Music -- Theory and Practice
Judy & David's Fun Zone has everything musical for younger students, from sound clips to music themed coloring pages to a very complete song book...
Links
Judy & David's Fun Zone has everything musical for younger students, from sound clips to music themed coloring pages to a very complete song book. Children's Songs is another site providing both lyrics and playable MIDI music files. The actual number of songs which can be played via the computer is extensive. For teachers who can't read music this site is wonderful.
Rhythmweb hosts sound files, among other resources in percussion, from around the world. Check out their Homemade Percussion pages, showing how to create inexpensive instruments that bout sound and look good.
Music Theory, started by Ricci Adams while a HS Senior, has over twenty-five lessons and several on-line trainers and utilities. The site, more appropriate for older students, includes lessons on note duration, chords, and composing, and interactive training games.
The New York Philharmonic displays an educational site, aimed for young children with photos and simple descriptions in such venues as the Musician's Lounge, Instrument Lab (make your own instruments!), and Dressing Rooms of guest artists. A very engaging site.
The Science of Music within the Exploratorium site answers questions like how opera singers can hold their breath so long and what music kitchen objects can generate. Graphically bold and accurate, not to be missed!
PRS plays classical music (post copyright). You can research composers, download MIDI files, and find instructional tips. The Jazz Hall of Fame is jam-packed with Big Band and Jazz history, music samples, headlines etc. It is very comprehensive.
WebProject, sponsored as a Technology Challenge initiative by the DOEd, is an amazingly creative use of the Web for arts education.
Jazz at PBS was created to accompany Ken Burns' 10 part history of jazz. In addition to rich biographies with artists playing, site visitors can visit the Jazz Lounge for structures and styles of this genre of music.
Particle Adventure demonstrates the connections between music and physics. What do you think about the fact that around the world, even in cultures who historically have been isolated from other environments, use the same physics principles in music creation? Acoustics in music, explained by the University of South Wales in Australia, relates hearing responses to sounds, produced by instruments common in communities with indigenous peoples in Australia.
The Exploratorium in San Francisco has a designated space for the science of music. The contents change once in a while but the examples are wonderful.
Groovy Music City is designed to teach children to create music. Icons simplify the process and youngsters see results quickly.
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It is now well documented that children exposed to music learn faster and retain more -- which makes it all the more frustrating when schools cut costs by reducing or eliminating music programs. But, as these sites demonstrate, a music program does not have to be expensive, and can be used to to introduce concepts in other areas from science to history to mathematics. Using on-line resources and your classroom computer, you can include music in your everyday instruction.
Here's a tip: When introducing a topic, look for related songs. This works especially well in subjects line history and the humanities. Well all remember Schoolhouse Rock. Music is a powerful memory aid.
