Past projects 2
A Recording Studio for a Music as Literature Class!
Funded Feb 28, 2019My students and I thank you for donating an iMac computer with a large screen, a set of Sony headphones, and two microphones. Because we have this technology, I was able to purchase Logic Pro X, Apple's music production program, and students are now able to use a program with so many capabilities to make music and record vocals. Students are creating original songs on this great, new equipment!
The large screen of the iMac gives students the opportunity to see many tracks at one time. Music producers are able to click on a variety of features and effects and still see their music. Some of the students are so intuitive with the new system; it's incredible to watch them. They start playing around with the program, and they figure out how to do so many things with their songs. They can add reverb to a specific sound or the whole song. They can change the sound of an instrument or vocal in a creative way. They can reverse sounds, so they are completely different. We are enjoying playing in the vast ocean of music production.
The Music as Literature class has a few students who have already started using Logic with the new equipment. They have imported beats and have sung their lyrics to create songs collaboratively with other students. They help each other figure out what to do and encourage each other in such positive ways. It has been very inspiring to watch them work together to create some thing new. The Beats & Bars club has jumped right into the studio! These students are very passionate of music production and lyricism. As soon as they walk into the room, my classroom transforms from an English classroom to a studio where students are exploding with ideas and energy. The music flows through them.
The beauty of all of this is the impact it has had on other classes. Students walk up to the studio and ask, "When can we learn how to make beats?" and "When can we record songs?" This is the power and beauty of music. They see other students creating, and it motivates them to want to explore their musical talents and abilities.
Thank you very much for these wonderful gifts! We are making beats, rapping bars, and singing songs! We could not have done this without your donation. Thank you for giving us this amazing opportunity to transform a classroom into a music studio! And even when these students graduate high school and move on, they will remember these experiences, and their music will live forever.”
With gratitude,
Ms. Sparagis
This classroom project was brought to life by The DonorsChoose.org Community and 46 other donors.Language Arts and Music Integration Project
Funded Dec 1, 2015Thank you very much for your kind and generous donation to my Language Arts and Music Integration Project. The Bose speakers and headphones have had a positive impact on my students' learning. Earlier in the year when I didn't have speakers, students could not hear music or listen to videos. Your contribution has given music a new voice in my classroom-- one that can be heard throughout our room. Students no longer have to sit near the computer to listen. Students are able to sit anywhere in the room and engage with the lesson. The headphones help students working on individual projects without interrupting others. Students are able to participate in a variety of activities, obtain information, and listen to the music and videos.
There are two specific projects that your donation greatly impacted in a positive way. The first project was the music project for the period from 1915 - 1950. Students created PowerPoint projects on songs like "Strange Fruit" by Billie Holiday, "Stormy Weather" by Ella Fitzgerald, "Black and Blue" by Louis Armstrong, and "Jim Crow Blues" by Leadbelly. Students read the lyrics and listened to the songs. These songs gave students the opportunity to learn about Black History during our unit on Richard Wright while reading Black Boy. Students were able to connect the themes from the music to the novel and see how both genres reflect the culture and society of the time period. The other project in my class was for students to learn how to dance to Elizabethan music during our unit on Shakespeare's Twelfth Night. During the unit, I showed videos of Elizabethan dances, and students watched a dance lesson on Youtube. The students then had a Twelfth Night party where they danced a variety of dances from the time period. While the dances are hundreds of years old, the students had fun learning the dance steps and danced around the room with each other. This activity gave students the opportunity to put themselves in the time period and learn about the music and dances during Shakespeare's time period .
All of my students have benefited from your donation to my classroom. Teenagers love music, so when my students found out that we will be listening to music, they were very excited. I have quite a few students who are musicians in the school's band, jazz band, and orchestra. I also teach several students who sing in the school's choral program. Many of these students were very eager to participate in these activities because of their love for music. I teach several students who are dancers, and they had fun trying new dances. I also found that the students who are typically shy and quiet liked these activities. It gave them a chance to break out of their shells and do something different in their English class. This project gave students exposure to songs that many of them had never heard before. It was great to see their reactions to the music and hear them talk about the lyrics and themes.
A few weeks ago, my students worked on the poetry unit. It was so wonderful to show them slam poetry and performance poetry online. Your donation also made this experience a valuable one. Students loved watching poets perform their poems. It made them realize that poetry does not simply belong on the page; it is an art form that is active and engaging.
I cannot thank you enough for your generous contribution. The speakers and headphones have helped my students listen and learn so much about a variety of topics. Your donation has enriched my classroom to be a place where interdisciplinary learning encourages students to seek new horizons in literature, poetry, music, and dance. I look forward to using and sharing these resources with future students.”
With gratitude,
Ms. Sparagis