Learning Centers in the
Elementary General Music Classroom
Danielle Ballinger
CMEA 2011
Overview
What is a Learning Center?
Theoretical Foundations and Research
Inspiration
Why use Learning Centers?
Experience sample Learning Centers
Create a Learning Center Unit
Music Learning Centers Wikispace
What is a Learning Center?
“A learning center is a
defined space where
materials are organized in
such a way that children
learn without the teacher’s
constant presence and
direction.”
--Pattillo, 1992
Theoretical Foundations
Theorist
Theory
Implications
Jean Piaget
(1920)
Stages of Learning
Elementary school students = concrete operational stage
(need hands-on activities)
Lev Vygotsky
(1934)
Zone of Proximal Development (ZPD)
Lowest stage = imitation
Highest stage = independence
Scaffolding (vary adult supervision)
Howard Gardner
(1977)
Multiple Intelligences
Human beings can be “intelligent” in more than one way;
teachers need to consider this in planning instruction.
Flow
Optimal experiences occur when a person’s mind or
body is stretched to its limits in a voluntary effort to
accomplish something meaningful and worthwhile.
Maria Montessori
(1890)
Prepared Environments
Children learn best when they are put in charge of their
own learning; freedom to discover, experiment, selfcorrect, and informally instruct peers.
John Dewey
(1897)
Progressive Education
Attempted to shift schools to child-centered education,
with an emphasis on creativity and students’ interests.
Differentiated Instruction
A collection of strategies that help the teacher better
address and manage the variety of learning needs in the
classroom.
Mihaly Csikszentmihalyi
(1990)
Diane Heacox
(2002)
History
1970s = United States saw a reawakening of progressive
education due to advancements in technology
Studies in Maryland public schools categorized into “subject
matter,” “media,” and “activity”
California State worked with teachers to develop an approach
which would “allow for individual differences in learning rates
and developmental levels”
Differentiation has renewed the concept, mainly in reading
and math
Good learning centers...
...are developmentally
appropriate
...offer students multiple
options
...are well-organized
...are equally timed
...provide challenge with
potential of success
...are fun!
Inspiration: Susan Kenney
Professor, BYU
Early Childhood
Music Education
Birth - Six
National Chair for
MENC General
Music
Editorial Board for
MEJ
Why use Centers?
Pros
•student-centered curriculum
•self-guided
•professional creativity
•social interaction
•challenge and variety
•differentiation
•build literacy
•cross-curricular projects
•easy sub plan
Cons
•preparation
•student absences
•space and materials
•set up for one grade level
•giving clear directions
Teachers should consider implementing
learning centers to provide for the needs of
students who are demanding to be treated as
unique individuals.
-- Eleanor Beatty and Carol Schnitger, 1977
“Center in on Music”
Sample Learning Center:
3rd Grade
Peter and the Wolf
Unit Plan
Objectives:
Students will
Students will
Students will
Students will
Students will
Students will
Students will
be able to identify aurally and visually the instruments that are used in “Peter and the Wolf.”
be able to categorize the instruments in “Peter and the Wolf” into their proper orchestra families.
use their own descriptive terms for the timbre of instruments in “Peter and the Wolf.”
recreate the events of “Peter and the Wolf.”
be able to discuss composer Sergei Prokofiev in their own words.
successfully answer questions about the story and the composer.
be able to aurally identify different character themes and create a new set of themes for the story.
Vocabulary:
Woodwinds
Timbre
Strings
Brass
Sergei Prokofiev
Percussion
Theme
Standards Addressed:
Performing on instruments, alone and with others, a varied repertoire of music.
Composing and arranging music within specified guidelines.
Listening to, analyzing, and describing music.
Evaluating music and music performances.
Listening Center
Each character in “Peter and the Wolf” has its own
musical theme, performed by a specific instrument. Using
the “Musical Themes” worksheet, listen to each theme and
follow the melodic lines on the staves as you listen. Under
each line, write a few words to describe the timbre of each
instrument (for example, shrill, metallic, rich, voice-like,
velvety). You may press pause after each instrument, and
you may repeat as many times as you need.
