Summary

EarSketch teaches computer science through music composition and remixing. No prior knowledge of either computer science or music is needed. Students can express their own unique style. EarSketch also lends itself well to student collaboration as well as a discussion on proprietary ownership.

EarSketch is a web-based application, so there is no software to install. You need a current version of Chrome, Safari, Firefox, or Edge running on Mac, Windows, Linux, a ChromeBook, or a tablet with an attached keyboard. You also need headphones or speakers.

EarSketch consists of two components:

1. A free online curriculum that teaches programming concepts using Python while teaching music composition and remixing.
2. A free online software toolset, which contains a code editor to write and test Python code and a Digital Audio Workstation (DAW) to actually play the music.

 Students create an account to get Cloud storage for their files.

• This curriculum does not ask students to post anything on this or on any public web site.   
• No downloads or installs are needed other than current web browsers.   EarSketch runs inside a recent web browser Chrome, Firefox, Safari or Microsoft Edge. (Internet Explorer < 12 is not supported.)
• Students need ear buds or headphones for these lessons.

Outcomes

• Students will understand the basics of music including beat, measure, track, and effects.  
• Students will use the Python programming language to create and remix their own music.  
• Students will apply Python programming concepts - iteration, user-defined functions, debugging
• Students will apply Python programming concepts - list creation, access, modification and traversal

Optionally from Section 3.

• Students will use the Python programming language to create and remix their own music including effects and musical forms
• Students will use the Python programming language to create and remix their own music including randomness and stochastic composition
• Students will explore sonification -a way to use non-speech audio to convey information, or in other words, turning data into sound.
• Students use Python to enable the computer to analyze audio.
• Students will implement recursive Python programs

 Overview

The Lesson is divided into three sections.  

Section 1 Getting Started with EarSketch  is anticipated to take about 5-6 sessions.

1. Programming for Personal Expression
2. Program Design and Functions
3. Project 1
4. Copyright and Correctness
5. Section 1 Assessment

Section 2 is anticipated to take about 5 sessions to complete these EarSketch units.

6. Reusing Code
7. Strings and Debugging
8. Project 2
9. Conditionals and Data Strucutres
10. Section 2 Assessment

 

 

Section 3 is optional and is anticipated to also take about 5-6 sessions to complete these Earsketch units.

• 11 EarSketch Unit 7: Teaching Computers to Listen [1 session]
• 12 EarSketch Unit 9: Recursion [1 session]
• 13 Project 3 [2 sessions]
• 14 Summative Assessment

Each session will have the following elements.

1. Getting Started: (5 min)
2. Guided Activities (40 min)
3. Wrap Up (5 min)

Sources

EarSketch curriculum is available at https://earsketch.gatech.edu/earsketch2/#. The EarSketch curriculum and teaching materials are licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike 4.0 International (CC BY-NC-SA 4.0) license.

 

 

• MP1: Make sense of problems and persevere in solving them.
• MP2: Reason abstractly and quantitatively.
• MP5: Use appropriate tools strategically.
• MP6: Attend to precision.
• MP7: Look for and make use of structure.
• MP8: Look for and express regularity in repeated reasoning.

• F-IF.1-3: Understand the concept of a function and use function notation
• F-BF.1-2: Build a function that models a relationship between two quantities
• F-LE.5: Interpret expressions for functions in terms of the situation they model

• RST 12.3 - Precisely follow a complex multistep procedure
• RST 12.4 - Determine the meaning of symbols, key terms, and other domain-specific words and phrases
• RST 12.7 - Integrate and evaluate multiple sources of information presented in diverse formats and media
• RST 12.9 - Synthesize information from a range of sources
• WHST 12.2 - Write informative/explanatory texts, including the narration of historical events, scientific procedures/experiments, or technical processes
• WHST 12.4 - Produce clear and coherent writing in which the development, organization, and style are appropriate to task, purpose, and audience
• WHST 12.6 - Use technology, including the Internet, to produce, publish, and update writing products

• 2. Developing and using models
• 3. Planning and carrying out investigations
• 4. Analyzing and interpreting data
• 5. Using mathematics and computational thinking

• HS-ETS1-2. Design a solution to a complex real-world problem by breaking it down into smaller, more manageable problems that can be solved through engineering.

• How can a creative development process affect the creation of computational artifacts?
• How can computing and the use of computational tools foster creative expression?
• How can computing extend traditional forms of human expression and experience?
• How are vastly different kinds of data, physical phenomena, and mathematical concepts represented on a computer?
• How does abstraction help us in writing programs, creating computational artifacts and solving problems?
• How are programs developed to help people, organizations or society solve problems?
• How are programs used for creative expression, to satisfy personal curiosity or to create new knowledge?
• How does abstraction make the development of computer programs possible?
• How do people develop and test computer programs?
• Which mathematical and logical concepts are fundamental to computer programming?
• How does computing enable innovation?
• What are some potential beneficial and harmful effects of computing?
• How do economic, social, and cultural contexts influence innovation and the use of computing?

