Learning Page Chat, December 16, 2004:

Music in America

BjB: |** ANNOUNCEMENT: The Library of Congress Learning Page Chat is starting in the ASO. The topic is Music in America. To participate click on the online tab to the left of the chat window, single click on LeniD and then click on the door icon **|

MichaelH: first, does everyone know how to "detach" the chat window to make it bigger?
KathyAD: no
MichaelH: ok, Kathy do you see a drop down window with the word ACTIONS on it... should be toward the right middle of the bottom of the window.
KathyAD: ok got it
MichaelH: click on that, and you should see the word "DETACH" ; select that, and it makes the chat window bigger
MichaelH: Next announcement...
KathyAD: thanks
MichaelH: remember, Leni shows us a lot of great resources, but you want to make sure to keep up with the discussion, too
MichaelH: remember that all the URLs are in the transcript
MichaelH: so you can go back to them at your leisure
MichaelH: ok.

MichaelH: next, let's do introductions... would everyone tell us who you are, what you teach, where you're located geographically:
MichaelH is a technology curriculum facilitator in a school district in southwestern Indiana
KathyAD: Kathy History Teacher Navasota Texas
LeniD: Leni is the coordinator of the Learning Page Project at the Library of Congress.
MichaelH looks to TI veteran BJ to say hello :)
BJB2 waves hi

LeniD: Here we go. Thanks for the intro, Michael. Welcome to all :-)
LeniD: Song and dance enrich our lives. Thomas Jefferson described music as, “... the favorite passion of my soul.” Music does have an ability to reach us deeply...to touch us in ways few things do.
LeniD: Victor Hugo put it another ways...he said, "Music expresses that which cannot be put into words and that which cannot remain silent."
LeniD: A beautiful operatic aria or classical symphony have moved me in this way.
BJB2 sighs happily
LeniD: Music evokes such strong feelings... almost inexplicably.
LeniD: Does this make sense to you? Have you had this experience?
LeniD: BJ seems to understand :-)
MichaelH has
LeniD: And then there is this wonderful thought... “Words make you think a thought. Music makes you feel a feeling. A song makes you feel a thought.”--E.Y. Harburg
LeniD: What do you think of Harburg's sentiment?
MichaelH . o O ( wonder if he thought about that "over the rainbow" :) )
LeniD: Hmm... I wonder now, too!
MichaelH: well, that song certainly makes you "feel a thought"

LeniD: Yes...many songs do that for me, Michael.
LeniD: Today, kids are hooked up to portable music systems or plugged into music on their computers. What do you think music means to your students?
KathyAD: Center of their lives- which is why I think they will learn better using them
LeniD: Very central to their lives, Kathy... agreed!
LeniD: What music is moving to our students?
KathyAD: Any kind- I don't think it has to be current "in" tunes
MichaelH: I wonder if it's the same music that is "moving" to us, Leni?
LeniD: Maybe the better question is simply, what does the music they listen to say about them? About what they care about?
MichaelH: It's interesting how people might have looked at Bob Dylan 40 years ago, and now see that music as almost "classical"
LeniD: I'm so glad to hear that Kathy and Michael...it's reaffirming.
LeniD: Good point, Michael.
KathyAD: I'm finding some of my students are Jimi Hendrix fans, etc.
MichaelH . o O ( nothing wrong with Jimi :) )
SusanR: and Beatles fans
LeniD: Retro! :-)
MichaelH: Sue, didn't someone consider "In My Life" as the greatest song of the 20th Century?
LeniD: Do you use music with your students in your classroom?
SusanR: hmm
KathyAD: I've used some- want to use more. Battle of New Orleans, Billy Joel's We Didn't Start the Fire, Woody Guthrie, used some of the current 9-11 songs when studying terrorism.
SusanR: I remember using" If I had a Million Dollars"..connected it with math
LeniD: Aha..you are using it in MANY ways, Ladies :-)

LeniD: The Library of Congress has many music related items that can be shared with your students. Let’s take a look at what’s available...
LeniD: Ready?
MichaelH is
SusanR: Joy to the world...
KathyAD: Yep