Track #:
2 – Flute
3 – Oboe
4 – Clarinet
5 – Bassoon
6 – French Horn
7 – Violin
8 – Timpani
Once you have listened to and described each of the
instruments above, listen to the story of “Peter and the
Wolf,” following along with the listening map (beginning
at CD track #9).
Reading Center
1.
Read in your packet about Sergei
Prokofiev and his composition, “Peter and the
Wolf.” Answer the questions on the back page
using what you read to help you.
2.
Once you are finished, read through the
book “Meet the Orchestra” by Ann Hayes. Find
the pages that are marked for each of the
characters from Peter and the Wolf. Write the
name of each instrument in its proper category
below.
Strings
Woodwinds
Percussion
Brass
Creating Center
Imagine that you are the conductor of the Vail Symphony
Orchestra. You have been preparing a performance of “Peter and
the Wolf,” complete with a narrator and dancers to play the parts of
the characters. On the night of the big performance there is a huge
snowstorm, and none of the musicians are able to make it to the
concert hall. All of your dancers are ready to go, and the audience
is waiting. You need to come up with a different set of instruments
to become the voices of each character. Use the instruments in the
Creating Center to become the new voices of the characters. List
your choices below, then use the story cards and character cut outs
to help you recreate the story using the new instrumentation.
Peter: ________________________
Duck: _______________________________
Bird: _________________________
Cat: ________________________________
Wolf: __________________________
Hunters: ____________________________
Grandfather: _____________________________
Technology Center
Use the NY Philharmonic KidZone “Instrument Storage Room” to help you answer the following questions about the
instruments used in Prokofiev’s Peter and the Wolf. Use the mouse to move the boy in front of different cases, and click on
the instrument to read about it. Click on the picture of the ear to listen to a sound clip for each instrument.
Flute
There are many different kinds of non-orchestral flutes. Name one.
Oboe
How did people first discover the idea of a “double reed”?
Clarinet
How many registers does the clarinet have?
Bassoon
What do bassoonists and oboists have in common?
Violin
What were early violins mostly used for?
French Horn
What were horns used for in Renaissance Europe?
Timpani
Why do you think timpani are considered the most important part of the percussion section?
Games Center
Use the games in the pink basket to learn more about the families
of the orchestra.
1.
“Clip the Instrument”
One partner reads the questions while the other answers by
clipping the clothespin on the correct instrument (answer in
parentheses). Switch jobs halfway through the questions.
2.
“Orchestra Concentration”
Spread the green cards out, face down. One partner goes first, and
chooses two cards. If they match (vocabulary word with and its
definition), the player keeps them. If they don’t, turn them back
over and the other player goes.
3.
“Fiddlesticks”
One player shuffles and deals all the cards equally
between players.
Players look at their cards and if they have a set of two
matching cards, place them face up on the floor.
Dealer offers cards face down to the player on the left,
who chooses one.
If that player is then able to make a pair, place those
cards with any others already on the floor.
That player then offers cards to the player to the left, and
so on. Continue this way until all the pair are found.
Whoever is left with the Fiddlestick card is out!
QuickTime™ and a
Photo - JPEG decompressor
are needed to see this picture.
Other Theme Ideas
Kindergarten: Exploratory
First Grade: Musical opposites
Second Grade: Building Blocks of Music
Poetry
Third Grade: Native American Heritage Month
Around the World project
Music and Visual Art
A Center in the Making
Inspiration: River Song, Steve Van Zandt
Theme: Sounds in Nature/Found Sounds
Centers:
Reading - The Listening Walk, Listen to the Rain
Listening - “Rainstorm”
“Cloudburst” (Whitacre)
Creating - Weather Pattern Rhythms; Create a Rainstorm
River Song
Creating Center
Each player chooses an instrument for one weather sound.
Shuffle the weather cards.
Place cards in a row.
Play the music in the order the cards occur.
Let’s Create!
After finishing these directions, choose a grade level poster
and move to that place in the room
Use one of the books as “inspiration,” or choose your own
springboard. Work together to create a framework for a unit
incorporating Music Learning Centers (you can choose how
many centers you use)
After 10 minutes we will share our ideas
Wikispace
Music Learning Centers Wiki