Sound Map Soundscapes

Learning Target OR Standards & Connections
  • NCAS Anchor Standard #7 – Perceive and analyze artistic work.
  • NCAS Anchor Standard #11 – Relate artistic ideas and works with societal, cultural and historical context to deepen understanding
Essential Outcome(s) Level(s)
Students will…

  • be sound explorers by making maps of the sounds around them and connecting them to personal objects.
  • compose and record an original soundscape.
 6-8
Activity/Project
  1. The lesson will be outside the classroom where they get to be sound explorers and make maps of the sounds around them. 
    1. Use this Sound Map Worksheet
  2. Students then bring in personal objects from home that have meaning to them.
  3. Then record these objects and abstract them using editing techniques.  
  4. They will also record a poem they have written about these objects as part of their soundscape.
Extended Learning
  1. Cross-Curricular Connection: QR codes of their soundscapes displayed next to an abstract art pieces and abstract poetry. 
  2. Have a “performance” where students explain about their art to families and we’ll play some of their compositions.

This lesson was contributed by Joel Zigman an elementary school teacher in Jefferson County, Colorado at Dutch Creek Elementary and Leawood Elementary schools. His background is in electronic music and classical music composition. He loves sharing both with his students.

Creative Commons License
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.

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