When fifth graders at Cedarwood Elementary entered their cafeteria, they walked into a fusion of art and science, as part of the innovative Jazz Lab program which merges the study of sound with music creation. Alan Ware, a science teacher at Cedarwood, emphasized the importance of understanding the science behind music. "The Jazz Lab allows students to do hands-on activities to get a deeper understanding of sound and how it works," Ware told Columbus City Schools News. Highlighting the program's goal, Ware added, "With this program, my goal is not just to be able to answer the questions, but have that understanding and be able to articulate the 'why.' The Jazz Lab has given [students] the ability to do that."
As part of the lab's "Science of Sound" segment, musicians brought their gear and turned the cafeteria into a live jazz hall where each beat, chord, and melody served as an educational tool. Kia Hinton, a student at Cedarwood, found the experience both challenging and enlightening. "It was kind of hard, but I learned that energy comes in different forms," Hinton said in a statement obtained by Columbus City Schools News. Group activities included crafting makeshift instruments from everyday materials, promoting a philosophy of trial and error akin to the scientific method.
Chenzira Sneed, Learning Expansion TOSA at CCS, explained the value of experiencing the physics of sound through music. "Using the musical instruments as the medium, the students can experience the vibration," Sneed explained. She highlighted the broader curricular benefits: "With these activities, the students are deepening their understanding of how sound energy works." The project encouraged enthusiastic discussions amongst students, who explored their newly acquired vocabulary to articulate the scientific principles at play in their musical endeavors.
The collaborative nature of the Jazz Lab also played a central role in the day, fostering a spirit of teamwork and critical thinking. "Students are coming together in groups, solving problems, and finding solutions," Sneed noted during the Columbus City Schools News interview. She witnessed as children embraced setbacks not as failures but as learning opportunities to iterate and improve their designs—skills that are indispensable in the scientific field. By the time the students dispersed, they were not only taking home DIY instruments but also a vibrant educational experience that married the worlds of science and art.
Ultimately, the program aimed to expose students to the interconnectedness of seemingly disparate subjects and passions. "These things may not be directly academic, but they correlate with academics," Ware told Columbus City Schools News. He highlighted the broader scope of education where arts, sciences, and music converge to shape robust and inquisitive minds. The Jazz Lab stands as a testament to the nuanced and intertwined nature of learning, echoing beyond the reverberating halls of Cedarwood Elementary.
