Grade 8: Assignment 2 (Research Project – Musicals / Blues / Jazz)

For this project, you will pick either:  a blues artist  a jazz artist  or a musical  …research it, and do the following:  Create a poster OR  digital presentation (Powerpoint, Prezi, Keynote, etc...) OR  short video  IF YOU CHOOSE A BLUES OR JAZZ ARTIST, you must include the following information:  When they lived (birth, death)  Where they are from  A Brief Biography  Three significant songs  A link to an online version of one of their songs (Youtube)  At least one image (picture of the artist, etc...)  2 Interesting Facts (any other information you think is unique, or cool, not stated elsewhere in your project) IF YOU CHOOSE A MUSICAL, you must include the following information:  When it was written  Who wrote it  A Brief Outline of the Plot (the story)  A song from the musical / a description of what part of the story the song tells  A link to an online version of the song (Youtube)  At least one image (picture of the artist, etc...)  2 Interesting Facts (any other information you think is unique, or cool, not stated elsewhere in your project  You will be required to do a presentation consisting of:  A presentation of your poster / digital presentation / video  A listen to the song  THIS IS NOT A GROUP PROJECT. THIS IS INDIVIDUAL ASSIGNMENT.

Grade 8: GarageBand (Assignment 1)

GarageBand Assignment

• Create a full-length song in GarageBand that is 2-3 mins long 
• The song should work for a specific genre of music as opposed to just random clips assembled together. 

For example, you should create a rock, country, or electronic song.

• The song should have distinctly different parts of the song 

(parts that are emphasized or de-emphasized or repeated).  "Real" music has verse, middle, and chorus sections.

• The song must contain at least 6 different tracks. Most songs will have have more than six sections.
• You should include at least one sample, voice, or musical instrument
• At least 2 of the tracks must change volume multiple times throughout the song
• At least one track must include a segment that loops –

usually created by clicking in the upper left corner of a region and dragging to the right.

Grade 8: Instrument Research Assignment

In this assignment you are required to do research on your instrument. This will give you a better understanding of the history of your individual instruments, as well as some helpful tips to keep you improving in your musicianship.

There are two main parts of this assignment.

• First, your Preliminary Research. Preliminary Research has three sections of questions that are detailed below. Make sure you answer them fully.
• Second, Dig Deeper. Your Second is your Dig Deeper section. This requires that you find at least two websites for EACH of the categories listed below. Each website must also include a short paragraph presenting a summary (this means in your OWN words) of the research in each category. For the categories that require you to get videos, you need to have at least two for EACH of the categories.

Preliminary Research

Before you begin your website research, answer the following questions. You can either type the question and then the answer, or use the question in the answer. For example, if the question is how many trombones in are in a typical orchestra, your answer could be, “In a typical orchestra there are usually ____ trombones”.

Section I: Family Ties, Size, Shape and Differences

• What family is the instrument in (strings, woodwinds, brass, or percussion)?

• What is the instrument made of (brass or other metal, wood, etc.)?
• How is it shaped?
• How is it different from other members of that family (Size, shape, range, how the sound is started)?

Section II: Sound Production and Changing Notes

• How is it played (how held, mouth or hand etc.)?
• How does the player start the sound (how is the initial vibration made)?
• How do you make the different pitches to play a melody on the instrument (different fingerings, valve combinations, moving fingers up and down the neck, or maybe the instrument is unpitched) ?

Section III: Use In The Orchestra and Interesting Facts

• What is the instruments role in the orchestra (melodic or supportive, how many usually found in the orchestra)?
• Where do players usually sit in the orchestra?
• What is something interesting or unique about the instrument?
• What are some accessories you might need to play it (mouthpiece, bows, mutes, rosin, reeds, mallets, etc.)?

Dig Deeper

Your task is to find and submit ten (10) Web sites/video URLs related to your instrument. Wikipedia is NOT considered a reliable source, however it may be a good place to get some initial information to broaden your search. Your assignment submission needs to include:

Two sites for each one of the categories listed below, and a short paragraph presenting a summary of the research in each category. The categories are:

• History and/or Manufacturers:

Information about well-known makers and the instrument's history. This can also include the best brands of your instrument and why they are considered top of the line.

• Famous Performers:

Find a performer famous for playing your instrument. You are not restricted to any particular period or style. I would highly recommend before you research the first name that pops up in your google search, you also check YouTube to see if you enjoy the way they play.

