Composer Projects

As part of my lesson planning this year, I've organized some composer projects that all my students will be required to do this year.  Since I have a variety of ages for students, it required a variety of projects, but I'm happy with what I came up with.

For my younger elementary kids, I pulled out some books with CDs.  Here's a look at some of them:

Along with listening to the CD and following along with the book, they will be given some worksheets, biographies and coloring pages to complete.  For my older elementary kids (4 grade+), I'm going to try using this book:

I have lots of "sleuths" for students and this book is full of fun mysteries and puzzles!  In addition to solving a composer mystery, they will be required to listen to some of the composer's works and complete a worksheet.  In conjuction with this book, I am also using Meet the Great Composers, both volumes and Accent on Composers.

Since some of these books allow you to reproduce pages, it's easy to put the projects together ahead of time.  When my students pick a composer, I simply have to hand them a packet all ready to go!

One other requirement I have this year is that each student learn The Story of Cristofori.  The younger students can read the book and then tell me the story from memory and the older students can research it on-line or at the library.   I really think it's going to be an exciting year!