Soundtrack of your life!
Part 1: Creating your soundtrack
Music has become an integral part of human existence. It motivates us, calms us, inspires us, at times irritates us, and basically becomes the backdrop against which we live our lives. Songs can bring vivid memories of persons, places, and events from our own past and serve to document our thoughts, feelings, and emotions at a given time or place. A song can remind you of a vacation you took with your grandparents, a special celebration you shared with your family, or simply all those weekends spent hanging out with your friends. The Soundtrack Of Your Life unit will provide you with the opportunity to reflect on the music that is important to you, and put it all together on an album that tells the story of your life.
For the first step of this project, you'll need to choose the 10 songs that are going to be on the Soundtrack Of Your Life. These 10 songs should tell the story of your life; they can be about your whole life up to now, or about a shorter, specific time in your life.
To get started, think about important events that have happened to you: birthdays, the birth of a baby brother or sister, a family vacation, a summer spent at camp, meeting a new friend.
Then, pair each event with a song that reminds you of that time in your life. Maybe it's a song that you and your best friend spent all summer singing...or perhaps a song that you remember hearing on the radio during a long car trip with your family on your way to the beach.
You can use ANY songs you want - pop music from the radio, songs your family taught you, songs you sing at church, holiday music, music from movies or video games. The only thing you must remember is that you need to know the full title of each song as well as who performs the song.
When you are ready, fill out the chart on the back of this sheet with the name of each song, the artist who performs it, and your reason for choosing this song. When you have completed all 10 songs, including the name of the performer(s) and your reason for choosing each song, turn it in to the period 6 bin.
Looking for some ideas to help you find songs for your Soundtrack? Think about the songs that would fit each of these topics:
Can't find the right songs to fit the different events and emotions of your life? Check out www.billboard.com. Click on Billboard 200. Scroll to the bottom and find the “Billboard 200 Archives”. From here, you can find the chart toppers from any year/month!
For the first step of this project, you'll need to choose the 10 songs that are going to be on the Soundtrack Of Your Life. These 10 songs should tell the story of your life; they can be about your whole life up to now, or about a shorter, specific time in your life.
To get started, think about important events that have happened to you: birthdays, the birth of a baby brother or sister, a family vacation, a summer spent at camp, meeting a new friend.
Then, pair each event with a song that reminds you of that time in your life. Maybe it's a song that you and your best friend spent all summer singing...or perhaps a song that you remember hearing on the radio during a long car trip with your family on your way to the beach.
You can use ANY songs you want - pop music from the radio, songs your family taught you, songs you sing at church, holiday music, music from movies or video games. The only thing you must remember is that you need to know the full title of each song as well as who performs the song.
When you are ready, fill out the chart on the back of this sheet with the name of each song, the artist who performs it, and your reason for choosing this song. When you have completed all 10 songs, including the name of the performer(s) and your reason for choosing each song, turn it in to the period 6 bin.
Looking for some ideas to help you find songs for your Soundtrack? Think about the songs that would fit each of these topics:
- school experiences
- family relationships
- friends
- learning a difficult lesson
- spending time with someone special
- summer vacation
- favorite weekend activity
- favorite place to visit
- when you were younger
- when you get older
- when you're feeling down
- song that gets you pumped up
- when you're upset
- when you feel on top of the world
Can't find the right songs to fit the different events and emotions of your life? Check out www.billboard.com. Click on Billboard 200. Scroll to the bottom and find the “Billboard 200 Archives”. From here, you can find the chart toppers from any year/month!
part 2: exploring your soundtrack (and your classmates
soundtracks!)
Intro Activity: What is your favorite song on the Soundtrack of Your Life and why?
