BLOG POST #6 - How has music changed over time, and what makes music endure?

Figure 36: Cover Page

Responding Statement

In exploring how music has changed over time,  here is a brief history of western music with a biblical focus.

Music can be dated back to the Old Testament. Found in the Psalms, the primary focus of the music of this time was to please God. Progressing to the New Testament, the singing of the Psalms was continued, and hymns were gradually introduced as a tool to spread the gospel and praise to Christ. During the Middle Ages, the Church became the most powerful entity in society and the gregorian chant became the primary music used in church. Congressional singing and instruments were done away with as professional singers performed the monophonic melodies as a sign of purity and a connection to God. Moving on to the Renaissance period, the development of  'modern' instruments reestablished a polyphonic melody back into music. 

The Reformation saw the emergence of new hymns and congregational singing, as Martin Luther translated the Bible into the common language for everyone to spread the word of God. Progressing into the Baroque period (1600 - 1750), the grand and ornate style of art and music of this time period provided the opportunity to experiment with new harmonies, new forms, and new instruments. The extravagant polyphonic music developed the first oratorios and operas during this time. Leading on to the Classical period (1750 - 1825), Baroque music had become so ornate and complex that the Classical period saw to simplify and lighten the texture of the music. The 'pianoforte' became popular during this period,  and Vienna, Austria became the musical capital of Europe. Proceeding into the Romantic period (1820 - 1900), the free expression of feelings of; fear, love, hope, and individualism were emphasised and expressed in song. It became typical for the music compositions of this time to require increasingly larger ensembles, from previous periods. 

Transcending into the Twentieth Century and Beyond, music has become exponentially and increasingly varied due to the development in the technology of instruments, sheet music, and the recording and producing of music. Experimentation allowed for new styles and genres to evolve. 
Styles of the art (expressive) music include:

• 12-tone music
• Microtonal music
• Neoclassicism

Genres of popular music include:

• Jazz
• Blues
• Rock 'n' roll
• Hip-hop
• Country
• New age

This brings us back to: 

'what makes music endure?'

Is it because some songs are passed down through generations as significant memories or traditions are attached to music? For example, Johann Pachelbel's Canon in D signifies a wedding and marriage. 

Or, 

Simply put, is it because people just find a connection with music? Whether played or listened to music, to find a connection with God, to describe feelings and emotions, or to express life circumstances and tell stories, there is no doubt that the medium of music has the ability to endure and connect with people all over the world. 

Learning in Music

Exploring Indigenous Aboriginal and cultural music, this week we had the pleasure of video calling Pastor John Beck, where he shared his skills and knowledge about Aboriginal music. Pastor John explained that the term 'Didgeridoo' is the white man's name given to the Indigenous instrument called Yidaki. The Yidaki is traditionally played by men and requires intense skill in maintaining 'circular breathing' - continuous breathing 'in' the nose and 'out' the mouth. This circular breathing technique can be practiced and strengthening through placing the end of a plastic Yidaki or PVC pipe in a bucket of water. Through trapping the air inside the cylinder between the musician's mouth and the water, as seen in figure 37, the musician must focus on using the nostrils to inhale, continuously filling the mouth with air and maintaining bubbles in the water; improving awareness and technique of circular breathing. The Yidaki is a storytelling instrument. Often accompanied by clapping sticks, the Yidaki is played to represent and express stories to be shared between others or passed down through generations. 

Figure 37: Circular breathing training (Oakes, 2019)

Making in Music

This weeks' making in Music activity encouraged song composition. Working in pairs (2) we were to create a melody using C, F, and G chords on the ukulele and write lyrics. The topic was a Christian or school value. Composing the song we started with the lyrics, brainstorming terms that represented or linked to our main topic of 'honesty'. 
For example:

• Trust
• Truthful
• Reliable
• Do not lie

Using these words we began to write the first 4 lines of our song, making sure the 2nd and 4th lines rhyme. For example, ahead and the end, or crunch and lunch. Figure 38 shows our final lyrics.

Figure 38: 'Honesty' Lyrics

Clapping out a steady beat, we could sing out our lyrics into a rhythm, adding chords to harmonise and complement our composition. Figure 39 is an example of what the song composition could result in.

