Curriculum Project Alexandra Finnie

Professor: Dr. Avery

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Kitchen Music

Rationale/Reflection: One of the ways in which my experiences in this Masters program

have impacted my perception and approach toward teaching and learning concerns the concept
of music literacy. Before beginning this program, my definition of music literacy was limited to
reading musical notation. I had not considered the importance of including aural music skills as
part of music literacy. However, after this idea was introduced to me during my Creating
Vernacular Musicianship class in my first summer, it has continued to impact me throughout
many classes. I now define music literacy in two parts: (1) musical notation, and (2) aural skills
(ex: learn-by-ear). I have designed a curriculum based on the development of aural skills
because I wanted to explore this aspect of music literacy in more depth, and create a curriculum
that I can use in my current teaching situation.

Inspiration: The phrase, kitchen music, comes from Frank Campos album and philosophy.
Campos describes his concept of kitchen music as follows:
If all of your friends and loved ones were gathered in the kitchen, what would you play?
You would choose music you truly loved, and you would practice it over the months and
years to craft it into a beautiful thing. And when you played it, you would play it with all of
yourself. You would play it as if it is the last time you will ever play, every time -Frank
Campos
Essentially, Campos believes that music should be personal and meaningful. In order to create
his Kitchen Music album, he picked melodies that are meaningful to him, learned them by ear,
and then improvised around the melodies in order to make them uniquely personal to him.

Introduction: This curriculum is based on understanding the importance of aural skills, and
developing these skills as a part of music literacy/musicianship. Influenced by Judith Jellisons
chapter, How can all people continue to be involved in meaningful music education?, from
Vision 2020, the purpose of this curriculum is to equip students with tools and strategies for
developing their aural skills and learning melodies by ear, so that they can transfer their learning
to out-of-school contexts and continue to learn songs that they are interested in and passionate
about, at home and in the community, for life!

Enduring Understanding: Aural skills are an important component of musicianship.

Essential Question: To what extent do aural skills improve musicianship? (in student-friendly
language -How do good listening skills help me become a better musician?)
Outline/Progression: The transfer of ideas will follow Bruners Spiral Curriculum approach
moving from simple to complex ways of using aural skills (short melodic & rhythmic ideas folk
song melodies/rhythms pop song melodies/rhythms).
 Sequence of Learning Activities (descriptions)

Learning Activity #1: Melodic Contour -Students will listen to various songs and show the
melodic contour in several ways
Component #1: Students will listen to various songs (as introduced by the teacher) as a
class, and show the melodic contour. Students will explain why/how they showed the
contour by answering oral/discussion questions. This activity will be repeated several
times (10 minute segments on multiple days) so that students can explore different ways
of showing contour (ideas for ways in which they can show contour are listed in the
following chart).

Show the melodic contour through... Gardners Multiple Intelligence

Movement (hands, body, scarf) Kinesthetic

Manipulatives Spatial

Iconic Notation Visual

Singing Musical

Describing/Discussing Linguistic

Component #2: Students will split into small groups. Each group will listen to several
songs, pick one, work together to learn the melody, and sing it as a group. Then, they will
come up with a collective way to creatively show the melodic contour. Finally, students
will perform their songs for the class (singing & showing contour).
Component #3: The teacher will play several melodic patterns, and the students will echo
them (first by singing on solfege and using hand signs. Then, the students will infer how
the solfege may influence their ability to figure out how to play the melodic patterns on
their instruments. Lastly, students will play the melodic patterns (they will be given the
first note, but will need to experiment to figure out the other notes in the pattern).
Component #4: With partners: Students will improvise short melodic patterns, and the
other partner will echo them (by ear). Partner groups will discuss the melodic patterns
and evaluate responses (echos). Then, partners will exchange roles.
Throughout this unit, melodic patterns will gradually become longer and more complex,
and students will be able to answer the following questions (from discussions &
experiences): What are aural skills? What is a melody? What is melodic contour?

