1.  Team Assignments

• You will be divided into teams of 3 members each.  Your final goal is to present a debate in front of the class.  The Debate topic is:  "Who has the most control in a musical performance:  The composer?  The performer?   The consumer (the audience who listens to and pays for it)?"     

• Once your team is formed, you will meet together to decide which sphere (Classical | Popular | Traditional) each team member will research.  Each team must have one person for each of the three spheres.  Use the Team Planning Form  to keep track of team member assignments.   Turn  this form into the teacher by the assigned date.   

2.  Journal Format     

• The journal is a tool to help you keep track of your research and ideas.   Use it as a way to record your thoughts, information about sites you visit, and questions that arise as you learn about your assigned musician.

• A suggested method  for making  journal entries is to use your computer's word processor while you are on line and record your entries as you work. You can then print out the page to clip into  your journal.  Be certain to record the date on each entry.  Cut and paste web site addresses which you visit. Give a brief summary of what is available at each site.

• Your journal will be submitted to the teacher at the end of your class presentation.  It must be bound together in some form of notebook or folder. Style of entry is not as important as the information you include.  Students should show evidence of thorough research (multiple web sites and other printed resources, as available).  Students should also show evidence of in-depth thinking about the assigned musician.
  

3.  Team Research

• To gain an overview of the influences on American music, begin your  research by working together,  studying the ideas presented in the following web sites.  Familiarize yourselves with the types of stories that are available, and also with music sites you might use for your individual research.  Write an entry in your journal describing each of the following web sites.  Make a special note about any sites which may have information about your assigned musician.  

• America's Musical Life

Note:  You do need to read the Richard Crawford article at this site, as it will give you a brief overview of America's music.

• Overview of American Music
• American Music Archives
• The Classical Music Page
• NPR 100
• The American Music Center

• Now that you have some idea of the types of stories "out there" on the world wide web, you are ready to try your hand at actually researching some of them.  Go to The Stories of Musicians   and try the scavenger hunt you will find there.  

• You are now ready to begin your individual research.  Go to the Individual Research Page for help in getting started.  Keep a journal of your thoughts and ideas throughout the research process.  Keep a record of sites and resources you use.  When you have entered all data from your individual research, you are ready to formulate your side of the debate.  Your journal will be turned in to the teacher at the end of the WebQuest.

• Meet with your team to plan your class presentation.  The team will have 20 minutes to present all three sides of the WebQuest question, using the perspectives of the three American musicians you have studied.   There will be an additional 5 minutes allowed for questions from class members.  Use the Rubrics page to gain ideas about the best way to present  your ideas to the class.