Activity/Task

Create a Composer Slide Show (using Powerpoint) You are going to research and learn about famous composers and the historical times in which they lived.  We will use the composers in the Festival Ensembles Book. Once you have selected a piece of music for your group you can begin your research. You will then create a slide presentation on your composer and provide details about your music. You will use the slide show when you present your performance. You will be limited to eight slides for your presentation, so pick your information carefully. Only include the most important musical and historical facts for your composer.

Process

A. We began this unit by selecting our ensemble groups. We then listened to all the selections in the Festival Ensemble Books to determine which piece your group would like to play, practice and perform.

Find your piece from the Festival Ensembles Book below to determine which musical period you will need to research. Search by time period to make the most of your work time.

Check out the music timeline information resource link. You need to know what musical period your composer belongs to before you begin.

Link to Music Timeline Information

B. Now, let's talk about the powerpoint presentation.

You have decided to which musical period your composer belongs. Now use the resources below to research your composer and musical period.

1.  Download the worksheet. (Send to printer in the band room)

Save the document inside a folder with your group name.

You can also open a new word documet to take notes. You can copy and paste information into the document.

This worksheet will be a working model of your powerpoint presentation. You should have eight squares.   Each square represents one slide of your PowerPoint presentation.  Your first square is your title slide.  The last square will be your bibliography slide.  The rest of the squares (2-7) will be your fact slides.  Your slide show should be a minumum six but no longer than eight slides long. You must gather information before you go to Powerpoint.

Resources

• Renaissance Period
• Baroque Period
• Classical Period
• Romantic Period
• Modern Period

2.  Begin to gather your facts about your musical period by using the resource links listed above. When you find an interesting fact, write it down in one of your squares on the paper.  If it doesn't fit in the square, it probably won't fit in the slide.  Keep facts brief and to the point.  

Some possible things to look for:

• Share three interesting facts about your musical period.
• What did you learn about your musical period that surprised or inspired you?  
• Would you have liked to have lived during the time of your musical period? 
• Why do you think it is important to remember different periods of musical history?

Remember to cite your references.  Be very careful about writing down the Internet address.  It may be easier to copy and paste it somewhere until you are ready to use it.  Your teacher will show you how do to this step.   

3. Next, visit the Composer Resource Page.  Come back when you are done!

4.  After you have created a rough draft of your slide show using your worksheet, check the rubric to make sure you have included all the elements in your draft.  Your teacher will preview it.  You may have to redo your draft a few times before it's ready to be turned into a slide show.  Use this draft to begin creating your slide show.    

5.  The last thing you will do is build your slide show using PowerPoint.  Do not add any transition, animations, or special effects until all of your facts, graphics, and sounds have been inserted into your slides.      

C. Creating a Bibliography Page

A bibliography will appear at the end of your slide show.  It will let your reader know all the places you visited to gather your information.  Your bibliography should list at least three references from three different sources and contain hyperlinks to those pages.  

To learn how to cite references in your reports, click here. 

To see a PowerPoint presentation on how to cite online sources, click here. 

Evaluation

This rubric will help you construct your slide show.  Your slide show should be a minumum six but no longer than eight slides long.  It should have a title slide, four fact slides, and a bibliography slide at the end.   

I have explained my grading policies regarding this unit on the first page.

You will be evaluated on each activity that you complete. Final draft quality is expected on every written assignment and word processed document. A rubric can be used to score written work. All activities should be completed neatly and accurately.

Use the online rubric to guide and assess your work.

Do a quick self-assessment paper for extra credit.

Or Online Journaling

Conclusion

These activities have included many different areas of learning. Did you have a favorite? Use the online journaling to share your thoughts.

After completing this WebQuest, you will better understand your composer and musical period. Good luck with your performance!

Credits & References

http://www.classicalworks.com/his.pages/timeline.html

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Timeline_of_trends_in_music

http://www.statue.com/ - pictures of composer busts

http://www.empire.k12.ca.us/capistrano/Mike/capmusic/renaissance/renaissa.htm

http://www.empire.k12.ca.us/capistrano/Mike/capmusic/baroque/baroque.htm

http://www.empire.k12.ca.us/capistrano/Mike/capmusic/romantic/romantic.htm

http://www.empire.k12.ca.us/capistrano/Mike/capmusic/classical/classical.htm

http://www.empire.k12.ca.us/capistrano/Mike/capmusic/modern/modern.htm

composer resources

http://www.classicalarchives.com/comps/

http://www.mozartproject.org/

http://www.geocities.com/Vienna/5648/Composer.htm

http://home.wxs.nl/~cmr/haydn/

http://www.naxos.com/composerinfo/1114.htm

http://www.jsbach.org/

http://www.baroquemusic.org/bqxvivaldi.html

http://www.lucare.com/immortal/

http://www.kjos.com/

http://www.brucepearsonmusic.com/

http://www.umich.edu/~urecord/9899/Sep30_98/2.htm

http://www.answers.com/topic/giovanni-giacomo-gastoldi