Unit: Describing Music
Grade: 8th Grade
Subject: Band
Purpose
The purpose of this unit is to fuse together the following:
Illinois State Standards of Music MU:Re7.1.8.b. Describe how understanding context and the elements of music inform the response to music. MU:Re7.1.8a. Identify and support the meaning of musical works, citing as evidence the musical elements and context.
ISTE Standards: 3d. Students build knowledge by actively exploring real-world issues and problems, developing ideas and theories and pursuing answers and solutions. 6a. Students choose the appropriate platforms and tools for meeting the desired objectives of their creation or communication.
Disciplinary Literacy: Discipline-specific vocabulary, reading, writing, and communication skills.
Technology: With guidance, students will create an infographic or mind map that will allow them to organize and demonstrate their learning and thinking.
Plans/Materials
Please see the following documents:
Unit Lesson Plan: This document explains the unit, activities, and technology in detail.
Music Marking Activity: This activity was made to guide students' disciplinary thinking.
Describing Music Brainstorming Activity: This activity was made to guide students' disciplinary thinking.
Infographic/Map Template: Students will use this template, along with their Music Marking Activity & Describing Music Brainstorming Activity to create their final product.
Feedback
I am looking for feedback in the following areas:
The Challenge #7 reading about disciplinary literacy encouraged hands-on learning and inquiry activities. I am looking for ideas in this area.
Other thoughts, suggestions, ideas.
Other Thought: At first glance, the technology may seem a little basic. However, I have never used this kind of technology in the music classroom. I am looking to incorporate technology in a new way; to help students think describe how understanding context and the elements of music inform the response to music. This kind of disciplinary thinking may be foreign to my students. I created resources and templates that guide students disciplinary thinking.
I am not musically inclined by any stretch of the imagination, but in reading the article and thinking about fieldtrips and such, I didn't know if your school would possibly allow you to take them to the opera? That would be a great venue (I would think) to focus on emotions caused or inspired by music.
The resources you have created are not only eye-catching but very helpful for your learners. In my opinion, all is written clearly and the students have the tools for success.
I love this idea, and I love your artistic creations; very good presentation-style. I really like the structure and flow of the assignment; it reads very easily, and the nice graphics help give it an entertaining flavor.
Here's a thought for an extension activity...Something I do with my composing students along the same vein is to imagine the piece of music being implemented in a different context. For example, there's a good YouTube channel called "Scenes Without Music" that will play a clip from a famous movie (like Star Wars or Jurassic Park) with the music score edited out. With my students, we then chose a different piece of music to play at the same time so we can s…
This is really cool! I think you've done great with the disciplinary literacy as well. Not only are they coming up with these feelings and thoughts on their own, but you're making them write them and then reorganize them into an infographic. I think that repeated interaction with their own thoughts and feelings will be good for deepening their connection to the piece.
One possible addition you could make is more along the lines of evaluating the music. You mentioned finding a college or professional recording - perhaps you could record your group and have them compare/contrast? Ask them if the different performances change the feelings at all and why/how? You would just want to make sure they understand that…
I love that you created the templates to help guide student thinking in something they might be unfamiliar with doing. This will support their learning well. You mentioned that you feel the technology is basic, but I feel like you are utilizing the correct tools to meet your intended goal.