Students will need earbuds or headphones for these lessons.

EarSketch consists of three components:

• an integrated curriculum: http://earsketch.gatech.edu/
• a software toolset: http://earsketch.gatech.edu/earsketch2/
• a social media website: http://earsketch.gatech.edu/media/ discontinued after 2015

The software toolset component includes the EarSketch code editor and digital audio workstation environment to write code and make music. It runs inside a web browser with the latest versions of Chrome, FireFox, or Safari. Internet Explorer is not supported and the digital audio workstation will not load. You must use a browser that supports Web Audio.  (Internet Explorer 12 plans to include support for Web Audio.)

Teachers should review the first two modules of the student curriculum to learn the components of EarSketch: Unit 1 (Getting Started) and Unit 2 (Effects and Beats).

Next, teachers should access the teacher curriculum, which is designed to help computer science teachers with little or no music knowledge begin teaching EarSketch in their classrooms. It presents music concepts, rhythms, pattern and variety, and effects as they relate to music programming in EarSketch. 

Finally, teachers should complete the student curriculum to get an idea of what students will be learning and doing.

Section 1 Introduction to EarSketch

Session 1

Getting Started (5 min)

Journal Prompt: What are possible advantages there are to creating and mixing music on a computer?

Responses should be collected from each student and used to create a word cloud. Project the following four benefits to programming music and ask, "Are any of these missing?"

1. You can automate repetitive, tedious tasks.
2. You can experiment with music more easily.
3. You can roll the dice. (Introducing randomization into music.)
4. You can turn data into music and interpret data in a musical way.

Students should select one of these four points and record throughts and observations as to their meanings.

Guided Activities (40 min)

Direct students to Unit 1: Getting Started with EarSketch (http://earsketch.gatech.edu/uncategorized/unit-1).

Within the first unit, they should explore the section 1.1. Introduction to the DAW (Digital Audio Workstations) (http://earsketch.gatech.edu/uncategorized/unit-1#chap11). Students should research the following definitions and procedures, then share them with a partner.

Definitions

1. DAW
2. measure
3. track

Procedures

1. How does one create, manage and play (run) an EarSketch script?
2. How does one select and play tracks in the digital audio workstation in EarSketch?

 

Especially important is the process of creating, opening, running, editing, and saving EarSketch python scripts both on the EarSketch cloud as well as in the classroom. Once students have completed this task, demonstrate the following sections for them:

   1.4 Running a Script

   1.5 Adding Comments

   1.6 The DAW in Detail

   1.8 Sections of an EarSketch Script

   1.9 Creating a New Script

1.10 Composing In EarSketch

 

2  All programs process data, even those being developed for personal expression.  Demonstrate interactively the use of Python variables to store and retrieve data and to express values. Introduce student to the concept of abstraction and have students identify at least one detail that is hidden by each of data representation they review. 

   2.1 Rhythm

   2.2 Data Types

   2.3 Functions

   2.4 Numbers

   2.5 Variables

        2.6 Constants

Wrap Up (5 min)

It is important that students know how to use the curriculum and the online development environment.  Students should reflect on the process of creating, saving and retieving program in EarSketch.

1. Which questions have been answered?
2. Which questions remain?
3. What new questions arose?

Assignment

Assignment 1.1

This assignment can be found within the curriculum resources at Unit 6 > Lesson 1 > EarSketch Units > Unit 1.

 

Session 2

Getting Started (5 min)

Journal: Students should open their Assigment 1.1 (homework from the previous section) and discuss what they learned while completing it with their elbow partners. They should record in their journals two observations made either in the previous session or during the completion of the assignment. Any questions remaining after these discussions should be shared by students.

Guided Activities (40 min)

Beats, Effects and Tempo 

Program Design and Functions

Students work in pairs through the 8 sections below and add any questions they have to those posted during the getting started session.

Debugging and Documenting

•    3.1 What is Debugging?
•    3.2 Using the Console
•    3.3 Documenting Code
•    3.4 Common Errors

Effects in EarSketch: setEffect

•    4.1 Using Effects in EarSketch

Tempo and Pitch

•    6.1 Tempo
•    6.2 Pitch
•    6.3 Transition Strategies

Students complete Quiz 2.1.

Wrap Up (5 min)

Identify and responding to questions students have shared.  Use other studetns as a resource to answer as many questions as possible.

Assignment

Distribute and assign Assignment 2.2.   

 

Session 3

Getting Started (5 min)

Collect: Assignments 1.1 and 2.2

Journal: Students should discuss with their elbow partners the first two assignments, reflecting on the lessons learned and identifying any questions that are lingering. Unresolved questions should be posted on the board.