• Repertoire:

What are the most famous pieces written for your instrument? Submit a list of five famous pieces written for the instrument, and two (2) sites that were sources for the information. Here's a site that might help: www.naxos.com

• How To Videos:

Find some how to videos on YouTube that you would recommend to someone who wants to learn to play your instrument. This might include how to put the instrument together, how to play (what embouchure to use), what the fingers are, how to get started, all the things you think are important for a beginner to know. Make sure you include a description of what these videos are about and why you feel they are useful above each video. How To For You: Finally, choose something you are having difficulty with (fingering, high notes, low notes, breathing, rhythm, etc) and see if you can find videos/websites that will help you overcome this problem. Detail what issues you are having and how the video addresses these issues.

Webpage Setup:

To present your paper you are going to create a website! Your websites have already been set up for you and your passwords chosen. Your website will consist of FOUR pages which you are to create:

1) Biography - tell me something interesting about yourself. Tell me who you are, where you were born, how old you are, where you’ve lived, what you are studying, what you want to do when you graduate, anything interesting you might read in someone’s biography. Be sure to include something musical! Please leave out anything identifying, like your last name.

2) Preliminary Research - answer the questions in Sections I, II, and III below, right on your website.

3) Dig Deeper - For each of the headings History/Manufacturers, Famous Performers and Repertoire you need to submit a paragraph and the links where you find your research. Include these under the appropriate headings on the Dig Deeper Page.

4) Videos - Finally, your last page will include your How To Videos and your How To For You. Be sure to include descriptions.

Website Creation

1) First, go to students.weebly.com ​to sign in to your website. Click on Edit Site. Start with your first page, your biography. Slide your mouse to the left hand side of the site. Drag the element you want (start with a title) over to your page. Click on it to edit and add your title.

2) Now drag a text box from the left hand side under your title and in this box you will complete your biography.

3) weebly.com does save everything automatically but every so often you should hit Publish in the top right hand side, to make sure your page is published to the web.

4) Once it’s complete, move to your Preliminary Research page by clicking on it at the top. Once on this site, follow the same steps using the Title and Text boxes. Feel free to add pictures where you think they will add to your assignment using the image feature.

5) Next, move to Dig Deeper and complete the first three items using the Title and Text features. Be sure to add your links as your references.

6) Finally, on your videos page, use the Title and Text features to explain what your video is about and why you are showing it. Then use the YouTube feature to insert your YouTube videos into your site. This can be a bit tricky so the instructions are below.

7) Make sure your site is published!

8) Any time you want to delete an element just click on it or hover over it and click the X to delete it.

9) You can also use the divider elements to make sections within your web pages.

Inserting YouTube Videos

1) To insert a YouTube Video, drag the YouTube element over to where you want it on your site. In another tab, open the YouTube video you’d like to insert. Copy the URL. Go back to your website and in the little box paste the URL in.

2) Click in the grey area beside that and your video should pop into the frame above. Now publish your site again.

Grade 8 (Term 4/L1/2015/2016): Music Composition

We will be studying a little more on composition. You can take a look at the previous blog post and review the concepts of basic musical theory, including time signatures, key signatures, rhythm, and other general characteristics of composing such as note spacing, neatness, bar lines, etc.  

Students are given some lyrics and asked to compose a simple melody to accompany the words.  You need to consider the syllables of the words when putting a rhythm to them, as well as the melody and where it would go.  Students add in stylistic elements such as dynamics to add further character to their composition.

Once the practice assignments are completed, students will be instructed to find lyrics of their own to which they would compose a melody for. Students can search poems online, and many others used passages of Scripture, such as the Psalms, as their inspiration.  Follow the same steps as in your practice assignments – deciding on their rhythm, melody, and style and incorporating them into a composition.  

You can use the piano to help guide their melodies while others used the guitar to hear and plan theirs. Any melodic instruments of your choice can be used. Once you complete a rough draft of your composition, ensure that all elements are accurate, students will meticulously transfer their melodies into the final copy on Noteflight.

Song 1

To believe is to know that

every day is a new beginning.

Is to trust that miracle happen,

and dreams really do come true.

To believe is to see angels

dancing among the clouds,

To know the wonder of a stardust sky

and the wisdom of the man in the moon.

To believe is to know the value of a nurturing heart,

The innocence of a child's eyes

and the beauty of an aging hand,

for it is through their teachings we learn to love.

To believe is to find the strength

and courage that lies within us

When it's time to pick up

the pieces and begin again.

To believe is to know

we are not alone,

That life is a gift

and this is our time to cherish it.

