Find a local concert in your area and schedule a field trip for your students. The type of music can range from classical to jazz or even contemporary depending on your curriculum. For example, if you are studying music of the 18th century, choose a field trip to a local orchestra playing music by composers such as Scarletti or Rameau. Before the field trip, study the pieces that will be played. Learn about the composer, his life and what inspired him to write the music. When contacting orchestras, ask if they have student performances. Many times the tickets are available at a reduced rate.
Ask your students to write a music appreciation essay about a musician. The assignment may be confined to a given type of music, such as jazz, or you might let the students choose any musician they desire. Give clear instructions about what the essay should encompass. For example, if a student is writing an essay about jazz great Duke Ellington, you might ask the student to write about his childhood and how he fell in love with music. Another angle might be Duke's early years as a musician when he was struggling. By providing scope for the essay, it will be specific in nature. Instruct your students to back-up all facts in the essay with at least two quality sources.
Another way to appreciate music is to actually play or sing a song. Even if your students are not musically inclined, they'll be able to play simple songs on basic instruments. For example, pass out a recorder to each student in the class along with sheet music to a song they know such as "Twinkle, Twinkle, Little Star." Teach them the basics associated with reading music, such as the musical staff and how notes are written on the staff. Next, teach them to play the song. In a more advanced class, provide music that is tougher to read and play. For example, more complex music may be written in different keys and with more complex rhythm.
The study of instruments and how they were originally created is absolutely fascinating. Instruct your students to choose an instrument and research who is credited with inventing it and how it was modified over the years until it reached its current form. Other angles include how one instrument was modified into several instruments in the same family. For example, the clarinet spawned other instruments such as the bass clarinet and contra-bass clarinet.