Renee Gigax 1
Audacity – Classroom Use
Audacity – classroom use
Audacity can be useful in many classrooms. In the analysis portion of this tool project, I discussed how
Audacity can especially benefit teachers in Music and Language Arts. Even a preschool or kindergarten
teacher can use a pre-cut, timed piece of music to aid in classroom routines and management.
Additionally, there are lesson ideas that can be shared with multiple subjects, where students can:
Make an audio/radio advertisement
Create podcasts
Record sound for PowerPoint slides
Record soundtracks for animations
Students are able to use Audacity to practice and record their speaking skills for their teacher for use in
assessment. Also, students can listen to their own voice compared to that of their teacher (or other
native speaker), listening to the ways that their pronunciation differs. This is a great example of how
Audacity can make it possible for students to monitor their own progress. In most cases, assessing a
student project that uses Audacity will need to use a rubric.
Audacity supports three different types of student learning: communication, creativity, and student
production:
Communication –Audacity allows for students to record their voices
Creativity – sound bites, voice, and music can be edited or combined in countless ways
Student production (as exemplified earlier)
Explain modifications necessary in order to use the tool with different students and different
settings, that is, explain how to differentiate instruction using the tool.
In music alone, there are three standards that Audacity can help with:
Singing, alone and with others, a varied repertoire of music.
Evaluating music and music performances
Understanding relationships between music, the other arts, and disciplines outside the arts.
I have used Audacity to transpose songs to make them more appropriate for younger voices. Also, my
students have recorded themselves to find out how they can improve their performance. I have
recently found a lesson plan that really sparked my interest. Each year, I teach my 5th grade students
one way music affects their lives by having them “fill in the blank” in famous commercial jingles. When
they realize the huge role that music plays in marketing, they get to create their own commercial for an
existing product or service, giving the students the chance to create their own jingle. It is always a fun
and effective project for the kids anyway, but adding Audacity gives it even more potential. The
following lesson actually comes from another subject:
Renee Gigax 2
Audacity – Classroom Use
RADIO COMMERCIAL ASSIGNMENT
Audacity Audio Editing
REMINDERS
To change wav sampling rates, open the wav in Sound Recorder (Accessories, Entertainment)
and save as (change to correct sampling rate)
To change mp3 sampling rates, open the dbPowerAmp Music Converter, browse for your file,
and then convert the file’s sampling rate in the box (I like to convert it to a wav, but you don’t
have to)
PROJECT
This project will give you the opportunity to follow a radio script for a commercial (script is on the back
side of this handout). You will record your own audio (must be your voice) and add sound effects. The
project will also have background music. You will determine the background music based on the tone
you wish to use in your commercial. Be sure your voice is animated and matches the overall tone!
STEP 1: Get Music/Set Tone
Obtain the mp3 song from the following website
(right click the download button and Save Target As)
http://feelslikechristmas.com/traditional_instrumental.html
STEP 2: Locate Appropriate Sound Effects
You need three required sound effects: cash register/money, record scratch, and phone dialing. A good
place to find these is—
http://www.partnersinrhyme.com/pir/PIRsfx.html (record scratch is under General, Noise Sounds; cash
registers are in Office Sounds)
http://www.grsites.com/sounds/ (phone is under Miscellaneous sound effects)
You can find Christmas sound effects at—
http://www.a1freesoundeffects.com/christmas.htm
http://users2.ev1.net/~prank/holiday.htm
(You may also record your own homemade sound effects. Just make them sound as real as possible!
You must use at least one other sound effect!)
STEP 3: Record Your Narration
Renee Gigax 3
Audacity – Classroom Use
Follow the script. You can adlib, but you must use everything from the script. You will be graded on the
clarity and how convincing your voice is. ACT, ACT, ACT!
STEP 4: Organize
Put all your files in order. Be sure to adjust volumes so everything goes together seamlessly. Also, drop
in your sound effects so that they are in the correct place. Be sure your music is not too loud!
STEP 5: Add Effects
Highlight sound clips and use the Effect menu as needed to achieve the desired special effects. Also, be
sure the music fades in and out so that it doesn’t sound odd.
