http://musicroomburns.net/2/post/2011/05/project-based-learning-in-elementary-music-class.html

Written by Amy M. Burns

Project Based Learning in Elementary Music Class05/26/2011 0 Comment(s) Even though I am currently on maternity leave, I am thinking about the second graders at my school today because they are completing a project-based learning assignment that the second grade teachers, the Chinese teacher, the Spanish teacher, the drama teacher, and I have been collaborating on all school year. Project Based Learning revolves around an essential question that the students answer utilizing a collaborative process of investigation over a period of time. The second graders studied immigration and empathy and their essential question was "What was the experience of an immigrant?" In music class, we studied the life of Maria von Trapp and integrated the immigration and empathy unit into a SMART Board project that made the students think about why the von Trapps immigrated to America and what they would do if they were "walking in the von Trapp's shoes." This project culminates today with a huge Heritage Festival with the students ending the festival by stating some facts they learned about the von Trapps and singing four songs from The Sound of Music.  We began this project in the 09-10 school year, but developed it more during this current school year. I was thrilled to collaborate with the teachers to teach this project. When the students were learning about the von Trapps in music class and learning about their trials and tribulations of immigrating to America, I was extremely impressed with their thoughtful insights. Some were:  When asked about leaving the country (I typed what they said):  "Confused because you are just a kid and you do not really know how you are going to adjust to a new life because you are used to your life." "Scared going to a new place." "Scared because I would never know what people would be like in America." Walking in the parents shoes: "Overwhelmed, because I want my family to be happy and safe and you don't want your kids to be unhappy." Other questions that were posed dealt with living in a country with a very harsh leader, what it would feel like to lose everything you had, and how you would feel turning a hobby into a profession. It was a wonderful and extremely insightful project that I look forward to continuing and completing next school year.