Figure 39: 'Honesty' Performance

This activity could be achieved across the grades with modification, aligning with the content descriptors:

Foundation to Year 2

ACAMUM082 Create compositions and perform music to communicate ideas to an audience

Year 3 and 4

ACAMUM086 Create, perform and record compositions by selecting and organising sounds, silence, tempo, and volume.

Year 5 and 6

ACAMUM090 Rehearse and perform music including music they have composed by improvising, sourcing and arranging ideas and making decisions to engage an audience

(ACARA, 2019)

Responding in Music

In concluding my music journey in EDUC24112, I can now reflect on my personal experience of learning to play ukulele over the past six weeks. At the beginning of this journey I felt quietly confident, as I had had previous experience with another stringed instrument; the violin, but I did, rather find the ukulele a challenge due to the different holding and strumming techniques. I found it challenging at first to move to and from a G chord position with ease but with practice, I now barely notice a transition. I now feel comfortable in holding and playing the ukulele, learning C, G, F, D, Am, Dm, A, and C7th chords, and many more to come. I now have an understanding of different strumming techniques and patterns although I still find it challenging to perform a complex strumming pattern and sing at the same time. I look forward to improving and broadening my ukulele ability and song selection to use this instrument as a learning and teaching tool in my primary classroom.

Figure 40: Ukulele fun

References

ACARA. (2019). Retrieved from Australian Curriculum: https://www.australiancurriculum.edu.au/

Oakes, G. (2019). CIRCULAR BREATHING 101. Retrieved from DANSR: https://www.dansr.com/vandoren/resources/circular-breathing-101

Tasker, J. (2019). The Music Curriculum EDUC 24112 – Curriculum Studies: Creative Arts. Cooranbong, NSW, Australia: Avondale College of Higher Education.

BLOG POST #5 How does music communicate a message, and what impact will this have on my teaching?

Responding Statement

There is no doubt that music communicates a message. Described throughout the Australian curriculum across the grade levels, students develop music knowledge and skills to 'communicate meaning and ideas', and identify and present to an audience 'intended purposes and meaning' to music (ACARA, 2019). 

But how do audiences or students understand the meaning or idea of a composition? 

Exploring the work of Lilianne Doukhan and her chapter How Does Music Convey Meaning? from her book In Tune with God (2010) and Wolfgang Stefani's article Is There a Message in the Medium? (2018), both present plausible ideas about; from where and how music is perceived. Doukhan's (2010) work pointing out that our understanding of meaning comes from within; our interpretation of music is culturally derived and takes on a different understanding between people, cultures, and communities according to our experiences and moral understandings. With this perspective, it could be suggested that music materials for the classroom need to selected and planned with more care. It should also be expected in a diverse classroom for there to be a greater variety in points of view and answers given in a music discussion or activity.  While on the other hand, Stefani (2018) addresses the impacts of globalisation, particularly focussing on how music in the movies have conditioned our understanding of various meanings and emotions. With this understanding, a more general meaning will be perceived in the classroom, meaning it can result in more controlled topics or activities and will make collaborative tasks easier in unpacking how the elements of music impact the meaning.

Learning in Music

Uncovering the final two concepts of the elements of music from the Australian curriculum, this week we explored dynamics and form. Dynamics refers to the volume and intensity of a sound (ACARA, 2019) or how loud or soft the music is (Tasker, 2019). The dynamics within a song can be identified by the formal notations as seen in figure 31. 

Figure 31: Formal notation for dynamics (Tasker, 2019)

A gradual increase or decrease of volume can be notated and identified by a crescendo (getting louder) or decrescendo (becoming softer), adding to the meaning of the music by expressing movement with the aural effect.

Form refers to how the elements of music are arranged to make music or the structure of a piece of music (Tasker, 2019). The form of a song could be a verse, chorus, verse structure. An activity to do with primary students in identifying form could be playing to the beat or rhythm of a song and changing instruments for each form or structural change in the music. For example, Verse = drum, Chorus = waving scarves, Bridge = bells. 

Making in Music

This weeks' making in music activity included all the elements of music, and to plan for form, we were to narrate or express a story, for example, as seen in figure 32, a ship's journey at sea when a storm hits. An evident verse, chorus, verse structure will shape the compostions form. A storm is a great story to express dynamics as the 'storm' gradually rolls in in chaos and then fades away.

