Tag: music appreciation

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The Best Way To Add Music To Your Homeschool

It does not take a lot of musical expertise to teach your children to learn and to love music! These are simple and effective ways to add music to your homeschool.

The Benefits Of Music In Learning For All Ages

If you ask me what I ate for breakfast yesterday or what is on my grocery list for this week, I probably won’t remember. However, if a song I listened to in my childhood starts to play, I will probably remember the lyrics.  

It does not take musical expertise to teach your children to love music! These simple tips will help you add music to your homeschool.
Photo by Amy Law

Music is powerful both emotionally and educationally. Studies have shown that music study in children can increase academic performance, memory, language skills, social skills, self-discipline, and emotional skills. Pair that with the fact that music education can be fun, and you have a winning combination.

For our family, music education is a time that we can come together and learn and grow as a family. It is a fun time that involves listening together, singing together, and maybe even a bit of silly dancing together. Having those shared learning experiences helps create family bonds and fond memories.

The Best Way To Add Music To Your Homeschool

I love listening to music, from silly kid’s songs to contemporary praise music and those old classic hymns. However, I do not have the gift of musical talent, and when I first started homeschooling, I was worried that I wouldn’t be able to teach music to my children.

It does not take musical expertise to teach your children to love music! These simple tips will help you add music to your homeschool.

I quickly learned that it does not take a lot of musical expertise to teach your children to learn to love music! While we have added performance music classes to our current schedule, I taught them music appreciation through various easy-to-use resources for years.

First, simply listen to a variety of music together as a family. It seems so simple, but they learn so much just through exposure. At times we would listen to whatever struck our interest; other times, we would focus on different genres of music, and other times we would listen to the same hymn in different styles.

Second, learn about the different composers and artists composing and performing the music they hear. You can use the internet to search or read various biographies about them.

Finally, whenever possible, expose them to live music. Our state symphony does a great children’s series that is reasonably priced and full of different visual effects. However, in most places, you can find lots of local music. Check with your local community college or university to see about concerts; look for free outdoor concerts in the summer.

Outdoor concerts can be an excellent start for young children because they have more freedom to move around and not be as quiet as might be expected at an indoor concert.

*Outdoor concerts can be an excellent start for young children because they have more freedom to move around and not be as quiet as might be expected at an indoor concert*

Homeschool Music Lessons For You

As you introduce your students to new music, new artists, and new composers, it can be very beneficial to have some easy lessons to help you teach them about music. Not only does it take the time planning off your plate, but if you are anything like me, having a plan means I am more likely to get it done.

The new art and music appreciation courses are a stress-free way to incorporate music appreciation into your homeschool.

The courses are designed by grade level, and each course introduces students to a variety of art and music appreciation. For music, the younger grades listen to music from a particular composer or era, including suggested reading to learn more.

As students get older, the lessons include notebooking pages and timelines. There are also art lessons related to the music lesson included in some of the weeks.

Classical Music Appreciation Lessons for All Ages

*Clubhouse members get a 50% discount on all fine arts titles!

Grade 9 art and music appreciation for homeschooling high school
Homeschool Music Curriculum for High School

High School Music Lessons

There are writing assignments and more in-depth reading assignments for the high school level courses to make it rigorous enough for high school credit (while still simple for the parent). As with most high school courses, the grade levels are suggestions, and you can use them for any year of high school.

While the lessons are created by grade level, you could easily turn them into family-style classes, especially the elementary and middle grades selections. You can have the whole family read and listen together.

The Beauty of Art, Music and Nature in Your Homeschool

There are also family-style units that focus on one artist and one composer. These are a great way to start your studies!

It does not take musical expertise to teach your children to love music! These simple tips will help you add music to your homeschool.

Additional Resources For Music In Your Homeschool

As you learn about different composers and listen to their music, you can add even more fun to your lessons with Nana’s Composer Chalk Pastel Lessons, included in the You Are An Artist Complete Clubhouse Membership.

You can even turn that composer study into a complete unit study, like this one from Beethoven.

One of my favorite parts of studying music is teaching my children beautiful hymns! They are a great way to include music in your homeschool. You can use these free hymn studies, and Nana also has a hymns course in the You Are an Artist Membership.

You can see more fun ideas for hymn study with The Art of Hymn Study!

It does not take musical expertise to teach your children to love music! These simple tips will help you add music to your homeschool.

Dawn is a passionate follower of Jesus, wife to Chris, and homeschool mom of four. In her spare time she loves to read, hike, and write on her blog Schoolin’ Swag. She enjoys reviewing curriculum and helping moms find the right fit for their family.

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Homeschool Music Activities For Students With Special Needs

These homeschool music activities are a wonderful fit for students with special needs. Multisensory and appropriate for all reading levels, these activities make learning accessible for all students.

These homeschool music activities are a wonderful fit for students with special needs. Multisensory and appropriate for all reading levels, these activities make learning accessible for all students.

