Discover Your Musical Heritage!
Mark Maurer
mmaurer@efsd.net
Elizabeth Forward Middle School
TI:ME Technology Areas Addressed:
Internet
Level:
Middle School grades 6-8
Equipment:
Computer lab with I-macs and an internet connection
Duration:
40 Minutes
Prior Knowledge and Skills:
Students were told to speak with parents, grand parents etc. as to their cultural heritage. Students were asked to try to find out as many specific details as possible.
NAfME Standard of 1994 Addressed:
NAfME Standard of 1994: Listening to, analyzing and describing music.
NAfME 2014: Responding
NAfME Standard of 1994: Understanding Music in Relation to History and Culture
NAfME 2014: Connections
Materials:
A list of the information that the student garnered from the adults should be sufficient.
Objectives:
Students should discover more about their heritage, how music played a part in that heritage, and in what forms the music still survives today. (For example:the Polka and the accordian still have relevance to today’s youth through the extensive use of this genre and instrument by “Weird Al” Yankovich.)
We will also briefly discuss the unique characteristics of the “student’s” music.
Procedures:
The students are to arrive at the computer lab and sit every two people per computer. (Our numbers do not allow for individualized learning.) They are then to “Google Search” on their country or countries’ name followed by the word “music”. Unless the student has a very obscure heritage, something should certainly pop up. This information should then be compiled in a Word document for an interactive time of sharing with the class at a later date.
Evaluation:
First, the students must have come to class prepared with the knowledge of their cultural background. Secondly, they must have the patience to explore multiple web sites until they find information of relevance; this aspect will be demonstrated by the students in a presentation to the class. A comprehensive / well thought out presentation will be graded accordingly. One that is obviously an attempt to meet only the most basic requirements will be graded as such.
Follow Up:
The next direction for this lesson is to have the students go back on-line and exchange their information with other students around the world.
