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Showing posts with label Grade 6. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Grade 6. Show all posts

Wednesday, 26 October 2016

Grade 6 (Assignment 2/Q2/ 2016/17) - Composition


Use proper manuscript paper to create a 16 bar composition on the xylophone.

Here are the specifications:

  • This is a three-part assignment. 
  1. Part one – composition
  2. Part two – performance 
  3. Part three – reflection (1 page)
  • Composition Length: 16 bars with all correct staff symbols (Clef, bar lines, key signature etc.)
  •   Instrumentation: This composition will be written for the xylophone. You may wish to write an accompany percussion part for a 4+ however it is not a requirement. ( This might give you a little push on your way to an 'exceeding')
  • All written music must be ORIGINAL
  • You will be assessed on creativity, write your composition creatively yet playable.


Here are some details to consider:
  • Consider creating a final copy using a music composition software such as Finale, Musescore, Noteflight – if these are not available use manuscript paper and complete the assignment as cleanly and neatly as possible. If you chose to do this be sure to still hand in your hand written copy as that will be marked too.
  •  You must submit a completed hard copy of your composition on the due date. A one page reflection will accompany your composition articulating why you chose to write the composition the way you did, what you liked or were proud of in the composition, and what you felt challenging about the assignment.
  • You must perform your composition in class for your classmates on an assigned date.







Wednesday, 17 August 2016

Grade 6 (Assignment 2/Q1/ 2016/17) - Cover It {GarageBand)


Here's the deal. A big music producer heard through the grapevine that if he wants a cover of a song done, you're the person to do it. He says he's not picky about the song, as long as it's appropriate for his 10 year old niece to listen to with her friends, and something he wouldn't be afraid for his sweet 90 year old grandmother to hear!

Here is the email he sent you two last night.... 


Hey!

Thank you so much for agreeing to do a cover song for my music label. Business has been a bit slow, so we need a real winner to pump into the radio stations. Here are some guidelines that I need you to follow.

  1. Appropriate theme and lyrics
  2. You must cover 1 full song
  3. The song you cover MUST have some kind of an underlying message (political, cultural, etc.) We have intelligent listeners, and they like meaning!
  4. There must be at least 3 different layers (for example; guitar, drum kit, and voice)
Well, that's all from me. I really appreciate this!

Peace,
R.J. 



This guy means business, so you only have one month from start to finish.

The song you chose to cover must be approved by me first.


  • chose a song
  • figure out what chords/notes you will need to know
  • do some of the necessary research behind what the song is about
  • write up a paragraph on the meaning of the song or why it was composed

All cover songs will be presented to the class.


Below I have listed a few points you will need to present to the class, so start thinking about them now!


  • Why did you choose this song? What is its significance? 
  • What instruments are in the original version?        
  • If you used different instruments than what the original song uses, what did you use, and why? (for example, if the song is originally accompanied by guitar, but you chose to use the piano) 
  • What is the song about? What big issues does it touch on in past/present society?
  • NOTE

Song Examples 


  • Taylor Swift's Album "RED"

- All about her past relationships with Jake Gyllenhal and the Kennedy boy Key 

Cultural Factor: RELATIONSHIPS      


  • Eminem ft. Rhianna "Monster"

- Eminem has dealt with bi-polar issues, which this song is entirely about. "The Monster" is the alter-ego he has developed since his early career days (ie. The Real Slim Shady). He's the trouble-making counterpart of Marshall Mathers. The one that the media deems as offensive and vulgar.

Key Cultural Factor: Mental Health    



  • The Beatles "Yellow Submarine"


- This quickly became the anthem of the Vietnam War in the 1960's, by the American peace movement talking about peace over green waters and blue skies Key Political 

Factor: Anti-War 



  • Green Day "Wake Me Up When September Ends"

- The entire 2004 album American Idiot sings about the shameful Iraq war that the U.S. evoked, and the president that was at the start of it all. Interestingly enough it later became the official tribute song to the victims of Hurricane Katrina. The hurricane hit just as September begun.

Key Political Factor: Anti-War, Political Figure 


Thursday, 10 March 2016

Grade 6 (Lesson 1/Q4/2015/2016) : Music Composition

  1. Use proper manuscript paper to create a 16 bar composition using a tuned instrument
  2. Here are the specifications:

  • This is a three-part assignment
  • Part 1: Composition
  • Part 2: Performance
  • Part 3: Reflection
  • Composition length: 16 bars with all correct staff symbols (Clef, bar lines, key signatures, etc)
  • Instruments: This composition will be written for an tuned instrument. You may wish to write an accompany percussion part, however it is not a requirement
  • All written music must be ORIGINAL
  • You will be assessed on creativity. Write you composition creatively yet playable


  1. Here are some details to consider:
  • Create a final copy using a music composition software such as Finale, Sibelius, Musescore, Noteflight
  • You must submit a completed hard copy of your composition on the due date. A one page reflection will accompany your composition articulating why you chose to write the composition the way you didi, what you liked or were proud of in the composition, and what you felt challenging about the assignment
  • you must perform your composition in class for your classmates on an assigned date
  • If you have any question, please contact Ms. Carrie A
  • HAVE FUN!

  1. Follow these guidelines when writing your composition:
  • Your composition should start and end in the key of Bb
  • The music you write must be at an appropriate level for you as a grade 6 student
  • You should use a variety of notes and rhythms
  • You MUST include a title, dynamics, articulations (slurs, accents, etc) and a tempo marking
  • Hand in your rough work but the due date

Tuesday, 9 February 2016

Grade 6 (Lesson 4b/Q3/2015/2016) : Podcasting Assignment


Create the following Podcasts:
  1. Audio Podcast
  2. Enhanced Podcast



Criteria

  • 2-4 minutes in length
  • Topics of your choice – Music Education related
  • Loops, recorded tracks or imported MP3′s
  • Export Audio Podcast as an MP3
How to export a Garageband file to an MP3
  1. Click  SHARE
  2. Click EXPORT TO DISK
  3. Check the box that says “Compress” Choose MP3 for the drop down that says “Compress Using”
  4.  Export the file directly to your folder in Google Drive

  • Export Enhanced Podcast as an MP4
How to Export an Enhanced Podcast in Garageband
  1. Go to SHARE
  2. Click EXPORT TO DISK
  3. Select AAC ENCODER from the Compress Using drop down
  4. Select MUSICAL PODCAST from the Audio Settings  drop down
  5. Make sure PUBLISH PODCAST is checked.
  6. Click EXPORT
  7. Save file to your Google Drive
  8. The file will be saved as a m4a format.  You must open the file in Quick Time to view.


Question
  • Podcasting has become increasing popular in education today.  Why is that? What are the benefits of having students create a podcast instead of other formats?
  • Search online for educators and/or schools that effectively use podcasting.  Explain why you selected those educators and/or schools.

Grade 6 (Lesson 4a/Q3/2015/2016) : Introduction to Podcasting

What is a Podcast?
A podcast is a series of digital media files (either audio or video) that are released episodically and often downloaded through web syndication.

Why are Podcasts so popular?
Podcasts are extremely popular today because anyone can create one with little to no technical ability or cost.

Why the term “Podcast” ?
Types of Podcasts
  • Audio Podcast – just audio – no pictures or video included
  • Enhanced Podcast – audio and images – no video
  • Video Podcast – (Vodcast) video and audio

Equipment Needed to make a Podcast
  • Audio Podcast - Audio recording software - GarageBand (Mac), Mixcraft (PC), Audacity (FREE Download Mac or PC) & Microphone (USB, XLR w/M Audio Box)
  • Enhanced Podcast – Same as Audio Podcast plus images.  Note: Enhanced Podcasts can not be made in Audacity.
  • Video Podcast – Camera, Microphone, Video editing software

Podcast Hosting


Tuesday, 26 January 2016

Grade 6 (Lesson 3a/Q3/2015/2016) :Making an iPhoto Montage

Goals:
To learn how to selectively use digital media to enhance their way for representing understanding. Digital photography has been a standard tool for users for years. In the classroom, there are countless ways to use this technology. iPhoto represents Apple's highly integrated digital photography application that exploits the Mac OS platform to its fullest.

Assignment
In this assignment, you will construct a small multimedia object called a "montage" that demonstrates qualities of digital media in order to convey an educational message about a topic you choose. You must embed the montage in an web page and describe it within that page.

Main components of the montage video:
  • Visual "track" which, using iPhoto, is an image sequence arranged and presented in an interesting and intentional way.
  • Sound track of some kind that enhances or complements the experience of the visual track

Some ideas for the montage are:
  • Philosophical "statement" about the people, places, and things that influence schools and/or learning
  • Reflection on an educational issue or event
  • Exploration of a particular topic that can be examined in a new way using digital media
  • Tribute to an educator or other person who has influenced you and your development
  • Documentary of a vacation or historical place
Here are two examples:

http://pcraig.iweb.bsu.edu/dream/democracy.html 

http://sartonproj.iweb.bsu.edu/movie1.html

Specific Requirements:
  • At least 60 seconds of total playing time; no more than 3 minutes
  • The visual track plays a minimum of 15 images, maximum of 30 images
  • At least one sound track which relates to the visual track in some way (support this in your description and include the appropriate copyright information)
  • Use RapidWeaver software to create an iPhoto  (We will do this in class, but come with the paragraph below written)
  • The page must include:
- Description of the purpose of the montage in three or four sentences
- Acknowledgements of copyrights or artists (music, images, etc.) (FULL bibliography for items not of your own creation)
- The iPhoto montage itself - exported as a Quicktime movie (.mov file)
- A professional look relevant to the montage embedded within it.
- See specifics on "how to" below

Come to class with the montage finished and exported, the paragraph described above written, and the music bibliographic information collected. We will make the page for this assignment together in class on Wednesday.

How to Make and Share a Montage with iPhoto
The details of this process will be discussed in class, so pay attention and take notes regarding the details.

Gather the images in iPhoto. You may choose to take your own pictures or bring in images from the web. You MUST acknowledge your sources by listing them on the iPhoto artifact page that you make, so be sure to copy the URL into the information section of the photo in iPhoto.

