Through this blog, we will be exploring the different families of instruments and their members.

The String Family

The main family in the Orchestra is the String Family.
Take a look at this site and click on the name of each of the instruments for a picture and description.
http://www.orsymphony.org/edu/instruments/strings.aspx

After you become familiar with the different instruments, visit the following site where you will get a chance to hear each individual instrument in the string family.
http://www.philharmonia.co.uk/thesoundexchange/the_orchestra/instruments/

The Woodwind Family

The Woodwind Family makes their sound by blowing air (wind) through a long tube, mostly by using a wood reed that vibrates on the mouthpiece.
Take a look at this site and click on the name of each of the instruments for a picture and description.
http://www.orsymphony.org/edu/instruments/woodwinds.aspx

After you become familiar with the different instruments, visit the following site where you will get a chance to hear each individual instrument in the woodwind family.
http://www.philharmonia.co.uk/thesoundexchange/the_orchestra/instruments/

The Brass Family

The Brass Family has instruments made out of brass, use a bell shaped mouthpiece where air is blown through the coiled brass tubes.  Most brass instruments have valves that must be played in different combinations.  The trombone has a slide that must be placed in different "positions" in order to produce the correct pitch.

Take a look at this site and click on the name of each of the instruments for a picture and description.
http://www.orsymphony.org/edu/instruments/brass.aspx

After you become familiar with the different instruments, visit the following site where you will get a chance to hear each individual instrument in the brass family.
http://www.philharmonia.co.uk/thesoundexchange/the_orchestra/instruments/

The Percussion Family

The Percussion Family is the family with the biggest variety of instruments.  In order to be a member of the Percussion Family, the instruNoment must first be able to shake, strike or scrape the instrument.
The Percussion Family is considered by many to be the "fun" family as it has the "most toys to play with".

Take a look at this site and click on the name of each of the instruments for a picture and description.
http://www.orsymphony.org/edu/instruments/percussion.aspx


After you become familiar with the different instruments, visit the following site where you will get a chance to hear each individual instrument in the percussion family.
http://www.philharmonia.co.uk/thesoundexchange/the_orchestra/instruments/ 

Game Time!

Now that you are familiar with the different families and their instruments, it's time to see what you have learned.  Click the following link to complete a short game that will let you and I know what you have learned.  Make sure to record your score on our Edmodo site under, "Game Time!".
http://www.quia.com/rr/73992.html

Next Step...

Now that you are comfortable with the families and their instruments, let's see just where they sit in a symphony orchestra.

Have fun exploring the Interactive Symphony at:

http://library.thinkquest.org/22673/orchestra.html 

Another site to check out the different instruments, what they look like and how they are played, click:

http://artsalive.ca/en/mus/instrumentlab/ 

Listen to each instruments unique sound at:

http://www.dsokids.com/listen/instrumentlist.aspx 

One more interactive site:

http://www.sfskids.org/templates/instorchframe.asp?pageid=3

Want To Learn More?

Visit the following site for more interactive fun with the seating of the symphony orchestra.
http://www.classicsforkids.com/music/orchestra.asp

Also visit the following site to see if you can identify each instrument by its' sound.
http://www.thirteen.org/publicarts/orchestra/

Test Time!

 Please click the following link to take the test over the Instruments of the Orchestra.  Make sure to record your score on our Edmodo site under, "Instrument Test Time".
instruments_of_the_orchestra_info_and_quiz.ppt

 

Resources:

Horton, W. (2012). E-Learning by design (2nd ed.). San Francisco, CA: Wiley.

Lever-Duffy, J. & McDonald, J. (2011). Teaching and learning with technology. 

             (4^th ed.).   Boston, MA: Pearson Education, Inc.

Newby, T., Stepich, D., Lehman, J., Russell, J., Ottenbreit-Leftwich, A. (2011).

Educational technology for teaching and learning. (4^th ed.).  Boston, MA: Pearson Education, Inc.