Learn about the instruments of the orchestra with the best-selling book, Zin! Zin! Zin! A Violin by Lloyd Moss.
Step 2
Show the students each of the musical instrument illustrations and identify them by name.
Explain that the story, "Zin! Zin! Zin! A Violin" will mention each of these musical
instruments. Hand-out the pictures of the ten instruments to students in the class and have
them place their picture on the whiteboard ledge when it is mentioned in the book. By the
end of the story all ten instruments will be arranged in order on the whiteboard ledge.
Step 3
At the conclusion of the story review the names of each musical instrument.
Step 4
Explain to the class that they will be playing a game to "test" their knowledge of the names
of the instruments mentioned in the book.
Step 5
Divide the students into three groups and place them in lines facing the
whiteboard. Place a paper bag with the instrument name index cards on the floor in front of
each line.
Step 6
The first student in each line will go to the paper bag that is placed at the front of their
line. The teacher will ask these students to identify the first instrument that is shown on
the whiteboard ledge. The three students will look through their bag to find the card that
correctly names the instrument. When they have each selected a card the teacher will ask
them to turn their cards for everyone to see. The teacher identifies the correct answer and
awards a point to those students with the correct answer.
Step 7
The first three students then go to the end of the line and the next student from each line
goes to the paper bag to prepare for their turn. Continue playing until everyone has had a
turn. Students may not help their team to choose the correct answers. A point should be
awarded to the other two teams if this occurs.
1) Ask students to identify the name of the instrument by listening to a sound recording of the instrument. Students listen to a recording and then find the card that correctly identified the sound.
2) Ask students to identify the instrument family. For example, the teachers asks, "Which musical instrument family is the oboe from?" Students would respond by drawing the card for "The Woodwind Family."