What is Muzak? Sixth Grade General Music Objectives: Learners will understand the various uses of music in public venues. Learners will describe musical qualities. Learners will perceive music differently as they hear it in public. Focusing Question: In what ways does music play a role in stores and restaurants? Materials: Homework data sheet (see appended pages) Group Participant Form (see appended pages) Problematize: The teacher should prepare a mash up clip of six versions of Somewhere Over the Rainbow. At the beginning of class, tell the students that you were at the mall and recorded six different songs. We will listen to them now and then you can guess which stores I visited. On the board should be written Where Did I Hear It? with six lines underneath for the guesses. Listen to the entire mash-up and then go back clip by clip to discuss which stores the music could be appropriate for. Take two or three stores for each clip then have the class vote on the best. Be sure students are using correct terminology. Guide them to listen for instrumentation, texture, and rhythm/ beat. (30 minutes) Hand out the Homework Data Sheet and discuss the homework. The teacher and students should complete a mock example. The following should be written on the board prior to class: (10 minutes) Homework!When you are out, do the following: Gather 5 songs that you hear in stores, restaurants, or other places you go. Write where you were, the song or genre you heard, and 2 musical characteristics about the song. If you use Good or bad you will not receive credit.
Prescribe: The teacher should ask students to share one of their examples with the class. (10 minutes) Ask these questions: What is the purpose of music in your store? What musical characteristics attract people to your store? Detract? Divide the class into small groups. Each group is assigned to a store (Abercrombie, Toys R Us, Zumies, Macy s, Apple Store). Each group should fill out the group participant form and return it to the teacher before leaving class. Each individual from the group should answer the following questions for homework written on the board: Who makes up the market that your public venue seeks to attract? How does your public venue attract its consumers (advertising, music, etc...). Be specific. What role does music play in your public venue s advertising and in-store experience? What type of music is played or not played and why? What musical characteristics are common in the music? Ask students to research musical characteristics that can be applied to their music. Personalize: Each group is then charged to develop a playlist of five songs that might be heard in the public venue. Using musical terms, each group should discuss then justify why each song was placed on the playlist. Responses must be a minimum of one paragraph per selection and be well-written and contain indepth musical analysis. Perform: Each group will play 30 second clips from two selections on their playlist. Other students, without knowing what venue the groups represent, will attempt to guess which venue the groups represent. Acceptable responses will include a venue and three justifications as to why the musical examples might represent that venue. Assessment: Students will be assessed based on group participation. Individual written student work will be worth 50% of the total grade; the group grade will account for the remaining 50%
Group Participation Form Please return this completed form to Mr. Keilman before leaving class. Your Group s Public Venue: Group Participants: 1) 2) 3) 4) 5) 6) 7) 8) 9) 10) Group Participation Form Please return this completed form to Mr. Keilman before leaving class. Your Group s Public Venue: Group Participants: 1) 2) 3) 4) 5) 6) 7) 8)
9) 10)
Public Place Song or Type of Music Musical Characteristic One Musical Characteristic Two