Use soundscapes and music to enhance a story.
Learners were introduced to the learning experience by reflecting on the role of music in our lives and on how technology supports the music. Using a think-pair-share learning protocol, they discussed how music is all around them, influencing and reflecting how they feel. They discussed how they often listened to music to help themselves focus, to change their mood, or to feel the emotions they were experiencing. They then examined different pieces of music to identify emotions the music evokes and discussed different qualities that support making music that mirrors emotions. Next, they watched several movie clips and listened to some audiobooks to see examples of how music underscores feelings in those mediums. They discussed how music enhances viewing and listening experiences and how movie makers use music and sound to heighten the emotion they hope to achieve through their movies.
The intention of the learning experience was to support learners in learning how to use new software to create something meaningful for them. For the purpose of this task, the focus was on music composition software, but other software could be used in a similar kind of learning experience. Learners used a 30-day free trial of SoundTrap, an online composing program.
Composing music was outside most learners’ comfort zones, so this learning encouraged them to try something new and take risks while doing it. To increase the learners’ comfort level, they examined ringtones from their phones and came to a consensus on the emotions these ringtones evoked. Using the phone and its ringtones supported the learners’ comfort levels because it was so familiar to them.
To introduce the learners to this new program, the teacher led them through several mini-lessons on the features of SoundTrap, asking them to name and notice the features of the program. They explored the program to understand some of the features before jumping into its use.
To become comfortable with the software, learners were asked to create a collection of four short music pieces or ringtones, each lasting 30 seconds or less and each capturing a different emotion. They were asked to draw inspiration from their own emotions or, if that was too difficult, from the most frequently used emojis on their phone. To get into the feeling they were trying to capture, learners also created mood boards on Jamboard—one for each ringtone–that were visual representations of the emotion. In creating these short music pieces, learners learned the many features of Soundtrap–specifically, the looping function and how to export sound files.
Once this preliminary practice using the program was completed, the learners began the process of recording a story using a soundscape to enhance it. They started by listening to audio versions of children’s books in small groups and identifying features of the stories and soundscapes that make the stories interesting and engaging for young listeners. They listened to tone of voice, pace, emphasis, and other textual cues that made the stories effective. They also listened to determine when and how music was used to support the story. The whole class shared their thinking and, as a class, they co-constructed a checklist of what made an effective story.
Next, the learners chose a story that they wanted to narrate. They created a script to “score” how they would read it and practised in groups of four, using feedback from their peers as they practised. They learned how to upload a recording of the story and then decided where they would add sounds or music to enhance it. Learners continued to work in groups to provide each other with feedback about their sound decisions, making suggestions to build on and enhance each other’s ideas.
Once the learners finalized their stories, they shared them with younger learners in the school. As a final reflection, they discussed what they had learned about the technology, about their communication, and about their process of creating the soundscapes.
