Learning About Nature Through
Music and the Arts
Be Curious Be Inspired Create and Share Through Music |
Be Curious Be Inspired Create and Share Through Music |
♩ ♪ The (school) hill is alive... with the sound of music outside!! ♫ ♬ Haha! But true! Read on!
When the weather isn't cooperating, there have been a few times we have been inside for music. I really try to avoid this so student have a chance to Move-Play-Create-Be Inspired outside as much as possible, so even on cold winter days we would be outside... but sometimes it's too much for me to be outside for hours at a time. So! Students would learn inside from me, via a Teams meeting! Very early on, I treated these inside times as a way to get students excited about future outdoor ideas, like this most recent one that we just finished up before many students moved to online learning from home in mid-May. Playing the sounds of our school yard! So glad everyone got a chance to do this! It was such an amazing demonstration of all they have learned, all they have discovered on their own about music through composition!
During an inside Teams meeting, I showed them examples of "playing" the school, with the entire school as an instrument (but inside):
I also shared an example of playing sounds outside:
We thought carefully about how they were respectful with their "instruments" and played them versus hitting. I told them I had bought them all wooden dowels so they could each have their own separate pair, and that in the future we would be experimenting with the sounds around the school yard!
They had a few safety rules given, like how to walk with sticks, keeping a distance from others etc... then they were told to go experiment! For Grade 4 particularly, this is part of their science curriculum to experiment with sounds, and think of high/low, different timbres, different ways to play (tapping, scraping etc). For everyone else, this is also applicable to science, as students were all applying one of the main principles of science learning - the "scientific method" - to their learning. Eg: What happens if I move this slider while I play? What happens if I tap this with rocks at the same time? What will I hear if I touch the piece of metal that I'm tapping - will the sound change (yes it will be more muted)... Are all these poles the same pitch? Etc! Then we all found metal sounds, wooden sounds, plastic sounds, earth sounds (brick), different pitches, and different ways to play!
In small groups, students used these tools they discovered, and that we discussed, to create compositions together to present to the rest of the class! This is my favourite part, because this is a real life demonstration of what they understand about how music "works", applied in a new situation. They must use dozens of music outcomes from the curriculum:
-working with a set of criteria then reflecting if those criteria were met at the end -collaborating -playing one's own part confidently in an ensemble -demonstrating a beat or rhythm -reproducing a melody -musical form -recognizing the value of risk taking -rehearsing -deciding whether a work is "finished" -refining -presenting -recognizing the value of others' works -adding more than one part at a time for texture -behaviour of a performer, musician and audience member -able to follow non-verbal cues... ...Those are just off the top of my head! But they must all be applied, seamlessly, together to experiment with the new medium, create from start to finish, then present their creation for others without verbal direction... The concentration, critical thinking, collaborative skills and creativity that is at play is astounding, with a high level comprehension of what would make an intriguing presentation using musical elements they have learned! This is a visual demonstration of the culmination of all they know, synthesized and applied in a new situation, demonstrating mastery. A written test cannot demonstrate all the elements they share in these real life, rich educational situations, certainly not in this integrated and deep way, demonstrating an intricate understanding of music. And the learning that takes place when they watch others' presentations is also deep and valuable, because the other groups may have used different musical elements than they chose. I take time after each presentation to discuss what was at play - accelerando, solos/duos, ABA form, expression, rhythm patterns etc etc.
What else do we see? Engagement, energy, enthusiasm... and we hear laughter as students are having fun. What a joy.
Check out the curricular connections with this outdoor music experience by clicking on the picture below!!
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Click HERE to go back to the first postBio - Jennifer EngbrechtI am a music specialist in the Louis Riel School Division in Manitoba, Canada. I have a strong interest in the interrelationship of all subject areas, especially infusing the arts into all learning, and as their own stand-alone subjects. NEW:
So excited to be interviewed for Green Teacher Magazine's "Talking With Green Teachers" Podcast My article in the MSSTA Journal for Fall 2021... Click on the image below:
My article in the Summer 2021 Green Teacher Magazine. Click on the image below:
Disconnect: The Outdoor Education Podcast - listen to this episode about Teaching Music Outside by clicking on the picture below:
Looking for the WSO Manitoba Mosaic lesson for Hey Terre by Kelly Bado?
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