Kate Yackel

Project #3: Lesson Plan

Composing to a video clip

Objective

Students use pre-recorded music and sound effects to create an accompaniment to a video clip. The sounds students use reflect the mood and actions occurring in the video.

Purpose

National standard #4. Composing and arranging music within specified guidelines.

National standard #8. Understanding relationships between music, the other arts, and disciplines outside the arts (i.e. video images).

Prerequisite Knowledge

Students have worked with the program GarageBand for previous projects, including a group composition to accompany an image. They are familiar with how to use the program and have explored some of the music and sound effect files contained within the program.

Materials Needed

• 3-5 video clips with the sound turned off. Video clips should be non-offensive, such as movie trailers with no more than a PG-13 rating. Videos should be approximately three minutes in length and include actions that necessitate sound effects.
• 1 computer and 1 keyboard with MIDI connected to the computer for each group of students
• GarageBand installed on the computers

Anticipatory Set

Students write a response in their journal to the question, ≥How do music and sound effects make a movie more interesting?≤

Procedure

1. Students are given project guidelines with an explanation of the project, grading guidelines, and project requirements (use three sound effects and one piece of music in their composition).
2. Students are divided into groups of three or four.
3. Students watch the video clips (without the sound).
4. Students choose one video clip to add sound to.
5. Students work within their group to add background music and sound effects to the video clips in Garageband. Students may use the music and effects included in the program, record their own sound effects with the computer microphones, or use music that they own.
6. The teacher walks around, facilitating the composition process.
7. The finished videos are viewed by the class.

Check for Student Understanding

Students meet the requirements of the project (i.e. including three sound effects and one music clip) in their composition. The sounds compliment what is going on in the video clip, reflecting the mood and the actions present. Students are able to describe why they chose the different sounds to use in their project.

Closure

Ask students why they chose particular pieces of music and sound effects for their composition, and how these sounds enhance or reflect the content of the video. Ask students how this project was different from the previous project where they composed a piece to accompany a single image. Ask students which composition they liked better and why.

Extensions

Students could have the option of composing some or all of the music for the composition on notation software. Students can create Vodcasts where they make the video as well as the accompanying sound.