SWEET SOUNDS OF PURE MATH; FRACTIONS CHIME KIDS' BELLS AT ACTON ELEMENTARY SCHOOL.Byline: Greg GREG Great Egg Harbor National Scenic and Recreational River (US National Park Service) Botonis Daily News Staff Writer A national trend to include elements of music in math instruction has come to the Antelope Valley This article is about the Los Angeles County region. For the census-designated place in Wyoming, see Antelope Valley-Crestview, Wyoming. The Antelope Valley with a new twist. Instead of clapping hands, banging drums or pecking at piano keys, students at Acton Acton, town (1990 pop. 17,872), Middlesex co., E Mass., NW of Boston; settled c.1680, inc. 1735. Among its manufactures are electrical machinery, chemicals, prefabricated houses, and precision equipment. Elementary School elementary school: see school. will be ringing bells to learn basic and advanced math skills. Students in Larry Rowland's sixth-grade class will use bells as a means of learning how music involves mathematical concepts. Time signature depends on fractions - like 2/4 time or 6/8 time - and rhythm includes decimals, as for dotted notes (Mus.) a note followed by a dot to indicate an increase of length equal to one half of its simple value; thus, a dotted semibreve is equal to three minims, and a dotted quarter to three eighth notes. See also: Dotted that are half again longer than the undotted notes. ``A music class is dependent on math, but a math class is not dependent on music,'' said Rowland. ``I would like to show how strong the connection between the two is. The students will be learning both and won't even know it.'' Rowland, who has an extensive background in both music and math, initially tried to get the bells through the school budget or grants. Unsuccessful at that, he began approaching companies that manufacture bells. In his first attempt he contacted Schulmerich Bells, headquartered in Sellersville, Pa. The company president, Sam (1) (Security Accounts Manager) The part of Windows NT that manages the database of usernames, passwords and permissions. A SAM resides in each server as well as in each domain controller. See PDC and trust relationship. Holland, was so fascinated with the idea that Schulmerich Bells donated do·nate v. do·nat·ed, do·nat·ing, do·nates v.tr. To present as a gift to a fund or cause; contribute. v.intr. To make a contribution to a fund or cause. hand bells worth several thousand dollars. Each bell plays a specific note on the keyboard, from C through B, including all sharps and flats. ``We are fortunate to have a president who is so passionate about the art and beauty of bells,'' said Henrietta Rotelle, corporate communications Corporate communications is the process of facilitating information and knowledge exchanges with internal and key external groups and individuals that have a direct relationship with an enterprise. manager for Schulmerich Bells. ``We heard the idea of combining the music of our bells in a math program, and money was just no object. We had to see if this would really work.'' The company immediately shipped the bells to the school, and the program began to take shape. ``This company just donated these bells on the basis of our idea, and they did it so quickly we're still in shock,'' said Rowland. ``This is an excellent starter kit, and we can begin working with the structure of the program now.'' Rowland will use the donated bells in a volunteer after-school program as early as September. He is seeking donations to buy more bells so the program can be implemented in a regular classroom format. With bells for 12 students to use, Rowland wants enough for an entire class of 30 students. ``The big picture would be to let the students be the presenters and the speakers to show how the bells apply to the music and math program,'' said Rowland. ``The kids seem to enjoy it so much. I think it will be easy to put this together.'' CAPTION(S): 3 Photos PHOTO (1--Color in AV Edition only) Ringing bells, sixth graders in Larry Rowland's class at Acton Elementary School use music to learn math, too. A manufacturer donated a scale of musical bells to launch Rowland in his effort to acquire them for 30 students. (2--Color in AV Edition only) Rowland leads students in a demonstration of mathematical concepts in music. The students can play every note on a piano keyboard with their bells. (3--Color in AV Edition only) Eileen Boylan Eileen April Boylan (born on May 10, 1987) is an American actress who most recently co-starred as Kyla Woods in The N original series South of Nowhere. Her other television credits include Baywatch, General Hospital, Judging Amy , 11, finds musical rhythm and tones amid decimals and fractions. Jeff Goldwater/Daily News |
|
||||||||||||
Printer friendly
Cite/link
Email
Feedback
Reader Opinion