Exploring Careers in Music
Subject Area: Music
Grade Level: High School
Duration: 40 – 50 minutes
Objective: To introduce students to a variety of careers in music and help them identify a career that interests them.
Materials:
- Internet access for website exploration
- Projector ability for PowerPoint presentation
- Access to the website: National Federation of State High School Associations – Careers in Music
- Note-taking materials
Lesson Outline:
- Introduction
- Begin with a brief discussion about careers in music. Ask students what careers they already know in the field of music.
- Introduce the lesson’s objective: exploring a variety of music careers to understand the breadth of opportunities in the music industry.
- PowerPoint Presentation
- Present a PowerPoint that overviews various careers in music (sample PowerPoint available). This could include roles like performer, composer, music producer, music teacher, sound engineer, music therapist, etc.
- Highlight key responsibilities, necessary skills, and potential educational paths for each career.
- Website Exploration
- Direct students to the provided link (NFHS Careers in Music).
- Instruct students to explore the website independently, focusing on areas that interest them. Encourage them to take notes on careers that particularly intrigue them.
- Have students explore needed educational attainment, market size, salary ranges, etc. of multiple careers.
- Hands-On Activity
Objective: To encourage students to think practically about their interests in music careers.
Guided Questions:
- Identify a Role: Choose a specific role or career in music that you find interesting. What is the title of this role?
- Imagine a Day: What do you think a typical day in this role looks like? Consider the tasks, environments, and interactions involved.
- Skills and Education: What skills do you think are essential for this role? What kind of education or training might be necessary?
- Personal Connection: Why does this role appeal to you? How does it align with your interests, talents, or future goals?
- Creative Project Idea: If you were to take on this role today, what project would you want to start? Describe a brief outline of this project.
Instructions:
- Have students brainstorm and write down their responses to the guided questions, focusing on the career that interests them the most.
- Have students brainstorm and write down ideas for a hypothetical project or role they might like to explore within their chosen career. This encourages them to think practically about their interests.
- Sharing and Discussion
- Invite students to share their findings with the class. Ask them to give a short verbal report on a career in music that interests them, why it interests them, and a potential idea they noted during the hands-on activity.
Follow-Up:
- Consider allowing students to delve deeper into their chosen career in subsequent lessons, possibly through research projects, interviews with professionals, or shadowing experiences.
- Encourage students to discuss their career of interest with their assigned guidance counselor.
This plan aims to engage students actively through multimedia resources and personal exploration. The assessment through verbal reports encourages them to articulate their interests and understanding of music careers, fostering both self-awareness and public speaking skills.
Exit Ticket: Exploring Careers in Music
Name: ____________________
Date: ____________________
Instructions: Please answer the following questions based on today’s lesson. Your responses will help us understand what you’ve learned and what interests you in the field of music careers.
- Identify One New Career: Name one career in music you learned about today that you were not aware of before.
- Personal Interest: Briefly explain why the career you identified in question 1 interests you.
- Skills and Qualities: List two skills or personal qualities you think are important for someone pursuing the career you identified.
- Reflection: What is one question you still have about careers in music, or what is something you would like to learn more about?
Please hand in your exit ticket before you leave. Thank you!
NOTE: This exit ticket may be made into a LMS form such as a Google Form for easier access.