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Musical instruments
A. Put the musical instruments into the families they belong to. Write 1. for Wind Instruments, 2. for
Percussion Instruments, 3. for Keyboard Instruments, and 4. for String Instruments.
violin _____
trumpet _____
harp _____
harpsichord _____
organ _____
clarinet _____
guitar _____
piano _____
flute _____
maraca _____
xylophone _____
tambourine _____
harmonica _____
drum _____
erhu _____
Name one other musical instrument that you have learned about that doesn’t appear in the box above:
_____________________
B. Fill in the missing words. Use the words in the box.
blowing
pluck
reed
shaking
sounds
families
across
vibrations
signals
bow
strings
hitting
hammers
different
beaters
1. Musical instruments make ____________________ and the vibrations make ____________________.
2. We divide musical instruments into ____________________.
3. In each family vibrations are made in a ____________________ way.
4. String instruments, such as the violin and harp, have ____________________.
5. You play wind instruments by ____________________ them.
6. You play percussion instruments by ____________________ or ____________________ them.
7. You hit a xylophone with __________________.
8. A piano has strings inside it. Small ____________________ make the strings vibrate.
9. A clarinet has a ____________________. You make it vibrate with your lips.
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10. An electronic keyboard uses electrical ____________________ to make sounds.
11. You can play the strings of a violin with a ____________________, or you can ____________________ the
strings with your fingers.
12. You play a flute by blowing ____________________ the hole.
C. Answer the questions in full sentences.
1. Which two instruments that you have learned about can be played with beaters? ______________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________________________
2. Which musical instrument has keys, strings and hammers? ________________________________________________
3. Which musical instrument can be played with a bow or with one’s fingers? ___________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________________________
4. Is a maraca usually played by hitting or shaking it? _______________________________________________________
5. Which do you think came first, the piano or the harpsichord? ______________________________________________
Answer Key:
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A. Put the musical instruments into the families they belong to. Write 1. for Wind Instruments, 2. for Percussion Instruments, 3. for
Keyboard Instruments, and 4. for String Instruments.
violin __4__
trumpet __1__
harp __4__
harpsichord __3__
organ __3__
clarinet __1__
guitar __4__
piano __3__
flute __1__
maraca __2__
xylophone __2__
tambourine __2__
harmonica __1__
drum __2__
erhu __4__
Name one other musical instrument that you have learned about that doesn’t appear in the box above:
recorder/gong/electronic keyboard (are all acceptable answers)
B. Fill in the missing words. Use the words in the box.
1.
vibrations, sounds
2.
families
3.
different
4.
strings
5.
blowing
6.
hitting, shaking
7.
beaters
8.
hammers
9. reed
10. signals
11. bow, pluck
12. across
C. Answer the questions in full sentences.
1. The drum and xylophone can be played with beaters.
2. A piano has keys, strings and hammers.
3. A violin can be played with a bow or with one’s fingers.
4. A maraca is usually played by shaking it.
5. I think the harpsichord came first.
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