Free Printable Listening Guides to Use When Experiencing Music
[Today we have a guest post by Christa Brown of Little Log Cottage School.]
Free Printable Listening Guides to Use When Experiencing Music
A couple of years ago, I had the privilege of teaching a Hymn Study Class for a tutorial. A portion of our activities was to listen to the hymn in a variety of different styles. I found it interesting that most children had never heard a choir or symphony perform! When I saw the need for more listening experience, I decided to make listening a weekly musical activity.
For my class, I would introduce the hymn and style of music before beginning the listening exercise. I would then invite the children to close their eyes and listen to the first selection of the hymn. When completed, we wrote down how the music made us feel. Then I would introduce the same hymn but it would be a different version- a different style of music. It was always interesting to see which style of music the children preferred and their reasons for it.
It’s also a good idea to tie in another skill. For the listening guides, the students would need to write a recommendation for the style of music they preferred. It really was a great way to tie
writing into our music lessons. I think the 50 minutes the children spent in my class each week was a break for the left side of their brain and to awaken the creative nature we all have in us.
Why Listening to Music Is Important
- It helps with focus. This is true when listening to anything in the Baroque time period.
- Studies have proven that if listening to this type of music, the brain will change to boost attention.
- It boosts your mood. When listening to classical music, dopamine is released in the brain which produces better moods.
- It soothes the soul. If you’re ever in a foul mood, put on some good music and automatically you begin to feel better.
- It stirs creative juices.
- It has also been said it helps with memory. Put on a little Mozart when studying for that big exam.
- It’s motivating. It’s been proven when listening to music you will pump up and work harder.
Downloadable Printables
You can use these listening resource printables in your homeschool. Just click the graphic to download! (One is more appropriate for younger students and the other for older students.)
After you download the printables, head over to Learn.MusicinOurHomeschool to get the 15-Minute Music Lesson online course to use them with your elementary students.
Christa Brown is a former classroom teacher turned homeschooling mama to three! She runs a cottage school for other homeschooled families two days a week and teaches music/history at a tutorial school. When she’s not teaching, she spends her time as a curriculum designer, freelance writer, and blogger at Little Log Cottage School.