To believe is to know

that wonderful surprises are just

waiting to happen,

And all our hopes and dreams are within reach.

If only, we believe. 

Song 2

Can you sing a song to greet the sun,

Can you cheerily tackle the work to be done,

Can you vision it finished when only begun,

Can you sing a song?

Can you sing a song when the day's half through,

When even the thought of the rest wearies you,

With so little done and so much to do,

Can you sing a song?

Can you sing a song at the close of the day,

When weary and tired, the work's put away,

With the joy that it's done the best of the pay,

Can you sing a song?

Song 3

It takes strength to be firm,

It takes courage to be gentle.

It takes strength to conquer,

It takes courage to surrender.

It takes strength to be certain,

It takes courage to have doubt.

It takes strength to fit in,

It takes courage to stand out.

It takes strength to feel a friend's pain,

It takes courage to feel your own pain.

It takes strength to endure abuse,

It takes courage to stop it.

It takes strength to stand alone,

It takes courage to lean on another.

It takes strength to love,

It takes courage to be loved.

It takes strength to survive,

It takes courage to live.

Song 4

To let go doesn't mean to stop caring;

It means I can't do it for someone else.

To let go is not to cut my self off...

It's the realization that I can't control another...

To let go is not to enable,

but to allow learning from natural consequences.

To let go is to admit powerlessness,

which means the outcome is not in my hands.

To let go is not to try and change or blame another,

I can only change myself.

To let go is not to care for, but to care about.

To let go is not to fix, but to be supportive.

To let go is not to judge,

but to allow another to be a human being.

To let go is not to be in the middle arranging all the outcomes,

but to allow others to affect their own outcomes.

To let go is not to be protective,

It is to permit another to face reality.

To let go is not to deny, but to accept.

To let go is not to nag, scold, or argue,

but to search out my own shortcomings and correct them.

To let go is not to adjust everything to my desires,

but to take each day as it comes and cherish the moment.

To let go is not to criticize and regulate anyone,

but to try to become what I dream I can be.

To let go is not to regret the past,

but to grow and live for the future.

To let go is to fear less and love more.

Song 5

If there is a future there is time for mending-

Time to see your troubles coming to an ending.

Life is never hopeless however great your sorrow-

If you're looking forward to a new tomorrow.

If there is time for wishing then there is time for hoping-

When through doubt and darkness you are blindly groping.

Though the heart is heavy and hurt you may be feeling-

If there is time for praying there is time for healing.

So if through your window there is a new day breaking-

Thank God for the promise, though mind and soul is aching,

If with harvest over there is grain enough for gleaning-

There is a new tomorrow and life still has meaning.

Song 6

One word can spark a moment,

One flower can wake the dream;

One tree can start a forest,

One bird can herald Spring.

One smile can bring a friendship,

One handclasp can lift a soul;

One star can guide a ship at sea,

One cheer can obtain a goal.

One vote can change a Nation,

One sunbeam can lift a room;

One candle wipes out darkness,

One laugh will conquer gloom.

One look can change two lives;

One kiss can make love bloom.

One step must start each journey,

One word must start each prayer;

One hope can raise our spirits,

One touch can show you care.

One voice can speak with wisdom,

One heart can know what's true;

One life can make a difference,

One life is me and you....

Song 7

Two roads diverged in a yellow wood,

And sorry I could not travel both

And be one traveler, long I stood 

And looked down one as far as I could

To where it bent in the undergrowth;

Then took the other, as just as fair

And having perhaps the better claim,

Because it was grassy and wanted wear;

Though as for that, the passing there

Had worn them really about the same,

And both that morning equally lay

In leaves no step had trodden black

Oh, I kept the first for another day!

Yet knowing how way leads on to way,

I doubted if I should ever come back.

I shall be telling this with a sigh

Somewhere ages and ages hence:

Two roads diverged in a wood, and I -- 

I took the one less traveled by,

And that has made all the difference.

Grade 8 (Term 3/L1/2015/2016) : Musical Scavenger Hunt

1. Provide a brief history of your instrument (generic…history of the clarinet, etc)
2. Provide a history of your individual instrument (the one that you are playing right now)
3. What are the dates for the Baroque period?
4. List 5 composers of the Baroque period.
5. Provide a biography of 1 of these 5 composers
6. Write out a Bb concert scale 
7. Provide a list of five instrument found in the same family as the instrument you researched.
8. The Renaissance is a time period in music history, what does the term Renaissance mean and what are the dates for this period?
9. Find the name of one composer from the 20^th century.  Complete a biography on this person.
10. Transpose a selection of music for your instrument (selection should be 8-12 bars long and can come from our band music)
11. Define five of  the following terms – harmonic, chromatic, bourree, coda, interval, fugue, requiem, mass, accidental, vibrato

Be sure to include sources that you used to gain this information in the form of a bibliography.  This assignment can be completed in the form of a word document or a PowerPoint presentation.  Assignments are due February 15, 2015.

