Meghan

Gallagher
Spring 2015
Curriculum & Context Document

http://meghangallagher.weebly.com/curriculum-design.html
Rationale/Foundations

The educational aim of schooling is not merely to help students do well in
school, but to help them lead personally satisfying and socially constructive lives
outside it (Elliot Eisner, The Educational Uses of Assessment and Evaluation in the
Arts, p. 187).

The following curriculum is one that is built on the principles and ideas of
culturally responsive pedagogy, social consciousness, and music for life. Throughout the
program, students engage in projects and experiences that directly relate to them and
where they come from, prompt them to consider social issues relevant to their lives and
the lives of those around them, and inspire a lifelong involvement with music in a
variety of ways.

What music is not about, does not give place to, and does not legitimize
within the process of schooling is listening for pleasure (Lee Bartel, Questioning the
Music Education Paradigm, 2004, p. 3). Just about everyone in the world listens to
music, whether it is music that they choose for leisure listening or music that they are
passively listening to in restaurants, stores, or on the bus. However, leisure listening is a
topic that is rarely addressed in the school music curriculum. We listen, but not
necessarily to things that the students will identify or connect with. This curriculum
directly incorporates the idea of listening for pleasure or listening in everyday life. We
begin by exploring the students current musical listening identity and
discovering/discussing their existing tastes and preferences. Then, throughout the
curriculum, we seek to expand their musical listening identities by exposing students to
new music through exploration of musical groups and genres and engaging in
discussions about this new music; moving from what the students know outward.

Culturally responsive pedagogy involves using the cultural knowledge, prior
experiences, frames of reference, and performance styles of ethnically diverse students
to make learning encounters more relevant and effective for them (Julia Shaw, The
Skin That We Sing, 2012, p. 76). Every teacher, not only those who perceive their
classrooms to be particularly diverse, has a responsibility to attend to the culturally
influenced strengths and needs of the individuals in their classrooms (Shaw, p. 76).
This curriculum operates on the principle that every student enters the classroom with
his or her own experiences and expertise. The teacher cannot be the only expert in the

classroom. To deny students their own expert knowledge is to disempower them (Lisa
Delpit as quoted by Shaw, p. 78). Throughout this curriculum students voices are heard
and their experiences are used as a platform for everything that is explored and how we
explore it.

How can we teach so as to provoke questioning of the taken-for-granted, the
kind of questioning that involves simultaneously critical and creative thinking and
alternative engagement with activities? (Greene, Releasing the Imagination, 1995, p.
175). Throughout this curriculum, students are prompted to think in a more socially
conscious manner. Social issues are confronted head-on, not taken as taboo subjects.
The exploration throughout seeks to motivate students into a refusal of the
comfortable, a refusal to remain sunk in everydayness (Greene, p. 175). Students will
analyze stereotypes conveyed through song lyrics or musical clichs as a way to ideally
develop sociopolitical competence in music and beyond (Shaw, p. 79). Overall the
curriculum seeks to give students an acquaintance with the kind of thinking that is
tentative and hypothetical, the kind of knowing that involves a backing up of what is
said, a consulting of evidence, a drawing of inferences, and a linking of what is found
and inferred to conceptions of what is appropriate, decent, just, and humane (Greene,
p. 174).

One of the common causes of boredom in the classroom is students
perception that the methods of how the curriculum is delivered to them are irrelevant
to how they learn The teachers in todays classroom face the challenge of making
standardized curriculum rich and relevant to students who have instant access to
anything they want to learn on their own(Bill Sheskey, Creating Learning
Connections- Curriculum 21, 2010, p. 199-200). Can we change our traditional
culture of teaching and learning so that students are empowered to take more
responsibility for making important contributions to their own learning and to their
learning community? (Sheskey, p. 193). Technology is a vital component in the
curriculum. It is used in a manner that would be similar to the ways in which students
engage with technology outside of the classroom. They will be using it to search for
answers, generate questions, consume, and create. In many ways, the teacher is viewed
as the facilitator of the technology use in the classroom. The goal with this approach is
for students to be empowered to take control of their learning so that it does not stop
when they leave the classroom.

With these principles as the foundation of the curriculum, students will be
enabled to become more culturally and socially aware, have a direct hand in their own
learning, and be inspired and enabled to become lifelong music learners.

