Beyond the Notes: A Classical Music Journey with Beethoven's Masterpieces

"My students love listening activities. I try to use them every month when we learn about a new composer. It really gets the students listening to the song elements. I also had several parents who were excited to see their students coming home with this; their students showed them their coloring, and then the families would listen to the music together." - Emalie S.

Just print & play! Do you need engaging Beethoven activities or music sub plans? These printable listening sheets offer creative ways for students to learn more about the life and compositions of Ludwig Van Beethoven!

Learning Objectives

• increased knowledge of German composer Ludwig Van Beethoven
• familiarity with the composer's works
• ability to recognize, and engage with, popular pieces of music
• identify different instrument sounds
• social-emotional exploration of feelings and moods within the music
• creative expression by drawing and choosing colors related to a musical theme

What’s Inside:

• Five Star Rating Guide
• Composer Fact Sheet: Each composer fact sheet in this series includes fun, basic information – full name, birthplace, birth date, and more. One of the composer’s most popular compositions is also included. The fact sheet contains a place for writing fun facts or notes.
• Word Composer Activity: In the classic letter puzzle, students can use all the letters from the composer's full name to create new, shorter words. Add a timer for an extra challenge.
• Birthplace Fact Sheet: Use your favorite geographical resource to find the country’s language(s), leadership, traditional foods, and more! The historical name of some territories may have changed, but the most modern country is used for easy reference.
• Birthday Coloring Page: A fun coloring page repeats the composer’s birthday, and invites the artist to color in a special cupcake to celebrate the occasion.
• Composer Study Page: Students compile a short biographical page with the composer's full name, birthplace, instruments, and more!
• Composer Vocabulary Another six-word vocabulary list that typically includes the composer’s name, birthplace, instrument, or other related terms. Space is provided to trace each term and the included handwriting paper can be used for additional practice.
• Full Writing Page
• Writing/Drawing Page
• Drawing Page
• Listening Activity Sheets Listening sheets include the title of a popular piece, the composer, a black & white composer to color in, and a space for drawing any scene that may come to mind when listening. There are additional options to identify the mood of a piece and indicate which instruments are playing.
• Weather Color & Listen Sheet: While listening to the selected piece, students can color in the weather elements they feel and hear.
• Emotions Color & Listen Sheet: Students color the character(s) that best identify their emotions while listening to the music.
• Emojis Color & Listen Sheet: Twelve emojis to choose from! Students choose the emoji faces that best match their feelings or impressions about the music.

Printable Listening Sheets (four pages per piece!)

1. Symphony No. 9
2. Symphony No. 5
3. Bagatelle No. 25 ("Für Elise")
4. Piano Concerto No. 5
5. Violin Sonata No. 9
6. String Quartet No. 15
7. Piano Sonata No. 31
8. Symphony No. 1
9. 'Moonlight' Sonata
10. Piano Sonata No. 8