Discovering Music can be used as a homeschool music curriculum tailored to your specific needs. Here are some suggestions for how to work through the course.
| How long is each video lecture? | ||
| Lectures range from c. 25 minutes to 1 hour. The online edition breaks these down into segments of approximately 20 minutes. | ||
| Is it necessary to watch all the lectures in order? | ||
| Yes and no. Understanding any given lecture does not depend upon having viewed the previous lecture. However, a student’s overall sense of the progression of history and cultural change will be stronger if the lectures are viewed in order. | ||
| How would you suggest I use this material? | ||
| The instructor should first read “How to Use This Resource Book,” which begins on p. xii of the text. Having said that, use Discovering Music in any way you see fit! The ages and interests of your children will suggest many possibilities. | ||
| I would like the course to form a significant (though not daily) part of our overall homeschool curriculum. How might that work? | ||
| Instructor Prep: | View the video lecture to be studied. Review figures, terms, and dates. | |
| Student Prep: | With instructor and/or classmates, students orally review (or consider for the first time) the relevant period of history. | |
| First Period: | Instructor and students now view the lecture. Students fill in the Viewing Guide individually, either during or after the class period. Instructor and students discuss student answers. Missing information could be filled in from the Suggested Answers (in the back of the text) or could be left blank until the second class-period. One or more pieces of music belonging to the unit can be played. | |
| Second Period: | Students view the lecture a second time, listening especially for the correct responses to the Viewing Guide and/or stopping to discuss ideas. Figures and terms can be discussed. Play at least one selection from music belonging to the unit. The remaining music can be assigned to the student outside of class. Repeated listening is urged. | |
| Third Period: | Students take the quiz. Instructor checks the quizzes using the back of the text. Instructor/students choose a project(s) from the “Putting It All Together” section. Students may wish to work in groups or individually. If time permits, encourage students to discuss or describe one or more of the pieces of music for the unit. | |
| I don’t have that much time to put into this. What is another other options? | ||
| Instructor Prep: | None. | |
| Student Prep: | Review key figures and dates, either individually or with instructor. | |
| First Period: | Students view the lecture. Students complete the Viewing Guide as homework. | |
| Second Period: | Students discuss their Viewing Guide answers amongst themselves and check their own answers in the back of the text. Instructor looks over the corrected Viewing Guide to assess comprehension. Students watch the lecture again on their own time. The listening for each unit is emphasized but is done outside of class. | |
| Third Period: | Students take the quiz. Instructor corrects the quizzes using the answers in the back of the text and assigns a project from the “Putting It All Together” section. | |
| We don’t have much time at all to devote to this curriculum. Can my homeschool students still benefit from it? | ||
| Absolutely! Try the following: | ||
| Instructor Prep: | None. | |
| Student Prep: | None. | |
| First Period: | View the lecture and fill in the Viewing Guide individually or as a group after watching the unit. Check the back of text for any missing information. Choose one or two of the musical works for each unit from the Listening set. Play for the class. Finished! Your students have heard how various aspects of cultural history fit together. | |
| How can I adapt Discovering Music as an Enrichment Course for a co-op or other group setting? | ||
| We have various lessons plans to suggest for co-ops. Assuming that each class meeting is about 75 minutes long, and that you can allow two class periods to cover each unit, here is one suggestion: | ||
| Instructor Prep: | View the videolecture to be studied for the unit. Review figures, terms, and dates. If time permits, listen to the appropriate musical selections on the Listening Set. | |
| Student Prep: | Students review a selection of the key figures and dates, perhaps having each been assigned a figure or date for a brief presentation to the group. | |
| First Period: | Begin the class period with these brief presentations and general discussion of the time period in question. View the video lecture. Encourage the students to take notes. Students can review key terms, figures, and concepts at home to prepare for the quiz. Play one or more of the musical works in class. Assign remaining listening for the unit to be done outside of class. Students can explore the websites outside of class as well. | |
| Second Period: | Students view the lecture a second time, stopping occasionally to fill-in the Viewing Guide. Older students may wish to discuss selected answers from the Viewing Guide. Students can self-correct the Viewing Guide using the Suggested Answers in the back of the Text. Students then take the quiz. Emphasize the importance of continuing the listening at home. Students choose, or are assigned, a project from the “Putting It all Together” section. If desired, students can design their own projects. Projects may be done as group projects. | |
| [If a Third Period is possible, students are encouraged to present their projects to each other.] | ||
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