WebQuest

Women's History Museum of Baltimore

Organizing an Exhibit

Dear Team of Zoras,

As you should already know, I have quit. Director NotLane, has informed me that you all will now be running the women composers exhibit and finishing that section of the museum as planned. Since you guys have been great assistants and a great team for the last 9 years, I'm going to try to help you out a little. In this email I will be outlining the method that I use for researching composers. Hopefully, this method will serve you well.

Phase 1 (Days 1-2)

1. In order to group you all into more fitting research teams, use the links listed below to explore the composers. After you are done, pick 2 composers that you would like to do further research on and submit your selections to the Composer Choice google doc (located in the Women's History Museum folder in the class google drive). Beside each selection answer: 1. Why you would like to do this composer? and 2. What do you think you will learn about this composer (based on the minor research you have done, the time period they composed in, attitudes towards women composers during their lifetime, etc.)?

2. Once assigned a composer, create a google doc (Title: Your Name + Composer Name) and begin to thoroughly researching your composer using the Program Notes template. Use the google doc to have a place to gather your information. Finding additional information or sources may be necessary.

For finding new sources to use, I suggest using websites such as Project Gutenberg (for older texts or primary sources), NPR, conservatory websites (Peabody, Chicago conservatory, etc.), and orchestra websites (BSO, San Francisco Symphony, Chicago Symphony, etc.). The conservatory websites can be excellent resources because their articles are often written by professors and they typically need to be well researched with many credible sources to back them up. Orchestra websites give good examples of what program notes should look like and are often good at blending composer bio with information about the piece. Later on, you and your group are going to want to be able to talk about the composer and their works in a way that flows.

3. After completing your research, begin to shape your composer's google doc into a cohesive article about the composer. The article should be 1 to 1 1/2 pages long and it should discuss aspects of all 8 questions from the program notes template. Formatting should be: Times New Roman, 12pt font, and single spaced.

Be creative!

You can add pictures of the composer, scores, links to music, or even embed YouTube videos into your document!
Remember, this is on the internet and everyone can see. Make sure that your sources are cited, that the writing is error free, and that the language is clear and engaging.

Phase 2 (Days 3-6)

Time to gather with your research team!

1. As a group, read over your individual composer bios and vote on which one that you like the most.

When voting think about:

Does it meet the composer bio length requirements ( 1 to 1 1/2 pages)

Is the bio formatted correctly (Times New Roman, 12 pt font, and double spaced)?

Are sources cited?

Is the writing engaging and interesting to readers?

Note: This is a peer editing session. No matter who's bio is picked, everyone should receive feedback on their work. Help your group members edit and improve their work using the checklist above. Each person is required to leave a piece of feedback on their team members' google doc. Make it meaningful, not just some random comment!

2. Design a Museum Display!

As a group, you will complete a poster to represent your composer. Components that need to be on the poster are:

Their name and birth and death dates (if applicable)
Relevant image
Notable composition
One word description of them and their music or a quote that represents them

After that, again, BE CREATIVE!

Use pictures of the composer (if possible), pictures of the score, sheet music as backgrounds (I would be glad print out music to be used as decoration), anything! Well, not anything, but something that is well-organized and appealing to your team and an outside viewer.

Remember, this is the music wing of the museum, so there can be music! Bring in your own recordings or send sound files or videos to Ms. Lois Notlane (Ms. Hutchinson).

Phase 3 (Day 7)

Present!

The Women's History Museum is open for Business!

There will be a gallery walk and all 6 composers will be presented. For the gallery walk, each team should have:

A completed composer bio displayed
A poster that represents their composer
Any other media they intend to use present (if using music, phones/videos out)

Before we begin the gallery walk, each group will have the opportunity to talk about at least one thing they liked or learned about their composer.

Exit Ticket:

1. What is your favorite fact about your composer? Why?

2. Who is another composer you learned about from the gallery walk? What is 1 thing you learned about them?

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Hildegard of Bingen

Bio:

http://www.classicfm.com/composers/bingen/guides/discovering-great-composers-hildegard-von-bingen/

https://sourcebooks.fordham.edu/med/hildegarde.asp

Music:

https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=LJEfyZSvg5c

https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=Uky9KCjrDcc

Barbara Strozzi

Bio:

https://www.brooklynmuseum.org/eascfa/dinner_party/heritage_floor/barbara_strozzi

https://www.naxos.com/person/Barbara_Strozzi/20177.htm

Music: