Teaching instrument families should be one of the easier parts of the year, right? It’s just woodwinds, brass, strings, and percussion. Maybe a quick video, a worksheet, and you’re done?
Except… then your kids can’t remember what a reed is, think every instrument is a trumpet, and totally blank when you ask them to explain how a drum makes sound.
It’s not you. It’s just that this unit can sneakily go off the rails if you’re not careful — and most of us have learned how to teach it from someone who taught it… not that well. 😅
So let’s fix it. Here are the biggest mistakes I see (and maybe have made myself), and how to avoid them.
❌ Mistake 1: Just Hitting Play on a YouTube Video and Calling It a Day
I love a good orchestra clip as much as the next music teacher, but videos alone aren’t going to cut it. Watching doesn’t automatically equal learning — especially if the video’s 10 minutes long and they’ve mentally checked out by minute three.
✅ Instead: Keep those clips short and sweet. A quick video should show what the instrument looks like, give a clear example of its tone and range, and then move on. When students have a specific reason to watch — like identifying the family or comparing sounds — they’re way more likely to stay engaged. The instrument family unit includes these kinds of short, purposeful clips already built in for each section, so it’s easy to plug them in right where they make sense.
❌ Mistake 2: Dumping All the Info at Once
You know that lesson where we try to cover the whole orchestra in 40 minutes? Strings, woodwinds, brass, percussion… all the instruments, all the terms, all the sounds… whew. It’s too much.
✅ Instead: Break it up. Focus on one family at a time. Spiral the learning so they’re hearing, seeing, and talking about these instruments multiple times — not just in one giant brain dump. The instrument family unit is paced for retention, not overwhelm, and makes it easy to keep things manageable and engaging.
❌ Mistake 3: Skipping the Vocabulary
If you’re teaching instruments and not saying words like reed, vibrate, buzz, or tone… you’re missing a big opportunity. Those words are what help kids understand how and why each instrument works the way it does.
✅ Instead: Weave in those terms every time you introduce a new instrument or family. The included visuals and vocabulary-building activities make the repetition natural — and help students start using those words confidently on their own.
❌ Mistake 4: Making It a Sit-and-Get
You know what doesn’t scream “engaging lesson”? Talking at the kids for 20 minutes then handing them a worksheet. Kids need to move, solve, play, guess, and maybe even race their best friend in a game of instrument memory to actually get it.
✅ Instead: Add movement. Add choice. Use puzzles, write the room, memory, and bingo. The more ways they interact with the content, the more likely it’s going to stick — and the more fun you’ll all have doing it.
✅ What Actually Works
Here’s the formula: Break it into manageable parts. Build in movement and interaction. Reinforce vocabulary. Spiral the content. Give them multiple ways to engage.
That’s exactly what this instrument family unit is built to do.
Each lesson focuses on one instrument family at a time and includes a clear breakdown of the instruments in that family — along with a short video that shows each one in action with quick, focused listening examples. It’s everything students need to see, hear, and connect with the instrument — without overwhelming them.
You also get vocabulary support woven into every lesson, so terms like reed, buzz, and vibrate aren’t just mentioned once — they’re used again and again until they stick.
And when it’s time to review? You’ve got ready-to-go instrument family centers. Students rotate through activities like memory, puzzles, bingo, and write the room — all tied directly to the content they’ve been learning. No filler, no fluff, and no complicated prep.
This isn’t just a bunch of worksheets slapped together — it’s a full unit designed to make your life easier and actually help your students learn.
Click here or on the picture below to grab the Instrument Family Unit! 👇🏼
