Introduction to Final Project for C&I 335:
My proposal of the major project for C&I 335 is to attempt to make a singing-reading connection with my students. My school district, Springfield Public School District 186, has adopted a new reading series, "Invitations to Literacy", published by Houghton Mifflin. The district is also in the process of aligning the curriculum with the Illinois State Board of Education's Learning Standards. The primary students that I instruct at Ridgely Elementary School and Pleasant Hill Elementary School, both K-4 buildings, are part of this process. I feel that incorporating reading into my music lesson plans could enhance this learning.
Literacy learning begins in the home and community. It continues in school, where literacy instruction should stimulate, teach, and extend the communication and thinking skills that will allow students to develop positive attitudes and to become effective readers, writers, communicators, and lifelong learners. Music can add assistance to the literacy learning process. The words to songs can be internalized and stored; later to be retrieved and used as a guide to reading. When making the singing-reading connection, words to songs are no longer just words, they represent clues used to assist children in unlocking print in other contexts.
When choosing songs to help the singing-reading connection, the purpose of the musical experience needs to be determined.
The younger the children or the lower the language level, the more controlled the pattern of the songs need to be. For young children or emergent readers, material should be chosen that is highly predictable and repetitive. When choosing songs, certain criteria such as content and form need to be considered.
Content Form
Once the song has been selected, it must be internalized. Repetitive experiences with the song allow the pattern of the song to be learned and memorized. Activities that involve making a singing-reading connection can then be added. Such activities are outlined in Lessons 2, 3, and 5 of this unit.
The place and purpose of technology in music education must be found before beginning to properly apply the technology. Simply making technology available is not enough. If music is to stay a viable part of the school curriculum and meet the needs of students, it must combine technology with traditional skills as other subjects are doing. Technology can enhance cross-curricular teaching, hand-on learning, cooperative learning, independent study, and higher level thinking skills, as well as provide an excellent assessment tool. Music technology can be compared to the art supplies used in art education. Undoubtedly, art education was enhanced when materials such as drawing tools, proper papers, and modeling clay became available. Computers can be viewed as the modeling clay, construction paper, and crayons of music. Technology allows students of all abilities and ages to interact with music as well as perform and create it in new and exciting ways.
I found the best was to select the ideal use for technology is to first focus on the desired goal and educational standards and then select the materials or devices best suited to accomplish the stated objectives. Technology can be used to enhance the performance and classroom curriculum already in place and to provide new programs specific to technology that will advance the goals of the curriculum. I feel that technology will work best when it is perceived as an enhancement or teaching device rather than the driving force of the entire music curriculum. Technology is an effective and exciting way to augment and supplement the music curriculum.
This unit of AB form in music will be taught in conjunction with the second graders unit "Pet Show Today" in reading. Attempts have been made when creating this unit to include songs that relate to the animals that the children will be reading about in their reading books. Technology has also been incorporated into many of the lessons. Attention to the Springfield Public School District 186 music curriculum has also been considered. Lessons 1 through 6 relate directly to the district's reading theme for second grade. All lessons in this unit address the components of AB form in music. The National Standards for Arts Education, the Illinois Learning Standards for Fine Arts, and the Springfield Public School District 186 Standards and Benchmarks were considered in creating this unit.
The National Standards for Arts Education were developed by the Music Educators National Conference. The task force that created these standards states that "the curriculum should utilize current technology to individualize and expand music learning." The national standards are organized into nine distinct areas. Following are some ways that technology was integrated with each standard.
- Singing alone and with others, a varied repertoire of music. With a computer, sequencing software has provided a tool to create, record and play back music. I have chose to use software such as "Autoscore" to achieve this standard.
- Performing on instruments, alone and with others, a varied repertoire of music. Using the "Making Music" software, the students can change the instruments that they use in their compositions.
- Improvising melodies, harmonies, and accompaniments. A computer and composition software, such as "Making Music", can provide students with the tools necessary to improvise a new melody for "Five Little Monkeys Jumping on a Bed".
- Composing and arranging music within specified guidelines. Notation of scoring software, such as "Autoscore", can turn a computer into a music processor. Students can compose music and listen to it played back. Students can print their compositions.
- Reading and notating music. Notation and scoring software can be used as a tool for creating printed music. Students can read the music that they compose.
- Listening to, analyzing, and describing music. Software such as "Perspectives in Music History" allow the students to listen to, analyze, and describe music of famous composers.
- Evaluate music and music performances. Students can record performances using "Autoscore" software that will translate the performance into printed music displayed on the computer screen. The notation can be viewed and printed out for evaluation by students and teachers.
- Understanding relationships between music, the other arts, and disciplines outside the arts. Using the software "Perspectives in Music", the students can explore how music relates to art from the same time period as the music they are studying. Using programs such as "KidPix", the students can create books, which relates to language arts curriculum.
- Understand music in relation to history and culture. Software such as "Perspectives in Music" can assist students in understanding the relationship between music and history.
The Illinois Learning Standards for Fine Arts were developed using the National Standards for Arts Education, 1985 State Goals for Fine Arts, various other national and state resources, and local standards contributed by team members. The Illinois Learning Standards in the Fine Arts address the language of the fine arts, sensory elements, organizational principles an expressive qualities and how the arts are similar, different or related to each other. Students also learn about production and performance in the arts and the role of arts in civilization. When students study the arts they become informed audience members and informed consumers of the popular culture including electronic media. The standards in fine arts define a comprehensive arts education and reflect a commitment to a quality education for every Illinois school child. Illinois Learning Standards met in this unit of study in AB form are notated after each objective in each lesson.
State Goal 25: Know the language of the arts.
State Goal 26: Through creating and performing, understand how works of art are produced.
State Goal 27: Understand the role of the arts in civilizations, past and present.
Standard A. Understand the sensory elements, organizational principles and expressive qualities of the arts.
Standard 25.A.1c: Identify differences in elements and expressive qualities (e.g., between fast and slow tempo; high and low pitch; same or different form).
Standard B. Understand the similarities, distinctions and connections in and among the arts.
25.B.1: Identify similarities in and among the arts (e.g., pattern, sequence, mood).
Standard A. Understand processes, traditional tools and modern technologies used in the arts.
Standard 26.A.1c: Identify a variety of sounds and sound sources (e.g., instruments, voices, and environmental sounds).
Standard 26.A.1d: Relate symbol systems (e.g., icons, syllables, numbers and letters) to musical sounds.
Standard B. Apply skills and knowledge necessary to create and perform in one or more of the arts.
Standard 26.B.1c: Sing or play on classroom instruments a variety of music representing diverse cultures and styles.
Standard A. Analyze how the arts function in history, society, and everyday life.
Standard 27.A.1a: Identify the distinctive roles of artists and audiences.
Standard 27.A.1b: Identify how the arts contribute to communication, celebrations, occupations, and recreation.
Standard B. Understand how the arts shape and reflect history, society and everyday life.
Springfield Public School District 186 has a draft proposal of Fine Arts standards and benchmarks. All of the standards correlate with the Illinois Learning Standards. Benchmarks will become the means in which the standards will be addressed and obtained.
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Submitted: July 1, 1998