Students explore film scores by composer John Williams

Ms. Ternes' fourth and fifth grade general music classes recently completed a study on their September Composer of the Month, John Williams. The students discovered that Williams composed music for well-known films such as "Home Alone," "Jurassic Park," "Star Wars," "Indiana Jones," and "Harry Potter." They were surprised to learn that he is 92 years old and continues to compose music.

During the class, students engaged with his compositions by tapping along using rhythm sticks. They also participated in a Composer Project where they imagined themselves as composers. The project involved deciding on a movie they would want to score, envisioning what their music would sound like, and coming up with a title for their composition. As they worked in groups, John Williams' music played in the background, helping them realize they recognized more of his work than they initially thought.