-Literacy.RI.4.7