Unit Guide

Music for Healing: Addressing the Social-Emotional Needs of Students in the Elementary Setting

Von Eric Morgan, Jr.

This 5-day, 12-week curriculum is designed to support students in their overall academic and personal development. It will focus on areas of development often impacted by traumatic experiences such as behaviors, social-emotional development, social skills and academic performance. Designed to take a collaborative approach, with direct instruction to familiarize students with the appropriate terms used throughout the curriculum, this unit will help students to recognize, understand, reflect upon and express positive and appropriate ways to interact with others and their environment. It will focus on key elements of development and help students identify various resources that will support them in these areas as well as how collaborative musical experiences can help teach them the skills necessary to be successful both inside and outside of the classroom. Through the use of modeling, reflecting and various musical activities, including but not limited to songwriting, instrument play, drum circles and movement, students will be able to use music and other creative avenues to provide them with a sense of comfort, support and refuge from the impact that trauma and other worldly challenges can have on their everyday lives.