Submitted by Pamela Rezach
Idea posted January 3, 2007
I select a pop song that I know the students like and break it into "layers."
Before the students come into the class, I have a plan written on the board. It includes rhythmic notation or word rhythms. When the students enter the room, I assign someone to take the drum bucket and start keeping a steady beat. Then someone else takes a different kind of rhythm instrument and plays one of the rhythms on the board. Then I tell someone else to go to the piano and play the keys in the order that they are numbered. (I use wipe-off markers and write "1" on the first key they should play, "2" on the second note, etc. I tell them the word rhythm to use as they play the number order. This would match the main theme or tune of an ostinato that is in the music.) We then layer all the parts (usually four or five ostinato parts). I do not tell the class what they are doing. After a group is able to put it all together, I ask: "Does this sound like any song you hear on the radio?" The class has always been able to guess the song they have just performed. It is a fun project.
Follow up: After all students have experienced playing a section, we begin analyzing the music. I prepare a work sheet for the song we've chosen.
We discuss the ostinatos, vocalist's abilities (I use an "American Idol" analysis sheet for this), the instrument families involved, the layers of rhythms, the form of the music, the purpose of the song's lyrics, and history of the group.
It is possible to teach a lot of music concepts by using this approach, and the middle school students seem to love doing it.
My newest idea is to make PowerPoint presentations of pop music. This will be done in small groups. Each group will select a pop singer or group and one of their songs. (They are to choose a song that they can use with a CD edition that has been edited if any bad language is in it, such as NOW CDs. The song must be about an appropriate topic.)
The students will research the background history of the group. They will search for things such as: When they started, why they started, any interesting facts, how they got their name, how they became famous, etc. This information will be used in the opening slides of the PowerPoint presentation. They will then find pictures to represent each of the phrases in the song and create a slide presentation. Conclusion of the project: Each group will present their PowerPoint presentation as the CD is being played.
I am just starting the project, and the students are excited about it!