Elementary Music/Music Technology Blog

Continuing with my posts on how the nine national standards from The National Association for Music Education (MENC) can be enhanced by technology in the elementary general music classroom, today I approach standard #9. FYI: This is out of order because I have blogged about Standard #8 on July 1.
Content Standard:
9. Understanding music in relation to history and culture.

The following lesson is from my wonderful music colleague, Maedean Kramer, who is the grades 4-8 general music teacher at my school. Each spring she conducts a jazz unit with her 6th graders. The students must study a jazz artist. She has them create a powerpoint that includes the following items listed below. She provides them with several websites to gather the information, pictures, and audio samples. All of this is done in class. After the 6th graders present their powerpoints, she has a rubric for which she uses to grade each presentation. The students are aware of her rubric and grading system because she shows them the rubric before they begin their research.

This project produces some excellent work from her 6th graders. I hope that the project that she let me share on this blog gives you some ideas for your late elementary/middle school general music classes.

“6th Grade Jazz Powerpoint Presentation” by Maedean Kramer © 2008.

Slide 1: Title slide
Your name*
Name of the artist
Slides 2-4: Biographical information
Photo(s) of your artist
Personal information- date of birth, death if applicable, place of birth, family information
Any other interesting information you may have discovered- how did your artist get started playing jazz? Does your artist have a nickname? How did they get the name?
Slides 5-6: Instrument/Famous pieces
Photo of instrument
Possible photo of artist and band?
Famous pieces- name at least 2 or 3 and 5 at the most
Slides: 7-8: Other important information
Sound clip/file URL link
Relevant information that was interesting to learn
Slide 9: Why was your artist important to jazz?
You need to create an answer for this one- it’s not written down specifically
Slide 10: Bibliography
Be sure to include all websites you used for your research

*ITEMS THAT ARE IN BOLD ARE REQUIRED

MY CHECK LIST FOR POWERPOINT:

____ my name and artist on the title slide

____ one background for the presentation

____ smooth transitions between slides

____ effects are used appropriately and efficiently

____ spell checked and proofed

____ linked appropriately to the sound clip

____ contain all the required information (listed above in BOLD)

____ my powerpoint is saved to the group shared folder as well as in my personal file

____ all photos have URL credit

This entry was posted on Monday, July 21st, 2008 at 12:23 am and is filed under Lesson Plans. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.