A somewhat frequent topic of conversation regarding education, is whether or not to cut art and music programs in schools. I cannot fathom why it would be considered. The arts offer us so much beyond traditional academics. They teach children and adults alike about generations that precede us. We appreciate not only the beautiful works of art, and pieces of music, but the history and culture of the musicians and artists. They also provide an avenue for students to create art and music themselves. This is yet one more reason that I love homeschooling. I have no worry that these programs will be cut, and we are free to enjoy them as we like. But what program should you choose? I can help you there, thanks to Zeezok Publishing , who provided our family with Music Appreciation Book 2: for the Middle Grades .
Included in this set:
-Music Appreciation Book 2 for the Middle Grades
-Frederic Chopin - Early Years
-Frederic Chopin - Later Years
-Robert Schuman and Mascot Ziff
-Adventures of Richard Wagner
-Stephen Foster and His Little Dog Tray
-The Young Brahms
-The Story of Peter Tchaikovsky
-Peter Tchaikovsky and the Nutcracker Ballet *We received this as an ebook*
-Edward Macdonald and His Cabin in the Pines
This collection is recommended for grades 5-8, but as with most curriculum, may be used for slightly younger or older ages as ability allows. It may also interest you to know that for the intended grades, this program meets the national standards for music appreciation. It also uses a variety of learning styles, so you should be able to find any number of activities within the student book to appeal to kinesthetic, auditory, and visual learners. I'll touch on some of those in just a bit.
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| Table of Contents. |
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| Handy QR codes allow access to music. |
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| Easy to follow schedule. |
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| Work sample. |
I like that the student workbook has the 3 ring binder holes punched out in it, so you can keep your work in a binder if you like. This workbook is visually appealing too, with lots of color and illustrations throughout the pages. They also have included scan codes, so if you have a scan app on your mobile device, you can scan any number of them, which allows you to hear a particular piece of music. The schedule is well organized, and easy to follow. Students will read from one of the musician biographies, and then work through the activities that follow. Included in those assignments are comprehension questions, music tracks to listen to, character qualities of each musician, vocabulary words, and family history. They will also learn about each musician's country of origin, the culture, the political climate of the time, and even recipes that the artists may have enjoyed. As I mentioned above, there is an activity to suit a variety of learning styles.
The font in the biographies is larger, so for us, and my 9th grader, who has been using this, it's easy to get through fairly quickly. Yes, my daughter I older than the intended grade range, but it's still filled with pertinent information that spans across the ages, and it simply means that she'll get through the series at a faster rate. I've also had my 10th grader looking through the biographies, but it's my 9th grader who is using the student workbook. Again, the material is intended for a younger group, but much of the material can be appreciated by any and every age, so why not? Both of my daughters are musicians, so they can read and play the music that is sprinkled throughout the books, and they have played some of the pieces in their band, which is fun.
My 9th grader likes the material well enough. She enjoys the sections titled Tidbits of Interest, that provide extra details of the musicians' lives. Also, being a foodie and budding chef, she is very interested in the many recipes that provide her with opportunities to cook and bake. Overall, this is a really nice program that would be a wonderful addition to any family's studies. In fact, this is great for those teaching several different grades, as it can be adapted so easily. I recommend it enthusiastically!
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| Tidbits of Interest. |
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| Vocabulary, Geography, and more. |
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| Traditions and recipes. |
The font in the biographies is larger, so for us, and my 9th grader, who has been using this, it's easy to get through fairly quickly. Yes, my daughter I older than the intended grade range, but it's still filled with pertinent information that spans across the ages, and it simply means that she'll get through the series at a faster rate. I've also had my 10th grader looking through the biographies, but it's my 9th grader who is using the student workbook. Again, the material is intended for a younger group, but much of the material can be appreciated by any and every age, so why not? Both of my daughters are musicians, so they can read and play the music that is sprinkled throughout the books, and they have played some of the pieces in their band, which is fun.
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| Quotes. |
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| Visually appealing pages. |
My 9th grader likes the material well enough. She enjoys the sections titled Tidbits of Interest, that provide extra details of the musicians' lives. Also, being a foodie and budding chef, she is very interested in the many recipes that provide her with opportunities to cook and bake. Overall, this is a really nice program that would be a wonderful addition to any family's studies. In fact, this is great for those teaching several different grades, as it can be adapted so easily. I recommend it enthusiastically!
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