Lesson: Your Brain on Music

Ask students about their study habits. For example: Do they listen to music or prefer quiet? Do they work in solitude or in a group space? Do their habits depend on what they are studying? Have they noticed factors that make it easier or more difficult to concentrate? Record a list of factors that students think are helpful for successful studying and factors that are harmful to successful studying.

Open the article online and read the article aloud. Pause after each section and summarize what researchers  gured out about how music affects people. Be sure to discuss how researchers used different methods, like experimental tests and monitoring brain activity. After reading, have students summarize what the scientists concluded about how music affects the brain. Discuss how this information could change their study habits.

Poll students about their opinions on the effects of listening to music while studying. Submit your class’s results online and see how they compare with those of other classrooms. Then revisit the list of factors that affect successful studying. Discuss how each of the factors might affect a person’s ability to complete different tasks. Distribute the “Musical Mind” skills sheet. Discuss the diagram of the brain and then students’ answers.

Share the “Investigate It! Your Brain on Music” skills sheet with students. After students complete it, discuss their answers. Next, read the instructions for the Take It Further extension. Brainstorm different methods that would allow students to evaluate the effect of music on concentration. Have individuals or small groups plan their investigations, receive feedback on the plan, and carry out the investigation. After students complete their investigations, have them present their results to the class.

Have students plan and write an essay using the “Your Point of View” skills sheet. Prompt them to include supporting evidence from the article and results from their own investigations.

⇨ TAKE OUR POLL: Do you find listening to music helpful while working on assignments? Respond here.

⇨ SEL: This article includes supports for responsible decision-making.