Rob Jackson, Codey Logan, Joey Morrow

Our idea is to have a number of cheaper instruments and facilitate student experimentation. The
instruments would include pbones (and/or other plastic instruments), recorders, drums (bucket
drums, bongos, literally anything that can be hit and make a decent-ish sound), and any other
instruments that may be available to us. Our ideas for a location would be any middle school or
the creative kids co op.
 Middle Schoolers
 Facilitation of musical exploration and experimentation in a practical and fun manner.
Cheap and/or available instruments. Musical knowledge of children.
 Other Document + Stringham Based Jam session +
 Informal learning + Facilitated individual experimentation + Winding Forward and back.
 Contacting ESC and the Creative Kids Co-Op and see how the respond. Plans to
acquire instruments.

Experience Design: JamX

Designer(s): Codey Logan, Joseph Morrow, Robert Jackson

Summary/Overview:
Our design is to have easily-readable instruments available for students to play on in a jam
session type setting so they can experience a variety of instruments with others. This design is
the facilitation of experimentation. It is meant to leave what the students want to do mostly up to
them. The teachers are there to help guide them, answer potential questions they may have,
and help them if they are struggling with something. The idea of a jam session is to play songs
with other musicians in a social setting, learning from those around them.

Rationale:
The rationale for proposing this experience is to allow students to learn to play an instrument in
an informal setting. Having students learn songs by listening and singing along with songs they
are familiar with, this allows them to have a connection with the music they are learning. Having
students learn chords, rhythms, and notes visually and aurally is the way for students to learn in
the way that works best for them.

Standards:
 Virginia Standards
o MIB.2 The student will echo, read, and perform rhythms and rhythmic patterns,
including whole notes, half notes, quarter notes, eighth notes, dotted half notes,
dotted quarter notes, and corresponding rests
o MIB.15 The student will perform simple rhythmic and melodic examples in call-
and-response styles.

I Can Statements:
 I can accurately play and perform song learned through this experience
 I can learn a tune by echoing a teacher.
Materials and Visual Aids:
 Ukuleles, Pbones, Bucket Drums, Triangles, Recorders, Tambourine, Rain
Sticks, Boomwhackers, Guitar, U-Bass, Keyboard
 Powerpoint slides
Detailed Process:
 Students will have time to experiment on the instrument of their choice.
 Teachers will use call and response in order to teach some songs.
 The students will learn how to play the chords and rhythms needed to play the song by
demonstration and providing pictures on the projector.
 Students will then use these chords and rhythmic ideas to play songs together and sing
along.

Assessment:
Students will be assessed on if they are open to experimentation and are willing to try the new
instruments. How far each of the students take these new ideas is up to them, with the guidance
or influence of the students around them. The “quality” of the songs played is not what is being
assessed.

Extensions:
This activity could be extended by learning more songs and chords. This experience really can
be pushed endlessly if the time and ability of the students persists.

Adaptations:

 Size:
o Different size Instruments
o Size of groups
o Lengths of songs
o Number of songs played on an instrument
 Color
o Color Coded Chords
o Color marked slide positions
o Color Coded Strings
o Boomwhackers are color coded
 Pacing
o Students would be able to only play the chords/ notes/ rhythms that they are
comfortable with doing at any point, adding on what they can as the lesson
progresses
o Simplify chords, melodies, or bass lines
 Modality:
o Students could play percussion or use body percussion
o Singing the tune
o Playing the song in the back to hear it/play with it
o Visual Chords (PowerPoint?)

Winding: [You will complete this after Dr. Hammel visits class on Thursday]

 Back:
o Students can play simplified chords, melodies, or bass lines
o Students can refrain from either playing an instrument or singing to focus on the
other

 Forward:
o Allowing students to improvise over the chord changes to the songs
o Trying a new instrument
o Adding more complex rhythms or chords