Christmas Adventure on the Stranger Express

Designer: ​Madelyn Pemberton

Technologies Used:
● Makey-Makey- used to connect my project to the actual musical sound(s) coming from
my project.
● https://scratch.mit.edu​ (coding platform)- holds the codes and patterns used for importing
the sound to the Makey-Makey device
● www.soundtrap.com/​- used to create additional sounds and melodies that will be used

Learning Goal: ​MU:Re7.2.T.IIIa Demonstrate and justify how an analysis of the structural
characteristics, context, and technological and creative decisions, informs interest in and
response to the music.”
(​https://nafme.org/wp-content/files/2014/06/3-Core-Music-Standards-Technology-Strand1.pdf​)

**Assessment: ​Through this project, I will assess the participant(s) in their ability to understand
and create music/musical sounds in a fun, creative, and enjoyable way. He/she will stand in
front of the project and touch the different metal “knobs” that will trigger a sound or melody from
the Makey-Makey connection. Afterwards, they will take a “survey rubric” in which they will test
themselves honestly in their personal responses to the experience. The draft is shown below:
Participant 1 2 3 4 5
Responses

The
participant
enjoyed
taking part in
this
experience

The
participant
felt like they
learned how
to create
music in a
fun and
creative way

The
participant
felt that the
project met
the original
goals and
plans

The
participant
would
recommend
to other
students to
try out
Project Overview & Rationale: ​He/she will stand in front of the project and touch the different
metal “knobs” that will trigger a sound or melody from the Makey-Makey connection. There will
be a few melodies, the Stranger Things theme, the Polar Express theme, and a couple of
traditional Christmas songs (jingle bells, All I want For Christmas Is You, etc.). There will also
be some singular sounds, some abstract (trumpet, drumset, bubbles, bell). The participant can
play around with the different sounds and create new sounds and/or remixes from combining
the melodies with the singular sounds. There will be no specific notation on this- only
painted/drawn pictures that are related to the main themes. Examples include painted bubbles,
Stranger Things and Polar Express designs/fonts, the instruments creating the singular sounds,
and some Christmas-themed pictures, since the project is due in December. I feel that this is a
fun way for someone who doesn’t have a basic understanding of music to play around with
different sounds and melodies and to add to them to explore their own creativity. Its auditory
and visually inviting. My goal is for a participant to just have fun playing and exploring with a
new tool to create interesting music.

Plan For Success/Iterating: ​I personally need to learn how to import my sounds from scratch
and soundtrap into the Makey-Makey. I also need to paint my board and glue my metal knobs
(really bathbomb tins) to the painted images so when the participant goes to touch them, they
have the correct sound matching with the correct picture. I plan to complete most of the project
over Thanksgiving break. This will make it easier for me to get more necessary materials for the
board. Also, I will have plenty of time to figure out how to move the sounds into the
Makey-Makey.

Schedule:
Thanksgiving Break- Board painting
Week after break:
● Monday- Add more songs to scratch
● Tuesday- Finish last minute music ideas
● Wednesday- Determine how to import sounds from scratch into the Makey-Makey
● Thursday & Friday- Place everything on the board

**These dates are subject to change, depending on workload for other classes**