Technology In Music - Bring in GarageBand!

Technology + Music =  A great opportunity to introduce more experiences with our students. This year, we'll explore sounds, beats, rhythms, vocals and more.

Bring in a great old standard: GarageBand




 
Here's my plan for GarageBand for Mac:

Here's my plan for GarageBand for iPad:

#MetKids - Artwork for Kids!

Lately I've come across some very cool websites for kids to explore Art. MetKids struck me as a great way to not only share the architecture of the Metropolitan Museum of Art, but of all the visual artwork that fill this amazing place. With a few clicks, students can learn about all the different areas of the museum from the Tomb of Perneb to Terracotta Krater to even the Gift Shop and that is just a start. Click on the many red and yellow markers on the map and read more about the room and the history of the art in it.

There is also a section labeled "Time Machine", where with a filtered search by era, geography or main topics will display results of more images of the artwork and more historical details...this is fascinating stuff! There is also a videos section that is kid friendly and on topics that are fascinating as well!

Click on the Menu to read the MetKids Blog, learn about programs for kids and families and get details about visiting the museum! Nicely planned out.

I like how user friendly the site is, how it is mapped out for kids to enjoy and that it is as aesthetically pleasing as the artwork it displays - an added plus.

Nicely done Met...nicely done!

Chrome Music Lab - Song Maker!

I love it when I'm tinkering about and a cool app pops up out of nowhere. Such was the case with Chrome Music Lab. It's a song maker, but it is so much more! It's a cool way to explore sounds, tempos and more. This program works on any browser and is easy to get started.

Students can be composers for the day - choosing between varying styles like marimba, piano, electronic, string, woodwind or synthesizer to the many offered measures, set the tempos, press the space bar and away you go!

I like the clarity of the sound. Students can have a jam session and combine their creations. Add vocals by using the devices microphone!

This is a great way to introduce the basics of music production all the way up to the more complex sounds - and it's fun! It also adds an element of technology integration to the music classroom. Clearly a win-win!

This is a grand idea!