Watauga Elementary

Music students from Watauga Elementary School are exploring instruments through a unit on Instruments of the Orchestra. Students are learning about the four different instrument families: Strings, Woodwinds, Brass, and Percussion. Students are also learning how instruments are classified into each instrument family based on similar characteristics. These similarities could be the materials used to make the instrument, the way the sound is produced on the instrument, or the timbre (sound) of the instrument. Students first explored the String instrument family and experimented with producing sounds on classroom string instruments such as the ukulele, guitar, and autoharp. Students also viewed various types of strings and even participated in a fun experiment using dowel rods and egg cartons to mimic bowing on a violin. Next students learned about the following Woodwind instruments, flute, clarinet, oboe, bassoon, alto saxophone, and tenor saxophone. Students are currently learning about the Brass family instruments; the trumpet, tuba, trombone, and french horn. Students have also had the opportunity to listen to and hold some instruments from Abingdon High School and Dominion Music. Students were able to make connections regarding the timbre of each instrument by exploring the anatomy of the instruments.