The Value Of Music For Students With Special Needs

As I tried to find the perfect words for this post, memories of my early walk into motherhood stirred my heart and mind. I thought about the struggles. I thought about all the special people brought into my life. I thought about all the evaluations, diagnoses, and therapy visits. My mind sifted through all the research and all the resources.  

I was brought to that place as a budding special needs homeschool mom, feeling overwhelmed, with a plethora of materials in my lap. I vividly remember searching for effective ways to help my little learner. During this time of reflection, I asked myself, “What really worked for my son? What did he love? What engaged him during the learning process? What helped him remember?”

The answer was simple: anything interest led combined with a multi-sensory approach. Music being highly beneficial in so many ways. Music played a key role in his academic learning and still does.  It’s an incredible tool for out of the box learners.  

These homeschool music activities are a wonderful fit for students with special needs. Multisensory and appropriate for all reading levels, these activities make learning accessible for all students.

Music and Academic Learning In Your Homeschool

As a mom who homeschools an out of the box learner, I too have to think outside of the box. I realized this when I was presented with a sound based intervention that stimulates the auditory system. This intervention uses altered music monitored by a professional. Through this experience, I discovered that research based music intervention actually exists to help students with a variety of diagnoses from autism, developmental disabilities, and down syndrome.  

At our very first private therapy visit, my son’s speech language pathologist encouraged an evaluation for sensory processing disorder. After meeting with an occupational therapist, we mapped out a plan for an in home activity called Therapeutic Listening. I do have to say that after she used all those big words I didn’t quite understand, I was very skeptical. She explained to me all the different ways that music intervention would help my son. She then modeled how to implement Therapeutic Listening, five days a week, twice a day for 20 minutes. I shared with her that I needed some time to process all of this information.

I went home (still skeptical) with paperwork in hand, a list of materials, and discussed this plan with my husband. We decided it was best to try this sound based intervention. Within one week of Therapeutic Listening, we noticed a dramatic change in my son’s sensory processing. It was a miracle. To find a detailed description on Therapeutic Listening, needed materials, and how it benefits children with learning differences, click here for more information about therapeutic listening.

These homeschool music activities are a wonderful fit for students with special needs. Multisensory and appropriate for all reading levels, these activities make learning accessible for all students.

Below are helpful links relating to music therapy. You will find academic products, ways to integrate music, and free resources for special needs children.

How Music Helps Students with Special Needs

It’s a Snap! 4 Ways to Use Music With Special Needs Students

Involving music is a fun and enjoyable way to learn. After seeing the fruitful benefits in my son, we have included music in our home for all of our children.  It is such a natural way to learn. Not only does a charming song assist in retaining facts and language development, it also creates a time of bonding.

How fun is it to watch little toddlers squeal with delight as we sing together.  What pleasure it brings to a mother’s heart when her two busy boys march around the house, singing in unison, “I’m in the Lord’s Army, Yes, sir!”.

These homeschool music activities are a wonderful fit for students with special needs. Multisensory and appropriate for all reading levels, these activities make learning accessible for all students.

Music Activities For Homeschooling Students With Special Needs

“Recent scientific studies have uncovered a startling new fact about the effect of certain types of music on a child’s brain. While children listen to music of the Baroque period in particular (Bach, Vivaldi, Handel), the brain scans reveals instant and spontaneous lengthening of fibrous brain cells. These cells quickly become amazingly active and stretch out-reaching to connect with other cells. Baroque music, unlike any other styles of music, is responsible for this remarkable development.”

A Charlotte Mason Companion Personal Reflections on The Gentle Art of Learning by Karen Andreola

You ARE an ARTiST Homeschool Fine Arts Graded Art and Music Curriculum for all ages

Homeschool Fine Arts, Fine Art and Music Appreciation

As a mother who does not have professional training or a background in music, I began researching music appreciation in Karen Andreola’s book, A Charlotte Mason Companion.  

I took great comfort in Ms. Andreola’s reassuring statements, “appreciation of classical music had nothing to do with playing the piano or learning any other instrument” (p. 200)  and “classical music appreciation need not be taught by a professional music teacher, that it can be done by a parent who has no particular background or training in music. As with so many subjects in our home education process, I have been learning along with my children, and have always found it rewarding.” (p. 201).  

One of my favorite aspects of home education is that it provides an abundant opportunity to learn alongside my children, even in music. Research determined that listening  to classical music is beneficial for the brain, specifically listening skills and concentration. What joy for a special needs mother to find that a myriad of studies also concluded that music kindles both sides of the brain!

Homeschool Music Activities For Students With Special Needs

You ARE An Artist, Art and Music Appreciation Studies

After these wonderful discoveries, we dove into You Are An Artist, Art and Music Appreciation Unit Studies.

These Charlotte Mason inspired studies are family friendly and simple to navigate. The units arrive equipped with an overview on how to implement music into our everyday life and homeschool routine. This quickly encouraged a life style immersed in music appreciation. With direct links to biographies and music, the exposure to talented composers derived in a natural way, lending itself to multi-sensory learning for all of my children, including my son with special needs. I loved that the note booking pages offered an arranged place for my son to write and draw with minimal distractions. They also provided a nice space for note-taking, sketching, and tracking music. Perfect for a busy mother of eight.