Figure 32: Ship's journey at sea (Tasker, 2019)

Composing a musical accompaniment of David and Goliath 1 Samuel 17 my group composed using a variety of instruments to add timbre and texture to the expression of the Bible story. Figure 33 shows an informal notation of our composition, demonstrating knowledge of rhythm, texture, timbre, dynamics, and form.

Figure 33: Informal notation of David and Goliath accomplishment

Figure 34 depicts a performance of our composition. Can you hear David or Goliath?

 Figure 34: David and Goliath performance

This activity  would be most suitable to stage 3 as they explore the content descriptor:

ACAMUM089 Develop technical and expressive skills in singing and playing instruments with understanding of rhythm, pitch, and form in a range of pieces, including in music from the community

(ACARA, 2019)

But this activity could be modified to support the learning of other grades by placing focus of the lesson or task on other elements of music like dynamics. Limiting the number of available instruments or instruments to be included can also simplify and better guide the task for other grades and abilities.

Further, this activity could be integrated into English or HASS KLAs as students create an aural storyboard or timeline of a shared text or historical events.

Responding in Music

Reflecting on the making in music activity, a self-assessment rubric allows learners to identify where they think they were working at on this activity in reference to the achievement standards. The success criteria presented in figure 35 is complex and should be modified for primary students.

Figure 35: Self-Assessment Rubric (Tasker, 2019)

A peer reflection could also be conducted from the making in music activity as students discuss and peer-assess the elements of music used for the composition, to sound like its intended story; the meaning of music. For example, ask students to focus on one element of music, of their choice, and explain: what is it that makes the piece of music sound like a storm? This could include how a change in timbre symbolises a shift between the calm sea conditions and the uncontrollable conditions during a storm. The soft timbre of strings and woodwind expressing the calm before and after the storm and the harsh timbre of brass instruments representing the anarchy and chaos of the storm.

Questions to consider when listening and perceiving the meaning of music:

• How does music communicate a message?
• Which of the elements of music are involved?
• How does the music I choose for my class, communicate my values?

References

ACARA. (2019). Retrieved from Australian Curriculum: https://www.australiancurriculum.edu.au/

Doukhan, L. (2010). How Does Music Convey Meaning? In L. Doukhan, In Tune with God (pp. 57-62). Autumn House.

Stefani, W. (2018). Is There a Message in the Medium? Elder's Digest, 22-24.

Tasker, J. (2019). The Music Curriculum EDUC 24112 – Curriculum Studies: Creative Arts. Cooranbong, NSW, Australia: Avondale College of Higher Education.

BLOG POST #4 - How can I plan for and assess music in my classroom?

Responding Statement

Assessment is an essential process of the teaching and learning experience. Assessment strategies vary depending on the planning and structure of a learning area. Three approaches to teaching music in the primary classroom could include:

• Music as a stand-alone subject

Music as a stand-alone subject can often be taught by a specialist Creative Arts teacher and planning must adhere to the 6-10% time allocation of all curriculum, covering all Creative Arts sub-topics in that 6-10%.

• Project-based Learning (PBL)

PBL explores real-world problems ignited through questions, particularly a driving question which encourages problem-solving. An example of a driving question could be, "How does music affect our memory?" 

• Integrating Music across the curriculum with other key learning areas (KLAs)

Integrating Music into other KLAs or the content of other KLAs into Music allows for connections to be made across student learning. For example, integrating Geography into Music. The focus of environment, culture, sustainability, and globalisation of the Geography content opens opportunities for students to explore; sounds in their environment, cultural music and how it represents communities, making and performing with sustainable instruments and how music brings the world together.

Figure 22: Integrating Music across the curriculum (QuaverMusic.com, 2019)

Learning tasks of Music can be assessed through:

• Formative Assessment

Formative assessment focuses on the monitoring of students learning, providing ongoing feedback during the learning process and identifying areas of improvement for both the learner and the teacher. In Music, formative assessment can occur through informal observation, in larger classes, the strategy of a part-check may be employed, for example, front row plays then back row play. Further, exit tickets and self and peer assessment guided by student rubrics can promote reflection of learning and help identify areas for improvement.

