The Message In The Music

Sandie Spraggins, 5th Grade, Irwin Academic Center

Curriculum Unit (pdf)

Synopsis

This unit will serve as an enhancement of what students are learning in their classroom about history. Throughout this unit students will listen to and corelate music and its elements to what was happening historically. Through my collaboration with classroom teachers, students will get a deeper understanding of the historical origins of songs and their meanings. They will research various types of musical genres along with what is happening historically in the US and in the world. By listening to various types of music, they will relate the words, rhythm, and instruments used to the artists’ experiences and messages. Various technology-based programs will be implemented to enhance what the students are learning. Within a learning team, students will create a combined music and history timeline from a musical category that they are given. They will read song lyrics and share feelings that are generated by creating a word cloud. With the use of Google Forms, students will survey their classmates on favorite music genres. The culminating activity will allow students to create their own song or lyrics using Garage Band in order to tell their story.