You Are An Artist, Art and Music Appreciation Unit Studies

Signing Time With Rachel Coleman

I am forever thankful for Signing Time with Rachel Coleman. I remember the day I first saw Signing Time in action. My son was completely nonverbal at the time and I was 36 weeks pregnant with my daughter. My little family at that time moved across the states for my husband’s new job position. While visiting family, I paid close attention as my niece watched the program. She was only two years old, and I was amazed at how many signs she knew, just by watching the Signing Time DVD’s. Impressed, I asked my sister-in-law all about this multi-sensory resource.

Rachel Coleman’s story immediately touched my heart. I instantly purchased the videos, hoping it would help my son communicate. Complete with tactile, auditory, and visual learning, Signing Time encouraged communication! After using Signing Time for a few weeks, I witnessed his first language awaken. The repetition of signs in a multisensory fashion, helped my son and I learn sign language in an effective and engaging way. Rachel Coleman’s strategies to reinforce American Sign Language proved effective with appealing music and catchy songs. We still know “Do You Know the Colors of the Rainbow”, “Days of the Week”, “Alphabet Song”, and the “Pizza Song”!

The music truly helped (even my children now!) ingrain the signs into our memory. My son learned the alphabet, numbers 1-20, colors, days of the week, food items, and so much more all through Signing Time. This program also helped with potty training at age two! Signing Time also builds vocabulary and encourages reading skills (as the written words are displayed). I have personally found that using Rachel Coleman’s videos actually encourage verbal communication! Check out their free dictionary, evidence based resources, and subscriptions here.

4 Weeks to Read

I purchased this program as a supplemental resource to do in addition to a reading program we are using. I also purchased this reading curriculum for one of my sons who showed signs of reading readiness.

4 Weeks to Read curriculum includes Lesson Manuals, a Teacher’s Guide, and Flashcards. The books are in full color and numbered, easing a child into the beginning reading process. That’s not all! 4 Weeks to Read implements music! The music aided in memorizing the sounds, identifying letters, vowels, and the two vowel rule. The simple and repetitive songs helped fill gaps and prepare literacy skills. My four year old listens to the songs in this program.  While coloring or playing, I hear him randomly sing the songs we are learning, “When two vowels go walking…..”! Click here to listen to the music that is included in 4 Weeks to Read. You will also find digital downloads and everything this program offers!

You Are An Artist, Art and Music Appreciation Unit Studies

Additional Resources For Homeschooling Learners With Special Needs

The additional resources listed below we have used or are currently using in our homeschool. They all offer either a hands-on learning experience and/or short, effective daily lessons.

Pride Reading Program

Pride Reading Program is an Orton-Gillingham curriculum that incorporates reading, writing, spelling, and comprehension. Sky writing, sound tiles, games, and finger writing on your palm are a few examples of their multi-sensory approach.

Spelling U See

Designed by Dr. Karen Holinga, a talented homeschool mother of twelve years, Spelling U See gently moves a child through the spelling process in a natural way. The daily spelling lessons are short and effective with a lot of repetition. My children have always enjoyed copying nursery rhymes and songs. See how we implemented Spelling U See and Eric Carle’s famous book, The Very Hungry Caterpillar

Adding beautiful color combined with tactile, auditory, and visual learning brought a breath of fresh air into our homeschool for all of my children. With Nana's lessons and affordable materials, getting started with chalk pastels was so easy.

Chalk Pastel Art

Adding beautiful color combined with tactile, auditory, and visual learning brought a breath of fresh air into our homeschool for all of my children. With Nana’s lessons and affordable materials, getting started with chalk pastels was so easy. To read how my son benefits from painting with Nana, https://treasuringthetinymoments.org/blog/6/

Handwriting Without Tears

This is an exceptional program to teach handwriting. This program uses hands on manipulatives and strategies that meet a variety of learners. All of my children start with Handwriting Without Tears to learn how to write their letters. My older children use their cross curricular workbooks to practice cursive.

Math U See

Math U See offers videos that teach math concepts, manipulatives, workbooks, songs, and repetition to meet the needs of students. Many math resources are available on their website.

Sight Words

This is a program that brings learning sight words to life. Each sight word arrives with eight multi-sensory activities. My son with learning differences loved this program and now my five year old loves it just the same. Sign language, word searches, dab and dot, play dough, and so much more are all incorporated!

These homeschool music activities are a wonderful fit for students with special needs. Multisensory and appropriate for all reading levels, these activities make learning accessible for all students.

More Learning for Special Needs Homeschoolers

You will also be encouraged with these resources for your homeschool!

Jamie Gault

Jamie is the author of A Brown Bear’s Language Arts Study, a literature-inspired homeschool mom of eight, and a former educator. She enjoys a bookshelf bursting with colorful picture books  and children’s stories of all genres. Indulging in a read aloud with all of her children around her is one of Jamie’s favorite moments of her days. Be sure to find Jamie on Instagram and visit her blog, Treasuring the Tiny Moments Homeschool, to be encouraged by all her learning adventures with her wonderful family.

