Beats around the world

Step 1: Local musical exploration

• Explain the project objectives to the students.
• Organize groups of 4 or 5 students to work collaboratively.
• Ask students to mention popular songs from their country.
• Create a list with the mentioned songs and organize them by local musical genres.
• Assign each group a musical genre to research.
• Provide research guidelines, such as:

1. Origin of the genre
2. Main characteristics
3. Instruments used
4. Representative songs

• Students create a simple presentation that includes:

1. Origin and characteristics of the genre
2. Famous songs
3. Short videos or audio clips of traditional rhythms
4. Related photographs or images (optional).

Step 2: Musical cultural exchange

• Students share their presentations about local musical genres on the platform's board.
• Encourage students to comment on or ask questions about their peers' posts to foster interaction.

Step 3: Final presentation

• Organize a video conference with the partner class.
• Prepare guiding questions for the discussion, such as:

1. What makes this genre special in your country?
2. When and where is this music usually performed?
3. What instruments are most commonly used?
4. How does this music make you feel?

• Facilitate reflection during the video call:

1. What surprised you the most about the music from other countries?
2. What similarities did you find between different musical genres?
3. How has your perception of global musical diversity changed?

Assessment and reflection ✍️

• Active participation in presentations and discussions:
• Assess the quality and creativity of the presentations delivered.
• Evaluate students' ability to engage in cultural exchange and ask meaningful questions.
• Reflection activities:
• Students write in a personal journal about their learning experience.
• Share one surprising or significant fact they discovered during the process.

Teacher tips 💡

• Foster a safe and inclusive learning environment that values diverse perspectives and experiences.
• Provide clear guidelines and expectations for respectful communication and collaboration. We suggest you review the coexistence policies of Class2Class.org.
• Facilitate the formation of diverse international teams, ensuring a mix of skills, backgrounds, and perspectives.
• Provide scaffolding and support throughout the research and action planning process, offering guidance and resources as needed.
• Encourage student agency and ownership of their learning, allowing them to drive the direction of their projects.
• Celebrate student achievements and facilitate meaningful reflection on their growth and the impact of their actions.

This project enables students to share their musical culture while developing essential skills in intercultural communication, critical thinking, and digital literacy. Through music, students will build bridges of understanding and mutual appreciation, contributing to Class2Class.org's mission of fostering global citizenship and meaningful collaboration.