Cheep. Chirp, Twitter, and Whistle

This is a great lesson to introduce in a classroom, especially because it is integrated with music. I believe it is a great lesson because it compares bird songs and calls to songs created b... See More

This is a great lesson to introduce in a classroom, especially because it is integrated with music. I believe it is a great lesson because it compares bird songs and calls to songs created by musicians and composers. The article includes visual media resources for the teacher. Through these online resources, the teacher can better explain the lesson by showing students examples of different species of birds that are creating bird songs and calls. The article explains how to differentiate between a bird song and call. It also explains musical terms and how it compares to the patterns of the songs and calls. The students make a connection between both subject matters by using descriptive words. Overall, what I love most about the lesson is the authentic assessment. The students are asked to create and perform a scenario that illustrates what they have learned throughout the lesson. Students will be at all with this fun and engaging lesson.

Not Your Ordinary Tweet

For teachers looking for a way to integrate music with science, this article uses the songs and sounds of birds to hone observation skills. First students attempt to describe sounds made by ... See More

For teachers looking for a way to integrate music with science, this article uses the songs and sounds of birds to hone observation skills. First students attempt to describe sounds made by various musical instruments. Terms like pitch, rhythm, staccato, and crescendo are discussed. Next students listen to audiotapes containing bird sounds. Eventually students differentiate between bird songs and bird calls. This leads them to discover that there is a correlation between a bird’s behaviors and the sounds it makes. The lesson circles back to music when students look for pieces of music where a composer has written a song imitating a bird. Finally, students are encouraged to create their own bird music or songs. They can choose to add lyrics and instruments if they are so inclined. This lesson ties into standards dealing with the study of organisms, their characteristics and their environments.