  

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Homeschool Art Curriculum for High School: Everything You Need For Your Teen

Art in high school is more than just another subject! This homeschool art curriculum for high school will give your students a tour of great artists with picture study and art projects – all while easily earning an art credit.

This homeschool art curriculum for high school will give your students a tour of great artists with picture study, art projects and an art credit.

Affiliate links are used on this website. Please see our disclosure policy for more details.

Homeschool Art Curriculum for High School

If you have never attempted art appreciation, you can start in high school and make it fun! You can have a rich and comprehensive high school art experience at home!

High school art level instruction takes very little planning and the effort can help bring balance and enjoyment to your homeschool week.

The Benefits Of Adding A High School Art Curriculum To Your Homeschool

As the parent, you can be a fellow student alongside your high schoolers. This will make the experience meaningful for the entire family! Here are just a few of the benefits for you as the homeschool teacher and for your children as homeschool students:

  • Your children will be more interesting people for knowing about art.
  • Spending time studying art and artists will allow you to talk about art and music with your young adult.
  • You will have shared experiences with depth and substance.
  • You can agree and disagree about art.
  • Your homeschool students will be able to join in with their own thoughts when an artist comes up in conversation.
  • Both art and music appreciation can become a part of who your children are.

An Overview Of Our Homeschool Fine Art Appreciation Curriculum For High School

Our high school art curriculum incorporates picture study in a Charlotte Mason manner. Artists and composers are covered chronologically.

Best of all, in just one hour of instruction per week, our high school art lessons inspire creative thinking and discussion.

Here is an overview of how our high school art program works:

Just three, easy steps!

  1. Open the plans and use the links included to find the artist online and view their artwork.
  2. Choose a piece of artwork and make it the desktop image on the computer. It is simple to find the painting online, right click and save to the desktop. Aim to change the painting once a week – unless you are simply wanting to enjoy the painting for longer.
  3. Gather facts about the artist, the art time period, the artist’s style and the medium used in the artwork. You can use the notebook pages included in the plans to gather information into an outline. This can culminate into a one or two page report on each artist. Your high schooler might also like their own critique of the artist’s work and include comparisons between artists studied.

Composer studies are included in our plans – to match the artists of the same time period!

Your Student Can Build a High School Art Appreciation Portfolio

We show your student how to build the portfolio throughout the year. Notebooking pages provided!

  1. All work completed with art appreciation can be collected into one binder and kept from year to year. This binder becomes an on-going record of the chronological study of art from prehistoric to modern.
  2. Simple is best! You can use a three-ring binder that you can slip a cover into and couple of dividers for notebook pages, coloring pages, art copywork (in sheet protectors) and end of the unit writing pieces.
What is art copywork? This homeschool art curriculum for high school will give your students a tour of great artists with picture study, art projects and an art credit.

What Is Art Copywork?

Art copywork is taking a piece of art and making your own version of it. This type of artist study nothing new and has been practiced by all the great painters of the past!

Art copywork is a lesson in observation and in learning how other artists solve problems. How do you create 3-D? How do you make the shadows? How do you draw a face? These are skills that can be practiced and mastered over time by closely observing great paintings and then making your own copy.

Art Books for Homeschooling High School

We recommend two, wonderful spine resources The Annotated Mona Lisa and The Story of Painting for all four years of our homeschool high school art curriculum.

the annotated mona lisa

The Annotated Mona Lisa for Homeschool High School Art

If you have to choose one book for your homeschool art curriculum for high school, choose The Annotated Mona Lisa. This book is a nuts and bolts book that will take you through the entire course of art history with no frills.

The Annotated Mona Lisa includes various topics other than just painting – like sculpture, photography, video, and architecture. Your high schooler can read a few pages a week and keep notes for their artist reports.

This homeschool art curriculum for high school will give your students a tour of great artists with picture study, art projects and an art credit.

Additional High School Art Appreciation Activities

In addition to the two recommended spine books as your art curriculum for high school, here are some optional resources that we have enjoyed as well:

  • Dover coloring books are a wonderful addition to your art appreciation studies. They are also wonderful to enjoy while listening to your current composer.
  • Composer studies – you can find out more about our high school music appreciation curriculum included with the high school art curriculum plans.
  • Your high schoolers can use a timeline. Print artwork from each artist and add to a timeline. This is a great way to tie art into your homeschool history studies.
  • How to Earn an Art Credit in High School? You can use our art credit tracker and this information to earn a homeschool art credit.
Art Credit For High School

More Fine Arts Resources for Your Homeschool

Our You ARE an ARTiST high school art and music plans pull together affordably priced materials along with internet links so you can have a reasonably priced art and music appreciation program. There are 32-36 weeks planned at each level, and this allows your family plenty of flexibility to complete the curriculum in one homeschool year. The plans are listed by grade, but you can also use Grades 1-8 family-style if you have multiple children at home.

Get Your High School Fine Arts Plans Today!

