There are a few activities you can do which will make learning about Brass instruments in the music class lots of fun. This is part of the music lesson plans series from the fun music company.
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)
