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May 2012

Score Sheet: Music Composition in the Classroom

Submitted by Joann on Fri, 2012-05-25 16:01


A couple of years ago, some music educators held a Twitter chat to discuss which topics they felt were important to teach students in the music classroom. Many of the teachers mentioned that music composition was given short shrift, and that it should be taught much more widely, and given much more prominence, in the music curriculum.

Peggy's companion column: 
The Sound of Music: Using Music in the Regular Classroom
Resources mentioned in this post: 
Percussion Composition
Commercial Jingle
Earthquake Symphonies

The Bad Place: Why Kids Love Dystopias

Submitted by Joann on Fri, 2012-05-18 17:17


Dystopian literature is hot.

In the school media center where I volunteer one morning each week, books like The Hunger Games trilogy fly off the shelves. The waiting list for each of the books in the series numbers into the double digits, and students are constantly checking in to see if a copy has been returned early. Ditto for the City of Ember series, The Giver, Unwind, and The Maze Runner trilogy. While classics such as Animal Farm, Fahrenheit 451, and Lord of the Flies are less popular, we’ve still seen a noticeable uptick in the number of copies circulating this year. What’s the big deal with dystopian novels?

Peggy's companion column: 
A Hunger for Controversy: Exploring Controversial Topics Through Literature
Resources mentioned in this post: 
Lesson 6. Dystopia
Odd Games! In The Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins
Decoding the Dystopian Characteristics of Macintosh's "1984" Commercial

iLearn, uLearn: Using iPads in the Classroom

Submitted by Joann on Fri, 2012-05-11 18:02


Mobile tablets are one of the most innovative and versatile tech tools to come on the market in recent years, and their application to teaching and learning has made quick inroads in schools. It’s been just over two years since the first generation of iPads became available to consumers, and an entire industry has developed around the technology – much of it focused on education. While still prohibitively expensive for many public schools, other schools have been quick to adopt iPads and integrate them into the curriculum. Aside from being light, portable, and snazzy, just what types of benefits do tablets offer over laptops, desktops, and e-books?

Peggy's companion column: 
i Love It! Using Electronic Devices in Class
Resources mentioned in this post: 
Elementary iPad Integrated Lessons
Fractions and Percentages: Number Line Activity!
To Kill a Mockingbird

Get Moving: National Physical Education & Sport Week

Submitted by Joann on Fri, 2012-05-04 14:49


Each May, the nation celebrates National Physical Fitness and Sports Month. Across the country, physical education teachers, fitness instructors, coaches, nutritionists, and others concerned with human health and wellness promote the advantages of physical exercise. The benefits of proper exercise and nutrition are well known for both older people as well as for children, and the month-long awareness campaign prompts many people to make healthy lifestyle changes. An offshoot of the campaign is National Physical Education and Sport Week on May 1-7, which focuses on physical education and activity for K-12 students.

Peggy's companion column: 
We like to Move It Move It
Resources mentioned in this post: 
Hungry Crabs
Jogging Journal
Ridgerunner