Song Mapping
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| A music map is a line that represents the flow or movement of music.
Drawn while a song or an instrumental work is being sung or heard, a map
is a kinesthetic symbol as well as a visual one. 1 (p. 95) It begins when
the singing (music) begins and ends when the singing stops. |
| Sample statements and activities by which to introduce music mapping
to your students: Two ways to introduce mapping to students will be offered
at this time. Begin with a song that is well known to the students. ie;
"Old Macdonalds Farm" |
Teacher Generated
Maps |
| With some classes, a first mapping experience works best if students
have the opportunity to watch several maps being made by the teacher.1
(p.95) Watch what happens as we sing the song this time. (Teacher sings
and makes a music map.) Describe what I just did. Making a new map, the
teacher can repeat the process to check student observations. Attention
is drawn to similarities and differences in maps. |
Student Generated
Maps |
| Three or four students come to the chalkboard. Hold your chalk on the
board, and when the song begins, let your chalk sing by making a line
for the song. Feel the song in your hand and let it move your chalk. Stop
your chalk at the end of the song.1 (p. 96) |
| |
| Attention is drawn to similarities and differences in maps. This process
can be done with other groups of four children. |
| After this, students can use large pieces of paper to make maps for
sharing and exploring. |
| |
Explanation of term to your
students |
A music map is a line that is drawn while a song or piece of music is
in progress. It begins when the music begins and ends as the music stops.
A map shows how we each felt the song. It doesn’t need
to look like any else's map, because it is your personal movement to the
song." 1 (p. 96)
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Why and how mapping is used
in the classroom: |
- Making and reading maps involve and integate auditory, motor,
and visual modes and focus on the structure and flow of a song.1
(p. 95)
|
- Maps often are the first symbol of music that students will create
or read.
|
- Making maps needs no prerequisite skills in notating and reading
sound patterns.1 (p. 96)
|
- Certain places in the song are located. Using the song,
Scotland's
Burning, How many times is the word "fire"
sung in the song? Find where you are on your map when the four "fire's"
are sung. Highlight that portion of the map by making the line thicker
or by tracing it with a different color.
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- A picture can be drawn at a designated site
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- Rhythm notation, song dots, solfa (letters), or notes on the staff
can be placed at the site and sung when that part of the song is
sung.
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- Lead maps (teacher generated or taken from a book) can be used
to study recorded music.
|
- The map becomes a visual means to facilitate learning about music
which is auditory.
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| Bibliography |
| 1. Bennett P. D. & Bartholomew, D.R. (1997). SongWorks I: Singing
in the education of children. |
| Belmont, CA: Wadsworth. |
