Seven Music Selections

Cajiga 2

Anna Cajiga

MUS 463

Seven Music Selections

October 6, 2005

Age Group

4th and 5th graders (I work in a 4th/5th split classroom in Lansing, so I thought it would be interesting to make my music selections and design the activities with this class in mind)

Criteria

Broad Diet

I wanted to ensure that I include a wide variety of music genres by different artists that use a variety of instruments and vocal styles, so children are not just hearing the same type of music over and over again.

Multicultural

Music is a great way for students to recognize similarities and differences between their own culture and those from around the world. While it is very important to present children with music from around the world, I also wanted to display the wide variety of music styles even between different cultures within the United States.

Appropriate

I always want to avoid swearing, racism, discrimination and other offensive or mature topics (suicide, rape, etc.) within my music selections. Music that addresses these issues is simply not appropriate for children in 4th and 5th grade.

Both Contemporary and Long-Standing Music

When I was in elementary school, I was sometimes turned off by music class because I felt we spent so much time focusing on composers and music selections from hundreds of years ago. This type of music usually did not appeal to me, and I developed the idea that the only kind of music that can really be “studied” is outdated and uninteresting. I want to avoid this in my classroom. While I want to include some selections from years past, I also want to provide students with a lot of modern music to help them realize that music from all time periods has value.

Can be Tied into Curriculum

Since parents and administration will be expecting me to focus my teaching on subjects like mathematics, language arts, science and social studies, I need to ensure that the music I introduce into my classroom consists not only of quality selections that teach important music principles, but that it can also be tied into what we are learning in other subject areas.

Music Selections

Song Title: “Cha Cha Slide”

Artist: DJ Casper

CD Information: All Around the World, Oops Upside Your Head

Reason: This popular song is one that many children will already be familiar with, meaning they are more likely to be comfortable moving to it. Also, the catchy beat makes it difficult to resist dancing when the “Cha Cha Slide” is played. These factors contribute to this song being a perfect selection for helping children get used to moving to music, a vital element of musical development.

Activity: After spending time in a 4th/5th split classroom, I have realized that sometimes kids just need to move around, or “get out the wiggles”, so they can continue to concentrate on their school work. The “Cha Cha Slide” would make for an excellent break from studies. Just turn on the music, and allow students to move around the room however they please until the song is finished. Not only will they be improving their musical development, but they will also view the activity as a special treat. This song is not one that children are likely to tire of, meaning it can be played several times a month throughout the school year.

Song Title: “Trashin’ the Camp”

Artist: Phil Collins and N’sync

CD Information: Disney, Tarzan: An Original Walt Disney Records Soundtrack

Reason: This largely acapella song presents children with a very different style of singing than they often hear. Students may also be familiar with this song since it is taken from a Disney movie, meaning it may catch the attention of those who may otherwise not be interested in music.

Activity: As a class, watch the clip from the Disney movie Tarzan in which “Trashin’ the Camp” is sung. Ask students what is unique about this song. After they brainstorm, explain what acapella means, and ask them if they can associate some of the different sounds that Phil Collins and N’sync make with different instruments. Lastly, let the class attempt to use their voices and mouths to imitate various instruments.

Song Title: “Just the Two of Us”

Artist: Will Smith

CD Information: Sony, Big Willie Style

Reason: This remake of a classic ballad exposes listeners to the increasingly popular use of rap music to express oneself. A unique sound is created by mixing the original song with modern hip hop beats that are often associated with urban culture. Also, the poetic quality of the lyrics allows for this song to easily be integrated into a language arts lesson.

Activity: Read aloud from the book Just the Two of Us, written by Will Smith and illustrated by Kadir Nelson, while the song plays in the background. Afterwards, have students write personal essays in which they describe favorite moments with a parent/grandparent/brother/sister, etc. when it is “just the two” of them.

Song Title: “Stay”

Artist: Dave Matthews Band

CD Information: RCA, Before These Crowded Streets

Reason: While very popular mainly in North America, the songs of Dave Matthews Band are heavily influenced by South African music. The influence that one culture can have on another is a very interesting concept for students to explore. Also, the lyrics of this song are full of descriptive words that evoke vivid imagery in the minds of listeners, creating a great link between the song and principles of English language instruction.

Activity: Play the song and ask students to listen carefully to both the type of language that Dave Matthews uses as he sings. After the song is over, ask students to write about a moment in time that they wanted to “stay” in, making sure that in doing so they are using descriptive language that evokes vivid imagery in the minds of readers. Later, play “Stay” again for students, this time asking them to listen to the voices, rhythms and instruments that are used in the song. Explain that the lead singer of Dave Matthews Band was raised in South Africa, and growing up there influenced not only his music, but many of his views on political and social issues. This can be extended into a brief lesson on the history of South Africa and how different cultures can have both positive and negative impacts on each other.

Song Title: “The World Will Know”

Artist: Alan Menken and Jack Feldman

CD Information: Disney, Newsies

Reason: This song introduces children to the broad range of show tunes that are available to listeners, while incorporating a strong historical background that students can learn from. The singers in this piece also use the vernacular and vocabulary of people living in New York City in the late 1800’s, adding variety to the music that children are exposed to.

Activity: Play this song for the class, and explain to students the key concepts behind the song, including who Joseph Pulitzer and William Randolph Hearst were, the importance of the newspaper business during the late nineteenth century, and the role that the newsies played in this business. Ask the students how they would feel if they were a newsie, and extend their thinking into a lesson on the history of child labor in our country. If time allows, show the musical Newsies in its entirety.

Song Title: “Ride of the Valkyries”

Artist: Richard Wagner

CD Information: Decca, Wagner: The Ride of the Valkyries, Overtures and Choruses

Reason: This classical piece has been around for more than 100 years, and presenting it to students gives them a chance to hear songs from many time periods. While it reflects the European culture of years before, it is still widely used in modern media today. This familiarity makes the song more likely to catch students’ attention and helps them see the role that even “old” music can play in their lives.

Activity: First play Wagner’s “Ride of the Valkyries” for students. Ask students if they recognize the song from anywhere, and then show the Looney Tunes episode entitled “What’s Opera, Doc?” which features this song, as well as many other of Wagner’s pieces. Ask students if they can think of other classical music pieces that are used in modern day TV shows, movies, or cartoons. Use this discussion as a way to introduce children to classical European music from hundreds of years ago, and the lives of the gifted composers who wrote these immortal pieces.

Song Title: “Amazing Grace”

Artist: Three Versions:

1) James Horner

2) Dropkick Murphys

3) Destiny’s Child

CD Information: Three Versions:

1) Decca, Braveheart: Original Motion Picture Soundtrack

2) Epitaph / Ada, The Gang’s All Here

3) Sony, The Writings on the Wall

Reason: As I looked through my music collection, I was surprised to see how many artists have done renditions of “Amazing Grace”. The stark differences between each of these versions of the classic song allows listeners to hear how even the same song can sound completely different when the vocal styles, instruments and tempo are changed. Each rendition of the song also represents a different culture, which opens doors for students to explore music from around the world.

Activity: Play all three versions of “Amazing Grace” and ask students to imagine where they would hear each style of the song being played. Lead a group discussion on what is similar and what is different between each version, and then explore the various musical techniques used (acapella, harmonies, instrumentals only, increased tempo, various instruments) that make these songs sound similar and different. Lastly, ask students if they recognized the unique sound in the versions from Braveheart and by the Dropkick Murphys. This discussion about bagpipes can be extended into a lesson on the history and culture of Scotland.