Gather the music in iTunes. You may want to do this before or after the image gathering, it depends on how the "message" unfolds for you. You can import music tracks from your own CDs or you may purchase music online. DON'T STEAL MUSIC! Get free music here

You'll need to acknowledge ALL music appropriately by including the following information on the iPhoto artifact page:

  • Song title
  • Album (if relevant)
  • Artist (who is performing the piece)
  • Composer (who wrote the piece--lyrics and music--if known)
  • Publisher of the audio recording (typically, the music label)
  • Year of recording

Create a slide show in iPhoto. Title the slideshow something relevant. Arrange the images in a meaningful way.

Configure the slideshow and attach the music track. Move pictures around by dragging; make the photos' progress match the music as much as possible.Test how it plays and decide if you like it.

Export the project as a Quicktime (.mov) file to your desktop before class.

Grade 6 (Lesson 3b/Q3/2015/2016) : Vodcast

Goals:
To learn how to selectively use digital media to enhance instruction and to provide ways for representing understanding by combining digital photography with sound and interactive links. Garage Band is a standard tool for users to create this kind of outreach. In the classroom, there are countless ways to use this technology. Garage Band represents Apple maximizes the use of digital media to create productive and interesting learning environments that exploit the Mac OS platform to its fullest.

Assignment:
In this assignment, you will construct a small multimedia object called a "vodcast." Vodcasts contain both digital photography or movies and sound, usually spoken narration. This vodcast will convey some form or a message to your audience about a topic you choose. The final product should be submitted on your folder in Google Drive. On this page you will describe the process of creating the item, the intended audience and the intended learning/outcome from watching the vodcast and you will write a second paragraph.

Main components of the vodcast:
Visual "track" which is an image sequence arranged and presented in an interesting and intentional way. Sound track of voice over that enhances or compliments the experience of the visual track. One link to an external source for audience enrichment

What to do:
  • Take your iPhoto Montage and import it into GarageBand. 
  • Remove the current sound track. 
  • Add a specific, edited part of a song to the sound track. (be sure to collect the bibliographic information for this song)
  • Add a voice over at the beginning of the new project to describe the purpose of the project and to give the listener an overall view of what to expect.
  • Lower the volume of the song, but make it hearable under the voiceover
Export the project as either Web or Web Streaming and post the movie on  your folder in Google Drive.


Use the Instructions below to create your Garage Band Project
Open GarageBand. If you do not get the below window, go to “File” and then click “New”. Once the window is up, scroll down and click Movie. Next, click “Choose”.


Once your project is open, click on Finder in the Dock. Navigate to your movie. Then drag and drop the movie into the editing space in GarageBand.




Click on the Orange bar underneath the Movie track. This bar represents the audio that is embedded in your movie. Since we are creating new audio, delete this bar by going to “Edit” at the top of the screen and clicking on “Delete”.

Next, you will need to add a new Track to record your audio. Click “Track” at the top of the screen. Then click “New Track…” When a window pops up asking what type of tack you want, select “Real Instrument” (the one in the middle”) and click “Create”.


When you are ready to record, click the button with a red circle in it (  ) and begin speaking. When you are finished, GarageBand will create a purple bar that represents your recording. Move it to the point in your track where you want it.


Click the  button in the bottom right corner of the GarageBand window. Then click “Audio” at the top. You can then click on iTunes and search for the song you want.



Once you have found the song you want, click and drag it into the editing area. GarageBand will create a new track with an orange bar to represent your song.

If you need to clip your song, you must first make sure to click on the track containing your song. Then, drag the playhead (the triangle with the red line coming down from it that extends down the entire editing area) to the point in your song where you want to clip the song. Next, press command+T on your keyboard. The clip will be split into two pieces. Click in the blank space above or below the clip, then click on the section you want to delete. Finally, press the delete key on your keyboard.

Drag the clip all the way to the left of the editing area so that the audio will begin at the same time as the video.



Go to the beginning of your movie. On the track that contains your song, click the down arrow () in the list of options.



This will allow you to edit the track volume. What you want to do is keep the volume of the song low or off while your voiceover is running and then have it gently fade in to its normal level. To do this, first create a new point on the volume like by clicking where you want the fade in to END.

The next point you will create will be where the fade in BEGINS. To create this point, click and hold on the line where you want the point to be and drag the point down to decrease the volume. You want it to be about -14 to -18 decibels. You will notice that this causes the volume line to form a V. What you want is for the line to be level, then go up, then level off again. To level it at the beginning, click on the volume line at the beginning and pull down until this point is the same decibels as the beginning of the fade in.



Once you are ready to export your movie, go to the top of the screen and click “Share” then click “Export Movie to Disk…”

In the Video Settings dropdown menu, select “Web”.


Save the movie into yourGoogle Drive” folder with a web appropriate name (using only numbers, letters, and underscores).

Import the movie file into the web page like we did with the iPhoto montage.

Continue composing the rest of the web page to include the written information discussed above. Make the page look professional and relevant to the message in your montage.

Publish your Garage Band Vodcast page through RapidWeaver.