A Young Scholar’s Guide to Composers (Timberdoodle Review)

Authors: Melissa E. Craig; Maggie S. Hogan
Pages: 298
Binding: Paperback
Copyright: 2009
ISBN: 978189242746X
Publisher: Bright Ideas Press
Made In: USA
Consumable: Yes
Reproducible: Yes, permission is granted to photocopy student reviews, note-taking pages, and other activity pages for your own family only. This is not intended to be used for an entire co-op or school.

Price: $31.50
Ages/Grades: 9-13/4th-8th

Implementing Composer Study in our homeschool is actually a bit difficult for this family. I am not entirely sure why but I really want to include it in our day. I believe that it is good to be exposed to the classics and the music is beautiful.

I was excited when Timberdoodle asked if I would like to review this product. You can find more music resources for homeschoolers at Timberdoodle. I love Bright Ideas Press and I know that Timberdoodle offers high quality homeschool items. I jumped on the chance to do this review. It came along at the perfect time, too.

What to expect in this book:

32 Weekly Lessons

26 Bios of Famous Composers

6 Eras of Music Explained

Easy-to-Use Comparative Timeline

Easy-to-Use Maps

Composer Info-Cards & Game Directions

Note-taking Pages

Quizzes

Answer Keys

Listening Suggestions

Intricate Coloring Pages

Resource Books

So there are 298 pages in this book (which I received as an ebook) and I wanted to print them all off as soon as I downloaded it! I was able to exercise restraint and instead started with the images of the composers. I can read the lessons from the computer as we go.

I decided to give each kid (since I am using this with both Fox and Lee- that’s okay it says to grade 8, it’s adaptable!) a folder of their own. It is blue so that we know it is for Composer Study. I purchased a ton of these two pocket folders last year and have been using them for all sorts of things. I found three folders that were different colors for each musical period we will be studying.

At first I thought I would print two sets of the images of the composers (as well as two of everything else) but I decided we didn’t need two. Since it will done together there is no need for separate Composer Info-Cards. So I cut out the images and put them in an envelope. Each time period (except for the first two that do not have Composer Info Cards) will have its own envelope with the corresponding composer folder. When we study them, we go through the envelope and find who we are looking for and put him (rather, his image!) on a card and place it in the correct folder.

*Just realized as I am posting this, I am short one folder! Will have to find an…orange or yellow one perhaps!

Originally the Info-Cards were printed out and I was going to put them on….something. I didn’t have any 5x7 cards (as is suggested in the book) but I do have a lot of 3x5s. Instead of using the print outs we glue the image on the unlined side of a 3x5 and paste the info sheet on the back side, where it has lines. We label the front just like it says (name and period). Here is a photo of the Vivaldi one we made.

         

I then modified the folderbook idea by using pocket folders. I can still do the same as I could with a file folder but have a built in ‘envelope’ (they give suggestions on how to use it on page 266, and one is to paste envelopes in them). Here is a photo of the Baroque and Romantic Period “folderbook” I made. Neither are done because we haven’t finished the Baroque period and haven’t started the Romantic

          

The other aspects, such as the recommended schedule we use as is. I think it works well doing it three times a week. The amount of time it takes is about 30 minutes for us. The book says about 15 minutes for reading but then I’m not sure if that includes the listening and activities time.

Here is how it looked for us:

DAY 1: We start on the first day by either reading the lesson (rather I read it out loud) while they do the note taking pages or listening to the suggested selections. It depends on what we do first because sometimes I have internet connectivity and sometimes not (we’ve recently moved). When we listen to the selections, generally we do it 2-3 times for each suggested one and then search for others.

DAY 2: The second day is listening to the selections and reading/note taking, if we did not do it on the first day. On this day we filled in the Composer Info card. We also may fill in the timeline, which we have included in each folder book. Each folder for the musical period has little pockets for each composer. After the card is made, it goes in a slot (or envelope if that is what I’ve put instead of little pockets).

DAY 3: The third day is spent listening to the selections and others we have found. We also work on the coloring sheets that are included in the book. To help with geography, there are mapping pages that the students match the composer with his country. This is done on the third day as well.

We like this book and study. I personally didn’t find the timeline very ‘user friendly’ but I’m not a timelining kind of person. Not that I don’t like to make them and that I don’t see the relevance of one, I just find it difficult to actually do and make one. It didn’t seem to have step by step instructions for those lacking in this area (aka: ME).

Otherwise, it is a great book. I enjoyed the bios of the composers as well as the information about the musical periods. We learned a lot while using this. Of course, we are not done with it and will continue with it the rest of the year.

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**Disclaimer: I received this as an ebook from Bright Ideas Press via Timberdoodle’s blogger review program. I was required to give an honest review of this item; no other compensation was given in exchange for this product.