Gather a GarageBand

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Who’s ready to ROCK this week’s Apple a Week Blog?

Growing up the baby of 6 kids was an experience.  Any given week, I was a spectator at multiple sporting events and band concerts.   One of the coolest parts of my childhood, though, happened right in our basement.  My brother’s “garageband” was named Zephyr and they practiced weekly - amps, microphones, instruments and all.  My 10 year old self knew all the words to “I Wanna Rock N Roll All Night” and our floors shook on a regular basis.  
My brother’s passion for playing music was contagious and continues on now that he is an adult  (though the music choice is quite different than the heavy metal of Zephyr).  I often think to myself what he would have created if he had the tools of GarageBand at his fingertips during school.  This week, put your listening ears on...because its time for...
GarageBand provides all the digital tools you need to compose and play original music. With the tap of an iPad or click of the trackpad, creativity can come to life.  
I decided to gather some information to help us explore the benefits of Garageband in education. First, I talked with my fellow Digital Learning Coach, Brad Cook, about some of the things he loves about GarageBand as an educator.  


I also talked to Wesley Baskett, an 8th grader at Coppell MIddle School North.  Sometimes a learner perspective can really open your eyes.


Lastly, I reached out to find an example of a finished project.  Our learners can do great things when we let them create.  My teammate, Trisha, shared these original raps by Anisha Bhattaru, a learner from Coppell Middle School West.


GarageBand can be used with learners to:
  • Compose original music for iMovie projects
  • Show what you know about a concept through an original song
  • Learn more about fractions by exploring notes and time signatures
  • Record a weekly class podcast in place of your classroom newsletter
  • Use the microphone tracks to record reading fluency over time
  • Practice class presentations using only audio to listen back and provide targeted feedback on scripts or written elements

You could even try this:
New to GarageBand?  Learn more below!
How could you use GarageBand to enhance classroom content and understanding?  Let me know in the comments! (Extra points if you record me a track in GarageBand!)

Check out other posts from this series here.





Comments

  1. Dierdre ShetlerMarch 7, 2018 at 4:37 PM

    Great suggestions Alli! I can see our 1:1 iPad schools really enjoying the reminder of this element of creation that we don't always think of. Garageband is a tool that I've never really delved into, but I know that there are certain kids who fall in love with it. :-)

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