5.10.2016

Music Appreciation from Zeezok Publishing LLC ~ REVIEW

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Kaden has listened to classical music since he was in my tummy.  He fell in love with piano instantly from hours of listening to Mahala play and naturally he enjoys playing too.  Kaden feels the music much like most of the Greatest Composers of all time.  I tell him it's just one of the gifts his Autism has enhanced for him.  So, it was like Christmas morning here at our house when we received a box from Zeezok Publishing LLC.  Kaden opened the box quickly to find their Newest product.... Music Appreciation Book 1: for the Elementary Grades.  This 2 year long program introduces your Kiddos to Music Theory and covers the lives and beginnings of 7 of the greatest Composers that ever walked...Bach, Handel, Haydn, Mozart, Beethoven, Paganini, and Schubert.  We received the Student Activity Book, Several Music CDs, & Composer Biographies and a Lapbook Making CD.


 
Kaden didn't waste any time getting started, I literally had to convince him to read only one Book from the Series at a time.  We decided to start with Kaden's Favorite Composer... Johannes Chrysostomus Wolfgangus Theophilus Mozart.  I have to say now that he said this was his Favorite Workbook/Curriculum Review that we have done this Review Period.  And he's proved it to me, by working independently through out the whole week.  It's the 1st subject after Bible that he wants to do every single day.  I'm telling you....this is BIG props for this Music Program.  Kaden is very Logic thinking and doesn't like wasting his time with mindless teaching.  So, when I find a curriculum or program that he is enthusiastic and eager to use I can promise you 3 things.  It's hands on and multi-educational, easy to use, but challenging and finally it's something that catches his heart because of the content and not all the flashy hoopla.  This curriculum exceeds all three of these things listed.




 
I was thrilled to find it's packed full of both interesting facts and  stories about each Composer and doesn't just regurgitate information to you for fast memorizing.  It's wrapped up in a way that can be grasped and is memorable enough to even want to be remembered.  I see this also when the lessons are relate-able to Kaden.  I mean with this specific Music Curriculum how Amazing is it that you go through the young lives of these Amazing Musicians.  Children can relate to the Composer's stories and see their lives through their own eyes.  Kaden was thrilled to see Mozart's very 1st Minuet as a child.  He was able to witness Mozart's hunger for Music and his desire to learn and play as much as he could, he related to him about his own hobbies.  It was so sweet to hear emotions in Kaden's voice as he read out-loud, the art was very simple and black and white.  Perfect for a Kiddo with Special Needs or Sensory Issues.

Like I've said before Kaden is a Logic based Kiddo, but that doesn't mean he learns only one way.  He likes hands on activities and new experiences.  This program offered many learning opportunities outside of the typical Q and A.  Kaden turned a journal of his into a Great Composer Journal.  He pasted all his Lapbook activities inside and keeps it on his desk to look through during his downtime.  We learned about different instruments, learned a new Musical Vocabulary with cut outs.  He learned some German, had fun with word searches, mapping out Family Trees and learning to read music.  It was never a dull moment during Music time in our house these past several weeks. :)

 
I have to say that not only is this program a Joy to use as a Student, but as a Teacher it equally is easy and fast to get ready for each lesson.  Honestly I will admit I was a little worried with all the CDs, books and the Lapbook making.  But, it was well organized and even included finished Photos of a completed Lapbook for each Composer.  No guess work involved!!  And in the Workbook you will find that the first page of each composer is a handy lesson outline for the week.  This is where you go to find absolutely Everything You Need to Know about each of the activities for the week.  And if that's not enough, they go a step further by providing you with Special icons to represent what needs to be read, hands on activities, Tidbits of Interest, listening to Music, Character Quality opportunities and much More.   


We started with Mozart, then Bach and now we are starting Beethoven.  You can skip around, there is no order and they are conveniently color coded so it's super easy to go right to the area in the workbook to go along with each Composer.  We did finish a little faster then recommended, but he wanted to plow through and I didn't want to slow him down.  Every single day, weekends included he played each CD over and over.  We completed all of the lapbook projects, but assembled them into a notebook.  When it came to the comprehensive questions he did a mixture of writing the answers out and doing them orally with me.  I appreciated that the questions were really thought provoking and not just obvious Q and A.  

So, what did we think?  Well, I think if you Love Classical Music...this is for You.  If you have Kiddos....this is for You.  If you want to learn more about Music along with your Kiddos....this is for You.  If you want a total Music Package filled with all you need to provide a complete Music Curriculum for your Kiddos....this is for You!  Like I said earlier, Kaden has spoken that this is his Favorite Review.  He is looking forward to Book 2, which plans to come out soon.  Here is a Sampling of the Student Workbook and the Lapbook Here.


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Music Appreciation for the Elementary Grades {Zeezok Publishing LLC Review}

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