Building+a+Musical+Identity

=Building a Musical Identity=

This unit explores the essential question, "How is identity constructed?" through music. For the final project in this 8th grade General Music class, the students will showcase their musical identities by creating an Animoto project that features pictures/videos of themselves, short sentences, and at least 10 tracks that help define their identity. The students will gain the skills necessary for this project by considering how/why our brain likes the music it does (from a biological standpoint), lyrical content, childhood/parental influences, cultural impacts, and social aspects (listening to music in groups).

Often when a student is asked "Why do you like this song?" the answer is "I don't know, I just do." Many times, however, the reason why it resonates with him/her can be attributed to one of the above factors. Furthermore, by choosing to listen to the music we do, we create identities that can be put forth into the world; we may judge other people, and other people may judge us. These judgements can have effects and consequences, both good and bad.

The following resources all tie back to the 5 building blocks mentioned above.

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5 Text-based Resources:
1) This is Your Brain on Music Daniel Levitin Readability - Flesch-Kincaid level 12.0

2) In Teen Music Choices, Anxiety Rules Abigail Baird Readability: Flesch-Kincaid level 10.8

3) Why Your Brain Loves That New Song Paul Gabrielson Readability: Flesch-Kincaid level 9.5

4) Do You Remember The Songs of Your Childhood? Peter Hautlaub Readability: Flesch-Kincaid level 8.4

5) Brad Paisley's 'Accidental Racist' And The History Of White Southern Musical Identity Eric Weisbard Readability - Flesch-Kincaid level 12.0

5 Web-based Resources:
1) Clerk at a Ghana Post Office

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2) Animoto This is the web program from which the students will create their final project.

3) Pink Floyd Live in Berlin

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Beethoven's 9th symphony, live in Berlin

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4) Brad Paisley f/ LL Cool J -- "Accidental Racist"

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5) How To Express Yourself Through Clothes and Hair

5 Unique Resources:
1) Musical Preference Test

2) Lyrics.com

3) Songmeanings.net

4) Billboard Top 100

5) A PDF file showing the relationship between musical complexity and the brain's interest. While the ideas for this chart stem from Dan Levitin's "This is Your Brain on Music," the chart itself is my creation.

Also, I'm leaving this video that Ian put here in class. It made me cackle profusely! media type="youtube" key="H7Xyboh6GpY?rel=0" width="560" height="315"