A Young Scholars Guide to Composers.

I was recently given the amazing opportunity to review A Young Scholars Guide to Composers through Timberdoodle.  This book is published by Bright Ideas Press. 

A Young Scholars Guide to Composers

The list price is $34.95

Timberdoodle Price $31.50

Recommended ages 9-13 or Grade levels 4th-8th, as written. However this is easily adaptable for a wider a age range. 

Authors: Melissa E. Craig and Maggie S. Hogan

You get a paperback book which you are able to reproduce for use within your family.

I always thought, “How am I  going to teach my children about classical music and it’s composers when I don’t know anything about it myself?” 

I now have the answer.  I am going to use The Young Scholars Guide to Composers. 

 

They take you through ~

• Ancient Music to the Middle Ages
• Music in the Renaissance
• The Baroque Period
• The Classical Period
• The Romantic Period
• The Contemporary Period

 

You will the music of the period and some composers that go along with that period. study

This book has 32 lessons to be done one each week over the course of a school year.  They give you a sample schedule that is very easy to use over 3 days. 

 

Day 1

• Listen to the music selections
• Read the lesson
• Answer the student questions, fill in the note taking pages. 

 

Day 2

• Listen to the music the selections
• Fill out the Composer Info Card
• Color in the timeline
• Match the composer to their place a birth on the provided map.

 

Day 3

• Listen to and enjoy the music selections

 

 

There are even fun games to play, such as

• Composer Memory
• Go Fish
• Composer Bingo
• Composer Jeopardy

Also there are some intricate coloring pages, which may be enjoyable for children to just color while listening to some of the musical pieces.

I have to tell you that  I have enjoyed this study just as much as my children have.  For me, as the educator, I really appreciated how they ease you into the study, there is very little to no teacher prep time, other than printing off the worksheets and getting the book out.  They tell you right from the beginning about why they included certain things and left certain things/composers out.  They have made this very family friendly. 

It is recommended for grades 4-8.  However, my 1st grader enjoyed listening to the music and sitting in on the lessons.  There is also many useful websites and resources listed if you were to want to extend this study further. 

 

Most of the links are you tube.  Just copy them into your browser for quick songs.  You can even check out some of the music from the library for a more extensive experience.  

I feel this study was very well though out with both the parent/teacher and student(s) in mind.  The writers of this curriculum are plenty knowledgeable, but they don’t overwhelm you with to much information, while leaving you with additional resources if you would like more. 

 

Did you know that Timberdoodle offers a wide selection of music curriculum. You can also check out all they have to offer by requesting a free catalog from them. (I highly recommend doing this!)

 

 

{As a member of Timberdoodle's Blogger Review Team I received a free copy of A Young Scholar's Guide to Composers in exchange for a frank and unbiased review.}