ClassActivities

Before starting lesson, make sure you go to Fun Sheet Page, and print out the fun sheet that goes with this activity.

[|Fun Sheet]

Today we will be learning about musical instruments. Many different instruments make many different sounds. Click the link below and listen to this sample of music. While you are listening take a tally of the number of instruments you hear when listening to “Cielito Lindo” on your fun sheet. Click Here: [|"Cielito Lindo"]

The band you just watched perform "Cielito Lindo" is a mariachi band. This type of band is heard in Mexico which is a country on the same continent as ours, North America. On your fun sheet, put a large X on the country you believe is Mexico.



Have you ever seen or heard a mariachi band before? Answer question number three on your fun sheet and write down any places or times you have heard a mariachi band before.

Think back to when you took down tallies while listening to "Cielito Lindo." Each musical instrument has it's own timbre. Timbre is what makes a sound sound different or stand out from other sounds. Timbre means the tone quality that makes it different from other sounds. A guitar sounds different than a trumpet, but together, the different timbres come together to make musical texture.

Now you will conduct a experiment. You should have three rubber-bands all of different sizes, lengths, or thickness. Take one rubber-band stretched out and pluck it, like you would a guitar string for it to make a noise. Pluck the other two rubber-bands. On your fun sheet, answer question number four and write down any conclusions or observations concerning the differences between the sounds these rubber-bands make and why they might sound differently.

Look at the picture of the mariachi band, [|Mariachi Picture]

In the picture above there are five different instruments. The two on the far left are trompetas pronounced trom-pe-ta. The three next to that, moving to the right are guitarras pronounced gee-tar-ah. The last one on the far right is a violin pronounced vee-o-lin. You would play a trumpet by using three fingers on your right hand to mash valves, and blow through the mouthpiece. You would play a guitar by strumming your hand across the opening in the middle. Finally, you play the violin by gliding a bow across the strings.

LET'S JOIN THE BAND!!!! Click the link below, and whenever you here a particular instrument, perform the musical behavior (for example: strumming, using bow, or mashing valves). More than one instrument will be playing at once sometimes, so its okay to pick one and ignore the others.

[|LET'S JOIN THE BAND]

Go to the following link and color in the mariachi guitar player. Mariachi members wear very colorful and heavily ornamented outfits called charro outfits so make them as bright, colorful, and exciting as you want! Print it out afterwards to hang up in a special place!

[|Coloring Sheet]

To receive credit for this lesson, click on the discussion tab at the top of the page and submit your answers from the fun sheet along with your name as the subject and any other comments. Click submit and your done!