• Summative Assessment

Summative assessment evaluates student learning at the end of a learning unit or topic against the achievement standards. In Music, summative assessment could look like; mini-performances or a video recording guided by a marking rubric, written work or an individual skills test.

Learning in Music

Uncovering more of the elements of music (ACARA, 2019) this week we explored the elements of Timbre and Texture.

Timbre is the quality of a sound, or the 'tone colour'. Timbre is applied when identifying specific instruments of a piece. The instrument families include:

Figure 23: Woodwind Family (Kyle, 2014)

Figure 24: Brass Family (Beth's Notes Inc., 2019)

Figure 25: String Family (The bird feed nyc, 2012)

Figure 26: Percussion Family (Beth's Notes Inc., 2019)

The percussion family can be further segmented as the instruments seen of the left-hand side of figure 26 are untuned percussion instruments, meaning they have no to very little variation in pitch.

Texture explores how layers of sound interact within a piece of music. Texture can be categories into three approaches:

• Monophonic: one melody
• Homophonic: same rhythm at 
• Polyphonic

Figure 27 explains and provides examples for each texture type.

Figure 27: Musical Texture (Nypaver, Schäfli, 2017)

Making in Music

This week's making in music activity explored planning an ensemble performance. Seeking to incorporate a variety of instruments for a differentiated learning experience, the Whacker Booms supported students working at the achievement standard as they focus on rythm and pitch collectively making up the melody. While the egg shaker supported students working below as they focus on keeping a steady beat and students working above as they perform the whole medoly on the xylophone, ukulele and by singing. Figure 28 provides a plan of the performance and figure 29 decipts what the performance could look like.

Figure 28: Ensemble Performance Plan

Figure 29: I've Got the Joy, Joy, Joy Down in My Heart

Due to the complex rhythm and melody of this song and the array of included instruments, this performance would be best suited to a stage 3 class. Unpacking the content descriptors:

• ACAMUM088 Explore dynamics and expression, using aural skills to identify and perform rhythm and pitch patterns
• ACAMUM089 Develop technical and expression skills in singing and playing instruments with understanding of rhythm, pitch and formin a range of pieces, including in music from the community

(ACARA, 2019)

On the other hand, this ensemble performance could be simplified to better support the learning of younger grades, for example, giving one Whacker Boom to each student or excluding the ukulele or xylophone parts.

Responding in Music

To respond in Music, this week we were to complete a self and peer assessment about our performance and another group's efforts. Figure 30 is an example of what a self and peer assessment could look like providing both teachers and students with a formative assessment tool to provide feedback and identify strengths and improvements within learning.

Figure 30: Self and Peer Assessment Sheet (Tasker, 2019)

References

ACARA. (2019). Retrieved from Australian Curriculum: https://www.australiancurriculum.edu.au/

Beth's Notes Inc. . (2019). Brass Family. Retrieved from Beth's Notes Supporting and Inspiring Music Educators: https://www.bethsnotesplus.com/2018/01/brass-family.html

Beth's Notes Inc. . (2019). Percussion Family. Retrieved from Beth's Notes Supporting and Inspiring Music Educators: https://www.bethsnotesplus.com/2018/01/percussion-family.html

Kyle. (2014). Woodwind Family. Retrieved from Thinglink: https://www.thinglink.com/scene/593656753871126528

Nypaver, A., & Schäfli, E. (2017, February 17). Musical Texture (Definition of Monophonic, Homophonic, Polyphonic, Heterophonic Textures). Retrieved from Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=teh22szdnRQ

QuaverMusic.com. (2019). Music-Based Learning. Retrieved from QuaverMusic.com: https://www.quavermusic.com/info/proven-pedagogy/music-based-learning/

Tasker, J. (2019). The Music Curriculum EDUC 24112 – Curriculum Studies: Creative Arts. Cooranbong, NSW, Australia: Avondale College of Higher Education.

The bird feed nyc. (2012, August 20). Musical Instrument Families. Retrieved from The bird feed nyc: http://thebirdfeednyc.com/2012/08/20/musical-instrument-families/

BLOG POST #3 - How can I help my students develop aural skills and an understanding of pitch?

