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)
I would like to win because I think my son would really enjoy this. Ive been on the lookout for more thjngs for him.
Follow you using gfc
Like maestro on fb. Oh and my em is kbalman@gmail.com
I'd love to have this for my boys. My youngest loves watching little league baseball games and he loves music -- this would be perfect for him!!
I subscribe via email (followinghisleadtoday@gmail.com)
I liked them on facebook.
My boys LOVE baseball. And playing the piano has become a new love this year. This Maestro Classic would be perfect for us, too! (I already like them on FB and am subscribed to your blog)
I have heard about these and wanted to try them out. Next year, a friend and I are collaborating our efforts to teach some fun subjects to all our kids at once. Music is one of those subjects. I think this would be a great addition to our mini co-op!
I liked Maestro Classics on Facebook. At the time, it showed that they had 3,006 likes. Looking forward to that $9 deal! :)
I also subscribed to Homegrown Learners (don't know why I haven't before - I blog stalk you all the time!).
I'd love to win one to share with my boys! (I won Peter and the Wolf last year & never received it- can't even remember who it was supposed to come from- not you! ;)
I subscribe to you on gfc & stalk on a regular basis ;) did I mention I LOVE that pic of your lil man!!! so handsome
I liked 'em on FB - thanks for hosting - oh, and they are over 3000 - I was 3008 !!!
I subscribe to you via email.
mcconkey@cableone.net
Christie McCOnkey
Oh wow! I have wanted some of these for a while. We are also a baseball loving famiy and would enjoy this!
Christie McConkey
mcconkey@cableone.net
i liked them on FB too!
mcconkey@cableone.net
We have never heard of Maestro Classics, thanks for telling us about them. I'm headed to their website now. We would love to win this CD.
We love music and I may be helping/teaching a music appreciation class in our homeschool co-op. What fun this would be!
My girls would love this
My girls would love this
I've heard a lot of good things about these CDs.
julesreffner(at)gmail(dot)com
I love Maestro Classics and would love to have this.
I am already a GFC follower.
I "like" Maestro Classics on FB :)