Cross-curricular composition

Compose an accompanied children's song which incorporates a valid  connection to another subject area (cross-curricular), while incorporating a musical concept to use in your curriculum. Be aware that the MOST important criteria I will use in grading this is

Could you actually use this in an elementary classroom?!!

Would it teach something substantial?

Choose a subject area and concept (non-musical)

Example:  Science - the flea

Choose a musical subject area and concept.

Example:  intervals - an octave leap

Write some words in rhyme form which teach a non-musical concept

Example:

If I were a flea, how happy I'd be; for now, I just walk down the street.

But if I were a flea, I'm much taller, you see -  my hop would be 600 feet!

(This uses the concept that a flea can jump about 200 times its own body height. You would continue the song with other facts or characteristics about the flea.)

Note:  The example above would be only one verse of the entire song, which would include other verses to teach various content about the flea. Be sure that your content includes real learning. For example, if my song just included content about the flea hopping around, it really wouldn't qualify as cross-curricular. Work with your content area to teach valuable information.

Write an original melody for your rhyme which incorporates your chosen musical concept or concepts (do not use the tune to another song)

For example, your melody could contain an octave leap at "my hop." Or, you might continue the next line as a chorus

My hop, my hop, my hop would be hard to beat. 

My hop, my hop, my hop would be 600 feet. 

You could take the opportunity to use your octave skip on the first "my hop" (do to do) and maybe a skip of a 5th on the second one (do to sol). There are many possibilities.

Now ask yourself the following questions:

1. Is the melody simple enough for children to learn relatively easily?

2. Is it too high/too low? Is the range too wide?

3. Is there enough repetition of melody and rhythm for it to be easily remembered?

4. Do the words flow according to their accented syllables (avoid syllable mismatch)?

5. Is there a definite and accurate rhyme scheme?

6. Do you have enough chord changes to avoid unnecessary dissonance?

7. Will the song help the students to remember something significant?

Use a notation program to score your composition, such as Finale, Sibelius, or a music notation app (nothing can be hand-written)

1. Include a title

2. Designate yourself as composer

3. Under the title, list the subject integration concept (both the subject area and the specific lesson focus and the musical concept which can be taught through your song)  I cannot grade the musical concept if I don't know what it is intended to be!

4. Also include the specific grade level the song is written for (1st grade, 5th grade, etc.; do not give me a range)

5. Indicate tempo and dynamics

6. Make sure you delete any extra measures at the end. This should look like a publishable score.

7. The lyrics should be added to your score, not separate from the music. If more than one verse, all should go under the melody line to ensure that each verse of lyrics fits the melody.

8. Scale your score down to fit on a single page or 2 if possible. Use first and second endings where appropriate. If it requires 2 or more pages, format the pages evenly. Instructions are included on the Finale Page if you are using Finale.

Finale Page

If you are using Finale for notation, this page may be useful to you.  This is the page I use to teach undergraduate students how to use Finale and it has lots of useful information, like how to add lyrics to your score.

Record a YouTube video that you can share with me and your classmates. Here are some options to choose from:

• Use your phone and record yourself singing and playing the accompaniment simultaneously
• Make a recording of the accompaniment first. If you are a newby, try Audacity.  It's free and easy to use. Then play the recording while singing the lyrics when making your YouTube video.
• Use one of the options above and have one or more of your own children (and maybe their friends) to sing the song. You can sing along, too.
• If you teach children, your class can sing the song. This is the most authentic solution! If you need to avoid videoing the children, you can keep the camera on yourself.

Upload your recording to YouTube

After the creation of the video, upload to YouTube. The privacy setting will be your choice. The assignment submission will be a YouTube link that you can post in Assignment #8 and share with your classmates in Discussion #8.

Examples of musical concepts to teach:

Here are some ideas for musical elements to emphasize.  You can probably think of others.

1. steps/leaps

2. road map (repeat signs, etc.)

3. form (rondo, ABA, strophic, etc.)

4. syncopation

5. dotted rhythms

6. intervals (the sound, like a 5th or an octave)

7. dynamics

8. phrases

9. high/low

10. meter (duple/triple, simple/compound)

11. movement (waltz, march)

12. note values (eighth notes, for example)

13. scales (minor scales, for example)

14. consonance/dissonance

15. tempo

16. blue notes

17. harmony

18. creative movement

19. steady beat

20. musical style (a particular type)

21. breath control (singing longer phrases)

22. increasing vocal range

23. diction

24. conducting

25. key signatures

26. pitch matching

27. PSP (posture)

28. melodic direction

29. pickup notes

30. partner songs (singing 2 parts)

31. canons and rounds

32. accents

33. repetition and variation

34. sequences

35. scat singing

36. themes

Examples of Subject Integration Concepts

Here are some ideas for subject integration.  Feel free to use any of these or one of your own choosing. 

The possibilities are endless!

Please do not use a list (days of the week, the planets, etc.) unless you can also incorporate a traditional and accurate rhyme scheme.

1. Any natural element (rain, wind, snow, sun, moon, rocks, trees, plants, water)

2. Colors which mix together to make other colors

3. Any animal, insect, bird, etc.; groups (dinosaurs, hibernators, marsupials)

4. Language elements (nouns, verbs, alliteration, definitions)

5. Math concepts (times tables, prime numbers)

6. Cities, capitols, countries, continents (make sure you can make your phrases rhyme)

7. Discoveries, inventions

8. Discoverers, inventors

9. Famous people (leaders, heroes, presidents, artists, musicians; anyone they need to learn about)

10. Natural laws (gravity, perpetual motion)

11. Rules or laws (Bill of Rights, Smokey Bear stuff)

12. How to . . . (instructions for a dance, how to blow glass, pan for gold)

13. Health lesson (dangers of smoking, food pyramid)

14. Stories (song of story of Paul Bunyan, Tom Sawyer, Ann Frank)

15. Social issues (tolerance, prejudice, recycling)

IMPORTANT

Please note the following that have caused students to make lower grades than they were expecting:

• There must be a rhyme scheme in your song!

• Make sure that you match accented syllables and important words to strong beats in your measure. For example, "a" and "the" are "pick-up words," and should probably not be placed on beat 1 of the measure. Also, identify the accented syllable of a multi-syllable word and make sure that syllable is on a strong beat (beat 1 or 3 in a 4/4 measure). For example, if you used the word, "invention" beginning on beat 1 with 2 eighth notes and a quarter note, the second syllable of the word that should be accented, would fall on the "and of one" which would cause a mismatch.

• Be sure that your song teaches something!  Try to be more specific than just urging good decisions, kind words, or a reminder to brush your teeth.  Find content that might be difficult to remember or understand without the use of your song. Don't make it too simple. Give your students some credit. Here is an example of a song that teaches the concept of taxonomy

TAXONOMY

Grading Rubric