Responding Statment

Pitch is explored across all primary year levels of the Australian Creative Arts: Music curriculum (2019). Over the Early Stage 1 and Stage 1 years, students explore and compare high and low sounds primarily by listening. Students begin to experiment with their voices and instruments but there is a focus on listening and copying pitch progressions and melodies. Examples of listening activities that identify pitch could include a siren or sounds found in the environment, for example, birds and elephants. Figure 16 describes how bodily movement can be applied to support the learning and identification of pitch variations.

Figure 16: High and Low Game (Laughbaum, 2009)

In Stage 2 and 3, pitch is further developed where students continue to experiment with instruments and their voices, and begin to notate pitches. Students commence with informal notations, where colour coding or shape hieghts can represent pitch variations, as suggested in figure 17.

Figure 17: Informal pitch notation (Tasker, 2019)

As students develop their knowledge and skills of pitch and notation, students explore formal notation to present compositions. Pitch is represented as a note, each lettered over the first seven letters of the alphabet, which are placed across a staff, as seen in figure 18.

Figure 18: Formal pitch notation (Tasker, 2019)

To engage students in reading formal notations, the 'Jump to the Note' learning activity promotes student understanding of sheet music and note positions on a staff. Denise Gagne (2016) describes the activity on her website (https://denisegagne.com/tag/staff-jump-game/), BONUS INCLUSION - other learning activities that focus on formal notation.

Learning in Music

Pitch can be defined as "how high or low a note is" (Tasker, 2019). A collection or series of pitches creates a melody. A pitch is considered a single unit within a melody, similar to a letter within a word. 

Pitch is formally presented as notes (A, B, C, D, E, F, G. [repeated in order]) positioned across a staff. Note position on the staff is dependent on the clef; bass clef, alto clef, and treble clef. On a treble clef staff, notes in the spaces are F, A, C, E - face in the space- and notes on the lines are E, G, B, D, F - every good boy desveres fruit. 

Making in Music

This weeks' making in music task provided students with the opportunity to compose a short melody on a xylophone or glockenspiel. Using the notes of G, A, B, D, and E, as seen in figure 17, the composition must start and finish with a G note.

Figure 17: Notes Range (Tasker, 2019) 

The short melody was notated informally, colour coding notes between the instrument and the sheet music, as seen in figure 18. 

Figure 18: Colour Coding Notation

The melody was also notated formally, as seen in figure 19, placing crotchet, quaver, and minimum notes on the staff to depict both rhythm and pitch.

Figure 19: Formal Notation

A performance of the short melody, collaboratively composed, can be seen in figure 20.

Figure 20: Compose your own melody (Caddies, Henderson, 2019)

This activity can be suitable across all year levels, although significant modification is required for earlier stages, as notation is not a required skill in early stage 1 and stage 1, covering content descriptor:

Foundation - Year 2

ACAMUM080 Develop aural skills by exploring and imitating sounds, pitch and rhythm patterns using voice, movement and body percussion

Better suited for stage 2 to 3, this task covers content descriptors:

Year 3 and 4

ACAMUM084 Develop aural skills by exploring, imitating and recognising elements of music including dynamics, pitch and rhythm patterns

ACAMYM085 Practice singing, playing instruments and improvising music, using elements of music including rhythm, pitch, dynamics and form in a range of pieces, including in music from the local community

Year 5 and 6

ACAMUM088 Explore dynamics and expression, using aural skills to identify and perform rhythm and pitch patterns

ACAMUM089 Develop technical and expressive skills in singing and playing instruments with understanding of rhythm, pitch and form in a range of pieces, including in music from the community

(ACARA, 2019)

Responding in Music

Reflecting on the use of teaching strategies and styles other teachers implement in their Music classroom informs the planning of my Music classroom learning and teaching opportunities. Figure 21 depicts the example shown in class this week, where the following questions were considered:

• How did the teacher teach the concepts of pitch?
• How did he use action to reinforce the concept?
• How did he keep all students focused and engaged?
• How did he extend the activity?

