Reading and Rhythm: Binding Language Arts and Music in an Academic Notebook

Cathy J. Pearman and Tessa Friedman

General Music Today 23(1) 12 16 2009 MENC: The National Association for Music Education DOI: 10.1177/1048371309331610 http://gmt.sagepub.com

Abstract The use of an academic notebook in an elementary music classroom is an effective way of integrating language arts into music instruction while helping students to reflect and think critically about music. Academic notebooks are studentcreated tools that help organize and track learning while students gain conceptual knowledge. The notebooks are designed to foster discussion, encourage reading and writing strategy development, and provide application activities to further strengthen the learning of music concepts. Combining music instruction with language arts reinforces integration of curriculum areas while providing academic support for a liberal arts program by enhancing its connection to the teaching and learning of literacy. Keywords music, education, reading, integrated curriculum, academic notebooks, literacy

Structuring curriculum and instruction in a way that links the processes of learning art and music with similar processes in other domains, such as literacy, history, or science, helps develop a students ability to cognitively move between the domains and generalize knowledge and strategies, which deepens learning (Rabkin, 2007). This reciprocal system of art and music reinforcing other content areas and other content areas reinforcing art and music helps students see connections across the curriculum and results in a more integrated approach to learning. This concept is readily seen in the field of literacy. The current focus on literacy in elementary schools has spawned the inclusion of reading and writing strategies into most, if not all, content areas, and research has shown the effectiveness of this assimilation (Alverman & Phelps, 2002; Readence, Bean, & Baldwin, 2004; Wolpow & Tonjes, 2006). Reading and writing strategies not only make content area instruction (the learning of specific subject information) more comprehensible for students; their integration makes content come alive in a way that helps students make connections between their own lives and experiences and other texts they have read. Although the importance of integrating reading and content area instruction is well known, it is easy to overlook the significance of reading in classrooms where it is not the primary goal. Research asserts that students need to read, write, and communicate about authentic topics during language arts, and content area subjects can provide the

basis for those authentic topics in elementary classrooms (Johnson & Giorgis, 2001; Tompkins, 2006; Wolpow & Tonjes, 2006). Guthrie, Schafer, and Huang (2001) found increased comprehension, increased conceptual knowledge, and increased motivation to read in upper elementary students when literacy instruction was embedded in content areas. Although there is a strong research base for the integration of reading and writing in the content areas, there has been little exploration into the integration of reading, writing, and the liberal arts. The following describes the use of an academic notebook as a means of developing conceptual knowledge in an elementary music class. Academic notebooks are student-created tools that help organize and track learning in content areas. The notebooks are different from journals in that the notebooks are used to track the actual learning as it is occurring and not as a way to develop writing skills or fluency. The notebooks give students the opportunity to analyze, question, synthesize, and apply information they have learned that day (Allen, 2004, p. 23), without simply
Cathy J. Pearman, PhD, is an associate professor at Missouri State University, where she teaches reading and language arts methods courses to preservice teachers. Her research interests include the interactions of literacy and technology and their impact on comprehension and content area instruction. E-mail: cathypearman@ missouristate.edu. Tessa Friedman is a senior music education student at Missouri State University and is interested in pursuing a career as an elementary music teacher upon graduation. E-mail: Friedman924@ missouristate.edu.

Downloaded from http://gmt.sagepub.com by Pro Quest on March 3, 2010

Pearman and Friedman providing opportunities for students to practice the process and mechanics of writing. Many variations are possible, but the notebooks often include class notes, strategies for learning, various activities, and new vocabulary. The highly flexible nature of the notebooks makes them adaptable to any content area and enables teachers to develop categories for the notebooks based on particular higher order skills and strategies they want their students to learn. Intrigued with the idea of an instructional tool that encourages students to engage more deeply with their music lessons, we decided to adapt the idea of the academic notebook to an elementary music class.

13 had their notebooks decorated and personalized, we inserted dividers and study pages for the reading, listening, and watching sections. Remember that in an academic notebook, the dividers and study pages may vary because they will reflect the categories personally selected by each teacher. Once the notebooks were assembled, we were ready to begin.

