INTRODUCTION

This thesis is presented in the context of a music education professional
working within an academic setting where the use of formalized or published
curriculum is not always required. It is also preferable for the music professional
to teach this unit in an environment where teaching objectives and style can be
flexible, and where creativity in meeting curriculum objectives is appreciated.
Therefore, it is important to keep the context in mind while reading this thesis.
Within this thesis, it is presumed, that a large majority of the individual
concepts laid forth in the sections that follow are common knowledge to most
music education professionals. However, the thesis presentation and
combinations of ideas may not have been made prior to this point to create a
teaching unit for handmade instruments.
This thesis will demonstrate by explaining in a "teacher instruction
manual approach" the benefits of using homemade instruments to teach middle
school students musical acoustics appropriate to their age group. This thesis will
further explain how a music professional may choose to use this unit on
handmade instruments, and to demonstrate the knowledge and skills necessary
to good instrument design.
The instructional approach that follows is generally laid out as a series of
concepts to be taught as a single unit to the middle level students. Following this
approach will, not-coincidentally, also allow a teacher to experience the benefits
of combining various teaching methods, each of which cover the various types of
learning styles and the multiple intelligences found in America's students and
classrooms.