“Without music, the world would Bb.”

1. “Without music, the world would Bb.” (Without music, the world would be flat.) Katelynn Hranchock English 486

2. Why music? Whether we are heartbroken and listening to Taylor Swift express exactly how we feel with “Breathe” or chew the loser out with “Picture to Burn,” or whether we are listening to some Beethoven while studying to simply help us to concentrate, music is there. Few of us drive in silence without bopping and singing along to the annoying, yet catchy songs on FM 97. Some of us play instruments to relax, and some of us because it is our heart and soul – everything we are. Some of us cannot play instruments at all, but can’t have our MacBooks open without iTunes playing in the background. Music… is everywhere. Chances are, if it’s everywhere for us, it’s everywhere for our students as well.

3. Music and Me I, quite literally, grew up with music. My dad was in a “band”.. And yes, I use that term loosely. But regardless, I grew up surrounded by music, whether it was being made by him and his bandmates or on the radio. I started to play clarinet and sing in fifth grade, and I met most of my middle school friends in band and choir. I watched my brother transform from a chubby and shy kid, to the “coolest kid in school” because of his Jimi Hendrix-esque performance of “The Star Spangled Banner” on his guitar at his eighth grade talent show. Music helps students grow. It changes them. It is there for them when nothing else is. For some students, it is their talent. For others, it is their passion. For most, it is their escape.

4. The Facts and Fictions of Minna Pratt Beginning with the classical aspect of music, this young adult novel, appropriate for around grade 4 and up, follows a young girl named Minna, a cello player, who spends much of the novel attempting to perfect her vibrato and understand life and growing up. She slowly learns through trial and error, that life is continuously changing and that all things happen in due time.

5. Fat Kid Rules The World This young adult novel follows Troy, a 6’1”, 296 lb. outcast who is on the edge of suicide, when he meets a punk rocker that is infamous at his high school. When Curt invites Troy to become a member of a new band as the drummer, Troy can’t refuse, wanting to please his new friend. Despite some setbacks along the way from Troy’s family and classmates, he is determined to prove to both Curt and himself that he has it in him to learn the drums and master the skill, while growing as a person at the same time.

6. I Wanna Be Your Joey Ramone This young adult novel follows teen punk rocker Emily Black, who was abandoned by her fellow-punk rocker of a mother at the age of only four months old. The story follows Emily as she struggles with growing up without a mother, while she forms a punk rock band of her own and attempts to follow in her mother’s footsteps. Since some scenes are very graphic in nature (involving sex, drugs, and alcohol), this novel would probably be more appropriate for older teen audiences. *Contested*

7. Link to Glog • http://www.glogster.com/katelynnzoe/poster-glog-by-katelynnzoe/g-6ll95oc0uu2mbv54b0nqva0

8. Side A: The Music Lover’s Graphic Novel This unique graphic novel features 30 autobiographical stories from artists about music and it’s influence on their lives. Although many of the artists in this graphic novel are not considered to be “mainstream,” their stories are well-told and their love for music is incredibly evident. I found this to be a very interesting and different read, and feel that it could be very appealing in the classroom, especially for young men.

9. Picture Book Introduce your students interested in music to the various instruments via this fun and interactive picture book. Simply adorable and full of lots of great information for the budding musician.

10. Song Lyrics • N*Sync “The Music of my Heart” • “Your love is the music of my heart” • Joan Jett “I Love Rock n Roll” • “I love Rock n Roll, so put another time in the jukebox, baby.” • Aerosmith “Dream On” • “Sing with me, sing for the year, sing for the laughter, and sing for the tears.” • Madonna “Music” • “Music makes the people come together!” • My Chemical Romance “Sing” • “Sing it for the boys, sing it for the girls, every time that you lose it, sing it for the world. Sing it from the heart, sing until you’re nuts, sing it out for the ones that’ll hate your guts. Sing it for the deaf, sing it for the blind, sing about everyone that you’ve left behind. Sing it for the world.”

11. Television Shows & Films • Glee • Set in Ohio, Glee follows the members of McKinley High School’s glee club as they deal with high school life, growing up, changes, and the power of music. • Mr. Holland’s Opus • Mr. Holland doesn’t think he will have much influence as a teacher of music, until he meets his students and realizes he has so much to give. • Raise Your Voice • When a young girl loses her brother in a car accident, she attends a music camp (which was his dream for her), and finds that singing helps her mourn and heal.