curriculum - roots of melody

In his new Roots of Melody (ROM), a companion curriculum to the Roots of Rhythm (ROR), teachers learn how to make and play 16 simple string and wind musical instruments graded for students from K-12. Each hands-on craft helps teachers with several subjects as follows:

• Families of musical instruments: air and string

• Description of world cultures: Africa, Asia, Europe, Middle East and the Americas

• Cross-disciplines including science, math, history, social studies, art and music

• Use of recycled materials

• Classroom management techniques

• Work on building self-esteem among students

Developed over a period of 25 years, including several years in Africa, and recent trips to the Middle East and Indonesia, the ROM curriculum has been taught to several hundred teachers in workshops across the United States and overseas. The curriculum encourages teachers to make and use simple musical instruments from around the world instruments within the context of music and other disciplines.

Such projects have been successful at helping students with:

• Creative thinking

• Problem solving

• Group participation

• Following directions

• Leadership training

• Manipulative skills

Thousands of students have made Dr. Woodson's designs and anecdotal evidence shows that the instruments are kept and played for many years. In some cases, the instrument has inspire taking up a traditional musical instrument both in school and as an extra curricular activity.