— You ARE an ARTiST Clubhouse members enjoy ALL Homeschool Fine Arts Plans at 50% off! —

Written by Barb 2011 and updated by Tricia 2022

This homeschool art curriculum for high school will give your students a tour of great artists with picture study, art projects and an art credit.

Growing a love of art at You ARE an ARTiST is a multi-generational passion! Tricia is Nana’s daughter and a mama of five children. Nana shared her first chalk pastel art lessons with her grandchildren around Tricia’s kitchen table. Homeschooling since 2000, Tricia has seen the fruits of home education with three homeschool grads so far! She shares the art and heart of homeschooling at Hodgepodge and is author of the book, Help! I’m Homeschooling! She and her husband, Steve, are also owners of sister sites Homeschool Nature Study and The Curriculum Choice.

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Homeschool Music Curriculum for High School

This homeschool music curriculum for high school is easy and suitable for fine arts transcript credit. Everything you need to get started.

There are so many benefits of studying music and great composers in high school! Here is the homeschool music curriculum for high school that makes it easy and suitable for fine arts transcript credit.

…music appreciation is different from playing an instrument in the same way that being a natural actor is different from enjoying a Shakespeare play, or being able to paint is different from enjoying a painted picture. I think that all children, not just the musically inclined ones, should learn to appreciate music.

-Charlotte Mason

Benefits of Homeschool Music Curriculum For High School

Why would you study music and composers in high school? With these studies, your high schooler can:

  • Grow a real love for wonderful music
  • Connect with art of all kinds
  • Discover a better understanding of how to express feelings and thoughts
  • Earn a fine arts credit!

You just may find that your high schoolers will make music and art appreciation their own. Your high schoolers might not push these studies aside when they get busy – but carve out time for them! Time to slow down and to listen.

Fun Example of John Willliams Composer Study

Here is an example of our homeschool music curriculum for high school with a study of composer John Williams. Enjoy this fun medley of John Williams compositions. It is guaranteed to put the tunes in your head for the rest of the day. Besides, it is designed by a clever young man who really worked hard a putting a great medley together. This may also give you some ideas if your high schooler is studying videography.

How to Use You ARE an ARTiST Homeschool Music Curriculum for High School

  • Our fine arts homeschool plans for high school can be enjoyed independently by your high schooler.
  • Schedule a composer of style of music to be listened to for a period of time.
  • Very few supplies needed. You can use the Classical Music Start Up Kit.
  • One afternoon a week, your high schooler can focus on one composer.
  • Your student uses the Listening Log included in the plans to record answers and thoughts. Remember, there are no right or wrong answers. It is perfectly acceptable for your student to write that he thinks that a certain selection of music is ‘annoying,’ if he has taken the time to listen and to respond.
  • Your high schooler then uses the log sheets to then write a biographical summary of the composer and to respond to the music he listened to. This is a written narration.
Fine Arts Curriculum for High School - There are so many benefits of studying music and great composers in high school! Here is the homeschool music curriculum for high school that makes it easy!

With our homeschool music curriculum, think of all of the great music you can listen to in those short, few minutes each week. It adds up over the course of a year and a lifetime and is well worth the effort!

View a Sample of Grade 11 Fine Arts Appreciation HERE.

More Fine Arts Resources for Your Homeschool

Get Your High School Fine Arts Plans Today!

— You ARE an ARTiST Clubhouse members enjoy ALL Homeschool Fine Arts Plans at 50% off! —

You ARE an ARTiST’s plans pull together affordably priced materials along with internet links so you can have a reasonably priced art and music appreciation program. There are 32-36 weeks planned at each level, and this allows your family plenty of flexibility to complete the curriculum in one homeschool year. The plans are listed by grade, but you can also use Grades 1-8 family-style if you have multiple children at home.

This homeschool music curriculum for high school is easy and suitable for fine arts transcript credit. Everything you need to get started.

Written by Barb McCoy and updated by Tricia Hodges

Growing a love of art at You ARE an ARTiST is a multi-generational passion! Tricia is Nana’s daughter and a mama of five children. Nana shared her first chalk pastel art lessons with her grandchildren around Tricia’s kitchen table. Homeschooling since 2000, Tricia has seen the fruits of home education with three homeschool grads so far! She shares the art and heart of homeschooling at Hodgepodge and is author of the book, Help! I’m Homeschooling! She and her husband, Steve, are also owners of sister sites Homeschool Nature Study and The Curriculum Choice.

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First Grade Art and Music Curriculum For Your Homeschool

You ARE an ARTiST first grade art and music curriculum for your homeschool is a fun overview year for art and music appreciation! You can use it with a variety of ages as an easy way to introduce child-friendly art and music in your homeschool.

First Grade Art and Music Curriculum For Your Homeschool

Creating a love for beautiful art and music in your homeschool can start from birth. It doesn’t take much effort to surround your family with the great artists and classical composers from the very start of a child’s life. Weave experiences into your everyday routine by using our Homeschool Fine Arts first grade art and music plans as a framework.

Benefits of Using Homeschool Fine Arts Plans

Here is an overview of how you can use our You ARE an ARTiST Homeschool Fine Arts first grade art and music plans in your homeschool.

