Grade 5 Composition Project - Introduction and History

For the past several years I have had my grade 5 general music students do a composition project.  At its beginnings I had a classroom set up with 6 iMacs with Finale Notepad installed.  The students worked in groups of three to create a rondo melody.  After handwriting thier melody they then put it into Finale for a polished copy and so they could hear the melodies they created and make any changes if they wanted to.  The whole class would listen to each melody at the end of the unit.

I lost my room and my computers two years later and the project needed to be changed simply because instead of going forward with technology I was set backward.  I had to play each melody the students created on my keyboard, but I had the students take it a step further and they had to add harmony to the project.  I would then play and burn all the original rondo compositions onto a CD to be played and evaluated in class. (This project took up to 10 hours for me to complete - usually over April vacation!) I added two extra assessment pieces by having the students assess themselves and by having the class assess the other projects.  

With the upcoming revisions to the national music standards (as well as the time constraints to complete these projects) I decided to change up the project again.

I have set the wheels in motion this year.  We have reviewed rhythm, meter, tone color of instruments, rhythm and pitch notation, and dynamics. We have studied various composers, read music and performed melodies and harmonies on various instruments (boomwhackers, xylophones) and listened for form in music.  All of these things have built them up to complete this project.  I am making this project this year VERY student centered.

I will document how this goes this year so I can reflect and make changes - perhaps get some advice from any of you out there who are participating in the project or who are attempting a project like this yourselves.

Check back for more information!

Mrs. Kerri Greco