CHAPTER 3
                      METHODOLOGY AND PROCEDURES

                                   Introduction

      An action research study and nonequivalent group comparison guided this study.

Participants consisted of 25 second-grade students between the ages of 7 and 8 years

who attended general music class once each week. Non-random sampling was used as

students attended music class according to their assigned homeroom. The data

collection instrument included a composition template and scoring tool created by the

tearcher-researcher. Parents received consent forms and the students received assent

forms to complete prior to the research study.

                                   Procedures

      The study took place at a rural elementary school in north central Florida. The

school is comprised of approximately 225 students, 75% percent of whom are eligible

for federal free or reduced-price lunch program. The school's ethnic groups include 67%

white students, 23% black, six percent multiracial, 3% Hispanic, less than 1% American

Indian, and less than 1% Asian/Pacific Islander.

      Second-grade students were selected to participate in the study. The teacher-

researcher instructed the students for 6 weeks prior to beginning the study. During this

time, the students learned rhythm reading and notating skills and performed movements

to a steady beat. The teacher-researcher was not aware of the students' previous

experience with composing. Therefore, a guided composition approach was chosen that

used only two pitches notated on one staff line.

      The second-grade students attended music class in two separate homeroom

groups. All students received the same initial instruction from the music teacher.