Figure 21: Teaching Pitch in the Classroom (Holland-Garcia, 2015)

After reflecting on this video, the teacher teaches the concept of pitch through applying an 'I do, we do, you do' approach of modeled, shared and individual learning tasks. The consideration of Gardner's multiple intelligences (1993-1999) and different learning styles is evident throughout the lesson, for example, students interact with visual learning concepts and ICT capabilities (ACARA, 2019) on the Interactive White Board or IWB. Further, students engage in kinaesthetic and bodily movement describing low and high pitch by touching the hips or shoulders. It is the application of differentiation in considering learning styles that keep students focused and engaged in the lesson as they move around the classroom to a variety of activities. The teacher extends this lesson by modifying or changing pitch examples, providing further opportunity for assessment and promoting the confidence of student understanding of the musical knowledge and skill. 

References

ACARA. (2019). Retrieved from Australian Curriculum: https://www.australiancurriculum.edu.au/

Gagne, D. (2016, March 7). Fun Ways to Teach Note Names. Retrieved from Word Press: https://denisegagne.com/tag/staff-jump-game/

Gardner, H. (1993). Frames of mind: The theory of multiple intelligences. New York: Basic Books.

Gardner, H. (1999). Intelligence reframed. Multiple intelligences for the 21st century. New York: Basic Books.

Holland-Garcia, N. (2015, November 20). Music Literacy the Kodály Way. Retrieved from Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BymsIfWBwb0&feature=youtu.be

Laughbaum, L. (2009, January 20). The High and Low Game - The Children's Music Workshop. Retrieved from Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KSEojtRAoHw

Tasker, J. (2019). The Music Curriculum EDUC 24112 – Curriculum Studies: Creative Arts. Cooranbong, NSW, Australia: Avondale College of Higher Education.

BLOG POST #2 - How can I teach my students about rhythm?

Responding Statement

The development or progression of rhythm in Music should begin with recognising a steady beat. For example, strumming or clapping to the beat or tempo of a song. In a song with a 4'4 tempo, four pulses or claps should signify one bar. A game that supports students in maintaining a steady beat is the concentration game, as explained in figure 7. The game supports the integration of Music and English: Writing, this game can be modified to support lower grades and abilities by just saying names, or maintaining the steady beat with thigh taps. 

Figure 7: Concentration Game (Splash Games, 2017)

Advancing from recognising and producing a beat, copying rhythms demonstrates a progression of knowledge and skills in Music. Copying a rhythm is accomplished by listening and reproducing the duration of each sound as it organised in the music. For example, as the rhythm of 'Jingle Bells' becomes faster and slower, students could clap or tap to the pattern of the lyrics in copying the rhythm. Copying rhythms can also be practiced in reading and interpreting rhythm notations. Employing 'Ti-Ti' and 'Taa' in describing notes or sound durations, as further explained in figure 8, allows students to interpret and copy rhythms.

Figure 8: Interpreting notation to copy rhythms (Pena Young, 2015)

Improvising rhythms allows students to create and express in Music. Improvising rhythms could vary from creating layers of rhythms from one steady beat that intertwine and 'hopefully' complement one another. An example of layering improvised rhythms can be seen in figure 9, as performed in a drumming circle.

Figure 9: Layers of improvised rhythm (Donovan, 2015)

Improvising rhythms in a drumming circle can be modified and also integrate Mathematics as a teacher rhythmically asks a multiplication question and the students respond by drumming the syllables of the answer. For example, the teacher rhythmically chants, "Five times five is" and the students respond with three strikes or taps on the drum to improvise the sound of 'twen-ty-five'. 

Finally, notating rhythms includes the written description of sound length and organisation in a song. Notating can be achieved informally or formally.

Formal notating introduces the universal notes and symbols of sheet music, as explained in figure 10.

Figure 10: Formal notation (Pinterest)

Informal notating of sounds can include shapes, symbols or colours as a means of representing sound length and/or source, for example, clapping or stomping. Figure 11 describes how informal notation can be practiced using lego bricks - further, figure 11 depicts a transition from informal to formal notation when students write and begin to content the formal notation symbols as seen on the bricks.

