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New York Philharmonic: Kidzone
A kid's introduction to the symphony.
Grade Level: K-2, 3-5, 6-8

http://www.nyphilkids.org

	CONTENT: The New York Philharmonic Kidzone is a great tool for introducing young children to the symphony orchestra. It includes information about different instruments, composers and composition in a fun and educational format.
	AESTHETICS: The cartoon-like pages are colorful and will appeal to kids. Each section of the site has a different background color adding variety and interest to the site. QuickTime, Shockwave, Real Player, and Flash are required and can be downloaded from the Help section.
	ORGANIZATION: The user-friendly image map allows users to roll the mouse over the images and see a preview of what's there before they click. There is also a text navigation bar at the bottom of the front page and a side navigation menu on the subsequent pages.
	REVIEW: This interactive and educational site provides a wealth of information and activities about the symphony orchestra that is geared toward the young child. Students can access five different musicians' lounges to learn about the musicians of the Philharmonic and their instruments through text and videos. They can learn about the different types of instruments by visiting the Instrument Storage Room and then proceed to the Instrument Lab to invent their own instrument online. If that isn't enough, students can also create their own compositions in as many as seven different ways in the Composer's Workshop, find information on at least sixty composers, play games such as Music Match where users match composers to compositions and travel through the entire site on a musical scavenger hunt to find all the clues and claim a trophy. This is one that teachers and parents interested in familiarizing young students with the orchestra will want to bookmark.
	RELATED REVIEWS: Fine Arts: Music Internet: Interactive Web Sites Internet: WebQuests and Scavenger Hunts Students: Games & Fun Sites

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