  • These open and go plans can be used to bring beauty to any homeschool.
  • Use them as a lovely complement to a classical and Charlotte Mason atmosphere of learning.
  • Use one plan for the whole family and save money.
  • Spend more time learning together because we have gathered all the resources for you.
  • These plans are loved by hundreds of homeschool families.
This first grade art and music curriculum for your homeschool is an overview year for art and music appreciation. Use with a variety of ages!

Homeschool Art Lessons Perfect for First Grade

Week 1 Homeschool Art Appreciation: Pierre Auguste Renoir

Homeschool Art Option 1

  • Use the link in the plan to view Renoir’s painting, A Girl With a Watering Can
  • Use the suggestions in the homeschool art plans to complete a picture study of this painting. You can either view the painting or you can print out one copy for your own family’s use.

Homeschool Art Option 2

  • Read the pages in the Oxford First Book of Art
  • Ask the Look Closer Questions included in the plan
  • Complete the activity

Homeschool Art Option 3

  • Use the twelve Step 1 Level 1 cards from Child-Sized Masterpieces and match the paintings created by the same artist.
  • Memorize the name of the painting, A Girl With a Watering Can by Renoir.
  • Color the Impressionist Art Masterpieces to Color – A Girl With a Watering Can. Use the link in Option 1 to view this painting online as you color.

Using the Child-Sized Masterpieces, in just a few minutes a week, your child will enjoy being able to touch and use the cards to view a beautiful painting, learn the painting’s name and a little bit about the artist. These cards are appropriate for children of all ages.

Even if your children are very young, they will probably enjoy looking through the cards with you. I would suggest putting the featured card out for display throughout the week. Repeated exposure is the key to art appreciation at this age. So just viewing the painting once online isn’t usually enough to make a lasting impression.

First Grade Homeschool Music Lesson Plans

The music plans for listening to composers include a Grade 1 play list, listening questions and composer notebooking pages.

Week 1 Homeschool Music Appreciation: Antonio Vivaldi

  • Read the suggested pages in Lives of the Musicians. The object at this level is to expose your homeschool children to classical music. The story in the book gives a little background for the composer. After you read the biography, ask your children to tell you what they remember about Antonio Vivaldi. Don’t get too caught up in the details at this age.
  • Choose to listen to Vivaldi’s music as much as possible. Listen to any you have on streaming platforms or online.
Vincent Van Gogh is part of Nana’s Famous Artists series in the You ARE an ARTiST Clubhouse.

More Homeschool Art Lessons Perfect for First Grade

Online Art Lessons Perfect for K-3 – Art is an essential part of our elementary learners’ development. You ARE an ARTiST also offers online art lessons for a hands-on component. These lessons, taught by Nana, are a great option for grades K-3 and are easily incorporated into any homeschool lesson plan.

This first grade art and music curriculum for your homeschool is an overview year for art and music appreciation. Use with a variety of ages!

More Fine Arts Resources for Your Homeschool

In summary, when you use these plans with your children, you will be offering them a chance to look at some of the most famous artists in the art world. They’ll spend a few minutes a week with you talking about and learning about great art. In addition, they will, at the very least, have been exposed to a handful of famous composers in an enjoyable, non-stressful way.

Get Your Homeschool School Fine Arts Plans Today!

— You ARE an ARTiST Clubhouse members enjoy ALL Homeschool Fine Arts Plans at 50% off! —

family style homeschool art and music plans

You ARE an ARTiST’s plans pull together affordably priced materials along with internet links so you can have a reasonably priced art and music appreciation program. There are 32-36 weeks planned at each level, and this allows your family plenty of flexibility to complete the curriculum in one homeschool year. The plans are listed by grade, but you can also use Grades 1-8 family-style if you have multiple children at home.

This first grade art and music curriculum for your homeschool is an overview year for art and music appreciation. Use with a variety of ages!

Growing a love of art at You ARE an ARTiST is a multi-generational passion! Tricia is Nana’s daughter and a mama of five children. Nana shared her first chalk pastel art lessons with her grandchildren around Tricia’s kitchen table. Homeschooling since 2000, Tricia has seen the fruits of home education with three homeschool grads so far! She shares the art and heart of homeschooling at Hodgepodge and is author of the book, Help! I’m Homeschooling! She and her husband, Steve, are also owners of sister sites Homeschool Nature Study and The Curriculum Choice.

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Classical Music Appreciation Homeschool Lessons For All Ages

There is no right or wrong way to start classical music homeschool lessons! Learn the simple steps towards a love of classical music and great composers!

This is everything you need to get started with classical music appreciation lessons in your homeschool.

There is no right or wrong way to start classical music homeschool lessons. The most important thing is that you start! Learn the simple steps to building a love of classical music and a knowledge of great composers.

