MIDI Music Composition

    During November, Aurora 3rd-5th grade students will begin their songwriting unit.  During this in-depth project, approximately 40 students will create an eight measure musical composition, which demonstrates their knowledge of music theory skills. 

    Each student’s portfolio will include the entire songwriting process, the list of steps each student needed to compose their song, a self-assessment, and the National and State standards met by this unit. 

    Students will work independently, creating rhythms and adding melody.  After completing their songs on paper, they will enter their notes and text on the computer. A variety of technology skills will be integrated into this project, including creating text boxes, editing text and music, saving their work to their class folder, and locating it during their next class. All students will be taught how to use our notation software to select different sounds. (From 100 MIDI sounds) Individuals will also be given the opportunity to publish their completed composition to the SCS Music Web Page, using FrontPage.

    Students take great pride in their work, especially the performance of their work for their classmates.
 
    Students will be asked to explain the songwriting process to their parents, using their completed portfolios to demonstrate the process.

  Here is the process students use for writing our songs:

1.  Using your rhythm cards, create four 4-beat patterns.

2.  Write your pattern.
Repeat your pattern.

3.  Practice playing and saying your pattern using rhythm sticks or Boomwhackers.

4.  Play your pattern using one note on the xylophone.

5.  Experiment using the notes C, D, E, G, and A, (Pentatonic scale) using a classroom instrument or band instrument. Create many different melodies. 
Pick your favorite one.

6.  Write the letters of your notes below your 4 measures of rhythm patterns.

7.  Create a different melody for your second 4 measures. (Listen carefully, and locate the “home” tone for the last note of your song.)

8.  Write the letters of your melody below the staff.  Do one measure at a time, and don’t forget your rests.

9.  Complete your note practice worksheet.

10.  Carefully place the note heads above each letter on the staff. No stems yet. 
      Don’t forget your rests.

11.  Add stems to notes.
     Add bridges for eighth and sixteenth notes.

12.  Enter your work on the computer.  Be sure to save your work. (Computer #______.)

13.  Listen to your song. 
      Name your song.
      Choose an instrument. 
      Add composer’s name. (That's you!)

14.  Write about your favorite and most difficult parts of this project.

15.  Print out your song.

16.  Complete your self-assessment, and meet with Mrs. Burritt.

17.  Practice and perform your composition on the piano, xylophone, Boomwhackers, or your band instrument.

18.  (Optional) Publish your song to the SCS Music Web Page.

Click HERE to see National and State (Vermont) Standards used for this unit.

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Home Page maintained by Diana Burritt
Last updated: October 27, 2006