Grade 8 (Term 2/L2/2015/2016) : Creating Music for a Scenario

Common Anchor

• Generate musical ideas for various purposes and contexts
• Select and develop musical ideas for defined purposes and contexts
• Evaluate and refine selected musical ideas to create musical work(s) that meet appropriate criteria

Enduring Understandings

• The creative ideas, concepts, and feelings that influence artists’ work emerge from a variety of sources.
• Musicians’ creative choices are influenced by their experience, context and expressive intent.
• Musicians evaluate, and refine their work through openness to new ideas, persistence, and the application of appropriate criteria.
• Musicians’ presentation of creative work is the culmination of a process of creation and communication.

Essential Question(s)

• How do musicians generate creative ideas?
• How do musicians make creative decisions?
• How do musicians improve the quality of their creative work? 
• When is a creative work ready to share? 

Prerequisite Skills and Knowledge

1. Able to identify music ideas (sounds, rhythms, melodies, harmonies ...) related to an expressive idea.
2. Able to perform and create harmonic/rhythmic accompaniments.
3. Have experience creating musical ideas to match an expressive idea or feeling.
4. Recognize and able to convey expressive intent in music performance.
5. Have experience manipulating the various elements of music displaying effective compositional technique.
6. Able to apply compositional techniques for creating unity and variety, tension and release, and balance to convey expressive intent.
7. Can read and use standard or iconic notation and/or can use audio/video recording devices and music technology to document rhythmic phrases, melodic phrases, and harmonic sequences. 

    

Hand Staff

The hand staff or, the Guidonian hand—was first used by Guido D’Arezzo (c. 991-c. 1033). You can use your hand staff to practice saying and remembering the letter names of the lines and spaces of the staffs. If you hold up one hand and turn it sideways, the five fingers on that hand represent the five lines of a staff. And, if you spread those five fingers apart slightly, then the gaps between those fingers represent the four spaces of the staff.

REMEMBER THAT WE ALWAYS COUNT LINES AND SPACES AND SAY THE LETTER NAMES OF THE LINES AND SPACES FROM THE BOTTOM UP, NEVER FROM THE TOP DOWN!!! 

The Grade 3 students had a wonderful time in class designing their own Guidonian Hand. Here are some of their beautiful work!

The Staff

The staff consists of five lines and four spaces. Each of those lines and each of those spaces represents a different letter, which in turn represents a note. Those lines and spaces represent notes named A-G, and the note sequence moves alphabetically up the staff.

Treble Clef

There are two main clefs with which to familiarize yourself; the first is a treble clef. The treble clef has the ornamental letter G on the far left side. The G’s inner swoop encircles the “G” line on the staff. The treble clef notates the higher registers of music, so if your instrument has a higher pitch, such as a flute, violin or saxophone, your sheet music is written in the treble clef.  Higher notes on a keyboard also are notated on the treble clef.

We use common mnemonics to remember the note names for the lines and spaces of the treble clef. For lines, we remember EGBDF by the word cue “Every Good Boy Does Fine.” Similarly for the spaces, FACE is just like the word “face.”

Bass Clef

The line between the two bass clef dots is the “F” line on the bass clef staff, and it’s also referred to as the F clef. The bass clef notates the lower registers of music, so if your instrument has a lower pitch, such as a bassoon, tuba or cello, your sheet music is written in the bass clef. Lower notes on your keyboard also are notated in the bass clef.

A common mnemonic to remember note names for the lines of the bass clef is: GBDFA “Good Boys Do Fine Always.” And for the spaces: ACEG, “All Cows Eat Grass.”

Note Duration and Reading Rhythms

Grade 8 (Lesson 1/2017) : Musician/Singer Research

DIRECTIONS: Over the next few weeks, you will research information and complete a project based on your favorite musician/musical group/singer. Once research has been completed you will use software programs such as, Inspiration/Google Doc//etc, to organize your information into a coherent outline. Finally, using your outline, you will create a PowerPoint presentation of at least ten (10) slides. You will be presenting your outline and PowerPoint to the class on February 28, 2017. 