Reading
We moved between the sections of the academic notebook depending on the lesson for the day. For example, we did not complete the reading section, then move to the listening section, and finish with the watching section. The formats were mixed to hold the students attention and add variety. Even when focusing on the reading section, the lessons were varied based on the instructional goals. It also proved to be a good idea to differ the reading situation to keep class more interesting. For instance, depending on the book and the lesson objective, either the students read the book first and then began discussion with music examples or the teacher read the book aloud to the students the first time to make sure they had correctly interpreted the rhythm pattern of the words. At times, the students read the book independently, and at other times, they read the book with shoulder buddies. Shoulder buddies are students who are sitting next to one another, and this method is a convenient way to form a grouping while using very little class time for movement. We found it possible to purchase a class set of five selected titles through library funds. If this option is unavailable, or you want to acquire additional titles, an alternative is to write a grant for funding from a school district or state literacy or music program. An example of the types of questions and activities in the reading section can be seen from sharing a page from our academic notebook on The Deaf Musicians (Seeger & Dubois-Jacobs, 2006). This book is about Lee, a band member who loses his hearing and has to leave his band. He then finds he can still have music in his life at the local school for the deaf. After students read The Deaf Musicians, class discussions were held on the following questions. Why did the bandleader let Lee go? Whom did Lee meet on the bus, and why was this important in the story? What do you think it would be like to share music without hearing? After taking part in the class discussions, students reflected and wrote their own answers in their notebooks. To provide a follow-up activity for this book, our school speech pathologist taught the class to sign a song in American Sign Language. This signing of a song activity had deeper meaning for students after reading The Deaf Musicians by helping them develop, to some degree through class discussion, a new perspective on deaf people and their enjoyment of music.

Getting Started
The first step of the process was to identify the categories, or headings, to be included in the notebooks. We initially decided to keep the categories broad for the highest degree of flexibility, especially because this was the first time using academic notebooks and changes might become necessary as the notebooks were implemented. The categories in our notebooks were reading, listening, and watching because these areas were supported in the elementary language arts curriculum. Reinforcing these connections in music not only strengthens music and language arts but helps students see that the processes of learning are connected and that some strategies can be generalized regardless of the subject being studied. Once categories were identified, we began looking for books that provided examples of the concepts taught in music class. This was a task we thought would be difficult but was actually enjoyable and far simpler than we had imagined. We found several books that showed rhythm or had music themes that were good fits for our academic notebook categories (see Appendix). In fact, we found so many appropriate books that we included a Suggested Reading at Home list at the end of the reading section of the notebook. It is ideal, even initially, for some of these titles to be available in the classroom for students to check out with that number growing during additional school years. Classroom implementation began with each student making his or her own notebook, which was kept in the music room. The notebooks could also be taken home; however, keeping them in the music room ensured that students had the notebook each time they came to music class. Because the Suggested Reading at Home list was included in the notebook, we gave each student a copy to take home and gave a copy to each regular class room teacher to post in the classroom as a resource. We introduced students to the idea of the notebook and allowed them to decorate the outside to support ownership in the idea that the notebook would help them put their reading and music learning into words. Once the students

Downloaded from http://gmt.sagepub.com by Pro Quest on March 3, 2010

14 Another example from our reading section involved a beginning level of notating basic rhythms. After hearing a story read aloud several times and clapping out the rhythm, students used popsicle sticks to represent the notated rhythm. One vertical stick was a single quarter note, and two vertical sticks with a third barred across the top was an eighth note. Students then took turns clapping out the rhythm using one anothers popsicle sticks as a guide. As student notation knowledge increased, students used color-coded pages from their notebooks to correctly place notes on the staff as the rhythm of the current book was demonstrated. In our academic notebooks, music notation was discussed or its activities included within each of our sections. However, we suggest that it be listed as its own section so that it does not become buried and retains the prominence it deserves in a music class. In future notebooks, we will include reading, listening, watching, and music notation sections.

General Music Today 23(1)

Watching
Initially, the watching section may seem that it does not belong with literacy or music activities. However, watching, or more precisely visual literacy, fits very well with strengthening students language arts skills. Visual literacy includes the ability to interpret and create visual forms of media including art, video, animated graphics, PowerPoint displays, and Web pages (Yellin, Blake, & Devries, 2004, p. 72). Viewing videos requires students to use many of the same strategies they would use for reading comprehension (Tompkins, 2008). The National Council of Teachers of English (1997) suggests that teachers expand the definition of literacy to include visual literacy by having students construct meaning through creating and viewing non-print texts (p. 1). An example of encouraging visual literacy through the use of the academic notebooks was viewing the video Music and Feelings (Muens, Miller, & Moates, 1986) and allowing students to work in small groups on sequencing the steps for making a bass violin and discussing how it fits into its instrument family. Following these dis cussions on the content of the video, students were reminded that a character in the video, Old Goat, wrote a poem about a bass violin. Students were encouraged to remember parts of the poem independently before it was read to the class. Students clapped the rhythm of the poem several times and then wrote a poem about any musical instrument in their notebooks using this same rhythm. This activity took longer than our music block of time but was finished in their language arts class by agreement with the regular classroom teacher. Students who wanted to share were encouraged to do so at the next class meeting. Using the video as a basis for a writing project further forged the connection between music, visual literacy, and language arts.

