Impact on Student Learning Project

Music of the 1980s

Purpose
The purpose of this unit was to educate students on music of the 1980s. This lesson is taught in a
Music Appreciation class, focusing on the importance of a well-rounded musical knowledge so
that students can better appreciate music of the past and its influence on today. This unit draws
on information from previous decades while also introducing new knowledge on various artists,
genres, political figures, and historical events of the time.

Unit Objectives & Standards

Context & Objectives
Students will be able to:

● Identify popular musical artists of the 1980s

○ Includes knowledge of childhood, early career, musical genre(s), and important
achievements of the artist
● Recognize different genres that emerged/evolved through the 1980s and what
distinguished them
● Aurally identify different songs of the decade by title and performing artist
● Name important historical figures and events that influenced the 1980s
○ Includes politicians, notable events, social influences, and important inventions
and achievements

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Pre-Assessment
Overview
The pre-assessment for students was prepared as a written test that students filled out prior to
learning any information about the 1980s in-class. The test included ten multiple-choice questions
about genres, artists, composers, and other important components of the 1980s. In addition,
there were ten audio clips played with music from artists/composers of the 1980s. The audio clips
were ungraded for the pretest.

We went through the listening portion of the test first, followed by the multiple choice portion.
Students had fifteen minutes to complete the multiple choice section before turning it in.
Everyone completed the assignment individually, and students were not allowed to use cell
phones in order to avoid looking up answers; however, nobody felt encouraged to do so since
they knew it was not for a grade.

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Results

Question # Percentage Correct

(15 tests total)

1 7/15 (47%)

2 7/15 (47%)

3 8/15 (53%)

4 10/15 (67%)

5 4/15 (27%)

6 15/15 (100%)

7 12/15 (80%)

8 10/15 (67%)

9 6/15 (40%)

10 10/15 (67%)

Average Percentage: 52.3%

Six students (40%) scored a 70% or higher

Three students (20%) scored a 40% or lower

Analysis
Upon reviewing the data, there was a high amount of information that students did not know.
Some very well-known artists from the 1980s (like Michael Jackson, mentioned in Q6) were
identified with ease, while other artists and genres were not. Overall, only 40% of students would
have passed this as a real test, and 20% of students scored a 4/10 or lower.

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Lesson One
The pre-assessment was given the lesson previous, prepping the class for Lesson One. In this
lesson, students were introduced to two presidents of the 1980s: Ronald Reagan and George
H.W. Bush. Once background knowledge on those two was covered, students learned about the
creation of MTV and its promotion of new music. VH1 was also mentioned as an adult alternative.

The first artist discussed in Lesson One is Bruce Springsteen. We covered aspects of his
childhood, the creation of the E Street Band, his rise to superstardom, his nicknames, and his
awards. Following Springsteen, we shifted into a focus on the AIDS epidemic and its impact on
America, particularly in the gay community. We ended the lesson mentioning New Wave music
and how it formed from punk.

Lesson Two
In Lesson Two, we opened class with a listening activity, having everyone listen to “Hungry Like
the Wolf” by Duran Duran, a New Wave band from the 80s. After reflecting on its sound, lyrics,
and other qualities, I played snippets of other New Wave bands, then reviewed a few slides from
the previous lesson. Once we had reviewed, I introduced Wynton Marsalis, a jazz artist from New
Orleans. We covered his family history, his acceptance and leaving of Juliard, and his following
career before becoming faculty at Juilliard. We then learned about the end of the Cold War and
the influence of Mikhael Gorbachev. Following this, we discussed Madonna and her early
childhood, rebellion from Catholicism, early musical experiences, and acting career.

After discussing Madonna, we listened to two of her pieces, including the full music video of
“Papa Don’t Preach.” We had a small discussion surrounding the Catholic influence on Madonna’s
music, and then we moved on to Michael Jackson. I asked a few questions regarding the Jackson
5 since they had been learned in a previous unit, and then we moved to Michael’s life following
that musical group. We listened to a few of his songs, and learned about what made him the
“King of Pop.”

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Lesson Three
Lesson Three began with a full watch and listening of Michael Jackson’s music video for “Thriller.”
After discussing its cultural significance, as well as unique characteristics about the music, we
reviewed Madonna and Michael Jackson. After discussing important information for both artists, I
introduced them to the Challenger shuttle disaster that occurred in 1986. My CT spoke a bit
about what it was like to see this occur on-air, and then we moved forward. We learned about hair
metal bands such as Motley Crue, Def Leppard, Bon Jovi, and more, and we listened to a few
songs from multiple bands.

Following our introduction to hair metal, we dove into the history of Prince. After going over his
childhood, we watched a clip of him performing and identified key components of Prince’s
musicianship such as his falsetto singing and virtuosic guitar playing. We also went over the
period of Prince’s life where he did not go by Prince, but as a symbol pronounced “the artist
formerly known as Prince.” After watching a bio video, we concluded the lesson.

