High School General Music Unit Plan Overview

Name: Diana Lambert

Unit Topic: Analyzing aspects of video game audio and ultimately composing audio to accompany a specic video of your choice.

Unit Description: Music is often used as a means to evoke/portray emotion, which we often use in lm music. Much like lm music, video game music often has the goal of affecting the individual(s) participating in the experience. This unit seeks to explore the effects of music on the human psyche, as well as introduce the use of sounds/sound effects and their relationship to imagery.

Put Some Feelin Into It

Overview
In this lesson, students will delve deeper into the emotional qualities of sounds by analyzing how sounds create an emotional atmosphere for the video game player.

General Music Grades 9-12

Materials
Worksheet Musical excerpts Video clips

Objectives
Students will be able to: Match an emotion with different types of music Create a storyline based on music Analyze the relationship between the music and their emotional responses

Activities
Homework Share Listening activity o Play music and have students write their emotional response

Class Discussion Play clips from video games/lms and using a worksheet, think of what story or feeling the music is trying to portray o View the scenes from which the music came and compare their prior responses to the action in the scene.

Evaluation
Sharing of homework Worksheet Participation in discussion

Composition Part 1
Overview
In this lesson, students will be introduced to their nal project and will compose short themes based on a certain emotion.

General Music Grades 9-12

Materials
Final Project Rubric Garage Band

Objectives
Students will be able to: Identify the aspects of fun and happy music Create a two bar melodic theme that ts this emotion Evaluate their peers work

Activities
Introduce nal project Class discussion o What sounds/instruments/etc. make you feel happy/ funny?

TPT: Group Work o o Create a two bar melodic theme that ts this emotion. Share in class

Evaluation
Participation in group discussion Participation in group activity Composition

Composition Part 2
Overview
In this lesson, students will continue to compose short themes based on a certain emotion.

General Music Grades 9-12

Materials
Garage Band

Objectives
Students will be able to: Identify the aspects of sad, serious and scary music Create a two bar melodic theme that ts this emotion Evaluate their peers work

Activities
Class discussion o What sounds/instruments/etc. make you feel sad/ scared/serious?

TPT: Group Work o o Create a four bar melodic theme that ts this emotion. Share in class

Evaluation
Participation in group discussion Participation in group activity Composition

Composition Part 3
Overview
In this lesson, students will continue to compose short themes based on a certain emotion.

General Music Grades 9-12

Materials
Garage Band

Objectives
Students will be able to: Identify the aspects of driving/active/fast paced music Create an eight bar melodic theme that ts this emotion Evaluate their peers work

Activities
Class discussion o What sounds/instruments/etc. make you feel active/ antsy/adrenaline rush?

TPT: Group Work o Create an eight bar melodic theme that ts these emotions. Share in class

Evaluation
Participation in group discussion Participation in group activity Composition

Research Development
Overview

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General Music Grades 9-12

Materials
Television/Media carts Video game systems Video games Worksheet

In this lesson, students will research the effects of visual/musical content in video games on the player, in order to later apply their ndings in their nal project.

Objectives
Students will be able to: Identify the aspects of driving/active/fast paced music Create an eight bar melodic theme that ts this emotion Evaluate their peers work

Activities
Directions for video game playing/research o o Rules for game playing Review worksheet what will they be looking for

TPT: Group work o o Take turns playing for two minutes each During each turn, non playing group members will be recording observations and keeping track of time After everyone has their turn, discuss their ndings as a group

Class Discussion on ndings

Evaluation
Participation in group discussion Participation in group activity Worksheet 6

Foley Sounds
Overview
In this lesson, students will record their own diegetic sounds for their nal project using the Foley method.

General Music Grades 9-12

Materials
Garage Band

Objectives
Students will be able to: Identify the aspects of driving/active/fast paced music Create an eight bar melodic theme that ts this emotion Evaluate their peers work

Activities
Do Now: group discussion o How do you think diegetic sounds are created in lm/ video games?

Introducing the Foley method o Watch short clip of the Foley method

TPT: Group work o Create and record diegetic sounds using the Foley method for their nal project

Class Discussion on process/experience

Evaluation
Participation in group discussion Participation in group activity Production of diegetic sounds

Workshop (Three Days)

Overview
In these lessons, students will be creating and nalizing their composition projects.

General Music Grades 9-12

Materials
Garage Band

Objectives
Students will be able to: Identify the aspects of driving/active/fast paced music Create an eight bar melodic theme that ts this emotion Evaluate their peers work

Activities
Work in groups on nal project o o Day 1: Creating the nal written plan Day 2: Recording/Creating diegetic/non-diegetic sounds Day 3: Mixing and editing

Evaluation
Participation in group activity Production of diegetic/non-diegetic sounds Composition

Peer Evaluation
Overview
In this lesson, students will present their nal compositions and evaluate their peers.

General Music Grades 9-12

Materials
Recordings Video clips Evaluation forms

Objectives
Students will be able to: Identify the aspects of driving/active/fast paced music Create an eight bar melodic theme that ts this emotion Evaluate their peers work

Activities
Presentation o o o Explain their process Show audio with video clip Answer class questions

Evaluation o Audience members will ll out an evaluation form for each group Presenters will ll out an evaluation form for themselves and their group members

Evaluation
Participation in group presentation Final composition Evaluation forms