Figure 11: Informal notation (Teachers Pay Teachers)

Learning in Music

This week the elements of music from the Australian Creative Arts: Music curriculum (2019) were introduced;

• Rhythm
• Pitch
• Dynamics and Expression
• Form and Structure
• Timbre
• Texture

Focusing on the element of 'rhythm', three definitions can describe and identify its ideal:

• the way music is organised in time (Tasker, 2019)
• a pattern of pulses or sounds among strong and weak beats
• combinations of long and short sounds that convey a sense of movement subdivisions of sound within a beat (ACARA, 2019)

Rhythm explores the integration of: 

• Beat - a steady pulse
• Tempo - the speed of the beat
• Duration - how long the sounds are or sound length
• Meter - the way the sounds are grouped

UKULELE LEARNING

The C chord and G chord learning were reflected on from last week's ukulele learning workshop, revisiting the learned songs; Row, Row, Row Your Boat and Mary Had a Little Lamb. Developing skills and knowledge in playing the ukulele, the F chord was introduced, as seen in figure 12.

Figure 12: F chord (Tasker, 2019)

The introduction of the F chord allowed the exploration of a board range of new songs:

• Baa, Baa, Black Sheep
• If You're Happy and You Know It
• The Wheel on the Bus
• Incy Wincy Spider
• Who's the King of the Jungle?
• God is So Good

Making in Music

This weeks making in Music activity was to collaboratively compose and notate an 8-bar body rhythm. An informal notation of our composition can be seen in figure 13 and a formal notation in figure 14.

 Figure 13: Informal notation of Hands in Friendship (Willimas-Bulter, Thacker, Saunders, Henderson, 2019)

Figure 14: Formal notation of Hands in Friendship (Williams-Butler, Thacker, Saunders, Henderson, 2019)

Figure 15 is the performance of our composition, Hands in Friendship. 

Figure 15: Hands in Friendship (Williams-Butler, Thacker, Saunders, Henderson, 2019)

This activity could be suitable across the stages of primary learning. This activity could be modified to support upper primary grades or abilities by adding layers or lower grades or abilities by reducing the array of note durations or values, or the number of bars to be composed. Below are some content descriptors that can develop learning across the stages from the Australian Creative Arts: Music curriculum (2019).

Foundation to Year 2
ACAMUM080 Develop aural skills by exploring and imitating sounds, pitch and rhythm patterns using voice, movement and body percussion

Year 3 and 4
ACAMUM084 Develop aural skills by exploring, imitating and recognising elements of music including dynamics, pitch and rhythm patterns
ACAMUM085 Practise singing, playing instruments and improvising music, using elements of music including rhythm, pitch, dynamics and form in a range of pieces, including in music from the local community

Year 5 and 6
ACAMUM088 Explore dynamics and expression, using aural skills to identify and perform rhythm and pitch patterns
ACAMUM089 Develop technical and expressive skills in singing and playing instruments with understanding of rhythm, pitch and form in a range of pieces, including in music from the community. 

(ACARA, 2019)

Responding in Music

When students are viewing the performance of peers and professional musicians is it important to facilitate a reflection and response process with questions. From a teacher's perspective, this weeks' responding in music activity included the reflection of the teaching and learning strategies implemented in a music class by considering the questions:

• What are the student's learning?
• What Music Skills and/or Knowledge are students developing?
• How does the teacher contribute to the learning? Consider body posture and movement, and integrated learning.

By reflecting and responding to the teaching of others in Music, as teachers can revise and educate our own teaching practices and strategies that we choose to implement in the primary Music classroom.

References

ACARA. (2019). Retrieved from Australian Curriculum: https://www.australiancurriculum.edu.au/

Donovan, J. (2015, June 20). Rhythm Seeds Layers with Boomwhackers. Retrieved from Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=19r8PKAU2Qg

Pinterest. (n.d.). Note Values. Retrieved from Pinterest: https://www.pinterest.com.au/pin/417568196673399858/?lp=true

Splash Games. (2017, September 14). Concentration. Retrieved from Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oRtq_z8j1Ac

Tasker, J. (2019). The Music Curriculum EDUC 24112 – Curriculum Studies: Creative Arts. Cooranbong, NSW, Australia: Avondale College of Higher Education.

Teachers Pay Teachers. (n.d.). Rhythm Lego Poster! Retrieved from Teachers Pay Teachers: https://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Product/Rhythm-Lego-Poster-2825235

Young, S. P. (2015, November 10). Talking Rhythm: The Kodály Method. Retrieved from Musical U: https://www.musical-u.com/learn/talking-rhythm-the-kodaly-method/#