I know how very important music is and I was thrilled when I learned that I would have another opportunity to teach music appreciation to my children! Zeezok Publishing LLC has let us review their Music Appreciation Book 2: for the Middle Grades and it is simply amazing! There are seven composers to study in this curriculum and we followed the book in order and began with Fredric Chopin.
Music Appreciation
This music appreciation curriculum is an all-in-one. It has different elements that come with the set, each one a stand alone study, but together it is a complete and standard approved music class.
There are seven composers that are covered in this curriculum. Each composer has a book about his life story and how he becomes the famous man of music that we know of today. Here are the seven composers covered in this class:
- Fredric Chopin
- Robert Schumann
- Richard Wagner
- Stephan Foster
- Jakob Brahms
- Peter Tchaikovsky
- Edward MacDowell
From small boys to the amazing men they become, each story is captivapitng and full of information that isnt easily found otherwise. It was a real treat to share their stories with my children.
The Activities Book
The Student Activity Book is broken down according to composers. In the beginning of the chosen composer there is a weekly lesson study breakdown . It provides what is required for the standard as well as how much should be accomplished in a single week.
Each weekly lesson looks a lot like this:
- read from the life story book according to the chapters suggested
- answer the comprehension questions
- talk about the character qualities of the composer
- tidbits of interest
- listen to music by said composer QR code or weblink
- make composer lapbook (if you want)
- vocabulary
- geography
- how music is created
- nature study
- learn instruments
- how the orchestra works
QR Codes for Music
QR stands for quic response. When you have an app on your phone or tablet, you can click on a QR coe adn it will take to directly to the music for said composer.
This is a huge change from when I reviewed this years back with Book 1.
I simply get to the section in the student book that shares these QR codes and as soon as the lesson is done, we click on the QR code and are taken directly to a youtube link to play the piece of music.
No pecking around the internet to find what you need and less of a chance to come acroos something you would rather not see. I like that!
How This Worked for Us
We started this music appreciation class with Chopin. I used this class with both Ana (she is almost 15) and Joseph (he is almost 12) and it was easier for me to read the composer book out loud to both of them. It was fascinating to learn so much about the life of young Fredric. His story impressed and amazed me and the children. Chopin’s life was broken into two books because, well, he was fascinating!
The life story books in this set are worth the time in my opinion, they are very well written, as well as easy to understand for a child that reads well. The other products in this curriculum are an incredible added bonus that makes for a well rounded and fully complete music class.
After we finished the Chopin books, we began to study Schumann and his love of the piano and where he ends up in his life.
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Final Thoughts
Music. It isn’t just the class we used to take in school where we learned how to play Mary had a little lamb on the recorder. Since using this course (and the previous course) I have come to realize that music is so much more. By using this course for my children, I have become more aware of the men behind the music. My, what a blessing of talent these men were given.
Music Appreciation from Zeezok Publishing has taught me to look deeper and to appreciate the gifts of these incredible men. Through hard times and many years of diligent learning, these men were able to share masterpieces with us. And I am so grateful that we can enjoy them even today.
I hope you enjoyed this review and visit again soon to see what else the kids and I have to share with you.
In His Grace,
Callie
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