Music Mania

Students can make their own music videos using a wide variety of tools (many of which are free).

1) Choose a school policy or social issue on which you'd like to comment.

2) Determine your position on the issue.

3) Select a culturally authentic tune that conveys your mood about the issue.

4) Write lyrics in the target language that explain your position on the issue for the tune you have chosen.

5) Take still photos (or digital video) of images or symbols that will provide visual reinforcement of the message you are trying to convey.

6) Use iMovie, Windows Movie Maker, or some other tool of your choice to assemble the audio, images/video, and lyrics into a music video.

April Hoffman - Once the page loads, click on movies, then look for Let's Get It Started to see an example of how one teen is using the avatars and backgrounds from videogames to create her own machinima-style music videos.

Super Dooper Music Looper - This free, online version will help students to understand the concept of tracks, layers, and loops. The version available for purchase will let them record their own voices as one of the tracks. You can accomplish similar results in Audacity (which is completely free), but you have to record your own tracks. Mac users can use Garage Band.

Low-tech Alternative: Have students "perform" this as a skit in class.