Summer Curriculum Week 6

Week 6: Symphony Orchestra (Strings) and Achdus (Unity)

This week Rabbi B taught the kids all about the Symphony Orchestra and how many instruments playing together can create beautiful music. Rabbi B taught them about it in the following ways:

A) Show and Share:

The kids got to play an actual violin!

Rabbi B started the week off by showing the kids pictures of string instruments found in a symphony orchestra. In addition, he also showed a picture of the setup of a symphony orchestra and how instrument-families sit together.



Rabbi B brought in some very special orchestral instruments that use strings for the kids to play with and learn about. These included a violin, a Cello and even a Piano.

Rabbi B brought in a real orchestra Cello!

Rabbi B taught the kids how the main string instruments in a symphony orchestra use bows that slide along the strings to produce sound. The rubbing of the bow against the strings creates friction and that creates sound. Then, as you tighten or loosen the string with your finger, the sound changes.

Rabbi B also gave the kids a surprise! He took them into the lunch room where there is an upright piano. Rabbi B asked, "Is a Piano a string instrument?" Most of the kids answered in the negative. They thought that it worked with the black and white keys only. Then, Rabbi B opened up the piano from the top and let the kids look inside it. They were shocked to find that a piano has strings inside it and that when you press a key, a wooden hammer hits against the string and the truing rings out its note.

B) Listen and Learn

Showing a picture of a symphony orchestra setup

Rabbi B brought in the recording of Peter and the Wolf, as told by Itzhak Perlman. It is a a story about a boy who traps a wolf, but its main function is its use of symphony instruments as the animals and characters in the story. Peter is the violins, the Cat is the Clarinet, the Wolf is the French Horns etc. The kids thoroughly enjoyed the story and took great pleasure in hearing the instruments portray the characters. It was a great way to learn about how instruments and orchestra's can tell a story without any words.

C) Mitzvah Mashal (Jewish Lesson)

Playing together makes the best kind of music!

Rabbi B discussed with the kids that an orchestra is a group of musicians plying together in a meaningful and melodic way. When each interment does its own job properly, and each instrument has a different function, the music sounds beautiful. If one instrument should not play its part or play something that doesn't match the others, then the music will not sound good. So too by us as Jewish people, we each have our own way to serve Hashem and make this world a good place, when we do it by ourself, that is one thing, but when we do our job together with other people, then our music is even more beautiful.

PS: If you are lucky enough to be reading this, Rabbi B wrote a book that he hopes to publish called Rabbi B Had a Band, where each instrument teaches a different lesson, and at the end, when all the instruments play together, they make Hashem's music.