Music has become one of my favorite ways to calm our mornings and spark my girls’ imaginations. In our Classical-style homeschool community, the last six weeks of the year (Weeks 19–24) are devoted to orchestra and composers—and in Cycle 2, we get to spend that time with Beethoven, Brahms, and Dvořák. 💛🎶

This year, I wanted to make it even easier (and more fun!) to enjoy these weeks at home, so I created:

✨ Three Great Composers Mini Books – Beethoven, Brahms, and Dvořák
✨ Instruments of the Orchestra Activity Book
✨ A brand-new Instruments of the Orchestra UNO Card Game

These are all designed to help your kids learn and love classical music in hands-on, kid-friendly ways.

This post contains affiliate links, which means I make a small commission at no extra cost to you. See my full disclosure here.

I am not affiliated with any Classical education organization—I’m just a homeschool mom who loves to share ideas and what’s working for our family and community. 💕

A Classical Model of Homeschooling

We are part of a Christ-centered homeschool program that follows the Classical model. Younger children (ages 4–12) focus on a memorization-based curriculum that lays a strong foundation for future learning.

Each week, children learn key facts across history, science, English, math, geography, and Latin. Tutors use activities, games, songs, and lots of energy to introduce the new material. Parents then expand on that material at home throughout the week.

Cycle Rotation

The curriculum is divided into three cycles, each lasting one year. These cycles repeat every three years, meaning most children experience each cycle at least twice. With each rotation, their understanding deepens and the material becomes more meaningful.

Fine Arts

Fine Arts is a core part of the Classical curriculum. Every six weeks, students explore a new artistic discipline:

• Weeks 1–6: Drawing
• Weeks 7–12: Tin whistle (basic music theory + technique)
• Weeks 13–18: Great artists
• Weeks 19–24: Composers and orchestra

These rotations give children a rich, varied exposure to the arts throughout the year.

Following is how our community teaches the orchestra and composers during the last six weeks. You can use these ideas whether you are part of a Classical program or simply a parent wanting to introduce your children to the beauty of orchestral music.

Community Group Time

Our community meets on Tuesday mornings. We begin together as a whole group with a devotional reading and prayer, followed by announcements, birthday celebrations, the pledge of allegiance, and anything else our director needs to cover.

Then we break into age-based classes. Tutors lead the New Grammar portion of the day—introducing that week’s memory work across all subjects. (If you’re interested in creating your own tutor board, I have a post here!)

Afterward, we shift to Fine Arts and do a science experiment. Sometimes this happens in small groups, but for our orchestra and composer unit, we stay together as a whole community.

Fine Arts Weeks 19–24: Orchestra & Composers

Week 19: Classical and Romantic Periods Introduction

For Cycle 2, we begin our orchestra study by introducing the Classical and Romantic eras. Our director shows the students how orchestras from these two periods were arranged differently from modern orchestras and how they grew in size and sound over time.

(For context, Cycle 1 focuses on the Baroque and Classical eras, and Cycle 3 highlights the Classical and Modern eras—so across all three cycles, children gradually build a fuller understanding of how the orchestra has changed throughout history.)

Building an Orchestra

We talk about the four instrument families—strings, woodwinds, brass, and percussion—and then the kids help build an orchestra seating chart on a whiteboard using laminated instrument cards. This gives them a clear visual of how the orchestra is structured.

Week 20: Orchestra Overview

Bring Your Instrument!

Children may bring instruments from home, and some of the older ones present their instrument to the group. Parents sometimes bring instruments too. This hands-on experience helps students connect what they see in pictures to real instruments.

Orchestra Song

Next, we teach the  orchestra song. Each group of students represents an instrument family, and we sing the song as a round to help them remember the names and sounds of the instruments. It’s lively, memorable, and always a favorite!

Weeks 21–23: Cultivating Restful Listening

Over the next three weeks, we focus on helping children enjoy music through restful listening. Each week, a different composer “visits” our community—an older student or parent dresses up as the composer and answers questions in an interview-style format. Kids learn who the composer was, where they lived, what kind of music they wrote, and what inspired them.

After the interview, the children settle in with blankets or sleeping bags. The lights are turned off, everyone gets cozy, and they listen quietly to a selected piece. Later, in class, the tutor plays the piece again while students follow along with a flow chart to understand the structure of the music.

Week 21: Beethoven — Symphony No. 5

Students learn about Beethoven’s life, his fiery personality, his struggles with hearing loss, and the dramatic power behind his most famous four-note motif.

