UP RIVER --- HISTORY, WRITING, MUSIC PROGRAM

Our music is Appalachian Mountain Music and Celtic music.

We will introduce students to 8 different instruments while sharing music and history.

Our interdisciplinay approach includes the use of maps, timelines, and student participation.

Our program can be adjusted to fit your time schedule and will cover such topics as:

Celtic Culture and History and it's influence in America

The difference between music that is 300 years old and music written today

The Pilgrims of 1620

Some early American Pioneers - The Scots Irish migration in the 1700's

Life and travel of the early pioneers

Famous Scots-Irish immagrants and their contributions to America

Compare and contrast the life of the Celtic people and the Native Americans

Revolutionary War

The War of 1812

The Civil War

The Potato Famine Irish Immigration

Songs can tell stories through the writing, poetry and music

Students are encouraged to write their own song set to the tune Old Suzanna. They can be sent to Up River who will pick a winner and perform it during the assembly.

We will share our personal stories of early settlers in our family tree.

Students are encouraged to talk to their families to find what their personal history is and to write it down in a story to share with others.

A crossword puzzle/ quiz based on information presented during the program will be sent to schools to distribute to students.

Information about each of th 8 instruments used will be shared.

There will be a short question and answer period if time allows.

June 10, 2008

To Whom It May Concern:

I am writing to recommend the “Upriver” band as educational performers. Having taught elementary through high school classes, I have found that students often learn best through music. I have tried to incorporate a variety of musical elements in my history classes and have found that it helps students understand and retain learning material. While I am currently on long term child-care leave, I am employed by the Alexandria City Public Schools as a middle school history teacher.

I recently attended an “Upriver” concert in Falls Church, Virginia while the band was on a tour through the state. I was very impressed with the music, which is beautifully presented through a variety of musical instruments. However, I was particularly impressed with the deep threads of history and culture woven through the presentation by this band. Many of the stories told during the presentation connect the music of the present with music of American immigrants.

Dan Moorefield, an Ohio certified teacher, shows his understanding of the learning process through his method of weaving facts into interesting and relevant stories related to the presented music. Teresa Morrison teaches music to children and adults, and her ability to teach people of all ages in clear in her presentation. Most importantly, they connect history with our current culture, particularly through the music that remains to us from our ancestors. Music stays with us through time, and elements of our current music can be found in the music developed by the immigrants who settled our lands many years ago. Listening to the presentation by “Upriver” makes these connections very clear.

Thus, I highly recommend the band “Upriver” for any school looking to enhance a curriculum with musical presentations. Please feel free to contact me if you have any further questions.

Sincerely, Leah A. Evans ( contact information can be provided on request)

To whom it may concern,

We were treated to a special musical appearance by Up River recently at two of our elementary schools. They performed as a school assembly at Clark Elementary. Teresa and Dan also shared their love of music with the students in the after school programs at Clark and Millersburg Elemntary Schools.

They introduced the students to a style of music they may have never heard before. The students were exposed to a wide variety of traditional instruments such as the mandolin, harmonica, guitar, recorder and Irish whistle. The songs they performed were educational, patriotic and cultural. The students enjoyed freeing their minds to imagine themselves in a long ago, almost forgotten, time.

Up River Band provides a wonderful enrichment activity and I would highly recommend them.

Sincerely,

Elaine A Baisden,

21st Century Community Learning Center ,Site Coordinator, Wooster, Ohio

Students demonstrate knowledge and understanding of a variety of music styles and cultures and the context of musical expression or events, both past and present. Students identify significant contributions of composers and performers to music heritage. Students analyze the historical, social and political forces that have influenced the function and role of music in the lives of people.

Identify and demonstrate AB form and verse/refrain form.

Identify and respond to music of historical and cultural origins.

Sing, listen and move to music from various historical periods.

Identify and describe contrasting music styles (e.g., marches and lullabies).

Discuss the purpose of music from selected historical periods.

Sing and respond to music from world cultures.

Recognize the interaction of people in music.

Recognize how sounds and music are used in daily lives. Recognize and describe how songs are used for a variety of occasions (e.g., birthday, holiday).

Recognize the interaction of people in music.

Describe how events during various historical periods have influenced the development of music.

Recognize and discuss the influence of American history on the development of folk music.

Describe conditions under which music is created and performed in various cultures.

Recognize and identify contextual elements (e.g., time, location, current events, culture, social and political climate) that shape the development of music.

Students listen to a varied repertoire of music and respond by analyzing and describing music using correct terminology. Students evaluate the creating and performing of music by using appropriate criteria.

Identify and demonstrate contrasting elements of music (e.g., dynamics:

loud/soft; rhythm: fast/slow; melody: high/low).

Identify selected music instruments (e.g., flute, trumpet, guitar, violin, sitar, congas, bagpipes, synthesizer).grade 4. Classify instruments by the four families of the orchestra.

Describe the way sound is produced on various instruments and with the human voice.

k - 8 Attend live music performances and demonstrate audience behavior appropriate for the context and style of music performed

Demonstrate how music communicates meaning of text, feelings, moods or images, and influences personal preferences

Demonstrate how music communicates meaning of text, feelings and moods or images.

develop a desire for lifelong learning in music.

Identify and describe roles of musicians in various music settings.

Discuss that some people write music, direct music and/or perform music as jobs.

		Topics presented in Upriver assembly that are listed in Ohio State standards grades K - 8:

Writing Proscess Standard. A. Generate ideas and determine a topic suitable for writing. B. Determine audience and purpose for self-selected and assigned writing tasks. C. Apply knowledge of graphic or other organizers to clarify ideas of writing assessments. D. Spend the necessary amount of time to revisit, rework and refine pieces of writing. E. Use revision strategies to improve the coherence of ideas, clarity of sentence structure and effectiveness of word choices. F. Use a variety of resources and reference materials to select more effective vocabulary when editing. G. Edit to improve sentence fluency, grammar and usage. H. Apply tools to judge the quality of writing.

	History Standards Students use materials drawn from the diversity of human experience to analyze and interpret significant events, patterns and themes in the history of Ohio, the United States and the world. Benchmark A: Construct time lines to demonstrate an understanding of units of time and chronological order. Chronology 1. Define and measure time by years, decades and centuries. 2. Place local historical events in sequential order on a time line. Benchmark B: Describe the cultural patterns that are evident in North America today as a result of exploration, colonization and conflict Settlement 2. Describe the earliest settlements in Ohio including those of prehistoric peoples. 3. Explain why European countries explored and colonized North America. 4. Describe the lasting effects of English colonization in North America including cultural patterns evident today such as language, food, traditions and architecture. 5. Explain how the United States became independent from Great Britain. Benchmark C: Explain how new developments led to the growth of the United States. Growth 3. Describe changes in the community over time including changes in: a. Businesses; b. Architecture; c. Physical features; d. Employment; e. Education; f. Transportation; g. Technology; h. Religion; i. Recreation. 6. Explain the importance of inventors such as the Wright Brothers, Charles Kettering, Garrett Morgan, Granville Woods and Thomas Edison.( We will discuss inventors and leaders who have Scots Irish ancestory) 6. Explain the impact of settlement, industrialization and transportation on the expansion of the United States.