LeniD: In this article written for The Source (a Learning Page publication comprised of articles written and submitted by practicing educators), author Donna Levene shares her use of sheet music in a curricular context.
http://www.loc.gov/learn/community/am_newsletter/article.php?id=27&catname=teaching%20ideas
MichaelH reminds all to take a second and look, but scamper back here asap

LeniD: Have you ever used sheet music with your students?
KathyAD: No
LeniD: Does Donna’s lesson give you ideas, Kathy?
KathyAD: Believe it will when I have a chance to look it over.
LeniD: That certainly helps :-)

LeniD: Educator Laura Singleton wrote this article for The Source....see what you think...
http://www.loc.gov/learn/community/am_newsletter/article.php?id=26&catname=teaching%20ideas
KathyAD: Looks interesting
LeniD: You can design some powerful learning experiences with historic sheet music or sound recordings.
LeniD: Take some time to revisit these articles..
LeniD: Sheet music and song lyrics are terrific vehicles for learning about a time.

LeniD: Now... let’s listen to some recordings...
American Variety Stage recordings
http://memory.loc.gov/ammem/vshtml/vssnde.html
MichaelH: those are great resources, Leni!
KathyAD: Look forward to using these
I laugh every time I listen to the Laughing Record... don't miss it!
MichaelH envisions Leni chuckling while on her keyboard...

LeniD: Home Sweet Home...Life in Nineteenth-Century Ohio...
http://lcweb2.loc.gov/cocoon/ihas/html/ohio/ohio.html

MichaelH: Leni, how long do pages like these usually remain active on the LOC site? In other words, if a teacher wanted to use these next year, or year after next, will they generally still be available?
LeniD: They remain indefinitely, Michael.
KathyAD: How will we be able to access them after this session?
LeniD: Kathy, the log of the chat session will have all the links I showed.
MichaelH: Kathy, you'll get a transcript, and the links will be "live" so you can visit at your convenience
KathyAD: Good- I've been looking for songs to add to my class
LeniD: We also publish the chat logs on the Learning Page and on Tapped In.

LeniD: Patriotic Melodies...
http://lcweb2.loc.gov/cocoon/ihas/html/patriotic/patriotic-home.html
LeniD: There are certainly times of the year when these tunes will come in handy!
MichaelH was looking at "Hail to the Chief"...
LeniD: Ah, yes... in the next month that will be an often heard tune.
SusanR Listens to some old Gershwin tunes
LeniD: Nice, aren't they, Susan?
SusanR also listens to Hail to the Chief
LeniD: Take your time... there are many songs worth listening to in Patriotic Melodies!
SusanR: a nice way to set the tone for a social studies class
LeniD: Definitely, Susan!

LeniD: Now this one may be unexpected from the Library of Congress.. Dolly Parton, A Patchwork Quilt! Have fun exploring...
http://lcweb2.loc.gov/cocoon/ihas/html/dollyparton/dolly-home.html
MichaelH one of Suzie's co-workers is a BIG Dolly fan... I should give him the URL for this one :)

LeniD: How about... Children’s Songs from America’s Library...
http://www.americaslibrary.gov/cgi-bin/page.cgi/sh/kidsongs
Be sure to move to page two and be yond... listen to Singing Games, etc.
BJB2 thinks Sue must be in heaven!
MichaelH: Leni is the kids' songs site geared to any particular grade level?
LeniD: I don't think so, Michael. I think these could be used in different ways at many grade levels, don't you?
SusanR: I am taking myself back to a gentler time!!
MichaelH: yes, I do... I could even see these used on the high school level...
LeniD: Yes, music, particularly song lyrics, tell the story of a time and a people.