STEP 6: Test and Export
When you are satisfied with your work, test it and export it. Make any changes and re-export so that I
may grade it.
GOOD LUCK!!!
SCRIPT
Remember to adjust your voice based on the overall tone of your message… get your music first and
decide what tone you wish to take… use your imagination!!! You could be hyper and happy or depressed
and cranky. Replace “Your Name” with your actual first name, please!!!!
SPECIAL EFFECTS: To add an echo, highlight the sound clip and click Effect, Echo. Enter a delay time and
a decay factor of not more than 0.5 seconds; less may sound better, so experiment with it to get the
effect you want)
(Music fades in… can do this with an effect.. highlight small part of the beginning of your music file and
go to Effect, Fade In)
(5 seconds of music)
VOICE 1: (Echo) Your Name….
YOU: Uh.. y-y-yes??
VOICE 1: (Echo) Your Name, this is your conscience…
YOU: My conscience! Leave me alone…
VOICE 1: (Echo) It’s that time of year again… it’s time for you to
Renee Gigax 4
Audacity – Classroom Use
YOU: (interrupting..overlap it with the previous comment) Time for me to what? Clean out my gutters?
Change my oil? (you can change these to two different silly things if you want)
VOICE 1: (Echo) No, it’s Christmas time! Time to…
YOU: (interrupting..overlap again) Sing Christmas carols? Wrap presents?
VOICE 1: (Echo) Would you let me do the talking?
YOU: Gosh, go ahead…
VOICE 1: (Echo) (cough..huh huh huh.. getting attention) It’s time to get your family together for
Christmas pictures. And right now, you can get two 8x10s and 24 wallets at Mills Photo House for only
$29! (Sound effect.. money/cash register)
YOU: Hm.. are you sure this is my conscience? I don’t even like having my picture taken!
VOICE 1: (Echo) (stammering) W—well, of course it is.. I am your conscience reminding you to…
YOU: (interrupting..overlap) Wait a minute! This is Chris from Mills Photo House up the road. I know
your voice.
VOICE 1: (Echo) No, no, this is your conscience… do not question your conscience!
YOU: Well, whoever you are, I know a good deal when I hear one. I’ll call Mills Photo House right now
and make my holiday photo appointment! (Sound effect of phone dialing)
VOICE 1: (no echo..normal) Great, I can schedule that for you right now.
YOU: Wait a minute, (record player scratch sound) I thought you were my conscience!
ANOTHER VOICE: (this can be anyone.. needs to be high energy.. peppy..overdone) Mills Photo House..
for all your holiday photography needs. Call 334-9595 today!
(Music fades out)
Renee Gigax 5
Audacity – Classroom Use
RADIO COMMERCIAL ASSIGNMENT: CHRISTMAS
GRADE SHEET
Remember, you are to do your own work. At no point in time should another person be handling your
mouse! If they do, count on a zero.
Name:__________________________________ Date Graded:___________________
Requirement Points Deducted
Possible
Appropriate instrumental Christmas music is used in the background and 10
volume is adjusted accordingly (amplification decreased to work with
dialogue)
The three required sound effects are used and sound real; adjust volume 15
if necessary
Another sound effect is used to make the commercial more original; list 10
the effect here—
Why did you add this?
Narration recorded is your own voice and is clear and convincing; 20
matches tone of the commercial
Overall commercial flows smoothly; sound effects are eased in as 20
needed to sound real and narration is overlapped during interruptions
(see instructions on script)
Effects are added as indicated on the script (Echo to conscience; music 15
fades in and out)
Turned in on time (late projects will not be accepted after the end of the 10
week; this is all or nothing)
TOTAL 100
COMMENTS
Renee Gigax 6
Audacity – Classroom Use
Lesson Analysis and Adaptation Worksheet
Content Area/Topic: Business Technology
Grade Level: 9-12
Location and Title of Lesson: from the website http://lessonplans.btskinner.com/multimedia.html
under the title Audacity Radio Commercial Project
Intended Audience for the Adaptation: Elementary Music Radio Commercial
THE LESSON INDICATORS COMMENTS
Works Content and technology Standards are not mentioned
toward standards are mentioned
appropriate Standards are for the After looking up the (Ohio) technology standards
goals correct grade level and online, the lesson goals are appropriate to them;
content area specifically Standard 3 – Benchmark E: Classify,
Objectives are aligned with demonstrate, examine and appraise information
standards and communication technologies.
