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Universal BEATS: Universal BioMusic Education Achievement Tier in Science


The goal of this project is to create and assess curriculum materials that use music as a vehicle to support science learning in grades 2-5. The project will use a broad context of music--from the physics of sound to animal communication--to explore core science ideas in an engaging, inquiry-based manner in the classroom. The materials, produced collaboratively by master teachers (Kenan Fellows) and the project team, will consist of four units that can be integrated into existing science instruction.

Universal BEATS is funded by a grant from the National Science Foundation and is directed by a team that includes music educators from UNC-Greensboro, science educators and the Kenan Fellows program from NC State. This work builds on previous work in the area of biomusic by the principal investigator and an NSF-funded informal science education project, titled Wild Music.

This project addresses the Friday Institute’s goals of providing professional development and curriculum resources to teachers and improving 21st century teaching and learning.  The 2-year project will end in December of 2009.

PROJECT TEAM