Overview

This module of study was based on rhythmic musical concepts and their relationship to another language, in our case, Spanish. Within a distinct culture the rhythmic patterns persist and punctuate the various forms of language. Students were given opportunities to develop in-depth understanding of two important areas of knowledge: music and a foreign language. The main idea was to explore the rhythmic relationships found in music, and to relate each finding to elements from a foreign language, in this case, pronunciation and articulation in Spanish.

 

The students learned how musical rhythms fit together to create a piece of music and how words relate to those rhythms to create the flow of language. Students learned to play Latin percussion instruments and chanted to Shakespeare’s iambic pentameter, the most common poetic rhythm. As a culminating project, each student created and performed the rhythm of an original piece of music or poetry.

 

Guiding Questions

How does rhythm change the sound of life?

How does rhythm reflect the sound of a culture?

What are the rhythmic interconnections inserted by participants in a culture, as viewed through their language and their music?

What aspects of a culture or group of people drive the rhythms they produce?

In what way is rhythm a personal interpretation?

How is speech rhythmic? Dance? Music?

How are rhythms in speech different from those in music and dance?

Where can you feel rhythm inside or around you?

Why is it important to cultural participants to have music and/or any other form of art as notations and forms that relate to life?

What is the importance of having a basic or deeper knowledge of one or more languages besides English?

How can we use to the student’s benefit these meaningful relationships found across different disciplines?