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Music appreciation holds a special place in my heart, thanks in part to a memorable experience during elementary school. I participated in a University Interscholastic League Classical Music Memory event, where we were challenged to identify composers and their pieces by ear. Achieving a near-perfect score after hours of dedicated practice was a pivotal moment for me. That year, the joy of immersing myself in classical music truly took root.
That elementary experience opened my world up to a love for classical music to this day. I went on to play the flute for years in middle and high school and maintained a seat within the first five chairs. Music had me hooked!
Fast-forward to my role as a homeschool mom, I absolutely adore involving my children in musical activities, and exposing them to all genres of music and culture has always been essential. If you have followed my blog for long, you know that I also adore family-style schooling. That’s why when I heard that Beautiful Feet Books was releasing a family-style music appreciation curriculum, I just had to check it out!
Family-Style Homeschool Music Appreciation
As a homeschooling family with multiple children, I often seek courses and curricula that not only educate well but also bring my family together. That’s why I was thrilled to discover Music Appreciation: A Family Study from Beautiful Feet Books. It’s a brand-new homeschool curriculum designed to immerse the entire family in the rich history of Western music.
Music Appreciation: A Family Study offers an extensive overview of Western music’s evolution. This homeschool music appreciation curriculum covers everything from ancient instruments to twentieth-century tunes and everything in between. Each lesson is an adventure through time, exploring different eras and their defining sounds.
The most significant benefit so far has been how this curriculum brings us together as a family. Discussing composers, listening to their works, and exploring the intricacies of musical instruments have sparked lively conversations and so much enjoyment. Music brings people together!
My kids are still in elementary school, so introducing them to all musical instruments has been a blast. I should warn you, though, that rabbit trails are inevitable with Music Appreciation: A Family Study. As a veteran homeschool mom, I love rabbit trails! I love it when my kids ask questions about the various cultures, composers, and musical styles and we get to explore.
No Instrument Required with Music Appreciation
My daughter played violin for a few years, and one of my sons dabbled in drumming for a while. But they have yet to find an instrument that they want to commit to long-term. I love exposing them to various sounds and musical instruments with the hopes that they will get inspired to try playing an instrument again someday. We even have a couple of sets of handbells and occasionally we all play together as a family—it’s so much fun!
That is what I love about homeschool music appreciation, though. You do not need any instruments at all. You can appreciate what you hear and learn while exposing your children to new music, ideas, composers, and culture.
Music appreciation is an affordable way to expose your children to the finer arts without going all in on an instrument yet.
What to Expect with Music Appreciation: A Family Study
Let’s take a look at our family’s experience exploring homeschool music appreciation with Beautiful Feet Books.
Here is what we received with our course:
- A Music Appreciation Teacher Guide
- A Detailed Book of Composers (80 Composers Biographical Information & Spotify Playlists)
- A Downloadable Resource Packet (Portraits, Instrument Diagrams, Notebooking Pages)
- A Composition Notebook
These materials work together to provide a structured yet flexible learning experience for children from 2nd through 12th grade.
Music Appreciation: A Family Study is designed as a multi-year study. The course includes 54 lessons, intended to span over two years, with one lesson per week. As a homeschool mom, I appreciate that you get plenty of time to work through it and linger when you need to. Slow and steady wins the race!
Each session can take 30 minutes to an hour, making it a perfect fit into our weekly homeschool routine without overwhelming the schedule. The amount of time is really up to you and your family. We like the rabbit trails, so we usually linger in these lessons a bit longer than necessary. The interactive nature of the lessons, coupled with curated playlists, allows us to not just learn about but experience each musical piece.
In typical Beautiful Feet Books fashion, this course features fantastic lists of recommended books, often referred to as ‘rabbit trails,’ allowing for easy pairing of read-alouds with the material being learned. While these recommended books are optional, they add depth to the educational experience. The course also includes culturally relevant recipes, a rich vocabulary section, and coloring pages, among other resources. The coloring and drawing pages were especially beneficial for my boys, giving them a hands-on activity to engage with while we listen.
Each week has a general rhythm:
- Read and Listen
- Discuss
- Record
- Explore
But Music Appreciation: A Family Study is flexible; you can easily tweak it to meet your family’s needs.
We are so excited to explore the 6-part music appreciation course that includes:
- Ancient Music
- Medieval & Renaissance Music
- The Baroque Period
- The Classical Period
- The Romantic Period
- Music in the Twentieth Century and On
Besides being an enjoyable educational course or elective, Music Appreciation: A Family Study also fulfills many state music educational requirements and offers two high school music credits. I think this aspect is particularly appealing to homeschool families with high school students. My oldest graduated last year, but had this been available when she was in high school; we would have used it with her.
Music Appreciation: A Family Study has been more than just an educational tool; it has been a gift to our family, bringing us closer through the joy of music. As a Christian homeschooling family, we like that Beautiful Feet Books aligns with our values; they, too, believe that music is a beautiful gift from our Creator to be appreciated. Whether you’re a seasoned music lover or new to music appreciation, this curriculum offers something for everyone in the family to enjoy.
I highly recommend this study if you’re looking to introduce a comprehensive, engaging, and enjoyable homeschool music appreciation curriculum. It is the perfect introduction to music in your homeschool!
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Check Out My Other Beautiful Feet Book Reviews:
Add Teaching Character with Beautiful Books to Your Homeschool
Homeschooling U.S. Geography for Elementary Made Easy with Literature
