Ukuleles! An Engaging Middle School Music Unit

My Students

My middle school music students (7th & 8th) are fired up to express their creativity during their fifty two minutes of music every day. Unfortunately, we lack the resources in the classroom to create music collaboratively together. A ukulele unit will add to the students' growing musical toolbox.

My middle school music students are energetic and enthusiastic about every subject in school.

They are eager to explore new opportunities and collaborate with their peers. On a daily basis, students look for opportunities to share new songs or create something new. Every task or opportunity is met with enthusiasm. Throughout the classroom, an established culture of generosity and collaboration is felt. Many musical resources that are available in other districts are not available in our district, so students often have to adapt an imaginative and inventive personality in my classroom. Students in my classroom are diverse in personality and ability levels. Some students are involved heavily in Choir and Band, while others have zero musical experience. Although we have varied abilities, students find it easy to pool together their strengths to find a common goal of engaging, fun, and meaningful learning.

My Project

Many students in my music classroom feel comfortable expressing their creative side on percussion instruments or soprano recorders, but have difficulties vocally expressing themselves. With a ukulele unit, vocal techniques and string techniques would reinforce musical concepts while promoting student expression. Students will play individually, in pairs, in a group, and as a class on the ukulele. They need a ukelele and a method book to follow along in class and to guide their instruction. This unit will propel them into a future of music throughout the remainder of their K-12 education and in life.

Many of my students live in rural, agricultural neighborhoods.

Opportunities for students to express themselves are limited. They often find themselves isolated, but music provides a feeling of connectedness for many of them. In our music class, students are exposed to as much variety in music as I can show them. A ukulele unit could ignite a spark in students' minds that will provide the self-discipline, purpose, and work-ethic required of any path they choose in life.