A Soundbeam and Monster Connection
7th Grade Middle School
Overview:
The students will create musical compositions using traditional and contemporary technology. Each student will write a descriptive paragraph about their composition and the experience the had composing it.
Keywords:
Melody, pitch, high, low, ascend, descend, series, repetition, contrast, AABA form, direction, movement, duration.
Using the Sound Beam
Learning Objectives
The students will be able to use the equipment.
The students will recognize and identify pitch -- high/low.
The students will recognize and use movements to create ascending and descending sounds.
The students will be able to demonstrate their ability to create single sounds and their ability to create a series of sounds.
The students will be able to repeat a sound pattern and create contrasting patterns using simple motions.
The students will create and present a musical composition using the practiced components.
Standards Assessments
Advanced:
Student consistently performs all tasks listed under Proficient, transfers knowledge of high and low pitches to any instrument and creates a two to five minute composition.
Proficient:
The student can recognize and identify the high and low pitches heard 80 percent of the time;
The student can transfer the knowledge of high and low pitches to several other instruments;
The student can create ascending and descending sounds 80 percent of the time;
The student can create single notes and a series of notes 80 percent of the time;
The student can articulate verbally what he/she is doing using correct vocabulary 80 percent of the time; and
The student is able to put together a one minute composition using the learned components learned.
Basic:
The student can recognize and identify the high and low pitches heard 60 percent of the time;
The student can transfer the knowledge of high and low pitches to one other instrument;
The student can create ascending and descending sounds 60 percent of the time;
The student can create single notes and a series of notes 60 percent of the time;
The student can articulate verbally what he/she is doing using correct vocabulary 60 percent of the time; and
The student is able to put together a 30 to 45 second composition using the components learned.
Below Basic:
The student can recognize and identify the high and low pitches heard less than 60 percent of the time;
The student recognizes the high and low pitches of one instrument;
The student can create ascending and descending sounds less than 60 percent of the time;
The student can create single notes and a series of notes less than 60 percent of the time;
The student can articulate verbally what he/she is doing using correct vocabulary less than 60 percent of the time; and
The student is able to put together a 10 to 25 second composition using the learned components.
Enrichment Activities
(for students who have met the standard at the proficient and advanced levels):
The student can team up with a second student or work alone to present a musical composition with a written story using a monster theme and Soundbeam accompaniment;
The student can record the composition on an audiotape recorder or on a videotape;
The student may evaluate their experience through a discussion or through a reflective essay;
The student may create a visual work of art that depicts or illustrates their written composition; and /or
The students may research music and other works of art about monsters on the internet and use their findings to create a multimedia project. The project will be created using Photoshop, MIDI or wave file or other similar software if available.
Corrective Activities
(for students who have not met the standard at the proficient level):
The student can pair with an advanced student for extra help;
The student may work with an advanced student to create, perform and videotape a lesson;
The student may also find two examples of monster music on a website to present to their peers.
Alternative lesson plan:
If a Soundbeam is not available keyboards, xylophone or piano may be used.