Guided Activities (40 min)

Some time should be used to respond to questions students posted at the beginning of the session. If questions are regarding upcoming material answer these during the next activity.

Students should work together to complete a  project for units 1 through 3. This project can be found under Unit 6 Resources > Lesson 01 - Earsketch > Projects > Project Unit 1-3_1.docx. The final product should be one working program per group.

 

Wrap Up (5 min)

Students should get into pairs and complete Quiz 3.1.  Collect an exit slip from students of any questions they need help with. Collect the quiz. 

Assignment

Students should complete Assignment 3.1 for the next session.

 

Session 4

Getting Started (5 min)

Journal: Students should discuss with elbow partners the lessons they learned from session 3 (including the assignment and quiz). Any unresolved questions should be posted to the board.

Guided Activities (40 min)

Before continuing, any questions regarding last session's formative quiz or assignment 3.1 should be answered.

Students again work in pairs to review Program Design and Functions using the following elements in the EarSketch curriculum.

Debugging and Documenting

   3.1 What is Debugging?

   3.2 Using the Console

   3.3 Documenting Code

   3.4 Common Errors

Effects in EarSketch: setEffect

4.1 Using Effects in EarSketch

Tempo and Pitch

   6.1 Tempo

   6.2 Pitch

   6.3 Transition Strategies

Wrap Up (5 min)

Students should reflect on how they benefited from cooperating with one another as partners and how they might beneifit from collaboration on the next project.

Assignment

Students should prepare for the section 1 exam using the assignments, quizzes and EarSketch units 1-3 as resources.

 

Session 5 (Section 1 Assessment)

Getting Started (5 min)

Students should upload their collaborative projects from session 4, including the .wav output of the music they created.

Guided Activities (40 min)

Students will take the section 1 test (units 1-3). The test to be administered can be found at the following location: Unit 6 Resources > Lesson 01 - Earsketch > Section Tests > Unit 1-3 Test.docx.

Time permitting, discuss the current music sharing sight and the ethical issues surrounding public sites. If students require more time to complete their collaborative projects, some could be given here as well.

Wrap Up (5 min)

Going foward, host a version of March Musical Madness. Hold a single elimination tournament to select the class musical section 1 champion.  If going on to sections two and three, consider doing just one round of the contest.  Each week allow pairs to enter their best product either from something newly created or modified.

 

Section 2 Dynamic Music Generation 

Session 6

Getting Started (5 mins)

Students should brainstorm lessons learned from the first section. They will be working in pairs throughout this entire section so this is a good time to also discuss standards for collaboration and cooperation. Partners/ work groups should be specified here. Notes gathered during this section, along with the EarSketch API documentation, will be allowed for the section 2 exam. 

Guided Activities (40 mins)

Student work in pairs through the Reusing Code sections below and post any questions they have.

Looping

   9.1 The For-Loop

   9.2 Components of a For-Loop

   9.3 Example Loop

   9.4 Following Control Flow

   9.5 Adding Effects with Loops

   9.6 Automating Effects with Loops

Musical Form and Custom Functions

10.1 Sections and Form

10.2 A-B-A Form

10.3 Custom Functions

10.4 Return Statements

 

Wrap Up (5 mins)

Using students as a resource whenever possible, answer any questions students have identified.

Working in pairs, students should complete Quiz 4. This quiz can be found under resources at the following location:  Unit 6 Resources > Lesson 01 - EarSketch > EarSketch Units > Unit 4. 

Assignment

Optional - Time permitting have stuend seletc a project and collaborate in its development.

With partner/work group, select an assignments from the following list (these assignments can be found under the following: Unit 6 Resources > Lesson 01 - EarSketch > EarSketch Units > Unit 4).

Assignment 4.1 

Assignment 4.2

Assignment 4.3

Assignment 4.4

Assignment 4.5

 

Session 7

Getting Started (5 mins)

Assess student progress from the previous session. Student working groups should identify questions or concerns. It is crucial that major concerns are addressed as soon as possible.

Guided Activites (40 min)

Student work in pairs through theStrings and Making Custom Beats: makeBeat sections below and post any questions they have. 

12.1 Strings

12.2 Beat Patterns with Strings

12.3 makeBeat()

13.1 String Concatenation

Debugging Logic

15.1 Printing to the Console

15.2 The Debugging Process

15.3 Common Errors

 

 

Wrap Up (5 min)

Using students as a resource whenever possible, answer any questions students have identified.

Working in pairs, students should complete Quiz 5.1. This quiz can be found under resources at the following location:  Unit 6 Resources > Lesson 01 - EarSketch > EarSketch Units > Unit 5.