Of course, music appreciation has nothing to do with playing the piano. It’s often been thought that ‘learning music’ can only mean that. So it was assumed that children who showed no special talent for playing the piano were simply not musically inclined and wouldn’t like concerts. But music appreciation is different from playing an instrument in the same way that being a natural actor is different from enjoying a Shakespeare play, or being able to paint is different from enjoying a painted picture. I think that all children, not just the musically inclined ones, should learn to appreciate music. It’s been proven that only three percent of children are actually tone-deaf. If children are started early, it’s amazing how even those who seem to have no musical ‘ear’ can develop one, and can learn to listen to music with understanding and enjoyment.

-Charlotte Mason, Volume 6, page 218

How to Get Started with Classical Music in Your Homeschool

Sometimes the challenge of composer study is making the time to listen long enough that we recognize them as we go about our everyday life.

There is no right way to listen. Some authors try to convince you that you can’t use your computer to listen or you can’t use headphones or you have to do nothing else but listen during our music appreciation time. This is not true.

There is no right or wrong way to start classical music homeschool lessons! Learn the simple steps towards a love of classical music and great composers!

The Goal for Homeschool Classical Music Appreciation

Your goal is to offer time for listening to music on a regular basis, tell a little about the composer that you think the children might be interested in and then listen together. This is a perfect opportunity to work on narration skills with your children. After you listen to a piece, ask your children what they thought of it.

Starting when your children are young is the best way to develop an ear for classical music, but don’t despair if your children are older and you still want to give them the opportunity. It is never too late. Author Barb McCoy’s husband never listened to classical music until they started homeschool composer studies in the Charlotte Mason style. He now recognizes and appreciates many different composers.

There is no right or wrong way to start classical music homeschool lessons! Learn the simple steps towards a love of classical music and great composers!
An Introduction to the Classics set – full review here.

Not a day goes by that you can’t take a few minutes to listen to a great composer. It takes just a little planning ahead and then seizing the opportunity to listen and get to know one composer at a time.

Questions To Ask In Your Homeschool Music Appreciation Lessons

You might choose one official music appreciation time each week with our Homeschool Fine Arts plans. Listen to the composer intently. Set aside all other activities and listen to the musical selection. Try to listen with no other distractions. This could be the one time during the week that you aren’t playing the music as background music. The music is the focus of your listening time.

Here are some questions to ask your children after listening to a selection:

  • Was the music loud or soft?
  • Was it fast or slow?
  • Could you hear any particular musical instruments? (piano and violins are usually easy to hear)
  • Did the music remind you of something? Did any pictures come to mind?
  • What emotions did the music bring up into your heart? (happy, sad, angry, etc.)

Just like we have our children narrate a selection from their literature or history reading, you can teach your children to narrate their expressions after listening to a piece of music. I think it actually adds to enjoyment to stop everything and listen to a piece of music with our whole hearts and minds.

Resources for Homeschool Classical Music Appreciation

Composers Hands On Art Lessons in the You ARE an ARTiST Clubhouse – Nana’s Composers video art lessons are a perfect complement to learning about a composer!

Composers Hands On Video Art Lessons

  • Symphony Conductor
  • Beethoven
  • Mozart
  • Copland
  • Handel
  • Beatles
  • Jazz
  • Vivaldi
  • John Williams
  • Francis Scott Key
  • and more lessons coming!

Hymns Homeschool Art Lessons

Celebrate favorite hymns and hymn study with Nana’s continuing hymns art lessons in the You ARE an ARTiST Clubhouse. 20+ hymns celebrate these timeless favorites from Amazing Grace and How Great Thou Art to Easter, Thanksgiving and Christmas hymns, like:

Preschool Art and Music Curriculum for Your Homeschool – This preschool art and music curriculum for your homeschool has everything you need to foster an early love and appreciation of art and music.

Our Homeschool Fine Arts Plans use these resources to make composer study and music appreciation easy!

Classical Music Start Up Kit – the perfect CD sets to introduce your homeschool family to the general overview of classical music. I have learned to fit in our listening as we go about our daily homeschool routine. We listen to the music in the car while we are driving to our appointments or errands. I put the music on when they are working on art projects. I listen to the music during the day while I work on the computer. You would be surprised at how many times you can find to listen to one or two of the selections each day. It is wonderful alongside our classical music appreciation homeschool lessons.

Getting to Know the World’s Greatest Artist series – Our very favourite homeschool resource for Art Appreciation for the elementary years is Mike Venezia’s Getting to know the World’s Greatest Artists book series.

Homeschool High School Fine Arts Credit

Have a high schooler? Earn a fine arts credit with our high school level fine arts plans for 9th-12th grades!

Art and Music Appreciation Homeschool Curriculum for Grades 1-12

More Music Appreciation Resources for Your Homeschool

Get Your Homeschool Fine Arts Plans Today!

— You ARE an ARTiST Clubhouse members enjoy ALL Homeschool Fine Arts Plans at 50% off! —

You ARE an ARTiST’s plans pull together affordably priced materials along with internet links so you can have a reasonably priced art and music appreciation program. There are 32-36 weeks planned at each level, and this allows your family plenty of flexibility to complete the curriculum in one homeschool year. The plans are listed by grade, but you can also use Grades 1-8 family-style if you have multiple children at home.