Week 22: Brahms — Symphony No. 4

This week introduces students to Johannes Brahms. They learn about his friendship with Clara Schumann, his perfectionism (he destroyed many of his early works), and the emotional depth of his final symphony.

Week 23: Dvořák — Serenade for Strings

For our final composer, children meet Antonín Dvořák and learn about his Bohemian roots, his love of folk melodies, and the warm, lyrical style that fills his Serenade for Strings.

Week 24: Review and Celebration

During Week 24, we like to end our composer study with something fun and memorable. We watch a short orchestra-themed video, like Peter and the Wolf. This story helps students hear how each instrument can represent a different character. It brings the orchestra to life in a fun and creative way.

As they watch, students get to point out the instruments they’ve learned about. It’s a great way to wrap up the six weeks and celebrate all they’ve learned. We also make popcorn for the kids to eat as they watch the film. The kids always enjoy this special treat, and it helps them remember the sounds and families of the orchestra.

Cycle 2 Great Composers Mini Books

If you want to explore classical music more deeply at home, I’ve created a set of Cycle 2 Great Composers Mini Books that make learning about composers simple, hands-on, and engaging for young students. The set includes three beautifully designed 11-page mini books featuring Ludwig van Beethoven, Johannes Brahms, and Antonín Dvořák.

Each mini book introduces the composer with short, kid-friendly text and interactive pages. Children can learn where each composer lived, what makes their music unique, and why their work is still celebrated today. There are listening prompts, “music detective” observations, famous pieces to explore, and creative activities that encourage kids to engage with music using their ears, imagination, and curiosity.

These mini books are especially helpful for reinforcing the Cycle 2 study of composers and work beautifully for quiet table work, morning baskets, individual lessons, or gentle music appreciation throughout the week. Grab this set of three mini books from my shop below!

Instruments of the Orchestra Activity Book

If you’re looking for a simple and engaging way to introduce your children to orchestral music, my Instruments of the Orchestra Activity Book is a wonderful companion for your fine arts studies. This book includes 38 fun activities designed to help kids learn the main instruments of the orchestra in an interactive and approachable way.

Children will explore all four instrument families—strings, woodwinds, brass, and percussion—and discover what makes each family unique. The activity pages guide them through the features and sounds of individual instruments, helping them understand how each one contributes to the orchestra as a whole.

The book also includes listening links for each instrument family so kids can hear real examples of these instruments in action, making the learning experience richer and more memorable. At the end, you’ll find kid-friendly book recommendations for families who want to continue exploring music and deepen their understanding of the orchestra.

Whether you use it during your fine arts block or simply want to nurture a love for music at home, this activity book keeps learning hands-on, enjoyable, and accessible for the whole family.

Instruments of the Orchestra UNO Card Game

To make learning even more fun, I also created an Instruments of the Orchestra UNO–style card game that families can play together. The deck includes colorful instrument cards from all four families—strings, woodwinds, brass, and percussion—along with themed action cards to keep the game exciting. It’s a playful way for kids to reinforce what they’re learning about orchestra instruments while practicing quick recognition and matching skills.

Print the cards on cardstock, laminate if you like, and you’ve got an easy, reusable game that brings music learning to life at the kitchen table.

How We Use These Resources in Our Week

Here’s a simple, stress-free weekly flow you can follow:

Community Day

• Learn about the composer
• Listen to the week’s piece
• Talk about instruments you heard

At Home

• Re-listen to one of the composer’s pieces
• Do a page or two from the Composer Mini Book
• Complete one activity from the Instruments of the Orchestra Activity Book
• End the week with a round of the Orchestra UNO Game

Everything works together to help kids remember the instruments, the music, and each composer’s unique style.

Great Picture Books about the Orchestra

Picture books are a fun and gentle way to teach kids about the orchestra at home. Here are some of our favorite books to enjoy together:

FREE Instrument Family Posters

If your kids are learning about the orchestra this year, you’ll love this free set of four Instrument Family Posters! These beautifully illustrated posters highlight the strings, woodwinds, brass, and percussion families and are perfect for hanging in your homeschool room, slipping into a morning basket, or adding to your fine arts lessons.

They’re bright, simple, and kid-friendly—designed to help children quickly recognize each family and remember the main instruments that belong to it.

To download your free set, just enter your email in the form below and I’ll send them straight to your inbox!

They make a wonderful companion to any orchestra study and pair perfectly with Weeks 19–24 of Classical Conversations® Fine Arts.

If you try any of these Cycle 2 orchestra resources, I would love to see what you’re doing!
Tag me on Instagram so I can cheer you on and share your ideas with other families.

Happy music-making, friend! 🎻✨