Music

          Music text gives students information about specific genres of music along with all the different types of musical instruments. Music text inform students of all the different types of instruments that can be played. Music text also inform students of all the genres of music along with giving background information about each of these genres. These text serve as a great resource for students when they are interested in music or need to do research on music. The first criterion I look for when selecting a music text is appeal. The text should be appealing for students. If the cover of the text draws the attention of the student, they are more likely to read the text. The pages need to be appealing to students in order for them to have continued interest in the text. The second criterion I look for when selecting a music is text features. The text should include different fonts to highlight key concepts of the text. Illustrations in the text correlate directly with what the text is talking about. The text has sidebars of information to help build the students prior knowledge.  The text should also include a glossary to help students with complex words. 

          I will incorporate these texts into my classroom when discussing musical instruments, genres of music, and famous bands or people. I will also have a wide range of these texts in my classroom library. Music text can have a major influence on student’s lives. Exposing children to these texts will give them good role models to follow in the future and gives students motivation to follow their dreams. I will use music text in my classroom for shared reading and read aloud. I will also have a wide variety of these text available in my classroom library for students to refer to on their own time.

Edgers, G. (2006). Who were the beatles? New York, New York: Penguin Group.

Grade level in which text is considered “complex”

• Fifth and sixth grade

Grade level for class read-aloud 

• Fourth and fifth grade

The main theme of this book is the Beatles. It talks about each member of the band individually and also about their time spent on tour. The illustrations throughout the text directly correlate with what the text is discussing. The illustrations give students insight of what the Beatles were doing and helps them picture what the musical artist looked like. The text also includes pages that discuss interesting facts that are being discussed in that chapter. They have facts about Elvis Presley, rhythm and blues, and the sixties. This gives students the prior knowledge they need to understand the upcoming chapters. Students may need assistance with complex vocabulary words used throughout the text. Some of the complex words are hamburg, albums, concerts, albums, banjo, and bass. 

Knapp, B. (1991). Sounds and music. Danbury, Connecticut: Grolier Educational Corporation.

Grade level in which text is considered “complex”

• Fifth and sixth grade

Grade level for class read-aloud 

• Fourth and fifth grade

The major themes discussed throughout this text is sound and music. It talks about the different types of instruments that make sound along with how you play that instrument. This text includes multiple text features that would be beneficial for student learning. Each page talks about a different type of sound. These pages also include a yellow box which gives students experiments to try on their own. When discussing key terms the text is bolded and you can find definitions of the words in the glossary at the end of the text. The pictures in the text are of all different types of instruments. Each picture has arrows pointing to certain parts of the instrument explaining what that part of the instrument does.   Students may need assistance with complex vocabulary words. These words include decibel, gamelan, harpsichord, pan- pipes, stereophonic, and valve.