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Instruments

First graders meet classroom instruments — drums, shakers, bells, tambourines, and rhythm sticks — and learn how to play each one to make music together.

Grade 1Instruments30 minutes1 class periodArtistic ProcessExplicit teaching4 StandardsNCAS
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Lesson at a Glance

Everything you need before the bell rings

Learning Objectives

Students will be able to…

  • ✓Name instruments.
  • ✓Match instruments to how to play them.
  • ✓Play an instrument.
  • ✓Make music together.
Essential Question

Instruments make music — and each one has its own way to play it! What are some instruments, and how do you play them?

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Lesson Phases
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Vocabulary Terms
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Standards Aligned
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Interactive Task
Match It · Interactive

Match the Instrument to How to Play It

Project this and match each instrument to how you play it — tap an instrument, then tap how to play it.

🥁 Match each instrument to how to play itTry it
Instrument
How to Play It
Now tap how to play it!
The Lesson · Artistic Process (Listen · Explore · Create · Perform · Reflect)

30 minutes, five moves

Tap any phase to open the teacher moves and student actions.

1

Listen — Making Music

4 min

Instruments make music — how do you play each one?

👩‍🏫 Teacher Moves

  • Show an instrument.
  • Ask how to play it.
  • Warm up.

🎒 Student Actions

  • Look.
  • Guess.
  • Warm up.
2

Explore — Explore Instruments

8 min

Children explore.

👩‍🏫 Teacher Moves

  • Send children to Match the Instrument.
  • Match each one.
  • Try playing them.

🎒 Student Actions

  • Match.
  • Try them.
  • Explain.
3

Create — Create

9 min

Children create.

👩‍🏫 Teacher Moves

  • Play a drum.
  • Shake a shaker.
  • Keep a steady beat.

🎒 Student Actions

  • Drum it.
  • Shake it.
  • Keep beat.
4

Perform — Perform

6 min

Children perform.

👩‍🏫 Teacher Moves

  • Play along to a song.
  • Take turns.
  • Be kind.

🎒 Student Actions

  • Play it.
  • Take turns.
  • Be kind.
5

Reflect — Reflect

3 min

Children respond.

👩‍🏫 Teacher Moves

  • Name an instrument.
  • Show how to play it.
  • Complete the exit ticket.

🎒 Student Actions

  • Name one.
  • Show it.
  • Complete the exit ticket.
Standards Alignment

Built to the standards you report on

Aligned to the National Core Arts Standards (Music).

NCAS
MU:Pr4.2.1

Play classroom instruments.

NCAS
MU:Cr1.1.1

Explore instrument sounds.

NCAS
MU:Pr6.1.1

Perform on an instrument.

NCAS
MU:Re7.1.1

Recognize instrument sounds.

Differentiation

One lesson, every learner

Multilingual Learners

ELL / EMERGING READERS
  • Instrument picture cards.
  • Sentence frame: “I play a ___ by ___.”
  • Show real instruments.

Support & Access

IEP / 504
  • Start with drum and shaker.
  • Play one instrument.
  • Copy the leader.

Stretch & Extend

GIFTED / EARLY FINISHERS
  • Make an instrument band.
  • Play a rhythm.
  • Sort instrument families.
Materials

What to gather

  • 📽️Screen / board
  • 🥁Classroom instruments
  • 💻Match the Instrument to How to Play It
  • 🎵Music
  • 🖍️Crayons
  • 🎫Exit-ticket slips
Vocabulary

Key terms — hover for a quick definition

instrumenta tool that makes musicdrumyou hit to playshakeryou shake to playbellyou ringtambourineyou shake or taprhythm stickstwo sticks you tapplayto make musicbeatthe steady pulse
Evaluate

Exit Ticket

Preview the three formative checks. Tap “Sample answer” to see what mastery looks like — hide them before you print for students.

QUESTION 1
How do you play a drum?
Hit it with your hand or a stick.
QUESTION 2
How do you play a shaker?
Shake it to make a swishy sound.
QUESTION 3
Name one instrument.
Drum, shaker, bell, tambourine, or rhythm sticks.

Reflect: play along.

Have children make a shaker at home (rice in a cup) and play along to a song. A printable instruments sheet is in the Arts library.

Study · Flashcards

Study the key terms

Tap a card to flip it, then rate whether you knew it. Built from this lesson’s vocabulary.

🃏 InstrumentsFlip
Card 1
Term
Tap to flip →
Meaning
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Nice work!

Practice · Quiz

Check your understanding

A quick self-check with instant feedback, drawn from this lesson’s key terms.

📝 InstrumentsQuiz
Score: 0
1 / 6
Question 1
0%

Nice work!

Practice · Worksheet

Printable worksheet

A print-and-go review sheet with a built-in answer key. Tap “Show answer key” to reveal answers, or print the clean version for students.

🖨️ InstrumentsPrint
Name: ________________________
Date: ____________

Part A · Write the word that matches each meaning

Word bank: beat, bell, drum, instrument, play, rhythm sticks, shaker, tambourine
  1. the steady pulse
  2. you ring
  3. two sticks you tap
  4. to make music
  5. you shake or tap
  6. you shake to play
  7. a tool that makes music
  8. you hit to play

Part B · Show what you learned

  1. How do you play a drum?
  2. How do you play a shaker?
  3. Name one instrument.
Answer key — Part A: 1) beat · 2) bell · 3) rhythm sticks · 4) play · 5) tambourine · 6) shaker · 7) instrument · 8) drum
Part B: 1) Hit it with your hand or a stick. 2) Shake it to make a swishy sound. 3) Drum, shaker, bell, tambourine, or rhythm sticks.