Tasks focus clearly on Objectives are clear in the “REQUIRED” column of
obtaining the objectives the rubric/grade sheet
Requires the Students are asked to do Students are asked to demonstrate their new skills
use of more than memorize or by producing a product: radio commercial
higher order understand
thinking Media, visual, Requires students to use a multi-media
skills and communicative, communicative approach
“new” technological,
literacies mathematical, and/or
other nontraditional
literacies are addressed
Integrates Communication This is a communication-based project
the learning Production Students are creating a product
goals Critical thinking Students need to choose appropriate sound effects
and explain why they chose them
Creativity Students need to “act” while interpreting the
dialogue, which is a theatre based creative process.
Also, students need to use their imagination in
adding effects to make things sound original
Content Information and new skills are taught
Problem solving Students need to decide how much fade or volume,
figure out when and how to insert various effects,
and decide which effects are appropriate
Inquiry/research Students need to follow hyperlinks to look up
effects, and research their own sounds
Renee Gigax 7
Audacity – Classroom Use
Includes a Students have choices of The instructor includes 5 good hyperlinks that
variety of materials at different levels students can use as references
resources Materials are available in a
variety of modes and Written and online materials are given with the
media lesson, and it is assumed that Audacity is available
to the students at home or at school
Encourages Students have roles/tasks Students are led through specific tasks, and must
all students to perform throughout the perform these tasks in a certain order
actively in lesson
authentic Connections are made This project is a radio commercial, which relates to
tasks between the task and real real life for the students
life
Students must actively Students must answer questions regarding their
search for answers to choices of effects and interpretation
essential questions
Uses The technology makes the Audacity helps make the task authentic
technology task more authentic
effectively, The technology makes the The hyperlinks and audio editing software provide
efficiently, task easier to accomplish additional resources
and as a The technology helps Audacity makes it much faster to add effects and
learning tool students learn faster than record student voices than with traditional ways
without it
The technology is The product that students are producing is a radio
secondary to the content program, not just a demonstration of Audacity
and goals
Addresses All students can access task Because of the hyperlinks to other resources,
the needs of instructions students can research as much or as little as they
a variety of need to accomplish the tasks
students, All students can access task All students can access the materials with any
including materials and resources computer with internet access
ELLs and Students have different Students use the suggested links for effects, while
students ways to accomplish the also doing their own research for sounds; however,
with same objectives because of the required elements and script, the
physical and project does not give a lot of flexibility in ways to
other accomplish the same objective
challenges
Includes Assessment is aligned to The rubric for assessment outlines the objectives;
appropriate the standards and unfortunately, a behavioral objective for the
assessments objectives students is not stated at the beginning of the
Assessments are fair for all project (nor the standards)
students and not based on Assessments cover technical, oral, musical, and
one ability creative abilities
Assessments allow The students are producing a product to be
students to show what assessed by a rubric, which is given a (positive)
they know/can do rather number out of “possible points” rather than a “-3”
than what they cannot do
Renee Gigax 8
Audacity – Classroom Use
The parameters, along with suggestions and coinciding hyperlinks offer good scaffolding, so students get
help with only the skills that are new or beyond their ability. I would add another link to Audacity’s wiki,
which offers great written tutorials, along with more step-by-step directions in layering the sounds
together. In order to adapt this lesson to my 5th graders, I would allow students to get access to our
computer lab, and afterwards give one group at a time access to a quiet recording area. Not everyone in
my district has home access to computers. In case the computer lab is unavailable, groups of students
would be assigned sections of the commercial, and then it would become a whole-class project based
off of my laptop. When students are using mp3’s and other recorded media, it is important to teach
them the basics of copyright infringement. Basically, by teaching the rule of 10 (no more than 10% of
original work can be copied), it is easy for students to just “move the decimal point” once they know
how long the original is. Finally, I will require that words and music content are school appropriate.