Students use aural skills to dictate various rhythmic, melodic and/or rhythmic-melodic patterns performed by a teacher. Students should be encouraged to perform their transcription to analyze and compare with the teacher given “prototype”. Based on trial and error, students can reflect and revise their answers many times until they are ready to finalize their student “copy”.

Students explore the connection between music and art by listening to a painting created by the artist V. Kandinsky, using Google arts and Culture: Play a Kandinsky. Students use problem solving skills to explore what Kandinsky might have heard when painting “Yellow-Red-Blue” and bring to life his theory on synesthesia and abstract art. Students explore Kandinsky’s theories on color and sound and the relationship between shapes. After exploring the Kandinsky painting, students create their own paintings in the style of Kandinsky, and explain the color and sound relationships that exist in their original work.

Students use NYU Music Experience Design Lab: Groove Pizza to create drum and unpitched instrument rhythms with math-inspired concepts. Students create grooves using math concepts like shapes, angles and patterns. The circular rhythm app allows students to begin exploration with “specials” pizza presets and add/remove “toppings” to adjust the groove. Final student creations can be shared as a link, downloaded as a .wav or .midi file, and converted to external music notation software.

Students work to create a new original composition using ‘samples'’ or snippets of other students' work. Students create a consent form to collect permission from the original creators of each sample. After choosing which instrument to perform the finished composition on, and practicing, students perform the finished product for the class. A possible extension could be to include opportunities for student collaboration in the form of revisions and edits.

Sculptures Come to Life. The teacher can facilitate a sculpture project where students make an object using paper mache, modeling clay or cardboard.

Students as Art Gallery Curators. Students can collect images of art work on sites approved by the teacher, which adhere to copyright and acceptable use guidelines. Images can be collected based on a theme identified by the student, or by the teacher based on lesson/unit objectives. Students can upload images and identifying information to a digital gallery for viewing by classmates, parents, and other community members or partners.

 Virtual Art Discussions. Students can respond to a style or collection of artwork using discussion tools in the school’s Learning Management System (LMS).

Virtual Field Trips. The teacher will facilitate a virtual field trip with a museum or using other reputable interactive online art or culture experience.

Students explore copyright and intellectual property standards as they relate to music, music technology, and digital citizenship. Students will identify and apply their knowledge of copyright law and licensure to select appropriate licenses for an original work. Students then analyze copyrighted material and understand how to obtain appropriate permission to use the material.

Digital Portfolio Slide Deck of Personal Artwork Series. Students can use digital presentation software to share the process and result of a series of original works of art.

Distance Learning with Museums. Distance learning allows students to engage with museums and galleries through virtual instruction.

Students use appropriate technology to enrich understanding of music, musicians and composers of music literature being studied. Students can create a research product such as write program notes or create a podcast.

Multimedia Artist Statements. Middle School students have learned a variety of methods for communication and when given a choice of format for personal expression can demonstrate their knowledge effectively. Students can present artist statements in the form of writing, audio recording, video recording, presentation, and more, allowing students flexibility and choice in expressing what they learned and what they did in the creation of an art project.

Students identify a specific advocacy message regarding music programs. Students create or remix a short video/audio clip to support that advocacy message. Examples may include “Join Music” “Come To Our Concert,” and “Why Music?”

Using a digital recording platform, create a short video or audio recording to send to a neighboring school of something students have been working on. Issue a challenge to the other school to send a video or audio recording in return.  Students provide feedback to others, and practice performance and audience etiquette on a digital platform.

This game provides accountability and some fun when it comes to rehearsing your ensemble. Using a digital whiteboard or slidedeck, create a Battleship board game that represents each instrument group (can be applied to Band, Orchestra or Choir). Students then take turns “firing” at different sections. Teachers and students are encouraged to provide feedback to sections after each “hit” or “miss” to encourage growth and improvement.

Personalize Learning with Video Demonstrations of Art Techniques. Video clips of art techniques covered in class allow students to pause, repeat, and access content on demand as needed for review, remediation, make-up work, and/or enrichment.

Using teacher-suggested resources, students will select music from appropriate and credible digital sources to plan a concert for a performing ensemble.

Students actively listen to a practice or performance track to practice and improve their individual part. Students are able to listen and learn the various sections of the song, and develop a deeper understanding for how their individual part fits into the larger ensemble sound. Practice and performance tracks can be stored on a students’ learning management system for student practice.

Share Art Knowledge with Short Video Commercials. Student artists can use short video “commercials” to create and share messages about topics of interest related to course content, art advocacy, to highlight student artwork, or advertise student art exhibitions.