LeniD: Let's take a look at some lesson plans that incorporate music...
Stand Up and Sing for grades 7-12
http://www.loc.gov/learn/lessons/99/sing/intro.html
KathyAD: Ah- this is great- exactly what I've been looking for.
LeniD: Terrific, Kathy!
MichaelH: This would be great when you study the Progressive Era
LeniD: Yes, indeed:-)

LeniD: In this lesson for grades 6-8, Nature’s Fury...
the authors include sheet music and sound recordings to illustrate nature’s power. Enter the lesson and scroll down to the Gallery of Artifacts at the bottom of the page...
http://www.loc.gov/learn/lessons/00/nature/index.html

DenioC: Hi for everyone. I'm teaching Brazilian Culture for Account students and use music to explain about the social reality of my country - Brazil.
LeniD: Excellent, Denio! Music is a window on social realities!
MichaelH: Hi, Denio...
MichaelH: Leni's brought us some great resources on music tonight

LeniD: This lesson for grades 11-12 examines the tension experienced by African-Americans during the Gilded Age and includes a study of sheet music as a reflection of cultural attitudes. See if this gives you ideas for your classroom...
Two Unreconciled Strivings
http://www.loc.gov/learn/lessons/98/two/index.html

LeniD: In America Dreams (grades 4-12) students complete an interdisciplinary WebQuest to learn the story of a decade in American history, as they help define the American Dream. One of the roles students can explore is the role of a musician.
http://www.loc.gov/learn/lessons/97/dream/index.html

KathyAD: Are there many sources like these on your web site?
BJB2: Kathy, Leni does an LOC presentation each month
KathyAD: Great!
BJB2: you can see the archived transcripts at www.tappedin.org/transcripts
BJB2: each one is packed with fabulous resources and information
KathyAD: Good-- Thanks
LeniD: We post them on the Learning Page, too...
http://www.loc.gov/learn/community/chat/chattranscripts.html

LeniD: Let me share one more resource...
An American Ballroom Companion...
http://memory.loc.gov/ammem/dihtml/dihome.html
Scroll down to the special presentations and explore.
Be sure to try at least one video clip ... I think you will be hooked:-)
MichaelH: these are cool, Leni!
KathyAD: This could be fun!
LeniD: I love these, Michael. They certainly tell a lot about the social mores of a time :-)
LeniD: Definitely, Kathy!
MichaelH: they sure do...

DenioC: I use the local music to introduce the relations between work and art. At the school area there are many traditional groups of music. It's name are "Congado" and the artist origin from the slaves, from Africa. Music, history (cultural origin) and workplace are work at the same time in classroom
LeniD: That sounds wonderful, Denio.

MichaelH: I wonder, Leni, do you think 100 years from now kids will be looking at "how to dance the twist" or "how to dance the frug" pages on the LOC site? :)
SusanR: A great resource, Leni
LeniD: This is but the tip of the iceberg...
LeniD: Visit the Music in America Community Center to find many more resources to explore at your leisure...
http://www.loc.gov/learn/community/cc_music.php
Here you will find everything I shared tonight and a good deal more. Enjoy!

MichaelH: Thanks, Leni! A great session
BJB2: Thanks, Leni!
MichaelH: Does anyone have any questions for Leni before we call it a night?
KathyAD: A first timer here- and really enjoyed it- Exactly what I've been looking for= Thanks!

DenioC: It's great because the school - all the classroom - stopped to see the presentation - one or twice for semester. At the semester the students bring a group of "Capoeira".
LeniD: Denio, is any of this online? I would love to see it!

LeniD: Please join us on January 20 for our next chat. We will be discussing African-American History and the Civil Rights Movement.
KathyAD: definitely see you then.
LeniD: Glad you enjoyed this, folks...do come back Kathy!
MichaelH: that will be a good one, Leni
DenioC: It was my first time at Tapped, and thank you for the great informations about music and education.
LeniD: Denio, thank you for joining us. Please come back again... Tapped In offers a LOT of wonderful sessions.
LeniD: I'll see you next month, everyone. Thanks for joining us tonight.
DenioC: Sorry if my write in english was not so compreensi that I desire it will be.
SusanR: Thanks again. There is certainly much to discover
MichaelH: Denio, you did great :)
LeniD: Agreed, Denio.
DenioC: Thank you and see you in another opportunit.
LeniD: Glad to hear the chat offered discoveries, Susan :-)

LeniD: Night, all...
DenioC: Night, from Brazil for all
SusanR: goodnight
LeniD left the room.