Course Plan: Getting to Know You Through Music
Introduction to the Course
Welcome to "Getting to Know You Through Music." This course is designed for Year 5 students and aims to explore personal and cultural identity through the lens of music. Over six lessons, students will engage in a variety of activities that will help them express their own musical preferences, learn about the music of their classmates, and appreciate the diverse musical traditions within their community.
Goal of the Course:
To foster an understanding of self-expression and cultural diversity through music, allowing students to share their musical stories and learn about the stories of others.
Aims of the Course:
- To develop students' listening and appreciation skills.
- To encourage personal expression through musical preferences.
- To expose students to a variety of musical genres and cultures.
- To foster collaboration and communication skills through group activities and discussions.
Course Outline
Module 1: Introduction to Musical Preferences
Lesson 1: What Is Music to You?
- Objective: Explore students' individual perceptions of music.
- Activities:
- Icebreaker: "What’s your favourite song and why?"
- Discussion on how music makes them feel and different genres (pop, rock, classical, etc.).
Lesson 2: Our Class Playlist
- Objective: Create a collective playlist that represents the class.
- Activities:
- Each student presents a song that is meaningful to them.
- Discuss and record reasons for their choices.
- Compile a class playlist to be shared on a class digital platform.
Module 2: Musical Traditions Around the World
Lesson 3: The Music of Australia
- Objective: Learn about traditional and contemporary music from Australia.
- Activities:
- Listen to Indigenous Australian music and contemporary Australian artists (e.g., Midnight Oil, Tones and I).
- Group discussion on the cultural significance of the music.
Lesson 4: A World Tour of Sounds
- Objective: Explore music from various cultures worldwide.
- Activities:
- Listen to music from different countries (e.g., African drumming, Latin salsa, Asian folk music).
- Students pick a culture or country and prepare a short presentation about its music.
Module 3: Musical Collaboration and Expression
Lesson 5: Creating Sounds Together
- Objective: Foster teamwork through collaborative music creation.
- Activities:
- Group activity where students create their own musical piece using classroom instruments or body percussion.
- They will work in groups to create a short performance of their piece.
Lesson 6: Presenting Our Musical Journeys
- Objective: Reflect on learning and present musical identities.
- Activities:
- Students perform their group compositions.
- Showcase the class playlist.
- Reflective discussion on how their understanding of music and themselves has changed throughout the course.
Assessment
Students will be assessed on their participation, engagement during discussions, the creativity of their group presentations, and collaboration with classmates.
References
- Australian Music Education Conference. (2022). Teaching Music in Context: A Practical Guide.
- Hunter, J. (2019). The Role of Music in Personal Identity. Music Educators Journal.
- Australian Curriculum, Assessment and Reporting Authority (ACARA). (2023). Music Curriculum: Year 5 Outcomes.
- Davis, P. (2020). A Journey Through Music: Understanding Cultural Contexts. Routledge.
- YouTube. (Various Artists). Musical examples can be found at YouTube searching for Indigenous Australian music, Tones and I, or World Music compilations.
This course structure aims to align with the Australian Curriculum, fostering creativity and collaborative skills while enhancing students’ appreciation for music as a universal language.