Look over the list of 10 songs you selected last week, and think about what that collection of songs really means to you. Select 3 songs from your Soundtrack that you feel are the most important, and prepare to answer the following questions about each song:
1. What is the name of this song, and who performs it?
2. What made your choose this song for the Soundtrack of Your Life?
3. What about this song fits the event, experience, or emotion that you are using it for?
4. Why would your Soundtrack be incomplete without this song?
Look over the list of 10 songs you selected last week, and think about what that collection of songs really means to you. Select 3 songs from your Soundtrack that you feel are the most important, and prepare to answer the following questions about each song:
1. What is the name of this song, and who performs it?
2. What made your choose this song for the Soundtrack of Your Life?
3. What about this song fits the event, experience, or emotion that you are using it for?
4. Why would your Soundtrack be incomplete without this song?
Part 3: Finding the right order
Intro Activity: Read the following randomly chosen classmate papers. Read the entire answer, and then answer a few questions about what you read.
You’ll now be working on putting your 10 songs into the "right" order. While there may be no right or wrong answer to this task, you still need to make sure your 10 songs are in an order that flows well. Perhaps you'd like to alternate between fast and slow songs, or happy and sad songs. Or, you can always put your songs in chronological order (earliest life event to most recent life event.) There's many ways you can accomplish this task - but the best way to make sure it works is to listen to how it sounds in that order!
Not everyone has access to all 10 songs they are using for their Soundtrack, so we will be using an awesome cloud-based music database named Grooveshark that will allow you to add these tracks to a playlist at no cost. Read below to learn more about how you will be creating your Soundtrack album using this online tool.
- What were the reasons the students gave for choosing the songs they did for their Soundtrack? List and explain at least 3.
- Did the students justify their reasons for selecting those songs? Explain why or why not.
- If you could go back and change your answers about your own song choices, what would you say/write differently?
- Did reading what your classmates said about their Soundtracks make you want to change anything about yours? If so, what? If not, why?
You’ll now be working on putting your 10 songs into the "right" order. While there may be no right or wrong answer to this task, you still need to make sure your 10 songs are in an order that flows well. Perhaps you'd like to alternate between fast and slow songs, or happy and sad songs. Or, you can always put your songs in chronological order (earliest life event to most recent life event.) There's many ways you can accomplish this task - but the best way to make sure it works is to listen to how it sounds in that order!
Not everyone has access to all 10 songs they are using for their Soundtrack, so we will be using an awesome cloud-based music database named Grooveshark that will allow you to add these tracks to a playlist at no cost. Read below to learn more about how you will be creating your Soundtrack album using this online tool.
Part 3: Grooveshark directions
To get started, open http://www.grooveshark.com in a new tab or window. Then, follow these directions to create a Soundtrack of Your Life playlist.
Still confused? That's why I created this screencast to help you! Watch it as many times as you need in order to complete the assignment.
- Log in to Grooveshark: USERNAME: dvmscoltmusic Password: dvms2014
- On the left-hand side of the page, click "Create New Playlist" button to create your Soundtrack playlist.
- Name your playlist using your FIRST NAME and the word "Soundtrack" then click "Create Playlist" - you should now see your playlist appear on the list on this page.
- Use the search feature to find all 10 songs on your Soundtrack; be sure to listen to them to make sure they are the correct (and non-explicit!) version.
- The songs you selected will appear on the bottom portion of your window; when you are ready to add a song to your playlist, arrow over the bottom left-hand corner of the track, and from the pop-up menu, select "Add to Playlist" and then select your Soundtrack playlist.
- When you have finished adding all 10 songs to your playlist, go back to view your entire playlist (under My Music, then Playlists) and rearrange the 10 tracks until you are satisfied with the order.
- When you are ready to share the link to your playlist with Ms. Hermanson, look at the address bar and write down your specific URL on your paper. Then write down your tracks in order on your piece of paper, answer the question, then you're DONE!
Still confused? That's why I created this screencast to help you! Watch it as many times as you need in order to complete the assignment.
Part 4: Soundtrack title
Think about your Soundtrack project as a whole - think about the story you are telling through the 10 songs you chose, think about what is meaningful and important about those 10 songs and the emotions they convey.
