Does Soundtrack Matter?
What Do You Know?
Ask the students to close their eyes. "Today, we are going to think about how sounds and music affect mood or emotions. I am going to play part of a song for you, and while it is playing I want you to think about what the song might make you feel. What is the purpose of this song? When might be an appropriate time to listen to or play this? When is an inappropriate time to play this?" Play each song* for about two minutes. After each song, ask the students to write down as many words as they can to describe what they were feeling during the song. Students can share, and the teacher can write the words on the board. After all three songs, ask the students to notice how each song may have made them feel a different emotion.
This is song one. It is a sadder, piano song from YouTube, posted by the user afmty95. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aWIE0PX1uXk
This is song two. It is an uplifting, cheerful song from YouTube, posted by the user White Noise Relaxation. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4YaqZvBKsKY
This is song three. It is an angry, heavy metal guitar solo from YouTube, posted by the user NeoGeofanatic. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-qRK5qNn_bs
*These songs are all songs from the YouTube website. I did not write, create, or perform any of these songs or post any of these The links are posted, however there are still advertisements before each song starts. Make sure to load them on the computer before beginning the activity with the students.
This is song one. It is a sadder, piano song from YouTube, posted by the user afmty95. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aWIE0PX1uXk
This is song two. It is an uplifting, cheerful song from YouTube, posted by the user White Noise Relaxation. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4YaqZvBKsKY
This is song three. It is an angry, heavy metal guitar solo from YouTube, posted by the user NeoGeofanatic. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-qRK5qNn_bs
*These songs are all songs from the YouTube website. I did not write, create, or perform any of these songs or post any of these The links are posted, however there are still advertisements before each song starts. Make sure to load them on the computer before beginning the activity with the students.
Taking a Closer Look!
The students will open a word document, or the "Pages" application on their iPads. Using the LCD projector, a scene (see below image) is displayed onto the whiteboard/Smart board. The students will be given 10 minutes to represent the scene in narrative form. They need to use expressive and explicit language when conveying the emotions of the characters, the setting, and anything else they may have noticed. Next, play soundtrack 1 (from previous activity) for three minutes for the students. Does this change the student’s representation in the narrative? How would they alter their narrative to fit the new tone? Repeat this process by playing soundtrack 2 (from the previous activity) for three minutes. Again, did the music change the mood of the scene? Repeat this with the final song, track three (from the previous activity) for three minutes.
How did each song change the narrative? Do you think music has a large impact on how we might perceive things?
How did each song change the narrative? Do you think music has a large impact on how we might perceive things?
In a World. . .
Discuss with the students-"You will be using your knowledge of song choice to show how sound can add to the beauty or meaning of a poem. Each of you will have a choice of three different poems*. You will then have to find a song that you believe embodies the meaning of the poem. The song you select should be appropriate, and really reflect the author's message. You will have 30 minutes to do this. At the end, you will come up to the front and play the song for us. The rest of the class will have to guess which poem this song embodies. After, you will play the song again, this time while displaying the poem for the rest of us to read. This will allow us to see the different inferences and perspectives that each of you had when reading your poem."
*I did not write any of these poems. For this curriculum they are only to be used for educational purposes in an elementary school classroom.
*I did not write any of these poems. For this curriculum they are only to be used for educational purposes in an elementary school classroom.
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