Music Journal Topics

FULL CLASS IN-CLASS MUSIC JOURNAL TOPICS

These topics are not to be used as make-up music journal assignments. The teacher will choose which of these assignments you will do during class as a class. These are expected to be thought-out and answered completely. The student's name, and the date of the assignment must be placed in the top margin empty space by the student. On the top line, the student needs to re-write the number of the journal topic and may shorten its description as long as it can be clearly understood by the teacher. Include the opening and closing summary statements, with as much cited material from any other sources as possible in the body of your journal. These will be graded on quality of the response as opposed to just quantity, though the journal should be one-half to one whole page of neatly handwritten and well organized paragraphs.

These are due by the end of the class period and may be reassigned more than once each year or during a student's career at this school. The original copy of the assignments turned will be kept on file with the teacher to ensure that the student does not copy a previously completed article by themselves or by another student. The teacher will provide a photocopy of the completed assignment once it has been graded and commented upon.

1. Write a short poem that could be set to music. (You may wish to have students use a recorder, keyboard, or other instrument to create a tune for their poems.)

2. “The Star-Spangled Banner” was named our national anthem in 1931. Some people think “America, The Beautiful” would be a better national anthem. List possible reasons “The Star-Spangled Banner” was selected. (You may wish to have students compare the lyrics of these two songs.)

3. (Show students a work of art by Claude Monet and then play an impressionistic piece of music, such as Claude Debussy’s “Claire de Lune.” Explain that both are referred to as “impressionistic.”) Describe the similarities and the differences between impressionistic art and impressionistic music.

4. (Show an example of abstract art, such as Picasso’s “Three Musicians,” and play a recorded example of atonal music, such as Arnold Schoenberg’s twelve tone music. Explain that both abstract art and atonal music were created in the 20th century.) Explain how abstract art and atonal music are similar and how they are different.

5. Some of the best-loved music in the world includes the sound of violins. Try to put the sound into words. (You may wish to play recorded violin music as students complete this activity.)

6. [Play excerpts of music from the romantic era that demonstrate pleasantness in harmony (consonance), such as Jean Sibelius’s “Finlandia,” and excerpts from the 20th century that demonstrate harshness in harmony (dissonance), such as Igor Stravinsky’s orchestral music.] Listen carefully to these two excerpts, then describe some of the differences you hear.

7. (On a keyboard or other instrument, play a major chord, arpeggio, and/or music in the major tonality. Then play a minor chord, arpeggio and/or music in the minor tonality.) Describe the differences in sound between major and minor music. Which do you prefer? Why?

8. (Have students complete this journal activity as they listen to Beethoven’s Fifth Symphony.) Describe the scene that comes to your mind as you listen to and concentrate on this music.

9. Use percussion instruments to create a “sound story” for a poem. For example, consider the song “Hickory Dickory Dock.” One could use a wood block to create the tick-tock sound throughout. One could play a xylophone glissando up for “the mouse ran up” and down for the “mouse ran down.” The sound of a chime or gong could mark “the clock struck one.”

10. Create a catchy “song” made up of a list of at least ten words whose rhythms work well together. Write the words and write musical notes or long and short lines to show their rhythms. Now write lyrics (not just individual words) that follow the same rhythm.