Meghen+Cierlicki

Meghen Cierlicki Grade 7 Unit: School Song Composition Subject: Music

National Standards
 * 1. Singing, alone and with others, a varied repertoire of music.**
 * 2. Performing on instruments, alone and with others, a varied repertoire of music.**
 * 3. Improvising melodies, variations, and accompaniments.**
 * 4. Composing and arranging music within specified guidelines.**
 * 5. Reading and notating music.**
 * 6. Listening to, analyzing, and describing music.**
 * 7. Evaluating music and music performances.**
 * 8. Understanding relationships between music, the other arts, and disciplines outside the arts.**
 * 9. Understanding music in relation to history and culture**

NETS
 * **Demonstrate creativity and innovation**
 * **Communicate and collaborate**
 * **Conduct research and use information**
 * **Think critically, solve problems, and make decisions**
 * **Use technology effectively and productively**

Unit Description For this unit on music composition, students are faced with the challenge of creating a new, original school song for homecoming week, which is quickly approaching. The school currently does not recognize any one song as the school song and 7th grade students have expressed interest in writing one that will unify the student body and add to the spirit of homecoming.

Learning Outcomes Students will compose an original ABA song with lyrics. Students will operate computer programs Garage Band, Finale and Audacity.

Steps of Unit In pairs, students will compose an ABA form song with lyrics using the programs Garage Band and Finale. Once the audio file is created with Garage Band, students will notate the melody and lyrics using Finale notation software. Each pair will present their song to the class by performing it. Later, they will record their songs using the program Audacity. They will add their recorded songs to the school’s web site where the students can vote for the winner.

Technology Use Composition software offers extraordinary advantages over traditional, pencil and paper composition. As the students work with the program, they have immediate feedback as to how something will sound and how small modifications can make a big impact on the overall sound. Also, students who have difficulty writing neatly are brought to the same level as other students and can be just as successful using a computer key board and mouse.

Meeting All Students’ Needs To meet the needs of all students, they will first complete a pre-assessment to determine their previous level of composition. When I have received this information, I will know how much preparation will need to be done to make students able to navigate the various programs as well as understand the music terminology to be used during this lesson. Using this information, I will pair students according to their level of knowledge, assigning partners that will benefit one another and work the most successfully.

Assessment Each day, students will be assessed using a simple 10-point rubric based on their effort and the amount of work they completed. Over the course of the unit, these rubrics will be averaged to contribute to each student’s final project grade. Mostly, a combination of project-based and performance-based assessment will used to determine the students’ understanding of song composition. “Students can demonstrate mastery through performance” (Cennamo 2009 p. 146). The pieces composed by the students will be scored using a rubric that will be shared with them at the beginning of the unit. Also, their presentation to the class will be graded.

Meghen Cierlicki Grade 7 Lesson: Music Inspired by Emotion: An Online Discussion Subject: Music

National Standards 1. Singing, alone and with others, a varied repertoire of music. 2. Performing on instruments, alone and with others, a varied repertoire of music. 3. Improvising melodies, variations, and accompaniments. 4. Composing and arranging music within specified guidelines. 5. Reading and notating music.
 * 6. Listening to, analyzing, and describing music. **
 * 7. Evaluating music and music performances. **
 * 8. Understanding relationships between music, the other arts, and disciplines outside the arts. **
 * 9. Understanding music in relation to history and culture **

NETS
 * ** Demonstrate creativity and innovation **
 * ** Communicate and collaborate **
 * ** Conduct research and use information **
 * ** Think critically, solve problems, and make decisions **
 * ** Use technology effectively and productively **

Lesson Description For this unit on music composition, students are faced with the challenge of creating a new, original school song for homecoming week, which is quickly approaching. The school currently does not recognize any one song as the school song and 7th grade students have expressed interest in writing one that will unify the student body and add to the spirit of homecoming.

Learning Outcomes Students will compose an original ABA song with lyrics. Students will operate computer programs Garage Band, Finale and Audacity.

Steps of Lesson In pairs, students will compose an ABA form song with lyrics using the programs Garage Band and Finale. Once the audio file is created with Garage Band, students will notate the melody and lyrics using Finale notation software. Each pair will present their song to the class by performing it. Later, they will record their songs using the program Audacity. They will add their recorded songs to the school’s web site where the students can vote for the winner.

Technology Use Composition software offers extraordinary advantages over traditional, pencil and paper composition. As the students work with the program, they have immediate feedback as to how something will sound and how small modifications can make a big impact on the overall sound. Also, students who have difficulty writing neatly are brought to the same level as other students and can be just as successful using a computer key board and mouse.

Meeting All Students’ Needs To meet the needs of all students, they will first complete a pre-assessment to determine their previous level of composition. When I have received this information, I will know how much preparation will need to be done to make students able to navigate the various programs as well as understand the music terminology to be used during this lesson. Using this information, I will pair students according to their level of knowledge, assigning partners that will benefit one another and work the most successfully.

Assessment Each day, students will be assessed using a simple 10-point rubric based on their effort and the amount of work they completed. Over the course of the unit, these rubrics will be averaged to contribute to each student’s final project grade. Mostly, a combination of project-based and performance-based assessment will used to determine the students’ understanding of song composition. “Students can demonstrate mastery through performance” (Cennamo 2009 p. 146). The pieces composed by the students will be scored using a rubric that will be shared with them at the beginning of the unit. Also, their presentation to the class will be graded.