In addition to having a hard copy of your project with you on the day of your presentation, you will also upload your document and PowerPoint on Google Drive.

By Tuesday, January 10, 2017, you must confirm with the teacher the musician(s)/singer(s) you have decided to research since no two students may research the same musician(s)/singer(s) . 

BREAKDOWN OF ASSIGNMENTS:

I. RESEARCH: You will be using the resources, including reference books, databases, and the Internet to research the following information pertaining to your musician(s)/singer(s) : (Due Date : January 31, 2017)    

1. Birthdate/ current age
2. birthplace
3. family (names of parents/ names of siblings)
4. family (is s/he married/names of any children)
5. where s/he lives now
6. how s/he got started in the music business (if group, include how group met & formed) 
7. why s/he got started in the music business
8. who inspires/influences her/his music
9. first song released
10. first number one hit
11. how many other number one hits has s/he had
12. all cd’s that s/he has released, including titles and year in which released
13. numbers of copies sold for each cd (*Bonus points if you can locate this information)
14. future cd’s to be released/future projects (*Look at Musician’s website for this info.)
15. upcoming concert tours (*Look at Musician’s website for this info.)
16. any other interesting information related to the musician that you feel would add to your project 

II. INSPIRATION: You will be using your notes as a reference in order to o create a diagram and outline of your research. (Due Date : January 31, 2017)   


Your diagram should be set up as a visually-organized display of your research and include the following: 

1. a main topic (in this case, the name of your musician/group)
2. at least three (3) subtopics based on your research
3. additional subtopics under those three (continue creating the hierarchy of information)
4. links should be clearly defined between topics/subtopics
5. a variety of shapes to indicate visual changes in subtopics
6. BONUS FEATURES: (these will be considered for extra points)
7. Use of color to signify differences in subtopics/links 
8. Use of symbol/graphic to enhance diagram
9. Use of “Notes” to provide further information
10. Use of Hyperlink to link to a related Internet site 

III. PowerPoint: You will be using your diagram/outline as a reference in order to create a ten (10) slide PowerPoint about your favorite musician/group/singer.(Due Date : February 27, 2017)

Your PowerPoint presentation should be set up as a visually-organized display of your research and include the following:

• At least Ten (10) slides
• 1 Title Slide that includes the name of your musician/group, your name, Study Skills, Mods ____, and date
• 8 (or more) slides using the subtopics you created  as your guide for conveying your research
• 1 Works Cited slide that includes all references used to gather your research (i.e. websites, image/graphic sources, periodicals, books, and other reference materials) **MUST USE AT LEAST THREE DIFFERENT REFERENCES
• At least three (3) pictures pertaining to your research (i.e. picture of musician/group, one of his/her cd covers, one of the house he/she grew up in, etc.)
• A professional-looking color scheme that enhances your content rather than detracts from it.
• Keep the slide transitions and sound effects to a minimum to avoid distraction from your content.
• BONUS FEATURES: (these will be considered for extra points)
• Use of Hyperlink to link to a related Internet site
• Use of one of the musician’s/group’s/singer's songs as the looped sound throughout presentation 

IV. WORKS CITED: As part of the PowerPoint presentation, you will need to create a slide. This slide should contain an alphabetical list of all sources used during the research phase, as well as any image sources used to create the diagram and/or PowerPoint presentation. Your slide should have the title, Works Cited, centered in the middle of the slide and your list of sources should be in alphabetical order. Note that if a source is too long for one line, the second line should be indented one tab stop. 

V. RUBRIC:

A) RESEARCH

• Required information has been researched
• a variety of resources are used to complete research    
• class time is managed efficiently to ensure all research is completed 
• bonus information is provided in research       

B) INSPIRATION

• main topic is easily identified
• at least three major subtopics are identifiable and linked to the main topic
• additional minor subtopics are designated under the major subtopics 
• links are properly established and easily followed 
• a variety of shapes to indicate visual changes in subtopics are used 
• bonus features are included

 C) POWERPOINT

• 10 or more slides are included in presentation
• Works Cited slide includes accurate listing of all resources utilized 
• at least three pictures/graphics pertaining to research are included 
• color scheme is professional-looking & enhances presentation rather than detracts from it  
• slide transitions and sound effects are minimal and not distracting
• bonus features are included   

 D) CLASS PRESENTATION

• Knowledge of material contained within PowerPoint
• Eye Contact
• Voice/Communication 
• Posture 
• Attitude