Middle School (5-8) General Music

Designed as units within a curriculum
Each unit interconnects to create deeper meaning/understanding for students
Context
Rural/Suburban
Students are seen for music once a week for 40 minutes
General Music required for all students
Students can choose to be in band, chorus, (orchestra?)
iPads with GarageBand, iTunes, and Internet access available
Demographics
Many families move to this area from NYC or other urban centers in Mid/Lower
New York State (i.e. Albany, Schenectady, Troy, Poughkeepsie)
OR "Farm-town" aspect
Many students from ethnic backgrounds other than "White European" - There
are not large groups of students from specific ethnic backgrounds, but
individuals from many different ethnic backgrounds
On the Surface in School
Not too much exposure to diversity or different cultures
Little discussion about personal/social issues takes place
Goals
Students will:
Be able to speak articulately about music and its characteristics
Be able to articulate their own musical preferences
Develop an understanding of how music can be used to convey messages
Develop a sense of social consciousness within music
Be inspired to become lifelong musicians
Big Ideas
Music as a message
Music beyond the classroom
Musical Roles: the students will take on the following musical roles throughout the
projects/experiences.
Music listener
Music critic
Music learner
Music performer
Music composer/creator

Scope and Sequence

MUSICAL IDENTITY
Weeks 1-3

EXPANDING MUSICAL
IDENTITY
Weeks 4-20

UK
W e UL
E
e4k
-s2 40 LE
-

CRITIQUE

20

Weeks 6-13

EXPLORING SOCIAL ISSUES

Weeks 14-16

SONGWRITING
Weeks 17-20

*Notes:
Weeks are flexible based on students songwriting progress/understanding of the topics explored.
As students engage in the individual/group Critique, they will be divided into groups and be a
different stations in the classroom. At one station students will be working on their Critique, and at
the other they will be working on their Ukulele discoveries.


As students progress throughout the projects and experiences, a deeper
understanding of the goals and big ideas will be achieved within the different roles that
they take on.

MUSICAL IDENTITY/
EXPANDING
MUSICAL IDENTITY

MUSIC LITERACY
LIFELONG MUSIC
(LISTENER/CRITIC)

MUSIC LITERACY
LIFELONG MUSIC
(PERFOMER/LEARNER)

UKULELE

CRITIQUE



EXPLORING
SOCIAL ISSUES




SONGWRITING

MUSIC LITERACY
MUSIC AS A MESSAGE
SOCIAL AWARENESS
LIFELONG MUSIC
(LISTENER/CRITIC/CREATOR/
PERFOMER/LEARNER)

MUSIC LITERACY
MUSIC AS A MESSAGE
SOCIAL AWARENESS
LIFELONG MUSIC

(LISTENER/CRITIC)

MUSIC LITERACY
MUSIC AS A MESSAGE
SOCIAL AWARENESS
LIFELONG MUSIC
(LISTENER/CRITIC/CREATOR/
PERFOMER/LEARNER)

Experiences


Musical Identity (Weeks 1-3): Discovering Individual and Class Musical Identity

In this project, you will identify 5-10 of your favorite pieces of music. These
selections should showcase your preferences and interests in music, and reflect your
personal identity. From the selections chosen, you will choose one piece that best
reflects who you are. You will analyze and present this song to the class, detailing
important musical features of the song (lyrics, form, texture, instrumentation, mode,
meter, etc.); then answer the question: In what ways does the selected piece reflect
facets of your personal identity and history? (Frank Martignetti, et. al, You Got to
Know Us: A Hopeful Model for Music Education in Urban Schools, 2013). The teacher
will also present her selection to the class.

After all students have presented their projects, we will analyze the preferences
of the class and create a representation in our classroom, similar to a 3D version of
LivePlasma.com which we will explore in class. You will be asked questions such as How
are our songs related?; Whose artists would connect with whose?; What connects
these artists? What makes your selection similar or different to others in the class?;
etc. The resulting diagram will showcase everyones preferences and show how they are
related and how they are different from one another.

The goal of this project is to get students speaking articulately about why they
like certain kinds of music and what specifically they like about it. The hope is that
through articulating their preferences, students will be able to engage in Expanding
Musical Identity in which they will articulate both what they like and what they dislike
about the music introduced.

Assessment: Criteria for what makes a thorough and engaging presentation
(informal) of the students chosen song will be generated collaboratively with the
students.

National Standards:


Responding: Select, Analyze, Evaluate


Connecting: Personal (#10)

Expanding Musical Identity (Weeks 4-20)

Following Musical Identity for the rest of the curriculum, you will be introduced
to new music every week. The songs will be selected by moving from what you know
and like, to genres/artists/songs that are new to you. We will use LivePlasma.com to
explore and select the artists and songs that will be listened to by typing in artists that
you have shared as your favorites. Each class, you will individually journal about each
artist/genre/song when it is introduced, describing its musical features and what you

like/dislike about it and why. Then, when everyone is finished, we will have a class
discussion about the piece introduced in which we respectfully share our opinions.

Assessment: Criteria for what makes a thorough journal entry and an active
contribution to the discussion will be generated collaboratively with the students.
Guidelines for a respectful discussion will also be generated by the class.

