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Using Music as the
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Nick Zomer, a seventh-grade life science teacher at Mill Creek Middle School in Woodstock, loves to experiment with technology, especially BYOT/BYLD. He holds a master’s degree in Education in Technology Integration in the Classroom from Walden University. Zomer, a graduate of PAGE Teacher Academy, serves on the PAGE Board of Directors. This PAGE One column features technology-in-the-classroom advice from tech-savvy Georgia educators.
Technology in the Classroom:
Using Music as the Heartbeat of Instruction
By Nick Zomer, Life Science Teacher at Mill Creek Middle School (Cherokee)
My school district recently adopted a Bring Your Learning Device initiative. I embraced it quickly in my classroom, but right away, my students asked if they could listen to their personal music via their devices while they worked. I was hesitant. Would their music be appropriate for school? After hearing the same concerns from my colleagues, I decided to do a little field test: I allowed students to listen to their music while working on independent assignments. Almost immediately, I observed something unseen in my middle school classroom: silent working with intense focus. Students who were normally off task and disruptive began to pay attention to their assigned task. While the occasional student would forget where he or she was and begin to sing along to their music, the vast majority were working harder than I had seen in quite some time.
This stunning observation made me realize just how connected students today are to music. Music is the backbone of their lives. For many students, music is more than just something to entertain them for a few minutes or hours. It is their sense of identity and an expression of their emotions and attitudes. Unlike in past generations, students today have a seemingly endless catalog of music at their fingertips.
A HOOK INTO LEARNING
The experience led me to understand that I could use music to help hook my students into learning; I just had to use it as a part of my delivery. Because I’m not vocally gifted, and therefore singing for my students was out of the question, I searched for science-related songs. The results were plentiful. Current and former popular groups have released numerous albums of educational songs, and I found a wealth of rewritten songs waiting to be streamed into the classroom. Since then, music has been the heartbeat of the instruction in my classroom. Each lesson or unit has a theme song — and the best part is that I do not have to sing!
Video sharing sites, such as YouTube, are ripe with musical choices for the classroom. Teachers, students and classes have already uploaded to the site thousands of songs and videos on a wide range of topics. Some of the songs are highly creative and interesting; others fall short. My students love the work of Mr. Parr (youtube. com/parrmr). The musician-educator rewrites
When I first play a Mr. Parr song, the students think it’s corny and try to sing the “real” lyrics. But after a few days, they begin to sing along with the educational lyrics and start to carry that information into other parts of the instruction.
the lyrics of well-known songs to fit a wide range of middle and high school science topics. His videos consist of an artist singing the contentrelated song over a karaoke track. The lyrics are included so that the students can see the information. Whenever I play a Mr. Parr song, the students usually laugh at first at how corny the songs are and they try to sing the “real” lyrics. However, after a few days of repetitive playing, they begin to sing along with the educational lyrics and start to carry that information into other parts of the instruction.
Music allows varied forms of instructional methodology. After playing a song a few times, I pause it for discussion. My auditory learners benefit from associating the information with a rhythm or beat. They also hear the information presented in a different manner than how I would present it. The different word choices and explanations deepen understanding. My visual learners benefit from seeing the information presented through the lyrics. My rhythmic or kinesthetic learners focus on the beat and begin to make mental connections.
YouTube videos span all topics. Mr. Duey (youtube.com/mrduey1) has several original songs relating to math. Flocabulary (youtube. com/flocabularyYT) songs cover current events, history, language arts and more. Simply searching for songs related to your topic will yield numerous possibilities. And don’t overlook the classics. For example, Disney-ABC’s “Schoolhouse Rock” is available on YouTube. Many songs, even though they were written 20 or more years ago, can still promote learning. Everyone remember “Conjunction Junction?”
Of course, not all songs will work for your lessons. Be sure to preview the song or video before using it. Make sure, too, that the resource doesn’t require you to reteach everything.
LET STUDENTS REWRITE LYRICS
If you cannot find just the right song to address your content, let your students create the resource. After all,
in order for them to properly convey information via lyrics, they must understand the topic well. Keep the students’ initial foray into education songwriting simple. Before having them attempt to rewrite the lyrics to a current song, have them begin with a nursery rhyme or a simple childhood song, such as “Twinkle Twinkle Little Star.” Let the students know that their song does not have to match the exact lyrical patterns of the original song.
When I began using music to reinforce learning, I was highly skeptical. But then students told me they would play songs for their families and explain the lyrics. Other students told me that they would get stuck on a CRCT question, but would then remember a song we used in class and determine the correct answer. The biggest example of success occurred in the school gym during Field Day. When the If you cannot find just the original version of a song that I had used in class was right song to address your played, most students sung content, let your students the original lyrics, but the students from my science classes create the resource. After all, belted out the science version in order for them to properly — and they sang louder than their peers. Since that day, convey information via lyrics, music has been a cornerstone they must understand the of my instructional approach. I do not see that changing topic well. anytime soon. n
Educational Video & Song Sites
Science Mr. Parr
Math
Flocabulary youtube.com/parrmr
youtube.com/mrduey1
youtube.com/flocabularyYT