There is no right or wrong way to start classical music appreciation in your homeschool lessons! Learn these simple steps to instill a love of music.

Written by Barb McCoy and updated by Tricia Hodges

Growing a love of art at You ARE an ARTiST is a multi-generational passion! Tricia is Nana’s daughter and a mama of five children. Nana shared her first chalk pastel art lessons with her grandchildren around Tricia’s kitchen table. Homeschooling since 2000, Tricia has seen the fruits of home education with three homeschool grads so far! She shares the art and heart of homeschooling at Hodgepodge and is author of the book, Help! I’m Homeschooling! She and her husband, Steve, are also owners of sister sites Homeschool Nature Study and The Curriculum Choice.

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Homeschool Fine Arts: Comprehensive Lesson Plans For Families

Homeschool Fine Arts Curriculum for YOU! We are so excited to announce that You ARE an ARTiST is offering a line of graded art and music appreciation curriculum for families. And don’t miss the announcement about homeschool nature study with the Outdoor Hour Challenges, below!

Grades 1 and 6 plus a Van Gogh and Handel family-style unit study are already available for you. These will be a beautiful part of your homeschool plans. And there will be some really, really great things to look forward to.

These comprehensive homeschool fine arts lessons plans include activities, materials lists, planners, book suggestions and more!

You ARE an ARTiST Homeschool Fine Arts Graded Curriculum

How did this all come about? I have a dear, wonderful and talented friend in Barbara McCoy. Barb mentored me early in our homeschool days with practical advice. Barb was also the friend that encouraged me to share Nana’s art lessons with families in ebook form! She has been instrumental in encouraging our family in so very many ways. More than she knows!

When I learned that my friend, Barb, would be retiring and stepping away from both her Harmony Fine Arts curriculum and The Handbook of Nature Study, I knew that these wonderful resources needed to continue to be accessible to other families. Both her fine arts curriculum and her nature studies have been so important in our own homeschool. It is my passion to continue what Barb began in encouraging fellow homeschool families and sharing a love fine arts and the joy of getting outside and enjoying nature.

Homeschool Art Appreciation, Music Appreciation AND Nature Study!

Barb developed a series of fine arts curriculum to meet the needs of her own four children. She then offered those plans to other families. That is also how You ARE an ARTiST began! Nana first shared her art lessons with my children around our kitchen table. Then, we started sharing those art lessons with you.

These comprehensive homeschool fine arts lessons plans include activities, materials lists, planners, book suggestions and more!
I got to meet Barb in person at a homeschool retreat! Don’t tell anyone that we skipped one of the sessions so we could go do some Florida nature study. We saw SO many amazing shore birds!

Homeschool Nature Study Membership – Outdoor Hour Challenges

On the nature study side, my family fell and in love with the Handbook of Nature Study and the accompanying Outdoor Hour Challenges early in our homeschooling. The simplicity and ease of the weekly outdoor hour challenges brought joy to our homeschool (my review) and opened our eyes to the world right out our own back door! You can take a look at a Winter Bird Study we enjoyed as a family several years ago.

So, in addition to fine arts, we will continue to serve families with the nature study that Barb started. We have a new sister website offering you homeschool nature study with the Outdoor Hour Challenges.

That means in addition to Nana’s art lessons, we will also offer you art appreciation, music appreciation AND nature study!

FAQs Homeschool Fine Arts Questions

  • You can take a peek at the fine arts curriculum HERE.
  • An overview of the entire fine arts series for grades 1-12 can be found HERE.
Art and Music Appreciation lesson plans for homeschoolers.
  • There is a family style Van Gogh and Handel Unit Study available for purchase HERE.
  • Homeschool Fine Arts Grade 1 and Grade 6 are also available and are perfect family style – especially for families brand new to art and music appreciation.
  • Our members receive the Van Gogh and Handel Unit Study AND a deep discount on the new line of curriculum. It is a great time to join Nana in the You ARE an ARTiST Complete Clubhouse and enjoy all the benefits of membership!
  • We are NOW ACCEPTING our first members for Homeschool Nature Study membership, HERE.

I am so very thankful for my friend, Barb. She offers so very much to homeschool families like mine and yours! It is truly an honor to be able to continue to share her passions for art and music appreciation and nature study.

Please be patient with us during this transition time. We are working diligently behind the scenes to offer you these amazing resources! We can’t wait to share it all with you!

Want to be the first to find out when each Homeschool Fine Arts title will be released? Be sure to join our mailing list at the bottom of our website – just under the Art For All Ages Since 2010! banner.

Growing a love of art at You ARE an ARTiST is a multi-generational passion! Tricia is Nana’s daughter and a mama of five children. Nana shared her first chalk pastel art lessons with her grandchildren around Tricia’s kitchen table. Homeschooling since 2000, Tricia has seen the fruits of home education with three homeschool grads so far! She shares the art and heart of homeschooling at Hodgepodge and is author of the book, Help! I’m Homeschooling! She and her husband, Steve, are also owners of The Curriculum Choice.