National Standards:


Responding: Analyze, Evaluate

Ukulele (Weeks 4-20)

The ukulele is a small instrument that you can take with you anywhere and play
on the go. One of the goals of our curriculum will be to learn how to play the ukulele.
You will have time each class to look up YouTube tutorials, chord charts, and other
resources on the iPads that will help you to play the ukulele and play your favorite
songs. You can work as a group or by yourself in class to make sure youre learning to
play what you want to be able to play. The teacher will be available to answer any
questions that you have and to guide you in your quest to learn to play the ukulele. For
the first two weeks of our exploration, you will have the whole class time (other than
the time used for Expanding Musical Identity) to discover how to play the ukulele; for
the rest of the time, you will have a set block in which you will be able to play. At the
beginning of this unit, you will set individual goals for what you would like be able to do
with the ukulele. Do you want to learn all of the chords you can play? Do you want to
learn to play a specific song? As we go through the unit you will keep a journal about
what you learn during each class. Then, at the end of the unit you will assess whether or
not you achieved your goals.

Assessment: Criteria for assessing how well the students have learned to play
the ukulele and whether or not they reached the goals they set will be generated
collaboratively with the students. Students will also assess how well they stayed on task
during their solo or group explorations.

National Standards:


Performing: Select; Rehearse, Evaluate and Refine

Critique (Weeks 6-13)

Have you ever noticed that certain songs speak very negatively about differences
in people? Have you heard any songs that you think are very respectful and helpful in
spreading understanding of diversity? Throughout this experience, we will be critiquing
songs for their portrayal of differences and stereotypes in the world. We will analyze the
lyrics and music of a variety of genres as a class, looking for examples that negatively
portray differences and examples that positively portray differences, and think about

how these lyrics might affect the people that listen to them. Then as individuals or in
small groups, you will explore songs from a selected list on the iPads and critique them
on your own. You will invent a creative way to present your findings about your chosen
song to the class and to people outside of class. These could take the form of Report
Cards for the musicians, pamphlets about your chosen song, or many other creative
ideas.

After learning about the portrayal of differences and stereotypes in a chosen
song, you will be writing your own parody of your critiqued song. Individually or in
groups, you will create new lyrics to the song you chose that are a reaction to the
stereotyping and treatment of differences within the song or that type of music in
general. To compose your parody you will investigate the chord structure of the chosen
song and learn to play it on the ukulele. You may also enhance your parody by using
GarageBand.

Parody Night: Either during the school day or in the evening, you will have the
opportunity to share your parody with peers, family, teachers, and friends in a
coffeehouse open-mic-night setting. You may present your parody through a live
performance or by playing a recording. This venue is also where you will be present the
findings of your individual or group critique for guests to view before and after the
performances.

Assessment: Criteria for what makes a thorough critique and imaginative way to
present findings will be generated collaboratively with the students. Criteria for what
makes an effective parody will also be generated collaboratively with the students.

National Standards:


Creating: Imagine; Plan and Make; Evaluate and Refine; Present


Performing: Select; Interpret; Rehearse, Evaluate, and Refine; Present


Responding: Analyze; Interpret; Evaluate

Exploring Social Issues (Weeks 14-16)

Throughout this experience, we will be exploring songs that address social issues
in our school, community, and country. These issues could include gender equality,
racism, acceptance of sexual orientation, economic crisis, etc. We will be looking at the
lyrics of each of these songs as poetry and unpacking them for their meanings. By
exploring issues in our school and community, we will be exploring issues that affect
both you and those around you. All of our analysis will be done as a class. For the first
class, the teacher will present all of the examples, but following that class, students may
have the opportunity to bring in relevant songs that they would like to explore to be
approved my the teacher.


Assessment: Criteria for productively contributing to class analysis and
discussion will be generated collaboratively with the students.

National Standards:


Responding: Analyze; Interpret; Evaluate


Connecting

Songwriting (Weeks 17-20)

After exploring songs that address social issues, you will be writing your own
song about a social issue that is meaningful to you. As an individual or in a group you
can compose your song using the ukulele and/or GarageBand. To perform your lyrics
you may use a spoken word/rap style or sing them in any style. We will start with a
conversation about where you want to begin your piece. Do you want to start with the
lyrics or the music?; What elements from the music that we have explored throughout
the experiences would you like to use?; etc. Throughout your songwriting process, you
will keep a video log of your progress. You will also write a narrative explaining your
reasons for writing the lyrics that you wrote and making the compositional choices that
you made and video record that as well.

The curriculum experience will end with a performance in the form of a
Coffeehouse/Film Festival. For this event you will invite friends, family, and teachers to
hear the songs that you and your peers have created. You may present your song either
through a live performance or through a recording. You will also show a short video clip
that includes clips of your process and you speaking about the reasons why you chose to
write about your particular social issue. Through this Coffeehouse/Film Festival we hope
to show your friends, family, and teachers everything that youve learned throughout
the curriculum experience and prompt them to think about the social issues that you
have chosen to address.

Assessment: Criteria for what makes an excellent composition and performance
will be generated collaboratively with the students.

National Standards:


Creating: Imagine; Plan and Make; Evaluate and Refine; Present


Performing: Select; Interpret; Rehearse, Evaluate, and Refine; Present


Connecting