Listening
During reading instruction, students are often taught to use visualization as an aid to comprehension. We encourage them to create pictures in their minds to make their own personal meanings and connections (Harvey & Goudvis, 2000; Routman, 2003). This strategy also worked for listening to music selections, as it helped students use their past experiences to gain meaning or understand the mood of the selection. In addition, as part of most music curriculums, instruments were discussed, and students became familiar with their sounds and contributions to the selection. Developing this ability to visualize and closely listen can aid students in many subject areas besides language arts and music. In the listening section of the academic notebook, students heard selections like Cup of Life (Child & Rosa, 1998) and discussed questions such as the following: What instruments can you hear? What country does this music come from? and What clues did you have that helped you know where it came from? The follow-up activity for this song was for each student to write a description of the music and then draw a picture of how it made him or her feel. Additional activities in the listening section encouraged students to use their imaginations, such as writing a story to go along with the selection or interpreting the music in a dance they choreographed themselves. The listening selections were also valuable in helping students visualize the contour of the music. Students placed chips on a staff with the chips ascending on the staff if the phrase went up and descending if the phrase went down. This activity helped students obtain a visual of the melody and gain knowledge of pitch relative to the staff necessary for reading music.

Additional Benefits
Periodically, the notebooks were taken home to share. This sharing increased interest in music instruction and proved to be one of the most beneficial gains of this project. Caregivers often do not know what is being taught in elementary music classes, and many welcomed talking to their children about the contents. We also found that several regular classroom teachers were unfamiliar with what is currently being taught in music classes, and our academic notebooks sparked discussions on how they could be developed and used across additional subjects in our school. Although many of the teachers regularly integrated content areas within their classrooms, most had not thought to integrate music or any of the fine arts. In fact, music and art are often seen as merely emotional outlets, not cognitive endeavors, in elementary schools. The arts are often viewed as enrichment activi ties secondary to reading, writing,

Downloaded from http://gmt.sagepub.com by Pro Quest on March 3, 2010

Pearman and Friedman and math (Rabkin & Redmond, 2006). However, if there are identifiable benefits and supports for the academic curriculum within arts education, it is much easier to see the connection and enhancement of the arts to teaching and learning (Gullatt, 2008). An additional benefit is that connecting language arts and music may appeal to students with different learning styles. Gardner (1999) suggests that learners use multiple entry points to become engaged with learning and to make connections across the curriculum. Through the use of academic notebooks, music may provide the entry point to motivate some students to engage in reading and writing tasks by utilizing their strengths while scaffolding their weaker areas.
Appendix Classroom Materials and Reading List

15 Holloway (2002) challenges educators to increase their awareness of the benefits of integrating literacy skills into content areas. The academic notebook is an effective means of accomplishing this integration and provides an efficient way to foster discussions and guide learning in the classroom. The option of choosing the categories in the academic notebook allows teachers to target particular higher order thinking skills and to integrate reading and writing activities into any subject area. This flexibility of design and versatility across subjects makes the academic notebook a versatile tool to use in both content area and fine arts classrooms.

Reading
Casterline, L. C. (2004). The sounds of music. Milwaukee, WI: Gareth Stevens. Church, C. J. (2002). Do your ears hang low? London: Chicken House. Delacre, L. (1992). Arroz con leche. New York: Scholastic. Falconer, I. (2006). Olivia forms a band. New York: Simon & Schuster. Guy, S. (1998). The music box: The story of Cristofori. Richmond, VA: Brunswick. Hannah, J. (2005). Hot jazz special. Somerville, MA: Candlewick. Hausherr, R. (1992). What instrument is this? New York: Scholastic. Hayes, A. (1991). Meet the orchestra. San Diego, CA: Harcourt Brace Jovanovich. Johnson, A. (2003). Violets music. New York: Penguin. Katz, A., & Catrow, D. (2001). Take me out of the bathtub and other silly dilly songs. New York: Margaret K. McElderry. Krosoczka, J. J. (2005). Punk farm. New York: Knopf. London, J. (2004). Froggy plays in the band. New York: Puffin. Myers, W. D. (2006). Jazz. New York: Holiday House. Seeger, P., & Dubois-Jacobs, P. (2006). The deaf musicians. New York: G. P. Putnam. Sis, P. (2006). Play, Mozart, play! New York: Greenwillow. Taback, S. (1997). There was an old lady who swallowed a fly. New York: Viking Juvenile. Trapani, I. (1999). Row, row, row your boat. Watertown, MA: Charlesbridge. Van Kampen, V. (1990). Orchestranimals. New York: Scholastic. Wardlaw, E., & Root, B. (2000). Saturday night jamboree. New York: Dial.

