The students can make simple brass instruments. You will need a sharp knife or scissors and large plastic bottles (for example soft-drink bottles) Cut the bottom off a plastic bottle. Buzz your lips into the neck of the bottle and try to get different tones. Different sized and shaped bottles can be used for different effects. Use the cut-off bottom of the bottle as a “wah wah mute” like trumpeters use plungers or hats.

Measure things in “trumpets” and “horns.” An uncoiled trumpet would stretch about 6 feet or 1.8 meters. An uncoiled horn would stretch about 12 feet or 3.6 meters. The students can cut strings into pieces of this length. Invite students to measure things in the classroom using their strings. e.g. the blackboard might be 2 trumpets long, and the hallway might be 5 horns in length. Smaller things could be measured by folding the strings e.g. if you have to fold the trumpet string three times to measure a desk, then the desk is 1/3 the size of a trumpet Some estimation and rounding is going to be necessary to make this exercise work As a possible homework assignment, ask students to measure their bedrooms, beds, family vehicles, yards, etc., and report back the next class. This exercise will help students visualise the amount of tubing that it takes to make a trumpet or horn

Recommended listening:A good piece featuring the trumpet and horn is:Bartók, Concerto for Orchestra, II. Giuoco delle coppie (Game of Pairs)

Make a rudimentary brass instrument. You will need plastic beverage bottles (e.g. two-liter soda bottles) and sharp scissors or utility knife. Cut the bottom off a plastic bottle. Try to get different tones by Buzzing your lips into the neck of the bottle Experiment with different sizes and shapes of bottles. The bottom of the bottle can be used as a mute or hat as you will see trumpet players do to change the sound.

You can have great fun by measuring things in “horns” and “trumpets.” A trumpet, if it were uncoiled would stretch about 1.8 metres or 6 foot An uncoiled horn would stretch about 12 feet or 3.6 meters. Cut lengths of string into these dimensions and give them to groups of students. Students can then measure things in their classroom and around the school using their strings. e.g. the blackboard might be 2 trumpets long, and the hallway might be 5 horns in length. Smaller things could be measured by folding the strings For example, if a trumpet string must be folded three times on a desktop, the desktop is 1/3 of a trumpet long. Some estimation and rounding is going to be necessary to make this exercise work As a possible homework assignment, ask students to measure their bedrooms, beds, family vehicles, yards, etc., and report back the next class. This activity will focus students on the amount of tubing within the relatively compact brass instruments.

You may wish to show students this recording:Mozart, Horn Concerto No. 1 in D. Barry Tuckwell and the Academy of St. Martin-in-the-Fields. EMI Classics 74967.

Make a rudimentary brass instrument. You will need plastic beverage bottles (e.g. two-liter soda bottles) and sharp scissors or utility knife. Turn the bottle over and cut off the bottom so it is completely open Buzz your lips into the neck of the bottle and try to get different tones. Experiment with different sizes and shapes of bottles. Use the cut-off bottom of the bottle as a “wah wah mute” like trumpeters use plungers or hats.

You can have great fun by measuring things in “horns” and “trumpets.” A trumpet, if it were uncoiled would stretch about 1.8 metres or 6 foot If a horn were rolled out it would stretch about 3.6 metres or twelve feet. The students can cut strings into pieces of this length. Students can then measure things in their classroom and around the school using their strings. For example, the back wall of the classroom might be 1.5 horns long and the chalkboard might be 2 trumpets long. Smaller things could be measured by folding the strings For example, if a trumpet string must be folded three times on a desktop, the desktop is 1/3 of a trumpet long. (Obviously, some estimation and rounding will be necessary for this exercise.) As a possible homework assignment, ask students to measure their bedrooms, beds, family vehicles, yards, etc., and report back the next class. This exercise will help students visualise the amount of tubing that it takes to make a trumpet or horn

You may wish to show students this recording:Haydn, Trumpet Concerto in E-flat. Wynton Marsalis and the National Philharmonic Orchestra. Sony 92619.

The students can make simple brass instruments. You will need plastic beverage bottles (e.g. two-liter soda bottles) and sharp scissors or utility knife. Turn the bottle over and cut off the bottom so it is completely open Buzz your lips into the neck of the bottle and try to get different tones. Different sized and shaped bottles can be used for different effects. The bottom of the bottle can be used as a mute or hat as you will see trumpet players do to change the sound.

You can have great fun by measuring things in “horns” and “trumpets.” A trumpet, if it were uncoiled would stretch about 1.8 metres or 6 foot An uncoiled horn would stretch about 12 feet or 3.6 meters. The students can cut strings into pieces of this length. Students can then measure things in their classroom and around the school using their strings. For example, the back wall of the classroom might be 1.5 horns long and the chalkboard might be 2 trumpets long. You can also measure smaller things by folding the string back and forth. For example, if a trumpet string must be folded three times on a desktop, the desktop is 1/3 of a trumpet long. Some estimation and rounding is going to be necessary to make this exercise work Students could even measure their bedrooms, hallways, cars etc for homework. This activity will focus students on the amount of tubing within the relatively compact brass instruments.

Recommended listening:A good piece featuring the trumpet and horn is:Haydn, Trumpet Concerto in E-flat. Wynton Marsalis and the National Philharmonic Orchestra. Sony 92619.