Learning Activity #2: Rhythm

Component #1: The teacher will play several rhythmic patterns, and the students will
echo them on their instruments. Then, student volunteers will improvise rhythmic
patterns, and the rest of the band will echo them on their instruments.
 Component #2: The teacher will provide an audio recording with a longer rhythmic
composition, and student groups will listen, and then analyze the rhythms (patterns?
form/repetition?). Students will work together in small groups to learn the rhythm, and will
show the rhythm using various manipulatives. Then, students will transfer the rhythm to
their instruments.
Component #3: Students will create rhythmic compositions (body percussion) - in small
groups. Then, student groups will perform their rhythmic compositions for the teacher.
Student groups will then be paired with another group. Each group will take turns
performing their compositions for the other group, and teaching them their rhythmic
compositions.

Learning Activity #3: Form

Component #1: The teacher will play several melodic patterns, and the students will echo
them (same as component 3 of learning activity #1). Then, the teacher will play the
various melodic ideas in different orders, and the students will analyze the form by
identifying patterns (discussions) and labeling the form using manipulatives (ABC
verse/chorus). Then, students will play these forms (combinations of melodic ideas) on
their instruments and/or singing. Students will also rearrange the patterns themselves to
create different forms (and then play them).
Component #2: Students will listen to several pop songs and discuss/label the form
(verse/chorus/bridge)
Component #3: Students will listen to a given melody (that is in verse/chorus/bridge form)
without text. Then, students will work in small groups to create their own appropriate
lyrics for the verses, chorus, and bridge that fit into the given melody and form. Then,
students will perform (sing) their songs for the class, following the correct form of the
melody.

Learning Activity #4: Folk Songs

Component #1: The teacher will play several folk songs and childrens songs (whole-part-
whole). The students will use manipulatives to organize the form while listening. Then,
students will learn the songs (singing -sections first, then the whole song).
Component #2: Students will learn a song by rote (echoing the teacher) - singing only
(solfege first, with hand signs, then words). Then, students will break into small groups
(similar instrumentation), and will work on figuring out sections of the song as a group on
their instruments.
Component #3: Students will listen to several interpretations of the folk song, listen to the
words of the song, and practice responding to the text and style through their
performance of the song. Then, students will split into groups, and group members will
listen and critique each other. Then, they will rehearse, record and perform their songs
for the teacher.
(Component #4 -optional challenge project!: Students will learn a folk song/childrens
song by rote (echoing the teacher & using a video/recording). Then, students will
individually figure it out on their instruments.)
Final Project & Performance
Step #1: Students will pick three songs that they enjoy (based on the melody, rhythm,
and form) -the teacher will listen to each choice and decide which ones may be more
accessible for students current ability levels, and share these suggestions with the
students. Then, students will decide which melody they want to learn for this project.
Step #2: Students will work independently. They will listen to the song and learn the
melody by ear. Students will play their songs for a peer (other than this activity, the rest of
this project is individually based). The classmate will critique and provide suggestions
and specific compliments. Then, students will work independently again to practice and
refine their melodic performances.
Step #3: Students will perform their melody on their instrument.
Students will reflect on their learning process and their performance.

How do good listening skills help me become a better musician?

+
(Proficient) (Advanced)
(Emerging)

Melodic Contour Students respond with Students respond with Students confidently
little accuracy to the a moderately high level and accurately respond
melodic prompt of accuracy to the to the melodic prompt
melodic prompt

Rhythm Students respond with Students respond with Students confidently

little accuracy to the a moderately high level and accurately respond
 rhythmic prompt of accuracy to the to the rhythmic prompt
rhythmic prompt

Form Within three listening Within three listening Within three listening
opportunities, students opportunities, students opportunities, students
will identify few aspects will correctly identify will correctly identify the
of the form most of the aspects of form
the form

Core Question Students can describe Students can describe Students can describe
how their listening skills how their listening skills how their listening skills
have improved, and have improved and can have improved, and can
what listening skills are, explain why listening articulate ways that
but include little skills can be helpful to these skills are helping
mention of their developing them be better
purpose/importance musicianship musicians