Lesson Four
In Lesson Four, we began with a review of hair metal bands and Prince. After the review, we
spoke about John Williams, and we listened to a few scores he had composed for various
movies. Following Williams, we spoke about Whitney Houston and watched a biography video on
her career. We also listened to a few of her songs. After talking about the sound of her music, we
moved into Run D.M.C. and their influence on hip-hop breaking into mainstream music.

After discussing Run D.M.C. and listening to two of their songs, we began our section on Reba
with a short biography video. Following this biography, we discussed interesting things about her
life, and we listened to a few of her songs. Once that had concluded, we talked about these
people’s influences over the mainstream of music and how the artists so far have broken into
popular media through different means. Once that discussion concluded, class was over.

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Lesson Five
Lesson Five began with a listening activity using Hallelujah by Leonard Cohen. We discussed
students’ favorite lyrics, the differences between this version and the ones students have heard
more often, and the importance of this song’s popularity. Once the listening concluded, we had a
review on Whitney Houston, Run D.M.C., and Reba. Following this review, we learned about
Andrew Lloyd Webber and his impact on musicals and film, and we listened to “Phantom of the
Opera.”

We then discussed the fall of the Berlin Wall and its significance. Afterwards, we learned about
how music was listened to in the 1980s; records, cassette tapes, radio, MTV, and multiple other
means were discussed. Following the music, we talked about fashion in the 80s and how it was
reflected by musicians of the time. Finally, we talked about other inventions and important cultural
moments of the time. We ended class a little early, and we spent the remaining time listening to
80s music, and participating students rated each song as it concluded.

Post-Assessment
Overview
Before the post-assessment, students spent a class period reviewing a study guide with
information from the 1980s. This study guide featured answers to most of the post-assessment
questions; they were just framed differently than on the test. We spent that class period doing
this worksheet as well as listening to 80s music, and students were welcome to ask any
additional questions before the next class period.

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The post-assessment was the same as our pre-assessment, but the multiple choice and listening
were both graded for accuracy. For comparison purposes, only the multiple choice section is
included in the final grades listed below. We went through the listening portion of the test first,
followed by the multiple choice portion. Students had fifteen minutes to complete the multiple
choice section before turning it in; however, everyone was done within ten minutes. Everyone
completed the assignment individually, and students were not allowed to use cell phones in
order to avoid looking up answers.

Results

Question # Percentage Correct

(15 tests total)

1 11/15 (73%)

2 10/15 (67%)

3 12/15 (80%)

4 13/15 (87%)

5 10/15 (67%)

6 15/15 (100%)

7 15/15 (100%)

8 15/15 (100%)

9 8/15 (53%)

10 13/15 (87%)

Average Percentage: 80.6%

Twelve students (80%) scored a 70% or higher

One student (7%) scored a 40% or lower

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Analysis
Overall, there was significant improvement in the students’ knowledge of 1980’s music. 80% of
students scored higher than a 70% on the multiple choice post-assessment, compared to the
40% of correct answers on the pre-assessment. For most students, the ninth question about
Prince was the hardest question; only 53% of students got this question correct. On the separate
listening portion, results varied; but everyone scored at least a 60%, and a majority scored an
80% or higher.

Reflection
Evidence of Student Learning and Growth
The students had clear growth from the beginning to the end of the unit. Evidence of student
growth from this series of lessons is demonstrated through student assessment scores and from
personal assessment through observation and note-taking during the lessons. Students were
also assessed individually by being asked for responses to questions asked aloud. Such
questions included information about artists, historical events, and other notable feats of the
decade. Students also expanded their critical thinking abilities when assessing music; when
asked, students were able to articulate differences in orchestration, vocal style, and other
components of each song.

Evidence of Modification and Differentiation

The majority of modifications in this assignment were to the modality in which different content
was presented in the unit. Slides were presented on the SmartBoard for visual learners while I
spoke information aloud for aural learners. In addition, listenings were played so students could
identify real differences between varying genres and artists. The slides were also provided in
Spanish, allowing our ELL students to actively write notes and engage in the material, even
though I couldn’t translate aurally. Assessments were also formatted with multiple strengths in
mind; some questions were multiple choice, and others required aural identification of songs.
Throughout the unit, I did what I could to appeal this lecture-based lesson to multiple styles of
learners with different needs and accommodations.

Reflection for Future Lessons/Units

Overall, I am pleased with the results of this unit. Some students were apathetic about the
material, but they paid attention and worked toward a higher understanding of the course

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material throughout the unit. I am impressed with the leap in knowledge in the students, both
through the written assessment and through their participation in listening and discussion. If I
were to teach this lesson again, I would try to create more means of differentiation so that
students could engage with the material further. I would also find better resources for ELL
students, and I would include more material that pertains to their musical background and
culture. Finally, I would have included more student input in the information we covered/listened
to in class. Some students are quite fond of 80s music, and they would have enjoyed listening to
songs or artists that were personally appealing to them. The unit was an overall success, and I am
proud of my students for engaging with the unit material and developing a deeper appreciation
for music from a previous time.