Adventures in Thoughtful Logs

Along with my SLO for 3rd grade students, I decided to adapt the idea of thoughtful logs into the music room.  I had been to a session at the Waukesha One conference presented by the specialists at Bethesda in which they used Google Docs. This session really got me thinking about how I could make this work in my own classroom. I decided to use Book Creator as I felt that this app allowed students more options and tools to organize their thinking and record their learning. We worked together to document their learning using writing, drawings, photos, recordings, and screen shots from other apps like Brain Pop.  Students are also super savvy with this app!

Getting started was pretty easy. I created a simple template based off a note value worksheet I had used with students in the past as a "Vocabulary" section and then added the oh so important "My Thinking" section by just labeling empty entry pages not knowing what we might need to add as the year progressed. Then, I  Airdropped it to my students.

By the end of the year, the thoughtful logs were an awesome collection of their learning. Take a look at some samples of their work:

Students were able to screenshot their work from the Brain Pop writing activity to add to their "My Thinking" section

Students took pictures of measures they created. They were asked to think about what time signature they were composing in and then had to choose the one they wanted to play in our drum circle.

A view of our vocabulary section

Students created a new rhythm based off a song called "Tennessee".
How would we get our state to fit into a song written in 4/4 time?
How do you know your solution would work?