Chen Guo's Mini-Course: Using Music to Teach History in Middle School

Using Music to Teach History in Middle School

Return to: ETAP 623 Spring 2016 | Chen Guo's Portfolio Page

Introduction

Welcome to my mini-course: Using Music to Teach History in Middle School~

Do you feel boring in traditional history classroom? Do you sometimes find it difficult to remember historical events and their chronological sequence? Do you want to try some innovative ways of learning history? Please enjoy this mini-course! This course will provide with an interesting way of teaching and learning history in middle school. History teachers, especially the novice and pre-employment ones, will learn possible strategies and skills of how to utilize music as a tool through taking this course.

Objectives

• Learners will be able to acquire basic skills and strategies of utilizing lyrics to teach history.

• Learners will be able to figure out related historical events and facts which appear in the lyrics of the song(s).

• Learners will be able to identify the feelings and emotions expressed by the music.

• Learners will be able to recognize the connections among the selected songs for one specific historical topic.

• Learners will be able to explore more musical elements which can be used for history instruction.

Lessons

Lesson 1: Using Lyrics to Teach History

Expectation:

• Learners are expected to acknowledge basic ways of teaching history through using music, particularly, the lyrics.
• Learners are expected to find out historical events or figures in the lyrics.
• Learners are expected to realize the feelings and emotions expressed by the songwriter.
• Learners are expected to dig more facts and deeper meanings of the song.
• Learners are expected to understand the significant role of lyrics if music is chosen as a medium for historical instruction.

Lesson 2: Teaching History of One Specific Place

Expectation:

• Learners are expected to know basic ways and skills of how to use music to teach history on specific topics.
• Learners are expected to realize historical features of the place depicted in the lyrics.
• Learners are expected to explore common points and possible relationships among the selected songs.
• Learners are expected to compare the past and the present of the specific place.

Lesson 3: Teaching History of One Specific Event or Period

Expectation:

• Learners are expected to know basic ways and skills of how to use music to teach history on specific topics.
• Learners are expected to find out historical events or figures in the lyrics.
• Learners are expected to explore common themes and relationships among the selected songs.
• Learners are expected to discover more facts and deeper meanings of the songs.

Lesson 4: Other Elements of music for history instruction

Expectation:

• Learners are expected to recognize other musical components for history instruction, such as the historical context when the song was created, the genre, the MV, and so on.
• Learners are expected to discover more tools and ways of teaching history.

General Strategies of Using Music to Teach History

• Music can be utilized for leading into new courses, which provokes student's interests and motivation.
• Music can be utilized for introducing historical events or figures, which offers more facts and information to students.
• Music can be utilized for cultivating students' temperament, which promotes students' patriotism.
• Music can be utilized for activating classroom atmosphere, which makes students feel pleased and relaxed.
• Song lyrics can provide texts for analysis and discussion, which facilitates students' understanding of historical events and facts.