About our project: Chance Numbers Composition
Music’s relationship with Maths featured strongly in this Year 7 Creative Schools project.
What happened:
Cartesian planes, integers, fractions, and negative numbers were among the specific curriculum points that in Term 2 teacher Mavis Heng wanted to cover in partnership with musician Stuart Orchard. Together we decided many of these concepts could be explored through a music composition task using GarageBand. For example, use dice-rolling games to get kids working with numbers, plotting them onto Cartesian planes. They could then experiment with representing their Cartesian planes with ‘tracks’ or other patterns on GarageBand. For instance, a high then low number plotted on a Cartesian plane could correspond with an increase then decrease in volume on a GarageBand composition. Or they could construct melody ‘lines’ on GarageBand, reflecting number lines on their written Maths work. Furthermore, they could have fun making music with ‘automation’ and ‘loop length’ on a device using GarageBand and Digital Audio Workstations (DAWS) e.g. Logic Pro, Pro Tools, FLStudio, Cubase, and Reaper.
We got to do GarageBand. We were in maths but we didn’t have to do maths. We didn’t have to do worksheets. We got to go on the iPads. Normal maths lessons are usually boring. The worksheets are easy but boring. In normal lessons we use paper and pencil and do lots of writing. But in Creative Schools we get to use technology.
- Student
When I was younger I went on to mum and dad’s phone and looked at GarageBand but I didn’t know how to use it. When Stu came to the classroom we he worked with us and he taught us how to use it. I then put it into my phone at home and got to use it. It helped me practise maths in a different way.
- Student
The goal was to get students more engaged in mathematics by illuminating how numbers can be transferred to different musical attributes: mainly melody, harmony, rhythm, instrumentation. We hoped students would work their ‘mathematics muscles’ in new and fun ways. Along the way, they would practice counting and other rudimentary maths operations (multiply, divide, subtract, add). The idea was to keep it pretty ‘loose’ so that students could experiment with creative ideas. It furnished opportunities for artistic growth and personal development for all involved.
In Term 3 we planned to explore the Solar System via constructing papier mâché planets to scale. To prepare, we had to explore the sizes and compositions of our solar system and planets including the mass relative to area.
The activities Mavis suggested were great. They were kinaesthetic, which suited this group’s learning styles. For example, we arranged to walk onto the oval to measure scaled distances between planets for one lesson. Admittedly it was chaotic! But eventually all groups completed the exercise.
It’s messy, everyone is a bit louder. We are having fun. It’s easier to learn when you are having fun. It’s not as intense. In normal lessons you have to do what you’ve been told. You can be yourself in Creative Schools when you are making things.
- Student
Everyone is a lot happier. They get to do a fun activity with people they like. The groups have been letting other people join them. Kids are being kinder. We don’t want kids to miss out on what we are doing.
- Student
What we discovered:
It helps kids show their creative side by opening up another world to show them that anything is possible.
- Student
Kids are talking more. It’s not as strict and we need to talk more for the activities. We are sharing our own ideas, not just listening to the teacher.
- Student
Term 3 was a little more competitive in the group work aspect and this was effective overall. Disengaged students would eventually get on board, as they could see everyone else was working hard to meet and ‘win’ deadlines. Disengaged students gradually realised others were doing the exercise, that is, measuring with the measuring wheel, consulting their worksheet, placing their planets in scaled distances from the same line. So, many of the disengaged kids had a go too.
This is a challenging class. They know what is expected of them in Creative Schools. It is a good experience. I feel the more creative approach also needs explicit instruction within it. The students are not very creative. Term 2 wasn’t that smooth. GarageBand and using technology was more challenging for them. The students didn’t know what they had to do. This term they understand it more. The expectations and the tasks are more hands-on.
- Teacher
This observation resonates with feedback from students, that they really appreciated more time in groups to do their own thing; to work at their own pace; and to make their own decisions. By the end of Term 3, it was apparent that students needed more ownership of how to use their time, whether on a task or not. Moreover, this helped build a sense of excitement. Safety with freedom, builds rapport. Kids need flexibility and space to feel safe enough to create.
My relationship with the students has allowed me to get to know them better. The hands-on nature of the activities has made learning fun and they are more willing to participate.
- Teacher
Other lessons make kids do work that they wouldn’t want to do. It gives us activities. For normal lessons if there is a question they don’t understand the teacher just re-read the question but in Creative Schools we go deeper to help us understand. Stu explains it in a way that we can understand.
- Student
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