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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 doesnt 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.
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9. A clarinet has a ____________________. You make it vibrate with your lips.

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 ones 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:
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 doesnt 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 ones fingers.
4. A maraca is usually played by shaking it.
5. I think the harpsichord came first.