Introduction   Task  Procedure  Evaluation  Conclusion 

Introduction:
Here at Delirious Records, we have a problem. There are two different groups of current bands. The first group just uses instruments and doesn't tell a story. The second group uses words and/or instruments but tells a story. We need to decide what kind of music we want to promote. We have two different groups of artists that what to sign up with us, but we don't know what direction we want to take. The approach of one artist group is similiar to the ideas Johannes Brahms has about music. The other artist group thinks more like Richard Wagner in many ways.

As the agents for the artist groups, your job is to explain the two styles of music that our artists represent and tell us why we should pick your clients.

Task:
Each group is to create a Power Point presentation covering their main ideas about music, their historical figure(Brahms or Wagner), and the historical facts to back their client. This Power Point Presentation will be shown to the class.

Process:
1. Each member of your group has a role to play in the research and presentation. Basically, you must work together as a group to decide who does what- every job is vital to your success as a team! The different parts are as follows:

• Archivist- This person is in charge of finding the main points and facts of Brahms or Wagner's life, depending on who's side your on! This person is also in charge of creating the "Biography Page" and finding pictures to use in your PowerPoint presentation.
  
• Citation and Term Manager- This person is in charge of keeping track of what sources (books, websites, music) the group uses in their research. This information is included on the "Citation Page" of the PowerPoint presentation. This person also defines the important terms the group needs to know and includes them on the "Terms Page" of the presentation.
  

• Music Expert- This person is in charge of listening to the musical pieces for their group, using it to prove your point, and describing the music. All this information from the music expert goes on the "Musical Pieces Page".
  

• Artist Style Expert- This person researches the musical traits or characteristics of the artist your group is researching. Does this artist like doing instrumental music, or using words? Are their works long or short? Is there a lot of change in dynamics? Instruments? Rhythm? All this information goes on the "Musical Traits Page" of the PowerPoint presentation.
  

• Evidence Managers- This is a job for two people. These two people are in charge of organizing the evidence, facts, and reasons why your client is the better choice. Both of you must use all the information from the other group members to assemble two "Evidence Pages" for your PowerPoint presentation.
  

• Note: The job of everyone (except the Evidence Managers) is to find background information that is used by the Evidence Managers to prove your case. As the project starts, the Evidence Managers will help different group members with the research. For example, the Evidence Managers could help the Music Expert listen to music and describe it, or maybe help the Archivist. As more information is collected by the group, the Evidence Managers will use that information to prove that their artist group (and their composer) is the "best". Even if your not a Evidence Manager, be thinking of how the group could use your information!

2. Begin gathering the research, resources, and/or information you need to do your job. Below are links to the job specific pages. Researching may mean using music resource books, the internet, a listening station, or all three, or something else entirely! Remember to also use your group members. If you find something that may be useful to a team member, tell them about it! They might have read or heard something you didn't know about! Below are some web resources that may prove helpful. Remember to write down the web addresses you use and don't just copy the information from the web or a book "word for word". You are more than a xerox machine- you are thinkers.

3. Organize your information by using the "web" technique. What facts and pieces of information help prove your case that your style (and your client) is "better"? How does your style compare with the other style?

4. Talk with your group members about the information you've found, especially the Evidence Managers and the Citation Manager. Decide what's useful and what's not. If you see something you don't understand, ask each other questions!

5. Begin building your Power Point presentation. If you need pictures, ask the Achivist. If you need a musical term or word defined, ask the Citation/Term Manager. Remember, your trying to convince a heartless record executive to go with your client. Be creative!

Evaluation:

Your grade will be determined by several factors in your work as well as your group's work. Theses factors are as follows:

• PowerPoint Presentation Group Grade- 30% -Is it "complete"? Does each page have the required type of information? Did you tie up any lose ends or questions that the record executive (Mr. Foutz) or your classmates might ask? Are the terms defined properly? DId you cite your sources of information properly? Did any member act as a human xerox machine? Are your reasons for picking one artist group over another backed up with facts and information?

• Individual Presentation Grade- 50% - Did you perform your "job" well in representing your client? Was your Power Point Page complete? Did you work well with your team members? Did you invest and use your time on the web and in class well, or did you need to be reminded to keep working?

• Individual Test Grade- 20% - Your score on the test (multiple choice and fill-in-the-blank) that is given on your composer and style. If you were in the Brahms group, you will have a test on Brahms. If you were in the Wagner group, your test will be on Wagner. This is yet another reason you need to share information within your group about your composer and the style. On both tests, there will be extra credit questions on the composer from the other group.

Conclusion:

Upon completing this webquest project, each group member will have a working knowledge of the difference between programmatic and absolute music- not just as two styles of music in the 19th century, but as living, breathing styles we can hear today.

Along the way, you will also relate to our composers as people who actually lived and had thoughts and feelings, not just as yet another name in a book somewhere that you're supposed to know. Each student will also learn to use PowerPoint as they complete their final presentation, which will be useful later in life (trust me).

Thank you for attempting to learn something today. It's a good habit to get into.

Website Design and Concept by
Jeremy
Music Teacher
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