Make a rudimentary brass instrument. You will need plastic beverage bottles (e.g. two-liter soda bottles) and sharp scissors or utility knife. Turn the bottle over and cut off the bottom so it is completely open Try to get different tones by Buzzing your lips into the neck of the bottle Experiment with different sizes and shapes of bottles. The bottom of the bottle can be used as a mute or hat as you will see trumpet players do to change the sound.

Here is one more music lesson plan idea:

You can have great fun by measuring things in “horns” and “trumpets.” An uncoiled trumpet would stretch about 6 feet or 1.8 meters. If a horn were rolled out it would stretch about 3.6 metres or twelve feet. Cut lengths of string into these dimensions and give them to groups of students. Students can then measure things in their classroom and around the school using their strings. For example, the back wall of the classroom might be 1.5 horns long and the chalkboard might be 2 trumpets long. Smaller things could be measured by folding the strings For example, if a trumpet string must be folded three times on a desktop, the desktop is 1/3 of a trumpet long. (Obviously, some estimation and rounding will be necessary for this exercise.) Students could even measure their bedrooms, hallways, cars etc for homework. This activity will focus students on the amount of tubing within the relatively compact brass instruments.

You may wish to show students this recording:Bartók, Concerto for Orchestra, II. Giuoco delle coppie (Game of Pairs)

Make a rudimentary brass instrument. You will need plastic beverage bottles (e.g. two-liter soda bottles) and sharp scissors or utility knife. Cut the bottom off a plastic bottle. Try to get different tones by Buzzing your lips into the neck of the bottle Experiment with different sizes and shapes of bottles. The bottom of the bottle can be used as a mute or hat as you will see trumpet players do to change the sound.

These music lesson plan activities are part of our printable music lesson plans product from the Fun Music Company.

Measure things in “trumpets” and “horns.” A trumpet, if it were uncoiled would stretch about 1.8 metres or 6 foot An uncoiled horn would stretch about 12 feet or 3.6 meters. Cut lengths of string into these dimensions and give them to groups of students. Students can then measure things in their classroom and around the school using their strings. For example, the back wall of the classroom might be 1.5 horns long and the chalkboard might be 2 trumpets long. You can also measure smaller things by folding the string back and forth. e.g. if you have to fold the trumpet string three times to measure a desk, then the desk is 1/3 the size of a trumpet Some estimation and rounding is going to be necessary to make this exercise work Students could even measure their bedrooms, hallways, cars etc for homework. This activity will focus students on the amount of tubing within the relatively compact brass instruments.

Recommended listening:A good piece featuring the trumpet and horn is:Mozart, Horn Concerto No. 1 in D. Barry Tuckwell and the Academy of St. Martin-in-the-Fields. EMI Classics 74967.

The students can make simple brass instruments. You will need plastic beverage bottles (e.g. two-liter soda bottles) and sharp scissors or utility knife. Turn the bottle over and cut off the bottom so it is completely open Buzz your lips into the neck of the bottle and try to get different tones. Different sized and shaped bottles can be used for different effects. The bottom of the bottle can be used as a mute or hat as you will see trumpet players do to change the sound.

Measure things in “trumpets” and “horns.” An uncoiled trumpet would stretch about 6 feet or 1.8 meters. An uncoiled horn would stretch about 12 feet or 3.6 meters. Cut lengths of string into these dimensions and give them to groups of students. Invite students to measure things in the classroom using their strings. For example, the back wall of the classroom might be 1.5 horns long and the chalkboard might be 2 trumpets long. Smaller things could be measured by folding the strings For example, if a trumpet string must be folded three times on a desktop, the desktop is 1/3 of a trumpet long. Some estimation and rounding is going to be necessary to make this exercise work Students could even measure their bedrooms, hallways, cars etc for homework. This exercise will help students visualise the amount of tubing that it takes to make a trumpet or horn

You may wish to show students this recording:Bartók, Concerto for Orchestra, II. Giuoco delle coppie (Game of Pairs)

Make a rudimentary brass instrument. You will need plastic beverage bottles (e.g. two-liter soda bottles) and sharp scissors or utility knife. Turn the bottle over and cut off the bottom so it is completely open Try to get different tones by Buzzing your lips into the neck of the bottle Experiment with different sizes and shapes of bottles. Use the cut-off bottom of the bottle as a “wah wah mute” like trumpeters use plungers or hats.

Measure things in “trumpets” and “horns.” An uncoiled trumpet would stretch about 6 feet or 1.8 meters. An uncoiled horn would stretch about 12 feet or 3.6 meters. Cut lengths of string into these dimensions and give them to groups of students. Invite students to measure things in the classroom using their strings. For example, the back wall of the classroom might be 1.5 horns long and the chalkboard might be 2 trumpets long. Smaller things could be measured by folding the strings e.g. if you have to fold the trumpet string three times to measure a desk, then the desk is 1/3 the size of a trumpet (Obviously, some estimation and rounding will be necessary for this exercise.) Students could even measure their bedrooms, hallways, cars etc for homework. This activity will focus students on the amount of tubing within the relatively compact brass instruments.

Recommended listening:A good piece featuring the trumpet and horn is:Bartók, Concerto for Orchestra, II. Giuoco delle coppie (Game of Pairs)