NOW, click the link below, and share 3 possible ideas for the title of your Soundtrack.
https://linoit.com/session/login
DIRCTIONS FOR USING LINOIT.COM
NOW, click the link below, and share 3 possible ideas for the title of your Soundtrack.
https://linoit.com/session/login
DIRCTIONS FOR USING LINOIT.COM
- Sign in: Username: dvmscoltmusic Password: dvms2014
- Select the DVMS Colt Music Class 2014 board.
- Click on the Yellow Sticky Note. Type your Name (first name and last initial) and add your 3 soundtrack titles in list form. Push Post in the bottom right hand corner of the sticky note.
- Next pick ANY COLOR STICKY NOTE (NOT YELLOW!) and create a new post telling your classmates which one is your favorite and why. This sticky note must say "(insert your name)'s comment on (insert name of the person's post you are commenting on) post:" THEN, drag your sticky note so it is right next to the original post!
- You must comment on 10 peoples posts!
Part 5: Creating your album cover
You'll be creating the artwork for a CD case for the Soundtrack of Your Life.
You'll need to create both a front cover and a back cover for your CD case.
Here are the requirements for this assignment:
Front Cover:
Back Cover:
Step 1: Find an image for your cover
Use Google Images http://images.google.com to find artwork for your Soundtrack front and back covers. You may use the same image for both the front and the back covers, or you may choose to use two separate images. Creativity counts!!
Here's a few tips to help you along:
When you have selected an image, download it to your Desktop in a place where you'll be able to find it later.
Also, don't forget to cite your sources! If you use it, I need to be able to find it again, so copy/paste the website address into a word document!
You'll need to create both a front cover and a back cover for your CD case.
Here are the requirements for this assignment:
Front Cover:
- original artwork designed using online or Microsoft Word photo editing tools
- original album title (located anywhere on the front cover)
- your name (again, located anywhere on the front cover)
Back Cover:
- original artwork designed using online or Microsoft Word photo editing tools
- complete list of the 10 songs on your Soundtrack
- names of the artists/bands/rappers/performers for each song
- spelling counts!
Step 1: Find an image for your cover
Use Google Images http://images.google.com to find artwork for your Soundtrack front and back covers. You may use the same image for both the front and the back covers, or you may choose to use two separate images. Creativity counts!!
Here's a few tips to help you along:
- Brainstorm a few ideas before your begin randomly searching the Internet for an image
- Think about the meaning behind your Soundtrack, and the emotions and events that went into the selection of the 10 songs as you select an image
- Narrow your search by looking for only photographs or only clip art
- Remember, this image is NOT the final product - you'll be able to play around with it and manipulate it to fit your vision in Step 2.
When you have selected an image, download it to your Desktop in a place where you'll be able to find it later.
Also, don't forget to cite your sources! If you use it, I need to be able to find it again, so copy/paste the website address into a word document!
Step 2: Edit your image in Picasa 3.9 found in your delivered applications. Watch the video below for more help!
Step 3: Open a word document. Find a CD template. Start creating!
Step 4: Turn it in.
Click on this link:
drive.google.com
Raise your hand and wait for Ms. Hermanson to come help you! :)
Click on this link:
drive.google.com
Raise your hand and wait for Ms. Hermanson to come help you! :)
Part 6: Album cover assessment Rubric
You are going to have the opportunity to assess your classmates' Soundtrack front and back covers using the same rubric that I'll be using.
Fill out this rubric for all 5 Soundtrack covers you are assessing.
You will find the Soundtrack albums here!
Click here to fill out the rubric! Remember, you will need to fill out the rubric 5 TIMES.
Fill out this rubric for all 5 Soundtrack covers you are assessing.
- 3 Soundtracks that I assign you.
- 2 more that you choose on your own!
You will find the Soundtrack albums here!
Click here to fill out the rubric! Remember, you will need to fill out the rubric 5 TIMES.