Listening
Boynton, S., & Ford, M. (2004). Rhinoceros tap and 14 other seriously silly songs [Recorded by Adam Bryant]. On Rhinoceros tap [CD]. Burlington, MA: Rounder/Umgd. Child, D., & Rosa, R. (1998). The cup of life [Recorded by Ricky Martin]. On Ricky Martin [CD]. Los Angeles: Sony. Jenkins, E. (1994). This is rhythm. On Ella Jenkins This is rhythm [CD]. Washington, DC: Smithsonian Folkways. Saint-Saens, C. (1990). The carnival of the animals [Recorded by Christopher van Kampen, Antony Pay, Robin McGee, London Sinfonietta, Sebastian Bell, Cristina Ortiz, & Pascal Roge]. On Carnaval des animaux [CD]. New York: Decca.

Watching
Muens, B., Miller, J. P., & Moates, B. (Directors). (1968). Mr. Rogers neighborhood: Music and feelings [VHS]. New York: 20th Century Fox/ Playhouse Home Video.

Downloaded from http://gmt.sagepub.com by Pro Quest on March 3, 2010

16 References
Allen, J. (2004). Tools for teaching content literacy. Portland, ME: Stenhouse. Alverman, D. E., & Phelps, S. F. (2002). Content reading and literacy: Succeeding in todays diverse classrooms. Boston: Allyn & Bacon. Child, D., & Rosa, R. (1998). The cup of life [Recorded by Ricky Martin]. On Ricky Martin [CD]. Los Angeles: Sony. Gardner, H. (1999). Intelligence reframed. New York: Basic Books. Gullatt, D. E. (2008). Enhancing student learning through arts integration: Implications for the profession. The High School Journal, 91(4), 1221. Guthrie, J., Schafer, W., & Huang, C. (2001). Benefits of opportunity to read and balanced instruction on the NAEP. The Journal of Educational Research, 94(3), 145162. Harvey, S., & Goudvis, A. (2000). Strategies that work. York, ME: Stenhouse. Holloway, J. (2002). Research link: Integrating literacy with content. Educational Leadership, 60(30), 8788. Johnson, N., & Giorgis, C. (2001). Childrens books: Interacting with the curriculum. The Reading Teacher, 55(2), 204213. Muens, B., Miller, J. P., & Moates, B. (Directors). (1968). Mr. Rogers neighborhood: Music and feelings [VHS]. New York: 20th Century Fox /Playhouse Home Video.

General Music Today 23(1)

National Council of Teachers of English. (1997). NCTE passes visual literacy resolution. NCTE board of directors meeting November, 2003. Retrieved July 9, 2008, from http://english. ttu.edu/Kairos/2.1/news/briefs/nctevis.html Rabkin, N., & Redmond, R. (2006, February). The arts make a difference. Educational Leadership, 6064. Rabkin, N. (2007). Music ventures: Linking the processes of music and language literacy. Journal for Music-in-Education, 2, 335336. Readence, J. E., Bean, T. W., & Baldwin, R. S. (2004). Content area literacy: An integrated approach (8th ed.). Dubuque, IA: Kendall/Hunt. Routman, R. (2003). Reading essentials: The specifics you need to teach reading well. Portsmouth, NH: Heinemann. Seeger, P., & Dubois-Jacobs, P. (2006). The deaf musicians. New York: G. P. Putnam. Tompkins, G. E. (2006). Literacy for the 21st century: A balanced approach (4th ed.). Upper Saddle River, NJ: Pearson. Tompkins, G. E. (2008). Teaching writing: Balancing process and product (5th ed.). Upper Saddle River, NJ: Merrill/ Prentice Hall. Wolpow, R., & Tonjes, M. (2006). Integrated content literacy (5th ed.). Dubuque, IA: Kendall/Hunt. Yellin, D., Blake, M. E., & Devries, B. A. (2004). Integrating the language arts. Scottsdale, AZ: Holcomb Hathaway.

Downloaded from http://gmt.sagepub.com by Pro Quest on March 3, 2010

Reproduced with permission of the copyright owner. Further reproduction prohibited without permission.