 

Assignment

Select and assign one of the following to assignments (these assignments can be found under the following: Unit 6 Resources > Lesson 01 - EarSketch > EarSketch Units > Unit 5):

Assignment 5.1

Assignment 5.2

 

Session 8

Getting Started (5 mins)

Assess student progress from the previous session. Student working groups should identify questions or concerns, making sure to share all concerns pertaining covered material before the following session.

Guided Activities (40 mins)

Students should work together to complete a  project for units 1 through 3. This project can be found under Unit 6 Resources > Lesson 01 - Earsketch > Projects > Project Unit 4-6_1.docx. The final product should be one working program per group.

Time permitting students shoul work individually on  assignment 6.1. This assignment can be found within the curriculum resources at Unit 6 Resources > Lesson 01 - EarSketch > EarSketch Units > Unit 6.

 

Wrap Up (5 min)

Students should identify questions or concerns and share those that they think are most important, supplementing their notes with important comments.

Assignment

Formative Assessment (15 min)

Working in pairs, students should complete Quiz 6.1. This quiz can be found under resources at the following location:  Unit 6 Resources > Lesson 01 - EarSketch > EarSketch Units > Unit 6.

 

 

Session 9

Getting Started (5 mins)

Assess student progress from the previous session. Student working groups should identify questions or concerns, making sure to share all concerns pertaining covered material before the following session.

Guided Activites (45 mins)

Have your students select and complete (in pairs) one of the following two projects. These projects can be found under Unit 6 Resources > Lesson 01 - EarSketch > Projects:

Project Unit 4-6_1.docx

Project Unit 4-6_2.docx

Assignment

Students should consolidate their notes and prepare for the section 2 exam next session. REMINDER: It is an open note exam.

 

Session 10

Getting Started (5 mins)

Journal: Have students reflect on the ethical concerns raised by digital media innovations such as EarSketch. In their journals, they should write down a specific ethical issue associated with the use of EarSketch. They should also point out one additional piece of online technology that raises digital media related ethical concerns.

Guided Activity (40 mins)

Distribute and administer the section 2 exam. This exam can be found at the following location: Unit 6 Resources > Lesson 01 - EarSketch > Section Tests > Unit 4-6 Test.docx.

Wrap Up (5 mins)

Host a version of March Musical Madness. Hold a single elimination tournament to select the class musical section 2 champion. If going on to section three, consider doing just one round of the contest. Each week allow pairs to enter their best product. It can be derived from the in-class work or be a completely new, out-of-class creation.

 

Section 3 Teaching Computers to Listen (Optional)

Section 3 is optional and is anticipated to also take about 5 sessions to complete these EarSketch units.  Students should be working very independently during this unit in prepartion for the Create Task.

11 EarSketch Unit 7: Teaching Computers [1 session]

12 EarSketch Unit 9: Recursion [1 session]

13 Project 3 [2 sessions]

14 Summative Assessment

Session 11:

Getting Started

 

Guided Activities

Unit 7: Teaching Computers

 

Formative Assessment

Quiz 7.1.docx

Assignment:

7.1

Wrap Up:

In pairs. then study groups students identify questions or concerns and share those they think are most important and supplement their notes with important comments.

 

Session 12:

Getting Started

Assess student progress from Session 11.  Groups identify questions or concerns and share any items of concern before day 2 of this section.

 

Guided Activities

Unit 9: Recursion

Formative Assessment

Quiz 9.1

Assignment:

9.1

Wrap Up:

In pairs. then study groups students identify questions or concerns and share those they think are most important and supplement their notes with important comments.

 

 

Session 13 and 14:

Getting Started

Assess student progress from Session 12.  Groups identify questions or concerns and share any items of concern before days 3 and 4 of this section. 

 

Guided Activities

Project Unit 7-9_1.docx

Project Unit 7-9_2.docx

 

Assignment:

Prepare for Section 3 exam.

Wrap Up:

In pairs. then study groups students identify questions or concerns and share those they think are most important and supplement their notes with important comments.

 

 Session 15:

Guided Activities

Unit 7-9 Test.docx

Wrap Up:

Host a version of March Musical Madness.  Hold a single elimination tournament to select the class musical Section 2 champion.  If going on to three consider doing just one round of the contest.  Each week allow pairs to enter their best product either from somethnnewly created or modified.

Assignment:

None

 

Section 1:  

Quiz 1.4-1, 1.4.2, 2.1-1, 2.1.2, 3.1, 3,2 and 3.3

 

Section 1:  

Quiz 4, 5.1 and 6.1

 

Section 1:  

Quiz 7.1 and 9.1

 

Section 1:  

Project Unit 1-3_1 and Unit 1-3 Test 

 

Section 2:

Project Unit 4-6_1 and Unit 4-6 Test

 

Section 3:

Project Unit 7-9_1 and Unit 7-9 Test