Thursday
May172012
Learning through Music and a Maestro Classics giveaway!
Thursday, May 17, 2012 at 5:00AM Interest-Led Learning is a lifestyle for our family. When a child of mine has an interest I am going to CAPITALIZE on that interest and squeeze out every bit of "learning"!
We are combining sports, music, and literature all in one. It's very fun and VERY meaningful.
Baseball is a HUGE part of our lives. This obsession has lasted for three years, and I don't see it waning anytime soon. My grinning little guy (this photo is a couple years old, but it's my favorite!) was reluctant to copy names of family members (proper nouns), but copied the entire Atlanta Braves roster instead. The same little boy learned how to compute a batting average and watches MLB TV incessantly. I can't even compute the hours spent throwing the ball with dad, teaching me how to bat, and practicing with his team.
As you know, we are huge fans of Maestro Classics. The first CD we listened to was Casey At The Bat. I purchased it over a year ago because I have a baseball fanatic on my hands!The CD kept both of my children's interest for several listenings (we usually listen in the car, but this one I brought inside)... and I appreciated the simple music theory lesson that was incorporated on the CD.
From Maestro Classics:
When the Mudville Nine are almost certain to lose the game, Mighty Casey takes his turn at bat, and the fans hold their breath as each pitch is thrown.
The upbeat, jazzy music performed by the London Philharmonic Orchestra is highlighted by cheering crowds, vendors hawking their wares, the cheers of spectators and the sounds of the ball being hit, which bring the story to life.
A 24-page activity book, included with the CD, contains the complete Ernst Lawrence Thayer poem, amazing facts about baseball, sheeet music, as well as games and puzzles
Maestro Classics is giving this CD to one of my lucky readers!
{I hope you read the rest of the post before you skip down to the giveaway!}
The pictures below show you the recipe for "March Sundae" which teaches children about the form of the march on the CD. Each of the Maestro Classics CDs comes with a great insert with lots of ideas for teaching... you can make the listening as passive or as active as you want. I usually choose a listening first without the guide; after a few days have passed we then listen again with the guide.
Listen to excerpts from the CD on the Maestro Classics website.
When we first listened to the CD I found Casey at the Bat, a great book that has the original ballad with fun pictures. My son loved to sit with the CD player and the book.
Last week we found Casey Back at the Bat, by Dan Gutman. (We love his sports books, by the way). This witty sequel to Casey at the Bat is the perfect read-aloud!
It's amazing to me how everything just "comes together" in our learning. Baseball, music, literature, math, history, geography - they all presented themselves through a simple lesson facilitated by Casey at The Bat, by Maestro Classics.
Did you know that you can also purchase a lapbook (through A Journey Through Learning) of Casey at the Bat (designed specifically to go with the CD!)?
UPDATE! A Journey Through Learning is ALSO giving away a copy of their Casey at the Bat lapbook to this giveaway winner!
Now for the fun part! Maestro Classics is giving away a copy of Casey at the Bat to one lucky reader. To enter:
1. Leave a comment telling me why you want to win this CD.
2. Subscribe to Homegrown Learners (via GFC or email in my sidebar) and leave me a comment.
3. Like Maestro Classics on FB (when they get to 3,000 likes they will be having a $9 CD sale - this is a good deal!) and leave a comment.
This giveaway will be open until Sunday, May 20 at midnight.
Reader Comments (49)
We love the Maestro Classic CDs but we don't own this one. My girls would love it!
I would love to win this CD. I'm a musician and my son is three, already showing an interest in music. I want it to feed his interest and not my agenda. This CD looks like such a fun way to match his interest with music and other activities together. Very smart! I follow you on my google reader feed.
Stephanie, brightman73 at yahoo dot com
I subscribe with google reader!
My son just adores audios. This would be great.
ourjoyfulliving.com
ourjoyfulliving @ g mail . com
I just have to ask...Could that little face in the photo possibly be any cuter?!
I don't think so!
I love Casey at Bat!
I liked Maestro Classics on Facbook and I subscribed through Google Reader!
I'd love to win this!
My 7 year old would enjoy this CD
bamagv at aol dot com
GFC follower
bamagv at aol dot com
We have Swan Lake from Maestro Classics and I would like to collect them all!
I follow with GFC.
I already like MC on FB. =0)
I am inspired Mary! My little guy loves baseball too and I need to capitalize on that! Thanks for the fabulous suggestions!
Seriously, I'm going to have to break down and buy some of these next year!!
The problem is -- I want all of them. ;)
I'd love to start with Casey at the Bat though.. I don't think any of my kids have every heard the story. With books from the library and such, this would make a great summer unit study!
I love Casey at the Bat. I remember the old cartoon of this story, where he ends up with a baseball team of daughters. I always thought it would be cool to have enough children for a whole baseball team.
Ooooh, I'd love to win this! I was actually in the Casey at the Bat opera in college :)
Following!
I have a brother Casey and my children would love Casey at the Bat and think about their uncle!
I subscribe by e-mail
I liked Maestro Classics on Facebook
I would love this CD to expand our music lessons!! I also liked them on FB!
Also subscribed to your blog!
My son lives baseball and I love Casey at the bat.
Following you.