August
2004
National Standard: 2 Performing on instruments, alone and with others, a varied
repertoire of music.
3 Improvising melodies, variations, and accompaniments.
4
- Composing and arranging music within specified guidelines.
5 Reading and notating music.
6
- Listening to, analyzing and describing music.
7
- Evaluating music and music performances.
Objective: Using
the CTK-671, students will improvise then compose and notate melodies with
appropriate accompaniments that are inspired by events that transpired during
their summer vacations.
Materials: A networked keyboard lab with computers
and headphones.
Blank Manuscript Handout.
Procedure:
1.
Teacher distributes Blank
Manuscript Handout to students.
2.
Teacher discusses the
concept of using real-life events as inspiration for composition, focusing on
emotions, locations, etc.
3.
With the GEC3 in Lecture Mode, teacher plays some short examples of how one could represent the
beach using sounds from the CTK-671.
4.
Teacher asks the
students to find an appropriate sound on the CTK-671 and then improvise short
melodies based on the following possible vacation destinations: a playground,
the beach, camping, visiting relatives, an amusement park, etc.
5.
After sufficient time,
teacher asks students to share their short improvisations by bringing them into
Lecture Mode on the GEC3.
6.
While each student (or
small group) performs their improvisation, the other students should try to
guess the vacation destination that they are trying to portray.
7.
Students evaluate and
discuss each improvisation, and how successfully it portrayed the particular
destination.
8.
Teacher then has the
students explore the different accompaniment patterns to find one that is also
reflective of their chosen vacation destination. Repeat process of sharing and discussing student work
relating to the chosen accompaniments.
9.
Teacher then instructs
the students (or small groups) to create a short composition (having a
definitive beginning, middle, and end) based on their improvisations and their
personal experiences during summer vacation.
10. Students should use the Blank Manuscript Handout to notate their compositions.
11. Teacher switches the GEC3 to Practice Mode and monitors student progress.
12. After sufficient time (perhaps more than one class
session) teacher asks students to share their finished compositions.
13. Teacher switches the GEC3 back to Lecture Mode so that all of the students can hear each
composition.
14. After each student (or small group) composition has
been performed, students will discuss the success of the composition in regard
to how well the melody and chosen accompaniment related to their summer
vacation experiences.
Extensions: Teacher
could use other events, locations or emotions as the inspiration for student
composition.
Students
with similar vacation destinations could listen to each otheršs compositions,
and discuss the similarities and differences.
Students
could use the sequencing function of the CTK-671 to record their finished
composition that could later be recorded into an audio format.