Heyer Learning » music

Exploratorium Music

Mr. Heyer — Wed, 04 Aug 2010 19:09:41 +0000

I’ve been a member of the Exploratorium hands-on science museum since I was a little kid. Here’s a video exploring a feature on their website, “Science of Music: Exploratorium’s Accidental Scientist.”

“American Honey” by Lady Antebellum – Song Review

Mr. Heyer — Fri, 16 Jul 2010 04:29:23 +0000

Song: “American Honey” (mp3) by Lady Antebellum on the album, Need You Now (CD).

Length: 3:45

Lyrics: Safe.

Topic: Safe. Reminiscing about childhood and longing to have the good times back again.

Theme: sentimentality, comfort, and longing.

Recommended Age: Any.

Genre: Country.

Year: 2010.

Video: (CMT | YouTube). Shots of the band members singing in the countryside intermixed with shots of childhood innocence. A young boy rides a bike, and a young girl walks among laundry drying on clotheslines. A teenage boy and girl hold hands, take a walk, and eventually share a short, tender kiss (so it may get giggles from some elementary students).

Code of Best Practices in Fair Use for Scholarly Research in Communication

Mr. Heyer — Thu, 08 Jul 2010 04:09:56 +0000

The Code of Best Practices in Fair Use for Scholarly Research in Communication from the Center for Social Media.

This guide identifies four situations that represent the current consensus within the community of communication scholars about acceptable practices for the fair use of copyrighted materials … it describes how those rights should apply in certain recurrent situations.

I have spent a long time reading up on copyright and fair use because they have serious implications for an information junkie, like me. As a teacher, I have often heard strange ideas from administrators, teachers, students, and parents about how copyright, fair use, and attribution work. This isn’t exactly surprising considering The Associated Press wants to charge you for quotations (even though you don’t pay to quote someone).

The common situations in this code are described so that it’s easy to understand what to do when the situation happens in a teacher’s professional life. I hope teachers read it, and it helps to facilitate better lessons and products.

“Soul Meets Body” by Death Cab for Cutie – Song Review

Mr. Heyer — Sun, 04 Jul 2010 18:01:31 +0000

Song: “Soul Meets Body” (mp3) by Death Cab for Cutie on the album, Plans (CD).

Length: 3:50

Lyrics: Safe.

Topic: Safe. Abstractly telling of the desire for something better. Includes a metaphor that someone else is a “song” he has a singular connection to in this gritty life. Possible spiritual self-examination.

Theme: Longing and connection.

Recommended Age: Any. Abstractness of the lyrics lends itself to high school and maybe middle school, but the music is beautiful and would appeal to any age.

Genre: Indie Rock. Haunting and beautiful.

Year: 2005.

Video: (AOL Music | YouTube | Directions DVD). The singer walks to a cabin in the woods where he joins the band to play. On the walk we see some sort of plant or fungus grow and float into the air. Mixed with shots of the band, we see the plants turn into musical notes and float across the country to the sea.

“Three Little Birds” by Bob Marley and the Wailers – Song Review

Mr. Heyer — Thu, 01 Jul 2010 02:12:47 +0000

Song: “Three Little Birds” (mp3) by Bob Marley and the Wailers on the albums, Exodus (CD), or, Legend (CD).

Lyrics: Safe.

Topic: Safe. The speaker tells of waking up to find three birds perched on his doorstep. He personifies them or imagines their song is telling him everything is going to be alright.

Theme: Hope and optimism.

Recommended Age: Any.

Genre: Reggae. Upbeat dance music.

Year: 1977.

Video: No official music video.