In Tune With Trees: Using Music Composition and Technology to Connect Students with Nature
January 15, 2025
NORTH 310C
Classroom Leaders
This proposal outlines a Canadian action research project exploring the transformative potential of using electronic popular music composition and tree relationships to foster students' connections with nature. Conducted with 27 diverse fifth and sixth grade students in autumn 2023, the research utilized GarageBand software to engage the Ontario Science and Arts curricula. This interdisciplinary approach resulted in a class music album titled "In Tune With Trees.” Students reported forming personal connections with their chosen trees and emphasized the value of integrating music composition with outdoor learning. They described the experience as calming and joyful, distinct from conventional "work."Through the composition process, students communicated their evolving relationships with trees, creating music reflecting trees' personalities and characteristics. Despite limited prior musical training, students expressed deep satisfaction with their final pieces, noting the high quality of their compositions. In the face of escalating environmental concerns, this project underscores the importance of technology and arts-based methods in fortifying students' connections with nature. It positions popular music composition as a promising pathway to addressing the environmental crisis, demonstrating how educational technology can create engaging, meaningful, and personalized learning experiences.
Session Type
Concurrent Session (45 minutes)
Topic
Digital Tools/Apps
Level
Middle School (grades 6-8)
Curriculum Area
Performing & Visual Arts/Music