Include instruments in a history lesson. Ask students to research and present the history of an instrument of their choice. Have them bring a recording of a song that features that instrument for the class to hear, or to play the instrument themselves within their presentation. Allow them to instruct the class on the different ways in which their instrument can be played. Encourage them to bring the instrument into class if possible, or to provide images of the instrument.
Make two sets of cue cards on poster board with images of common occurrences that are associated with noises, such as rain, a crash or disaster, an animal walking or a bird singing. Provide the class with a variety of percussion instruments that match these sounds, such as egg shakers for rain or recorders for a bird, dividing the different choices so that the students are separated into groups and labeled by a cue card to indicate which sound effect their group is responsible for. Select a story book that includes a wide variety of these events, and ask the students to make the appropriate noise when their cue card is held up. Read the book out loud, and signal the appropriate sound effects by holding up different cards. Before you begin, have each group demonstrate how to make the sound of their instrument sound like the effect in the book.
Teach children the types of musical instruments, and their differences. Give a lesson in which the different sounds and types of musical instruments are demonstrated to students. Cooperate with the music department at your school, if available, to show them these differences first hand. Then create a grid that includes a variety of percussion, wind and string instruments. Ask students to label each with their appropriate category. For a simpler lesson, ask students to name each of the instruments after seeing their pictures.
Seasonal songs and classic children's tunes are great ways to introduce musical instruments to children. Have younger students play along with percussion instruments while they sing holiday songs or other favorites. Older students can learn basic tunes on a recorder as a way of introducing them to reading music notes and improving their dexterity. Demonstrate the hand positions required on the recorder in order to change sounds and make different notes. Next, associate these hand positions with a musical note. Walk children through the transitions between notes, asking them to make the appropriately pitched sound based on your instructions. Call out the arrangement of the fingers, such as "one" or "two" or give each hand position a name to make it easier to remember. Once they are familiar with the hand positioning, begin to call out the names of the notes. Choose simple songs, such as "Row row row your boat," and transition the lesson into music-reading.